gethealthy

 I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” The time period in which that saying was coined, a group of people usually would embrace the children as a community and contribute to their upbringing. However, even though our communities have grown much larger, that same saying can still hold true.  Parents, for the most part, are completely responsible for their children.  However, children also receive care from their teachers, grandparents as well as other relatives, and others within their community.

Most parents understand the basics of childcare such as; making sure they get enough sleep, exercise, and healthy food.  However, children still need to visit a doctor regularly throughout their developing years.  They need regular check-ups and immunizations to prevent and watch for any trouble on the horizon.

However, millions of children in the United States are without the medical care that they need; including  vaccinations and prescription medications because the parents can’t afford the high price of insuring them.

A new study examined data from 2002 to 2005 from the HHS’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Equality (AHRQ) Medical Expenditure Panel Survey on 39,588 children under the age of 19 that lived with one of their parents.   The study concluded that eventhough one of their parents carried health insurance on themselves, 3.3% of children were uninsured or underinsured at some point in any given year.  This equals 2.3 million children per year that go without health insurance to pay for preventative care or any other medical needs.

Children from middle-income families with one insured parent were 48% more likelyof being uninsured during the year and 56% greater chance of being insured for at least 6 months out of the year.

With the dark months of winter looming over us, we may begin to feel a bit depressed.  Some people are highly affected by the decrease in sunlight throughout the winter months.  The name for this disorder is SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder.  This condition causes  a portion of the population to become down and depressed and they may need assistance to deal with their symptoms for the 3 winter months.

There are a few ways to treat SAD.  It can be alleviated with a concoction of vitamins, nutrients, simulated sunlight, or a combination of these.   However, some of us still carry depression the other 9 months of the year, but there may be a healthier way to treat year-round depression, with St. John’s Wort.

St. John’s Wort is an herb derived from the plant, Hypericum perforatum or the hedgerow plant.  This herbal supplement has a large following and is often used as a sleep aid and has been used for centuries to alleviate mild forms of depression.

German scientists from the Centre for Complementary Medicine in Munich gathered information from 29 studies conducted in a variety of contries using different St. John’s Wort extract and using 5,489 volunteers who exhibited moderately severe depression.

In one group, they replaced the groups regular anti-depressant with St. John’s Wort.  In other groups they either administered a placebo or they received either a common old or new anti-depressant like Prozac over a determined length of time.

Prozac, as well as many other common types of anti-depressants are SSRIs, or Selective Seratonin Re-uptake Inhibitors.  They are widely used to enhance mood, but often cause the user to experience side effects such as; drowsiness, a drop in libido, anxiety/panic attacks, flu-like symptoms, confusion, balance problem, and more.

In Germany, St. John’s Wort is a common household name is often given to children and teens for mild depression or to treat sleep disorders and causes little or no side effects when being taken by itself.

Dr. Klaus Linde from The Centre says, “Overall, the St. John’s Wort extracts tested in the trials were superior to placebo, similarly effective as standard antidepressants, and had fewer side effects than standard antidepressants.”

If you have depression, Dr. Linde suggests that you should consult a doctor prior to taking any combination of drugs or herbal supplements.  In the past, St. John’s Wort has been linked to creating negative reactions when taken with other prescription drugs.  Medications for lowering cholesterol, oral contraceptives, and blood thinners have all been proven to interact negatively with St. John’s Wort.

Lung cancer kills more than 1 million people every year.  Adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent form of lung cancer and accounts for about 35% of all lung cancer cases.  This type of cancer can only be cured by removing the tumor, either via surgery or radiation therapy.   However, it is often diagnosed once the cancer has progressed to far.  The survival rate is only about 17% after 5 years.

Recently, scientists have uncovered more than 2 dozen genes that are linked with this type of cancer.  This type of research can assist in developing custom therapies to aid in fighting the disease.

This project is the largest federally funded project of its type.  Scientists at nearly a dozen institutions from the U.S. and Germany have determined the DNA sequence of 623 genes in 188 adenocarcinoma tumor samples.  After gathering the samples they compared the DNA to the same genes in health tissues from the same patients.  They searched for the genes that mutated more often than others.  They determined that the changes in the genes only occur in the tumor and are not found other places in the body and are not inherited.Scientists discovered 1,000 different mutations and found 26 genes that mutated more frequently than others. Many of these genes had never been linked directly with lung cancer.  Many of the genes had been linked to other types of cancer such as; colon cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma.  These finding more than double the known number of genes that play a role in this type of lung cancer.  Prior to the research only 10 genes had been identified and included 6 of the 26 from the study.

