Medicare enrollment problems,Medicare payments

A 3-physician, family medicine practice in Lexington, Va., recently found itself with roughly $40,000 in unpaid Medicare claims -- practice revenue that was in limbo because of a cascade of blunders in Medicare's physician enrollment process.

Brenda Harlow, office manager for Lexington Family Practice since 1981 and, thus, no newcomer to the Medicare game, commented she'd never seen anything like the mess in which the practice found itself recently.

The nightmare started with the completion of Medicare enrollment forms in January. A series of events, including Medicare contractor mailroom mishaps and a lack of clarity about what information the contractor needed from the practice, stretched on for nearly two months, according to Harlow.

Then the hammer came down.
"Payments from Medicare were stopped on March 12," said Harlow. Subsequently, the practice was notified that, as of May 25, all three physicians in the practice could be "barred from Medicare for a year."

Robert Pickral, M.D., has been serving Medicare patients at the Lexington practice since 1981. "What is the message to the physicians of America when this kind of disruption happens?" he asked.
"We operate a small practice in a small community. Revenue is way down, and federal quarterly taxes are due," said Pickral, adding that Medicare patients account for nearly 25 percent of the practice's patient panel.

As of June 2, the practice still had no resolution regarding the Medicare enrollment problems, and it still has not received any Medicare payments.

According to Kent Moore, the AAFP's manager of health care financing and delivery systems, there is no way to know for sure how many other Academy members are experiencing similar problems with Medicare. But "I do know that Pickral's practice is not alone," he said.

"I have exchanged e-mails and phone calls with other AAFP members who have run afoul of Medicare's physician enrollment process," said Moore, adding "in some cases, physicians have had their Medicare billing privileges revoked as a consequence."


Avoiding Medicare Mishaps
Medicare's Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System, or PECOS, may be the source of many problems, including those experienced by Pickral's practice, according to Cynthia Hughes, C.P.C., an AAFP coding expert who works with Moore in the AAFP's Practice Support Division.

The Internet-based PECOS was established in 2003, and physicians who have not submitted an enrollment application since it went operational need to re-enroll, said Hughes.

She also cited physician revalidation rules laid out in the Medicare Program Integrity Manual (275-page PDF; About PDFs). According to the manual, Medicare providers and suppliers "must resubmit and recertify the accuracy of their enrollment information every five years in order to maintain Medicare billing privileges."

According to Hughes and Moore, physicians can be proactive to prevent problems with Medicare. For example, physicians should

* log in to PECOS to see if they are registered there and to ensure that their information is complete and accurate;
* respond to Medicare requests for revalidation of enrollment in a timely manner, so if issues crop up, there is ample time to resolve them; and
* report any provider changes, such as a change of address, promptly.

"Physicians may think Medicare is picking on them, but the real issue is that there are lots of new rules that everyone is trying to follow," said Hughes.

She suggested that physicians who are rushing to beat a Medicare enrollment deadline and who are not already established in PECOS should submit a paper application. "Approval for PECOS registration can take some time," said Hughes.

Mushrooms Benefits on Health

Mushrooms are gaining new respect from nutritionists and medical doctors, as scientists discover that mushrooms may play a role in fighting any number of ailments from high blood pressure to infections and even cancer. After more than 15 years of researchs, American scientists finally have access to a mushroom compound called AHCC (which stands for Active Hexose Correlated Compound), which was once available only in Japan and has been used extensively by Japanese hospitals and medical clinics since its development in the mid-1980s as a safe, natural way to help support the immune system.

AHCC is obtained from a hybridization of several species of medicinal mushrooms (including Shiitake), all organically cultivated in Japan. After extensive clinical research and significant evidence supporting its effectiveness, AHCC is gaining mainstream acceptance in the United States.

“The studies have been quite amazing,” says Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H., who has recommended AHCC adjunct therapy for many of his patients. “It has been shown to work well in patients with cancer, hepatitis, immunocompromised patients and liver disease.

The immune system in our body works in part by detecting and eliminating foreign cells. For people with healthy immune systems, viruses, bacteria and abnormal cells are routinely found and destroyed before any damage is done, often before the person ever feels sick. AHCC has been shown in clinical studies to safely and naturally support a healthy immune response by activating and increasing the number of certain types of immune cells, and triggering related immune reactions in the body.

The excitement among scientists is growing as research progresses. U.S. clinical trials are underway at the More-house School of Medicine and Yale University. These studies follow a number of previous studies conducted by prestigious Japanese universities.

After one such study, a human clinical study of liver cancer patients conducted at the Kansai Medical University in Osaka, Japan and published in the July 2002 Journal of Hepatology, researchers remarked that “AHCC intake resulted in improved liver function, the prevention of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the prolonged survival of postoperative HCC patients without any adverse effect.”

Yoga as an effective treatment for back pain

New researchs from the U.S. suggests that the millennia-old therapy of yoga could benefit millions of people who suffer from back pain problems. In an article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on December 20, researchers concluded that yoga act as a more effective treatment for back pain than conventional therapy.
A study conducted at the Group Health Cooperative in Washington State required 101 adults to follow a choice of remedial treatments – a 12-week course in yoga, 12 weeks of standard therapeutic exercise or the same period following instructions in a self-help book. The results showed yoga both expedited relief from pain and had longer lasting benefits. Lead researcher Dr. Karen Sherman said this was because “mind and body effects” were in collusion.

The article states that: “Most treatments for chronic low back pain have modest efficacy at best. Exercise is one of the few proven treatments…however, its effects are often small, and no form has been shown to be clearly better than another. Yoga, which often couples physical exercise with breathing, is a popular alternative form of ‘mind–body’ therapy…[It] may benefit patients with back pain simply because it involves exercise or because of its effects on mental focus. We found no published studies in western biomedical literature that evaluated yoga for chronic low back pain; therefore, we designed a clinical trial to evaluate its effectiveness.” Millions of people worldwide swear by yoga to improve their mental and physical health.

