Smart Spring & Summer Travel Tips from Lifestyle Expert Susie Coelho

As the weather heats up, more people are out and about! Whether you are planning a weekend getaway with friends, a family vacation or just traveling on business, there are ways to make sure you are sticking to your healthy lifestyle and not succumbing to quick food fixes while on the road.

- When heading for the airport, I always try to pack light and make sure all my necessities are in my carry-on bag for easy access. Just as I like to travel light, I like to eat light as well. Instead of sitting down to a heavy breakfast or other meal, I try to eat smaller meals or snacks throughout the day. I feel much more energized. Weight Watchers Banana Nut Muffins and other snack cakes are perfect to drop in my bag and be on the go.

- On the road or at a hotel, it might be easy to just get something out of the vending machine or stop by a quick fast food place. Pack bites to eat beforehand and anticipate times when hunger might strike. Be ready with fruits, vegetables and other quick fixes to prevent giving in to poor food choices.

- The last thing I want on a car trip is a snack that leaves my hands sticky or greasy, especially if I am traveling with my kids. I make sure the items I pack can be zipped or completely sealed. Weight Watchers individually wrapped foods, like their Light String Cheese, are perfect for carrying along on an outing and I don't have to worry about things rolling around or getting messy in the car.

Inexpensive Magnesium Proves Impressive at Protecting the Brain

Magnesium is a powerhouse. It is inexpensive and is used to treat a vast array of medical problems, often better than any drug or medical procedure available. The latest feather in magnesium's cap is its newly discovered ability to protect the brain and improve the neurologic outcomes of infants and adults who have had oxygen deprivation to their brains. Pretty impressive for a cheap mineral present in practically every multivitamin supplement on the market.




Magnesium is a simple element, abbreviated Mg, and is number 12 on the Table of the Elements. It is only present in small amounts in the body, yet it is imperative for many bodily processes and is essential for several lifesaving emergency treatments in the hospital in cases where there are simply no other procedures or drugs that exist to help.




One of the common lifesaving uses in the hospital is literally the ONLY treatment. In the movies, when someone's heart stops beating and the doctors or paramedics rush on scene with CPR and a defibrillator to "shock" the patient's heart back into a normal rhythm, they often portray the heart rhythm as a 'flatline' with no electrical activity. But in reality, if it is very soon after a person's heart stops, s/he often has a heart rhythm called 'Ventricular Fibrillation'- which is treated by 'shocking' it back to a normal rhythm. This is something that you cannot do with a 'flatline'.




But occasionally, if this rhythm remains despite the best efforts to get the heart started it may be that the rhythm is a specific subtype of Ventricular Fibrillation called torsade de pointes. This rhythm is hard to distinguish from 'simple' ventricular fibrillation, but the importance of recognizing it quickly can't be understated because the ONLY effective treatment is the immediate infusion of intravenous magnesium. Without emergency magnesium, the patient will die.




Additionally, intravenous magnesium is the only effective treatment for the prevention of seizures in women with late stage pregnancy, where blood pressure is extremely high. This is a very dangerous condition called eclampsia that requires immediate delivery of the baby in order to resolve(3). Magnesium also shines as helpful additional treatment for many other problems such as heart rhythm disturbances(2), migraine headaches, depression, diabetes and constipation among only a few of its many achievements.

Hypnosis Improves Academic Performance and Reduces Test-Anxiety for College Students

A lot is expected of today's college students. They are under an enormous amount of pressure to succeed in academics. The pressure comes from themselves, parents, professors, and friends. This causes a lot of stress for students. Success in college is a stepping stone to being successful in a career after graduation, so students feel the need to perform at their full potential. It is important for struggling college students to seek help in reducing their stress with natural treatments such as hypnotherapy.




For some students, the stress and anxiety of school and academics can become overwhelming. Stress affects students in many different ways. For some students, their grades start to suffer, which can affect their GPA in the long-run. Other students become so overwhelmed by stress that they drop out of college. According to the 2000 census, 50% of the population in the United States over the age of 25 attended college. However, only 60% of those who attended college earned an associate, bachelor, or graduate degree. This means that 40% did not finish college for various reasons.




Sapp (1990) studied the role hypnosis plays on treating test-anxiety in college students. The participants in the study were randomly divided into two groups. One group served as the control group and received no form of treatment. The other group received cognitive-behavioral hypnosis. The researcher evaluated the effects of hypnosis in improving academic performance and decreasing test anxiety.