Facts About Freckles

Freckles are flat, circular small spots of melanin on human skin in people of fair complexion. The spots develop randomly on the skin, especially after repeated exposure to sunlight. They may vary in colour - they may be red, yellow, tan, light brown, brown, or black. They are usually more often seen in the summer, especially among lighter skinned people and people with light or red hair. Both men and women get freckles at an equal rate.

There are 2 basic types of freckles: - ephelides and lentigines. Ephelides, are flat red or light brown spots that typically appear during the summer months and fade in the winter. Lentigines, are small tan, brown, or black spots which tend to be darker than an ephelis type freckle and which do not fade in the winter.

Freckles are most commonly found on the face, although they may appear on any skin exposed to the sun. Freckles are rare on infants but are very common among children aged 5 to 15 years. They are usually less common on adults.

Causes of Freckles
- Exposure of skin to sun is one of the main causes of developing freckles. Freckles will fade when sun exposure is reduced or eliminated.
- The basic cause of freckles are special cells in the skin that produce a pigment called melanin. If you have melanin in your body accumulating at one place, then it may result in freckles age spots.
- Freckles are also influenced by genetic factors.- Hormone abnormalities can cause freckles since oestrogen over stimulates pigment producing cells, causing them to generate excess colour when exposed to sunlight.
- Fair skin is another main cause for freckles. There is less overall melanin in fair skin to absorb UV light, therefore pigment cells produce melanin at an increased rate.

Symptoms of Freckles
- There may be change in the skin colour and shape.
- Diarrhoea is another common symptom which is accompanied with freckles.
- There may be crampy abdominal pain and or weight loss.
- Skin cancer may be a possible symptom of freckles.
- Moles are often produced at the affected area of skin.
- There may be blood or mucus in the stool.

Treatments
1-Bleaching Creams - The use of hydroquinone and kojic acid are one of the beneficial treatment for freckles. They may help in lightning freckles if they are applied consistently over a period of months.
2-Cryosurgery: A light freeze with liquid nitrogen can be used to treat freckles.
3-Chemical Peels: Chemical peels are used to remove age spots, freckles, discoloration, wrinkles and fine lines. They generally help to make the skin smooth and firm and also help in curing freckles gradually.
4-Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL): IPL is one of the newer forms of facial rejuvenation. IPL delivers energy to both the superficial (epidermis) and deep (dermis) layers of the skin, the epidermis is spared from damage. Thus, there is virtually no recovery time.
5-Tretinoin: Tretinoin (vitamin A acid, Retin-A) also helps to make freckles lighter when applied over a period of time.
6-Laser Treatment: Freckle removal is easily achieved with lasers. The laser light is very effective and helps in eliminating freckles safely.

Effects of VitE & Zinc on developping and preventing damage to Sperms

A lot of guidelines and medicines are available to improve and prevent fertility. Most of them claim that the ingredient are naturally available without any doctor’s prescription to improve Fertility, but does not necessarily mean that it is safe to take. These ingredients may have unknown side effects with its toxicity which may lead not to improve Fertility even some hazards.

You should always notify your physician before starting any type of medication, supplement, or over the counter medication in order to improve fertility which you wish to follow like friends recommendation or by word of mouth. Generally Vitamin E is recommended which prevents the damage to sperm cells by acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin E also supports the sperm motility. This is widely used to improve fertility, as there are no reported side effects.


Also Zinc plays an important role to improve fertility in the formation of new sperm and maintenance of sperm motility. Adequate levels of zinc in the body are essential for men's reproductive health. Even foods high in Zinc like Oysters, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and nuts can improve fertility. In natural herbal roots like Ginseng can improve fertility by increasing sperm counts, motility, and sexual stamina and reduce fatigue.

Although the results are still uncertain, no side effect or tolerated well when used in limited doses. Homeopathic medications show good records with increased sperm counts and motility. Nutritional foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts like cashew, almonds or walnuts, sweet & juicy fruits such as mangoes, peaches, plums, and pears all can improve fertility of both men and women.

Health Risks and causes of Overweight children

A sufficient energy intake is important for children while they are growing, and a varied and nutritious diet is essential for their development. However,and like adults, if they take in more energy - in the form of food - than they use up, the extra energy is stored in their bodies as fat.

If your child is overweight or obese, it's more likely that he/she will develop some serious health problems more usually seen in adulthood, like hardened and blocked arteries (coronary artery diseases), high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Overweight children are twice as likely to be obese when they grow up than children who aren't overweight. This means that in adulthood, they will be at an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers. The risk of health problems increases the more overweight you become.

As well as being a risk to the child's health, being overweight as a child may also cause emotional problems. Teasing about his/her appearance can affect a child's confidence and self-esteem, and can lead to isolation and depression.

An unhealthy diet combined with a lack of exercise are the main causes of childhood obesity. High-calorie foods such as chocolates, sweets and fast food are cheap and readily available to children. Alongside this, physical activity and exercise are no longer a part of most children's days - some children never walk or cycle to school or play sport. Instead, many of them spend hours in front of a television or computer.

Presence of a family history of being overweight or obese, your child may be more likely to be obese. Genetic factors may play a role in this, but the most important is shared eating and activity habits, or a combination of both,that are more likely to cause your child to be overweight.

It's unlikely that your child will be overweight because of an underlying medical problem.

What is a healthy weight for a child?
You may find it difficult to tell whether your child has temporary "puppy fat" or is genuinely overweight. Your GP will check height and weight charts (centile charts) when assessing your child to see if he/she is overweight for his/her age.

What is the Bone Denisty exam(DEXA scan)?

The bone density test or scan, is designed to check for osteoporosis( a disease that occurs when the bones become thin and weak). Osteoporosis happens when the bones lose calcium and other minerals that keep the bones strong. Osteoporosis begins after menopause in many women, and gets worse after age 65, often resulting in serious fractures. A bone density scan measures the strength of your bones and determines the risk of fracture.

Today, most people will get a bone density scan from a machine using a technology called Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry or DEXA for short. This machine takes a picture of the bones in the spine, hip, total body and wrist, and calculates their density. If a DEXA machine is not available, bone density scans can also be done with dual photon absorptiometry (measuring the spine, hip and total body) and quantitative computed tomography scans (measuring the spine). Bone density scanners that use DEXA technology to just measure bone density in the wrist (called pDEXA scans) provide scans at some drugstores. Yet these tests are not as accurate as those that measure density in the total body, spine or hip--where most fractures occur

To take a DEXA bone density scan, the patient lies on a bed underneath the scanner, a curving plastic arm that emits x rays. These low-dose x rays form a fan beam that rotates around the patient. During the test, the scanner moves to capture images of the patient's spine, hip or entire body. A computer then compares the patient's bone strength and risk of fracture to that of other people in the United States at the same age and to young people at peak bone density. Bones reach peak density at age 30 and then start to lose mass. The test takes about 20 minutes to do and is painless.

The DEXA bone scan exposes the patient to only a small amount of radiation--about one-fiftieth that of a chest x ray, or about the amount you get from taking a cross-country airplane flight.

BP is facing a bill of up to $34bn from the Gulf of Mexico disaster

BP is facing a bill of up to $34bn from the Gulf of Mexico disaster after US senators demanded the oil company deposited $20bn into a ring-fenced account to meet escalating compensation costs.

The sum dwarfs many analysts' previous estimates, shared by BP, that put the cost of the clean-up effort and payment of damages to affected communities, such as fishermen, closer to a total of $5bn.

Shares in BP nose-dived by more than nine per cent today as investors took fright at the demand by the 54 Democratic senators, who represent a majority in the US upper house. The company is now worth almost half what it was before the accident of just under two months ago.

BP already faces up to $14bn in civil penalties, payable under US environmental law, assuming the leak is plugged in August. These punitive damages are directly linked to the size of the spill – already estimated at being up to eight times worse than the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989 – with BP liable for up to $4,300 for each barrel-worth spilt.

Senate leaders insisted the $20bn ring-fenced account should be exclusively for "payment of economic damages and clean-up costs" and should not be seen as a cap on BP's other legal liabilities. With punitive damages pending too, the theoretical total of $34bn is equivalent to more than half the corporation tax paid by all British companies last year.

Tony Hayward, chief executive of BP, and other directors of the company, will meet Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday prepared to offer concessions in the hope of taking the sting out of mounting political attacks on the company.

BP will be in "listening mode", willing to cut its next dividend, worth about $2.5bn, possibly paying the cash into the clean-up fund. It will also reiterate its commitment to paying all legitimate claims arising from the disaster. But the company does not believe that the demand by the senators to stump up $20bn is justified.

Executives were also alarmed by the White House's insistence last week that BP must pay the wages of rig workers laid off by other firms because of the six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the gulf. If pursued, the company fears it would be exposed to potentially limitless claims from anyone affected by the disaster, which would eventually bankrupt the company. The company hopes that President Obama's statement, following the meeting with BP, will draw back from the demand.
Hayward, who was in Houston today overseeing the spill response, hosted a conference call with his board to discuss BP's next move. The company had indicated that it would wait as usual until close to its next results announcement, on 27 July, to decide whether or not to pay its next quarterly dividend. But it is now set to announce its intentions sooner, perhaps as early as Thursday. It is understood BP could use the dividend as a bargaining chip in its talks with the White House.

Obama today risked the wrath of families of 9/11 victims by comparing the gulf spill to the 2001 terrorist attacks, as pressure intensified on the White House to show greater urgency over the crisis.

Ahead of a trip to Louisiana and a televised address to the nation tomorrow, Obama said the spill, the worst environmental disaster in US history, would, like the 2001 terror plots, continue to influence the country for decades to come. Some people who lost relatives in the 9/11 attacks rejected the comparison. "I think he's off-base," said Jim Riches, a former New York fire department deputy chief, whose son died at the World Trade Centre. "These were 9/11 murders … not something caused by people trying to make money."

Some Occupational Lung Diseases and Their Causes

* Asbestosis, caused by exposure to asbestos particles. Often found among people who worked in shipyards, asbestos mines, and factories that refined or used asbestos to manufacture products.
* Black lung (Coalworker's pneumoconiosis) which affects coal workers
* Chronic Beryllium disease (CBD), which affects workers in a variety of metallurgical occupations
* Byssinosis (brown lung disease), often occurs in cotton and textile workers when bacteria released from cotton or other materials is inhaled and grows with the lungs. This is often associated with poor ventilation systems.
* Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, this can affect people who work in office buildings whose air-conditioning systems are contaminated by certain fungi and bacteria.
* Occupational asthma, can affect people who work with a variety of materials. This includes animals (dander), carbamates (urethanes), dyes, epoxy resins and enzymes used in detergent, leather goods, latex, and automotive paints
* Silicosis often developed by people who worked with clay, sand and stone dust including miners, stone cutters and sandblasters.

Bad aspects in American health care system

1. Most physicians do not set their own fees. Medicare, Medicaid, and private health plans set these fees, which often have little to do with the costs of doing business.

2. Congress each year sets Medicare fees through a formula called SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate), which this year calls for a 20% reduction in overall physician fees.

3. If SGR were to go through as to proposed, surveys indicate at many at 30% of physicians will not accept new Medicare patients because new Medicare fees will not cover expenses.

4. The next political crisis will be limited access to doctors; this is already occurring in Boston, where waiting times to see doctors are 2 to 3 times the national average for comparable cities.

5. Medicare on average pays 80% of what it costs to provide care: hospitals and doctors make up the difference by negotiating higher payments from the much maligned private plans.

6. An estimated 10% of health costs are due to the practice of “defensive medicine,” whereby doctors order extra tests and procedures in anticipation of defending themselves again future malpractice lawsuits.

7. Passing federal laws permitting patients to enroll in plans and “portability” of plans across state lines would make a public option unnecessary and would render private plans “competitive.”

8. Ending “community ratings,” which force the young to pay the same premiums as older individuals, and reducing “standard benefit plans, “ which often include unnecessary benefits, would reduce premiums for the young and decrease the number of uninsured.

9. The primary care shortage is real and growing because medical students are smart and are not choosing to work twice as long as specialists at 1/2 the pay; doubling Medicare pay for primary office visits would be a good start for relieving the crisis.