Both groups were enrolled in a demanding psychology course. All students were evaluated based on their midterm grade and anxiety levels. The hypnosis group reported a significant reduction in test anxiety and improvement in academic achievement. Both groups were evaluated 6 weeks after the end of the course and the hypnosis group was found to have maintained their hypnosis treatment gains in achievement and reduction in anxiety. Cognitive behavioral hypnosis is a highly effective form of treatment that helps students improve performance and reduce anxiety.




Carrese (1998) outlines the benefits of teaching self-hypnosis to college freshman. The researcher describes the steps taught to students, including relaxation techniques and the usage of imagery. Self-hypnosis was able to help the college freshman cope with stress and the pressures of college.




Whether cognitive-behavioral hypnosis is used or self-hypnosis is used, hypnotherapy is a very effective form of treating stress and anxiety in college students. Having the ability to better manage stress not only improves their academic performance in college, but will continue to help them cope with stress in other situations throughout their lives.




Sources




2000 Census. Census Scope. Retrieved on May 15, 2009: http://www.censusscope.org/us/chart_education.html

Resveratrol Found to Treat Fatty Liver Disease

The naturally occurring plant chemical resveratrol -- made famous for its role in the health benefits of red wine -- may not only prevent but even reverse the dangerous buildup of fat in the liver caused by alcohol abuse.




"Our study suggests that resveratrol may serve as a promising agent for preventing or treating human alcoholic fatty liver disease," the researchers from the University of South Florida Health Sciences Center in Tampa wrote in the American Journal of Physiology -- Gastrointestinal and Live Physiology.




Scientists have known for some time that part of the way that alcohol damages the liver is by inhibiting the action of two proteins, known as AMPK and SIRT1. These proteins play a critical role in helping break down fats to remove them from the liver; when their activity is disrupted, it leads to the fatty buildup associated with liver diseases such as cirrhosis and fibrosis. Left untreated, this fat buildup can eventually cause total liver failure.




In the current study, researchers looked directly at resveratrol's effects on AMPK and SIRT1. They fed mice a low-fat diet, supplemented with either resveratrol, alcohol or a combination of the two. They then observed that mice that had been given both resveratrol and alcohol had higher levels of SIRT1 and higher activity of AMPK than mice that were given alcohol alone.




The higher levels and activity of the two key proteins led to a decrease in other proteins, specifically those involved in the buildup of liver fat. They also led to an increase in levels of the hormone adiponectin, which metabolizes fat.




When the researchers looked at the mice's livers, they found that the livers of resveratrol-treated mice produced less fat than mice that were given alcohol alone, and that this fat was also broken down more quickly.




Previous research has linked resveratrol to a decreased risk of cancer and heart disease, as well as to longer life and reduced age-related decline. Recent research, published in the Nutrition Review, found that it successfully reduced cholesterol and insulin sensitivity, and protected the nervous system.




Resveratrol is widely believed to contribute to the health-protective effects of wine, which are partially responsible for the so-called "French paradox."

What people are saying about Rally

"It's very easy to introduce the Rally Program to your school. For us it began with a school assembly and a short video. Everyone was very excited about the program and eager to get started. Our St. Jude representative was very helpful throughout the process. She carefully explained instructions and was present every step of the way." -Jason, student, Georgetown Preparatory School




"To date, this is the largest task our student council has ever taken upon themselves, and it was a success. It was a blessing to see so many high school students came together with one purpose, helping the children of St. Jude. In a day and age in which educators are all too often focusing on test scores and performance, we were able to witness what truly matters most-giving and caring for others." -Chris Kerrick, Student Council Sponsor, Marshall County High School, Benton, KY




"I really loved the Rally Against Childhood Cancer event. I really never want to leave the St. Jude family. I had the best time and my St. Jude representative was so fun and helpful. Wherever I go next year, Rally is coming with me. I'm addicted." -Pat Lambert, senior, Portsmouth High School, Portsmouth, RI

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The D.C lead-poisoning episode,To learn

Washington, D.C. -- In a major exposé, Salon magazine has alleged that from 2004 to 2007 the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta ignored -- whether inadvertently or not -- a major episode of lead poisoning in the District of Columbia that involved hundreds, perhaps thousands, of infants and children. The poisoning occurred from 2001 to 2004, when the level of lead in the tap water of some D.C. homes soared because of a switch from chlorination to chloramination.