10. The surest way to reduce costs is having patients spend more of their own money and making them more responsible for their health, which is the premise of lower-premium health savings accounts and high deductible plans.

Treatments of Dandruff

1. Regularly cleans all affected parts

Shampoo the scalp and affected parts with any of the many commercial preparations available for dandruff. Many lines are excellent. Selenium sulphide (Selsun) suspension shampoo and zinc pyrithione 2 % (like Head & Shoulders) preparation (Zp11 dressing and shampoo or dangard) are also very effective. Instructions usually accompany the commercial package.

2. Simple general measures are often helpful

These include eating a sensible balanced diet avoiding, excess sweets and carbohydrates or spicy food, hot drinks and alcoholic beverages. Get adequate rest at night (every night). Follow sensible working hours and avoid foolish excesses. Adequate recreation helps, and the basic of simple hygiene are important Infections, emotional stresses and upsets, constipation, and dietetic indiscretions should be attended to. Regular Scalp massage may help.

Care of eyelashes in Dandruff
Dandruff (seborrhea) of the eyelashes can be both annoying and hard to treat. Eye doctors like to recommend scrubbing the lashes with baby shampoo on a cotton swab. This method may be worth a try, but it often fails. Cortisone-based lotions should be used close to the eye only under medical supervision since continuous exposure of the eye to cortisone can lead to serious eye problems.

Further Treatments

If these simple measures don’t assist, seek professional help form the family physician. Other lines of treatment he may suggest could include:

* Creams containing corticosteroids

(Equal to 0.5 to 1.0 % hydrocortisone). These often reduce the inflammation and excessive discharges.

* Creams containing Sulphur (3-5%) and Salicylic acid (2-3%) are popular and often satisfactory. they are often used as a cream the night before the shampooing. If sores develop indicating infection form other growing germs, these must be treated independently.

In over weight people where the condition arises between folds of fat rubbing together, the physician may check for diabetes. Castellani’s paint (a bright magenta-coloured preparation) applied will often cure the irritating cracks and fissures that commonly develop in these areas. Pre-cleansing the area with soap and water is essential( but all traces of soap must be removed afterwards.)

* Antifungal creams are often effective, apparently because they reduce the number of yeast organisms living on the skin. Over-the-counter creams include 1% clotrimazole cream and miconazole cream 2%. Antifungal creams also are applied once or twice a day.

Almond as a source for calcium

Over all, you would still get some calcium by eating almonds, but at a lot higher calorie cost than from other foods, like milk.

The amount of calcium in a cup of whole almonds, 378 milligrams, is slightly more than in a cup of milk, about 300 milligrams, but you would be consuming about eight times as many calories.

Facts about Atrial Septal Defect - Mayo Clinic

Harold Burkhart, M.D., a cardiovascular surgeon at Mayo Clinic, describes the congenital heart condition atrial septal defect (ASD) and discusses treatment options for children and adults.

job hazards in Lung Cancer

As we know cigarettes are the most important cause of lung cancer,But chemicals and other on-the-job hazards "play a remarkable role" in lung cancer risk.

5% of lung cancers in men are job-related. Men in the known to be risky occupations were 74% more likely to have been diagnosed with lung cancer.

The strongest associations were seen for ceramic and pottery jobs and brick manufacturing, as well as for those working in manufacturing of non-iron metals.

A Chest X-Ray shows a right upper lobe (RUL) mass due to lung cancer.

How to insert contact lenses properly?

Wash, rinse and dry your hands before touching the contacts. A wet finger could cause a soft lens to flatten. Do not use fingernails when handling your lenses. If you are near a sink, close the drain to avoid any mishaps. Always insert your contacts in the same order to eliminate mix-ups. Pour the lens and storage fluid from the case into your palm. Examine your lens for particles, deposits or tears. Place the lens, cup side up, on your forefinger. Be sure the lens is right side out—the lens’ edge will appear almost straight up. If the lens is inside out, the edges will bow out slightly. If the lens is inside out, reverse it before proceeding.


Insertion:


* Hold your upper eyelid or lashes to hinder blinking.
* Pull your bottom eyelid down using your middle finger
* Look up at the ceiling so that the white part of your eye shows and position the lens onto the white part
* Or, you can look forward at the lens and gently situate it in the centre of your eye
* Remove your finger and let the bottom eyelid go before the top
* Look down to position the lens
* Close your eye for a moment.
* Apply one to two eye drops (lens lubricant) if your lenses feel dry or vision blurs.
* Repeat the same steps for inserting the lens for the left (or second) eye.
* Be sure to have your eye doctor demonstrate these steps prior to your first attempt at inserting your lenses

Removal:

Bend over so that your head is parallel to the floor, cup your left hand under your right eye. Place your thumb, index or forefinger of your right hand at the outer corner of your eyelids. Look straight down and open both eyes wide. Pull your finger in an upward and downward direction and remove the lens.

Cleanse, rinse and disinfect your lenses after removal and before wearing them again as contact lens cases can be a source of bacterial growth. Enzyme cleaners and cleaning solutions alone cannot substitute for disinfecting, although there are multipurpose products that can perform many of these functions if used as directed. Never use non-sterile homemade saline, distilled water or tap water for any part of your lens care regimen. Use products recommended by your eye care professional. Not all solutions can be used for all contact lenses. Solutions can become contaminated during use. Do not let the bottle tip touch any surface including your contact lenses.

What is cataract ??

A cataract is opacity or clouding of the lens. It prevents the lens from focussing light onto the retina, hence, causing hazy vision. Aging and other factors may cause the proteins in the lens to degenerate, forming opaque (cloudy) areas. They usually develop slowly over several years and are irreversible.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis ??

This is according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
You might not know it, but you could be suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Although rheumatoid arthritis is commonly associated with the older generation (people over the age of 65), the disease is found in younger generations – even including children. How could you tell if you have it? Well if you’re experiencing morning stiffness for no apparent reason (like if you had done a lot of strenuous exercise the night before, for example), you might be suffering from one of it’s symptoms. As mild as you might think morning stiffness is, you really ought to give it some serious thought and consult with your doctor because if that morning stiffness is related to rheumatoid arthritis, you can work to prevent it from disabling or crippling you later on down the road to a point where you can barely function. But rheumatoid arthritis isn’t just a physical condition. It has the propensity to tax your mental and emotional state of well-being tpp.
This is because arthritis can change the way you work, the way you interact with your family, and the way you entertain yourself with recreational activities. You might even know someone with rheumatoid arthritis and have observed how this disease changed not only his or her mobility, but also his or her outlook on life. Those of us without rheumatoid arthritis tend to take our ability to move anyway we want for granted, but when that ability slowly disappears right before our eyes, it’s no surprise that we get depressed about it.
But it doesn’t necessary have to be that way. With proper medications, education, support, and prescribed exercises, you could work to prevent the most severe forms of the disease – or at least prolong the worst case symptoms.

Arthritis works in two ways. First, it inflames the muscles, ligaments, and cartilage that sit in-between joints. And it’s this inflammation that causes the pain, swelling, and heat. Those are symptoms that are typical indications of an injury and they’re vital to understanding more about this disease. Second, arthritis works by releasing enzymes that basically consume or otherwise destroy the muscles, ligaments, and cartilage that have become inflamed to a point where they’re not very useful and don’t allow for easy movement. In the worse cases, cartilage disappears completely and as you can guess, this is extremely crippling and uncomfortable.
That’s why we call rheumatoid arthritis a disease. Typically, inflamed muscles, ligaments, and cartilage are the result of an injury, like falling on the knees for example. But with arthritis, no injury has to occur. In fact, arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease and the cartilage inside joints is one of the things that it destroys. And any joint can be affected – one, two, maybe even more but most of the time, the disease targets fingers, hips, feet, and knees.

What does Schizophrenia Do?

Some causes of headache

Headache is not a disease, but a symptom which may mean only wrong diet, with liver, stomach and intestine temporarily unable to do their normal work. It may indicate the presence of some brain disease, such as abscess or tumor; or it may be a part of symptom complex of other diseases; Most of which have nothing directly to do with the brain. Obviously the rational way to relief headache is to find and correct its cause.

Possible Causes of Headache:


* Eyestrains are probably the commonest cause of headaches that occur in the frontal region. They usually disappear with rest and sleep. They may be permanently cured by the wearing of correctly fitted glasses.

* Infections of the sinuses of upper jaw and the frontal bones of the face causes a constant frontal headaches, worse in the morning , and not relieved by sleep. Focal infections headaches may be caused by abscesses about the roots of the teeth, pyorrhea, unerupted molar teeth or diseased tonsils.

* Headaches may also arise form toxemia occurring in nephritis (kidney Infection), Diabetes, Chronic arthritis, tuberculosis and arteriosclerosis (Blockade of arteries due to deposition of fats or other substances) or from retention of nitrogen material or waste product with in the blood. Nearly all acute infectious disease has headaches as a prominent symptom especially in the early stages.

* Headaches of gastrointestinal origin are frequent. The sufferers often eat much but exercise little. Excessive use of sweets is liable to clog the liver. The patient has a coated tongue. Foul breath attacks of dizziness and a sallow complexion and is troubled with gaseous fermentation and bloating. The stools contain much undigested starch and fats. They show gas bubbles, and have very offensive odour. The individual is drowsy and usually too fat.

* Excessive Caffeine which is found in considerable quantities in tea, coffee, and several soft drinks, is another common cause of headaches.

* Disturbance of the glands of internal secretion, notably the thyroid gland, which becomes enlarge in goiter, the pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, the adrenals, located above the kidneys, and the ovaries, all of which hare concerned with the regulations of nutrition, frequently cause toxic headaches. To cure these, the underline glandular trouble must be detected and properly treated.

Food Sources & Medicinal Importance of Zinc

Food Sources of Zinc:
Natural food sources of zinc include beans, oysters, red meat and poultry nuts, whole grains, pumpkin seed or sunflower seeds. Herbs that contain zinc include alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eye bright, fennel seed, hops, milk thistle, mullein, nettle, parsley, rose hips, sage, sarsaparilla, skullcap, and wild yam.

Deficiency of Zinc:
Low level of zinc can result in enlarged prostate, impaired sexual functions, dandruff, hair loss, poor sense of taste and smell, and stretch marks that commonly appear after extreme growth spurts such as in pregnancy and adolescence. In males, zinc is important for the production of semen. Up to 5 mg of zinc is lost during ejaculation. Deficiencies in zinc in males can lead to reduced sperm count and sex drive. Frequent ejaculations can lead to zinc deficiency.

Zinc is essential for the normal functioning of reproductive, neurological, dermatological and gastrointestinal systems. It is essential for normal, spermatogenesis, and normal embryonic development and for normal cell division and differentiation.

Function and Important Aspects of Zinc:
Zinc is also involved in nucleic acid degradation. The pancreas of the diabetic patients contains about one half of the normal amount of zinc. Zinc is also present in WBCs; in leukemia the WBCs have very low zinc content.

In post-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, urinary zinc excretion is increased and the zinc content of serum and liver is decreased; oral ZnSO4 has been found to improve liver function in this condition.

Abnormal metabolism of zinc has been claimed to result in a syndrome occurring in young males which is characterized by dwarfism, hypogonadism and anemia; this condition has been found in Iran and Egypt. Depressed immune response (due to malfunctioning of thymus, T cells and macrophages) and decreased smell and taste acuity are also seen.

Zinc deficiency is also seen secondary to acrodermatitis enteropathica (an autosomal recessive defect) and prolonged total parenteral nutrition. The normal serum zinc is level is about 100 ug/dL. Intestinal absorption of zinc is increased by amino acids and peptides and is decreased by fiber, phytate, phosphate, calcium and copper.

Zinc takes part in many enzymatic reactions such as those catalyzed by transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, oxidoreductases, transcription factors; specific examples include RNA polymerases, glucocorticoid receptors, uricase, carbonic anhydrase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and alcohol dehydrogenase.

avoiding heart disease

* Don’t worry about your cholesterol, Although keep check on its level— the stress of unnecessary worry can contribute to heart disease.