In 2004, the CDC concluded that these elevated levels of lead did not constitute a public-health problem, but its analysis was based on incomplete data -- the test results for many affected children were not included. Based on that report, the CDC also told other water suppliers not to worry about elevated lead concentrations in drinking water like those that occurred in the District of Columbia.

The agency claims that it released its falsely reassuring report in 2004 because the missing lab reports -- almost half the total -- were all for children with blood-lead levels of less than 10 micrograms per deciliter (mg/dl).

But the CDC knew in 2004 that the peer-reviewed literature showed substantial harmful effects for lead concentrations below 10 mg/dl and that some of the most prominent independent scientists in the field, like Dr. Herbert Needleman and Dr. Philip Landrigan, were arguing for a much lower level. California, for example, had already set a much more stringent level.

Worse, when the CDC discovered that its findings had been incorrect, and that blood poisoning in the district had increased, it quietly released a new study to that effect in 2007. But until Salon blew the whistle, the agency made little effort to correct the record by publicizing the new data.

Unfortunately, the lead-poisoning episode isn't the only recent example of the CDC engaging in behavior that looks suspiciously like a cover-up. The agency was heavily implicated in the effort to avoid public exposure of the potentially lethal concentrations of formaldehyde in FEMA's toxic trailer scandal. The CDC also suppressed a study it had prepared showing toxic hot spots threatening citizens of the Great Lakes region -- and fired the scientist who prepared the report.

Congress is already investigating the D.C. lead-poisoning episode. It ought to dig deeper and find out what was really going on at the Centers for Disease Control during the past eight years. After three strikes, a watchdog agency like the CDC ought to be called out.

HOW WILL YOUR FORUM LOOK?

The way that your forum looks will have a large influence on
the way that people feel about using it.

There are essentially two styles of web based forum. The first
is called "THREADED". A threaded forum shows all the various
discussions on one long scrollable screen. Older messages will
sometimes be archived on further pages.

Take a look at the way that my own THREADED "How To" Marketer
Forum looks at http://www.talkmydisease.com/

Feel free to have a read and make a couple of posts for
yourself to get a feel as to how it operates.

The other main web based forum style is called "LINEAR". This
kind of forum only shows the subject titles for each discussion
and you then "drill down" into the discussion itself by
clicking on the headline.

I had note this on my new google notebook~
Here:Kathy's health notebook

What to Do When You Are Waiting to See The Doctor

My "Waiting Bag"- Since I unfortunately spend alot of time in doctors' waiting rooms, I quickly learned to make the most of this seemingly wasted time.

I learned this skill from my over achiever mother, who used every moment as a chance to get something done. Since I became sick at a young age, she was the person who drove me to the doctor and had to wait with me, or for me, in the office waiting room.

She would bring with her a book to read or school work to do, or sometimes magazines to enjoy or Christmas cards to write out. It became a routine for both of us to bring small jobs with us, to keep busy, feel productive and keep our minds off of the dreaded doctor's visit. When I was younger- this was the time for my homework or studying. The time would quickly fly, and it did not feel wasted.

My mother always thought ahead and brought snacks, or fun stuff like little portable games when I was younger. Many times I remember children crying to their parents that they were hungry or bored, and
watched as they stared with yearning for whatever treat my mother brought for me.

Now that I am older, I still have the same amount of doctor's appointments, but I do not have the luxury of my mother coming with me. I find that I still use the productive skills she gave me. I started my own "waiting bag." I have a tote bag that I leave by the door and fill with little tasks or activities that are not time sensitive, so they can wait for the moments when I am waiting. It started with a few things in the bag- and now it has grown to have things I need, or look forward to.

My Waiting Bag consists of a few essentials.

Reading-

I no longer have homework for school that I need to do, but I find that there are always little things I want to read or work on. For example, occasionally I will cut out an article that looks interesting that I have been meaning to read, but did not have the time for at the moment. I also leave a book or magazine that I am reading in the bag.

Writing-

I always mean to send thank you notes or even notes to keep in touch etc., so I added a small pack of pretty blank notes. I can use these blank notes for thank you's, keeping in touch, get well soon, even
birthdays. I keep pens, my Palm Pilot (or your address book) and a few extra stamps in the bag.