* Do not take cholesterol lowering drugs, they contribute to heart failure.

* Avoid processed food, especially food containing processed vegetables oils and fats.

* Eat the meals, fats and organ meats of grass-fed animals.

* Eat plenty of wild-caught seafood.

* Don’t consume protein powders, lean meat, egg whites without yolks or skim milk. High protein diets lacking the nutrients supplied by animal fats deplete vitamin A, leading to heart disease.

* Eat liver at once in a month to ensure adequate levels of vitamin B12, B6, folic acid, iron, copper.

* Take cod liver oil and consume plenty of utter from grass-fed cows to ensure adequate levels of vitamin A and D.

* Maintain a healthy weight, either too heavy neither too thin.

* Engage in moderate exercise in outdoors.

* Don’t smoke.

* Avoid exposure to environmental toxins.

Ionic Air Purifier Problems

Many people have allergies to airborne dust, mold, and pollen. These tiny particles can accumulate in your home environment, potentially leading to health problems. At first glance, freestanding ionic air purifiers seem like a good deal: They're affordable, quiet, and are said to clean particles from the air. Studies by consumer groups have cast doubts on the performance and health benefits of these appliances.

Electric Shock
Ionic air purifiers work by producing a high-voltage static electric charge inside the unit. The grid attracts dust and other allergens, which cling to it. Although units sold in the United States are designed to prevent a shock hazard, shocks still may result from metal objects inserted into the purifier, from water accumulating under it, or by not having it plugged into a grounded outlet.

Ozone
Ozone, an unstable, chemically reactive form of oxygen, is formed when normal airborne oxygen molecules (O2) pass near a source of high voltage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ozone is known to cause health problems in people exposed to it for long periods. Known short-term effects include coughing, lung pain, and shortness of breath. Ozone may combine with lemon and pine-scented agents in cleaners to form formaldehyde, a carcinogen. A 2005 Consumer Reports investigation of air purifiers found several models emit unacceptably high amounts of ozone. These models failed an Underwriters Laboratories sealed-room ozone test. Although your rooms probably have adequate ventilation, you should avoid excessive ozone in your home. Even a well-designed unit may emit ozone if it becomes dirty. The high voltage will arc inside the device, causing a hissing noise. The high-voltage arc produces ozone.

Poor Performance
The 2005 Consumer Reports article reported test results of several home air purifiers and found the air-cleaning ability of some of them poor. The consumer group rated five of seven units "poor" for removing dust, smoke, and pollen when switched to their highest setting. Many customers would consider this a serious purchase, intending to alleviate their allergies or protect their families from smoke and pollutants, and may believe that they are protected when in fact they are not. The assumption that the unit works may lead the customer to delay other efforts to improve air quality in the home.

Top 10 Don’ts Of Great Hair Care

Most people are concerned about the appearance of their hair and strive to attain beautiful, healthy and stylish locks. In fact, most will go to any lengths to achieve their desired look. From professional salon treatments to over-the-counter serums, hair care is a big business.
The only problem is that we forget to follow basic hair care regimens that will guarantee the health and beauty of their tresses. Additionally, many are also causing needless damage to their hair by participating in unhealthy hair care behavior.
So, what should you do to make sure that your hair stays healthy, shiny and strong?
To avoid all hair care disasters, follow these 10 absolute don’ts of great hair care.

Hair care don’ts

1. Avoid unprofessional and over-the-counter hair care products whenever you can. Many of these only offer false hopes and promises.
2. Do not cut your own bangs. Leave all of your cutting needs, even bangs, to your hair care professional.
3. Avoid excessive sun, chlorine and salt water during the summer months. Excessive exposure can cause severe damage that is irreversible even if you use the best hair care products.
4. Do not use clarifying hair care products on your tresses more than one time per week. They can strip hair of moisture and essential oils.
5. Do not visit a hair care salon without first getting a referral from someone you can trust. Choosing a salon based on an advertisement or sale alone is very risky.
6. Do not purchase hair color that comes in a box.
7. Never stick with an outdated look because you are afraid of looking different. Styles change for a reason. Ask your hair care professional to bring you into this decade with a new style.
8. Do not straighten your hair with a clothes iron. C’mon, this was so over in the 70s. We have straightening irons that won’t damage your hair for this now. Look in the hair care isle.
9. Don’t brush your hair or put too much tension on it while it is still wet. This will cause breakage. Also, do not wear tight styles such as corn rows for extended periods of time unless you have ethnic hair.

10. Never use sun-lightening products such as lemon juice or over-the-counter hair care products designed to lighten hair with the sun unless you want a very short hair cut in the future.
In the end, hair care is a very individualized and personal thing. Feel free to add your own flair and style to your hair care routine, but remember to include hair care principles that will benefit your hair and avoid those that damage it.

18% tax on pizza and soda can decrease U.S adult`s weight by 5 bounds(2 kg)/year

From Reuters:

With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.

"Sadly, we are currently subsidizing the wrong things including the product of corn, which makes the corn syrup in sweetened beverages so inexpensive."

Instead, the agricultural subsidies should be used to make healthful foods such as locally grown vegetables, fruits and whole grains less expensive.

Why does a CT scan cost so much in USA? (billions dollars on Defensive Medicine)

It started as a simple stomach ache, but Alexandra Varipapa, a sophomore at the University of Richmond, decided to go to the emergency room.

There, doctors ordered a full CT scan, a radiation imaging test, which found a harmless ovarian cyst. She never questioned the CT scan, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.

But her father did - when he got the $8,500 bill, $6,500 of which was that CT scan.

“I was pretty flabbergasted,” said Robert Varipapa, himself a physician.

Varipapa says his daughter's pain could have been diagnosed far more easily and cheaply with a $1,400 ultrasound.

“A history, a pelvic examination and probably an ultrasound,” he said. And he would have started with the ultrasound.

But the hospital defends the CT scan, saying an ultrasound might have missed something more serious.

“It would not have ruled out appendicitis obviously, it would not have ruled, necessarily, out a kidney stone,” said Dr. Bob Powell, ER medical director of Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital.

Varipapa agrees, but asks why not start simple - and do the CT scan only if necessary?

“Well it's my opinion this is defensive medicine,” Varipapa said.

Defensive medicine is what happens when doctors order too many tests because they are afraid of missing a diagnosis and later losing a multi-million dollar lawsuit for malpractice. Defensive medicine these days is so pervasive, some estimate its yearly cost at more than $100 billion.

Dr. Kevin Pho runs the popular medical blog, Kevin M.D., where doctors routinely confess exactly how they run up costs by practicing defensive medicine.

“Defensive medicine is bad medicine,” Pho said.

In a post, one ER doctor says he's just admitted two patients to the hospital - when he was sure "neither was having cardiac (problems), but what am I to do?"

Another admits that in his practice, “every patient with a headache gets a (CT) scan.”

“It's much easier to defend the fact that you ordered a test than it is to not order the test at all,” Pho said.

And the costs of defensive medicine today are increasingly paid by patients, even those with insurance - because of rising deductibles and co-payments.

“There’s no doubt in my mind this is a significant driver in health care costs today,” Pho said.

Source : CBS News

Beat the summer heat 2

Take breaks

When working outside in the Sun, take timely rest breaks in a cool area. Relax; slow down, pace yourself periodically to avoid fatigue.


Wash your face with water

Wash your face with water twice or thrice daily to keep the skin clean and cool. It will also keep your skin oil free and will prevent acne too.


Eat light meals

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables during summers. Avoid oily and heavy meals.


Treat heat exhaustion

Symptoms of heat exhaustion are dizziness, headache, feeling tired, and perhaps sick to your stomach. The remedy is to drink more fluids and get to a cooler place – cool, not ice cold, water, and air conditioning are ideal.

Not the Best, Only the Most Expensive

Money-Driven Medicine provides the essential introduction you need to become knowledgeable and vigorous participants in healthcare reform.Americans spend two times more per capita for healthcare than the average rich country, one-sixth of the GDP.
"Money-Driven Medicine" reveals that the profit-driven "medical-industrial complex" has over-built the healthcare sector producing a powerful, distorting incentive for billions of dollars of pointless, even risky, tests, prescriptions and surgeries. This pay-per-service system drives doctors into lucrative specialities, while primary care physicians have become an endangered species. Million dollar diagnostic machines stand idle while emergency rooms overflow.

Traditional Chinese Medicine:Suggestions for Long Term Breast Health

# Eat as many fresh, lightly cooked vegetables as you wish. Go easy on spicy, sweet, or greasy foods

# Avoid overeating. This stagnates the stomach qi - the stomach channel irrigates the breast tissue. Stagnant qi in any form is bad for the breasts.

# Try to avoid becoming overweight. There is a known relationship between body fat, fat consumption, and breast cancer.

# Stay relaxed. Remember the "Serenity Prayer" or simply learn to know the difference between what you can and cannot change and control in your life and in the lives of those around you. Try to let go of what you cannot change and work at changing what you can.

# If you cannot relax, use relaxation tapes or meditation techniques to help you learn to do so. Stress, when not released or diffused by some method, is an enemy of breast health.

# Avoid caffeine in as many forms as you can. Stop eating chocolate except as a rare treat. Switch from coffee to black tea, or better yet, to green tea.

# If you can, get some form of exercise every day, or at least every other day. It burns fat
cells, reduces stress, increases energy, and improves self image.

# Eat meat sparingly. Use it in broths, soups, stews, and not necessarily every day. Don’t just eat chicken and fish; a variety of meats is better over the long term.

# Grains, well cooked and/or in the form of noodles, should be the foundation of any diet. Try eating something else instead of bread. Try cutting back to bread products only once per day.

# When you use oil, use olive oil. Studies show it to be a better option for breast health than other oils or fats.

#Breast massage and any form of self-massage is helpful in keeping qi and blood circulating. Learn a simple self-massage regime from a book or make one up for yourself.

Medical malpractice from both a doctor and lawyer perspective,and Payment receiving

Medical malpractice is a major issue that divides doctors and lawyers — with patients often left in the middle. reform is sorely needed, mainly to help injured patients be compensated more quickly and fairly than they currently are:

Researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine found that nearly one in six cases involving patients injured from medical errors received no payment. For patients who did receive compensation, they waited an average of five years before their case was decided, with one-third of claims requiring six years or more to resolve. These are long waits for patients and their families, who are forced to endure the uncertainty of whether they will be compensated or not.

And with 54 cents of every dollar injured patients receive used to pay legal and administrative fees, the overhead costs clearly do not justify this level of inefficiency.

In this clip, perspectives from both sides are given, and it’s easy to see why this contentious issue isn’t going to be resolved anytime soon.

sleep deprivation and premature death

People who sleep less than 6 hours per night have a shorter life, according to a recent study. After reviewing 16 studies conducted on more than 1.3 million people, a team of researchers from two universities found that people who sleep for less than the recommended 6-8 hours each night have a 12% higher risk of dying prematurely.

Previous research showed that sleep deprivation may be associated with heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol level.

The study also showed that consistent over long sleeping can be a cause for concern. Sleeping for over 9 hours a night can be an indicator of ill-health and a significant marker of an underlying serious and potentially fatal illness.

“Consistently sleeping 6 to 8 hours per night may be optimal for health. The duration of sleep should be regarded as an additional behavioural risk factor, or risk marker, influenced by the environment and possibly amenable to change through both education and counselling as well as through measures of public health aimed at favourable modifications of the physical and working environments “ said Professor Francesco Cappuccio.

fat meals in asthmatic patients

It is a known fact that high-fat meals are bad for the heart, but a recent study showed that the lungs have to suffer also. Australian researchers tested 40 asthmatic patients before and after a high-fat meal or after a low-fat meal, and found that the high-fat meal increased inflammation and reduced lung function.