Many times this has helped me catch up on notes or cards I have been meaning to send. The Palm Pilot has been great because it not only has the addresses of anyone I want to keep in touch with, but it also has a calendar to remind me of dates that are coming up to be celebrated. With all of our email communication, I still find that people love to receive a card or note in the mail- I know I do.

I also carry with me a little notepad. Not only is this good to carry into the actual doctor's visit to write down important information, but I find that whenever an idea floats into my head- it is good to write it down right away. Sometimes when you are in a waiting room in silence, you think about the oddest things. I have remembered people to call, dinners to make, or even ideas for my personal writing.

Comfort-

I always keep a few things in my waiting bag to help keep me more comfortable and happy. I bring a small bottle of water, a snack like a granola bar or nuts, a small size lotion, chapstick and mints or candy. These are the things that I have found make me happy, I am sure you will find your own. And don't forget to replenish them as you use them.

Medical-

As I am reading the newspaper or listening to the news, I have had questions I want to ask my doctor about. I used to forget the exact details or forget to ask the doctor the question at all. Now I remember to cut out the article or write down the question and bring it with me. I also have found that many times as I drive away from the doctor, I think to myself "oh, I wish I had asked the doctor that". Now I quickly write it down, and leave it in my bag for next time if it is not urgent.

In addition, I bring with me my medication bottles, or a list of anything I take (including over the counter drugs, vitamins etc.) so when I am asked, I can refer to the list and not have to struggle to remember.

The items listed above are what are in my "waiting bag", but you might find that you will add your own special items. I know a woman that brings her crocheting along with her, or mothers who clip grocery store coupons. I recently purchased a few of the travel size tissues and antibacterial lotions, and have added them to my bag. Just add whatever will make you happy, or whatever will keep you busy.

I think my waiting bag is a good idea for anyone who finds themselves in similar situations, waiting in doctors' offices. But I have heard from friends that they have started their own "waiting bags", for
times when they are waiting at the DMV, on errands, waiting for their kids, or even at their children's athletic games.

Many people wonder how I keep up with everything on a "limited supply of spoons", but I have found that it is just that I have learned to spend my spoons wisely!

Order your own "waiting bag" from our online store!

written by Christine Miserandino © 2004

Top 12 Reasons to see a Naturopathic Doctor

1. You want your treatment plans to be the best for YOU as a person, not a disease.
2. You prefer to use natural healing methods & substances rather than invasive medical procedures and pharmaceuticals.
3. You want to make informed decisions about your health (i.e. round out the information you have received from allopathic doctors).
4. You want to identify and remove health problems, not treat the symptoms or mask the problem.
5. Conventional medical practices are failing you, or falling short.
6. You want a health practitioner that gets to know you and takes time to understand your case.
7. The availability of multiple treatment options is preferred rather than standard medical advice.
8. You want support in improving your lifestyle, stress levels and diet.
9. You want to prevent disease and/or maintain optimal health.
10. You are concerned about long term effects of prescription or OTC drugs, and/or unpleasant side effects.
11. You may have a complicated health picture that has been treated by separate doctors for each ailment but you wish to have a holistic analysis
12. You want help to navigate through the health supplementation industry and to clarify the claims of marketed health products.

Obama Administration Makes Clear Its Support for Public Health Insurance Plan

President Obama’s new Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, testified before Congress at a May 6, 2009 hearing on health reform held by the House Ways and Means Committee. Her testimony made clear that the Obama administration does not believe needed health reform can be achieved strictly through the private health insurance market and wants to give people the choice of a public health insurance plan. So don’t let Congress rip the heart out of President Obama’s health care plan. Support a public health insurance option.

Public health expert D.A. Henderson to comment on Swine Flu

Public Health Expert Available For Media Comment on Swine Flu Alert and How to Respond to Pandemic Strains of Influenza

Amherst, NY-- As the World Health Organization Raises Swine Flu Alert Level, public health expert and former W.H.O. official D.A. Henderson (Pittsburgh, PA) is available to comment on the potentially imminent pandemic. His Newsweek op-ed on the related bioterrorism concerns of this crisis will be published shortly.