“Subjects who had consumed the high-fat meal had an increase in airway neutrophils and TLR4 mRNA gene expression from sputum cells, that didn’t occur following the low fat meal,” said Dr. Lisa Wood, Ph.D., research fellow of the University of Newcastle. “The high fat meal impaired the asthmatic response to albuterol. In subjects who had consumed a high fat meal, the post-albuterol improvement in lung function at three and four hours was suppressed.”

The researchers found that markers of airway inflammation increased significantly among those who ate the high-fat meal. They also found that lung function was affected as well. And people who were given the high-fat meal who then used their asthma inhaler medication saw just a 1 percent improvement in their lung function. Those on the low-fat meal saw a 4.5 percent increase in their lung function after using their medication.

The mechanism by which a high fat meal could change the bronchodilator response requires further investigation.

“We are designing more studies to investigate this effect. We are also investigating whether drugs that modify fat metabolism could suppress the negative effects of a high fat meal in the airways,” said Dr. Wood. “If these results can be confirmed by further research, this suggests that strategies aimed at reducing dietary fat intake may be useful in managing asthma.”

Lemon for Weight Loss

Lemon is a useful tool in any weight loss arsenal. With just 12 calories each, the lemon adds flavor instead of fat to recipes. It also adds vitamin C to your diet and even may aid in digestion. Experts at Shapefit.com report that just 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice provides 45 percent of the daily recommendation of vitamin C. Some people have tried a lemon juice diet to jump-start weight loss with Stanley Burroughs' "Lemonade Diet." Even in much smaller quantities, lemons can help you lose weight.


Step 1
Use both the juice and the pulp from the lemon when preparing drinks and foods. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best because it provides a little extra fiber along with the other health benefits of lemon.

Step 2
Spritz lemon juice on vegetables rather than of butter. Fats such as butter and oil make food taste better because it helps to transfer the flavor of the food onto the tongue. Lemon juice helps in this, too, and it also brings out the flavor of vegetables. Try cutting the amount of butter you put on your vegetables in half and adding a squeeze of lemon--a wedge has only 1 calorie--and see how your food tastes. Gradually cut the butter out entirely until you're using only lemon juice.

Step 3
Prepare a lemonade drink to sip throughout the day. Water is an appetite suppressant, according to the experts at the Because You Value Your Body website, and that effect is enhanced by adding lemon to the water. Take the juice of one lemon and add it to a half-gallon of icy water. Sip it throughout the day to stave off hunger. Sweeten with some no-calorie Splenda if the drink is a little tart.

Step 4
Start your day with a hot lemon drink. The ShapeFit website suggests tapping into lemon's liver-boosting properties by adding lemon to hot water and consuming the drink on an empty stomach. ShapeFit reports the lemony beverage may aid in digestion, act as a diuretic and help ease constipation.

Grapefruit Health Diet

The Grapefruit Health Diet is an eating plan that involves eating grapefruit and consuming grapefruit juice as a way to lose weight. This is based around the premise that the grapefruit has fat burning capabilities. It is considered a fad diet and may not help you achieve permanent weight loss. If you wish to try the Grapefruit Health Diet, you should first consult with your doctor.

Step 1
Start your day off with ½ grapefruit and ½ glass of grapefruit juice for breakfast. You can also have two eggs and two slices of bacon in the morning.

Step 2
Consume another ½ piece of grapefruit and ½ glass of grapefruit juice. You can also have any kind of meat and any kind of salad with dressing for lunch.

Step 3
Include ½ grapefruit and ½ glass of grapefruit juice for dinner as well. You will eat meat and vegetables as your main course. Again, any style and any amount of meat are permitted. Green, yellow or red vegetables cooked in butter is recommended. Celery, onions and white potatoes should be avoided on the Grapefruit Health Diet.

Step 4
Have a snack such as a glass of tomato juice or skim milk before bedtime. No other snacks over the course of the day are permitted and cakes, cookies and candies are to be avoided.

Step 5
Limit the amount of caffeine that you consume on a daily basis. You should have only cup of a caffeinated beverage per day.

Step 6
Follow the Grapefruit Health Diet for twelve days. You are then instructed to take a two day break before resuming the diet.

Characteristics of Depression

Depression is more than having a bad day from time to time or feeling sad. Genetics, life events, hormones, and even medications can all cause or contribute to depression. Depression plays out differently for each person. However, there are some common characteristics that help identify an episode of depression.

Emotional Characteristics
The primary symptom of depression is having feelings of sadness or unhappiness. For some patients, these feelings last for days or even weeks, and nothing appears to help. Over time, these emotions may turn into feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of suicide. Episodic or unexpected crying may occur. Some patients experience a fluctuation in moods, becoming irritable of frustrated quickly.

Changes in Normal Functioning
One of the best indicators of depression is a change in functioning, particularly in multiple settings. For example, many depression sufferers find it difficult to function well at home, work or school. Performance or functioning in these areas typically decreases and is noticeable to both the sufferer and those around him. Some patients experience a lack of interest in pleasurable or normal activities as well as a reduction in sex drive. Some patients find it difficult to get out of bed, bathe or get dressed. If depression is impacting performance at work, it can be beneficial to take some time off to try and address what may be causing the depression or to just relax.

Physical Characteristics
Patients suffering from depression often experience various physical symptoms that appear to have no known medical source. Back pain and headaches are common complaints. Some patients report feeling tired and exhausted most of the time, no matter how much sleep or rest they get. It can be difficult to concentrate, and in extreme cases, motor functions and body movements become slower.

Changes in Eating Habits
It is not uncommon for depression sufferers to experience changes in eating habits. Some patients find that they tend to eat more when depressed, or they eat more foods that are high in fat and sugar. Other patients lose their appetite or eat less frequently.

Beat the summer heat 1

Stay hydrated
The summer season is here and it's time to think about preventing dehydration and heat-related illness. Very few people know that the best time to have fluids is before you are thirsty because by the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. So, make it a habit to drink at least 15 glasses of water a day.

Use a sunscreen
Use a sunscreen before going out in the sun. Apply it at least 30 minutes before going outside. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) should be 15 or more.