D.A. Henderson was in charge of the domestic preparedness program for the U.S. when in April 2004, we learned of the “avian flu” cases in Vietnam. At that time, the program launched a greatly intensified $100 million effort to vastly augment our capacity to produce influenza vaccine and to undertake research products on alternative methods of production, different vaccine uses, and planning as to how the country should plan and respond if a pandemic strain came along.

Since then, Henderson has continued in an advisory capacity to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has served on a number of CDC and HHS committees dealing with influenza.

Henderson’s specific infectious disease expertise has been smallpox, polio, influenza, and anthrax. More generally, his time has been spent on surveillance, public health education, and international public health policies and development.

Henderson is the author of Smallpox—The Death of a Disease (Prometheus, June 2009) which details the inside story of eradicating a deadly, worldwide disease.

Labour and the NHS

60 years ago, Labour created the NHS. It was born in a society where healthcare was exclusive, expensive and unavailable for many ordinary people. To most citizens, illness meant desperation, suffering and even destitution. Thousands died from diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, tuberculosis, diphtheria and polio because they could not afford treatment. Britain needed a system that provided healthcare to everyone, free at the point of delivery, based on need and not the ability to pay.

It was the Beveridge Report that demonstrated the need for universal healthcare and it was the Labour Government that made it a reality. Despite opposition from the Tories, who voted against its creation, the NHS was launched in 1948. Through its early years, times were tough but the NHS helped the British people cope with post-war society. For the first time ever hospital services, family practitioner services (doctors, pharmacists, opticians and dentists) and community-based services were available to the public for free under one organisation.

Since then, the NHS has proved itself vital to the British people. It has been a source of confidence as families know that they will receive the best possible treatment, whatever their financial circumstances. The NHS became a symbol of freedom from fear and of a government on your side.

But... the Tories wrecked it

When Labour inherited it from the Tories in 1997, the NHS was on its knees. Years of neglect were reflected in crumbling hospitals, a severe lack of doctors, nurses and equipment and long and growing waiting lists.

Labour’s investment and modernisation saved the NHS.

Now the Tories say they’ve changed, but behind the slick salesmanship their plans would take the NHS back to the 1980s.

The Tories say they would scrap Labour’s extended GP opening hours.

The Tories want to scrap national waiting time targets – meaning waiting times would be allowed to grow and grow and new postcode lotteries would spring up.
The Tories want to bring back longer working hours for doctors and nurses, putting patient safety at risk.

The Tories are opposing Labour’s plans for 152 new GP-led health centres across the country, open 8am-8pm seven days a week.
The Tories have admitted that they would allow local hospitals to go bust.

Labour saved it


Saving the NHS took massive investment and modernisation, as well as the commitment and support of NHS staff. But together, we did it.

Labour, the party of the NHS, has delivered a health service that is saving more lives, treating more patients and is faster than ever before. And now we’re making the NHS more personal, so that it meets your needs and the needs of your family, and prevents ill-health as well as curing it.

Swine flu useful links!

Hi folks - as promised on air, here are some links about swine flu:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
http://www.hhs.gov/
http://www.who.int/en/

If you speak Spanish:
http://www.mex.ops-oms.org/
http://portal.salud.gob.mx/

Also, there are Facebook groups and Twitter pages and Twitter sites...
Know other good links? Post here. Thanks!

Adding more:
(check out the simple map and the helpful explainer here)
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/26/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCOther2
and
Swine flu most Talked,symptoms swine flu knowledge and prevention

Mashable wrote up a how-to about following swine flu online:
http://mashable.com/2009/04/25/track-swine-flu/

swine flu symptoms people talking

Coming up more info on the H1N1 Flu, They dont want you to call it the swine flu.
One of our Dr. friends was exposed to swine flu and might have it. Now I'm worried about Joe on his pediatrics rotation...

VP BIDEN SWINE FLU GAFFE: Can common sense be used for a change & perhaps we stop jumping at every little gaffe? Symptoms no secret.

instruction in order to keep a healthy - symptoms swine flu
news on - suprise suprise......more swine flu!

The Swine Flu Pandemic http://tinyurl.com/ctydjt

http://twitpic.com/4bwey - Really,this is who im sitting next too commuting.Perhaps the mask isnt for swine flu,but so she cannot smell ...

If I emailed *parents* about Swine Flu (w/ links to Web pages that will be updated w/ new info) why do I have to email them the new info?