Most of the mutated genes share common biological gene networks.  More than 70% of the cancerous lung tumors contained a gene affecting the mitogen-activated protein kinase or MAPK pathway.

If you are taking Chantix, find a way to stop now!  It has been noted that there has been a  large increase in the number of serious injuries linked to Chantix.  Chantix is a smoking cessation drug made by Pfizer.  Chantix has been known to cause seizures and loss of motor control.  Currently there has been over 1,000 noted incidents from Chantix users including 50 deaths.  These injuries and deaths occured in the first quarter of the year, which leaves Chantix exceeding the number of adverse side-effects for any prescription drug.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a nonprofit drug-safety group, released the findings.  The information gathered was based on reports that had been filed with the FDA from all over the country.  This information included 15 adverse effects linked to road traffic accidents and 52 cases involving a variety of blackouts.

Pfizer expressed doubts in a recent statement by saying, “We understand that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices report was based solely on a tally of post-marketing  adverse events” they also stated that these reports “are often unverifiable and lack sufficient medical information to draw any conclusions.”However, this did lead Pfizer to add a tougher warning label on the drug last year after it had been linked to psychiatric side effects that include depression and suicidal behavior.

After the FDA conducted their own review, it issued a public health alert regarding these side effects.  Additionally, the ISMP report regarding links to accidents was also released in May.  This report prompted the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense to restrict the use of Chantrix.  All pilots and air-traffic controllers have been ordered to stop using the drug immediately.

The Ginko Biloba Tree, standing at a massive 134 feet tall and living up to 3,000 years, has been a long-standing ingredient in Chinese medicine for centuries. The smooth leaves, resembling small fans are beautiful as well as beneficial.  Within the last decade the popularity of the plant has grown in health food chains and home medicine cabinets alike. People often take this herb to benefit blood circulation and improve their memory.  However, a new study that was recently published by Strok journal illustrates that this ancient plant may be much more useful than originally believed.

Researchers from John’s Hopkins University, created an extract from the leaves to form a supplement that they administered to mice.  Then they recorded the affects of the supplement on the brain of the mice.  Scientists were able to illustrate that Ginko can be used to reduce damage to the brain caused by a stroke.

One group of mice was administered the Ginko supplement every day for a week, while the control group received nothing.  Then every mouse in the study was given an induced stroke, and the results were tracked.  The group that received the Ginko prior to their stroke received 50.9% less neurological damage to their brains than the control group.  It also illustrated that the supplement aided in reducing the after effect of impaired limb strength and paralysis.

During the study, researchers also discovered that Ginko Biloba extract neutralized the activity of free radicals inside the brain.  Free radicals work to kill brain cells and can cause major damage.

 As you may or may not know, those who smoke are more susceptible to colds and pneumonia than those who don’t.  While there is no definite reason why smokers are more susceptible to contracting infections but as far as pneumonia, doctors feel it is due to damage caused by smoking.  The damage to the lungs can allow bacteria to attach easily to the lungs and windpipe.  The odds of a smoker developing pneumonia increases as the number of cigarettes they smoke increases.  The new pneumonia vaccine is the first of its kind to be directed specifically at smokers.

Pneumonia is a lung infection; often caused by viruses, bacteria, fungus, or parasites.  It often developes after a nose and throat infection.  Pneumonia is diagnosed by an X-ray, blood test, or mucus culture from coughing.   Often pneumonia is treated with a series of oral antibotics taken at home.  However, sometimes infected persons will develop a high fever and/or respiratory distress and will need to be hospitalized for treatment.

Death from pneumonia can be severley reduced by those who are more susceptible to infection  receiving vaccinations. Currently, the vaccine that is recommended will protect against pneumonia, meningitis, and other life-threatening infections.

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States.  Statistics have shown that from 1962 to  2000 the number of American’s who are obese increased from 13% to 31%

Currently surgery is one of the only long-term options for  those who are morbidly obese.  Surgery is often more effective than diet, exercise, or medications. As years have progressed, these weight loss operations have become less painful and less invasive.

The most common weight loss surgery, once required a rather large incision, but is now done through several small incisicions.

However, a new type of surgery is being tested in the U.S.  This new surgery will allow doctors to decrease the size of the stomach without any incisions.

The procedures name is Toga, which stands for transoral gastroplasy.   Instead of making incisions in the stomac, a stapler is passed down the throat and is used to staple the stomach from the inside.  This allows doctors to create a thumb sized pouch which holds a very small amount of food. Forming this small pouch will allow patients to receive a feeling of satiety after a small meal, thus allowing the patient to be satisfied with a smaller portion of food.

This surgery is intended to be safer and easier for patients to recover from. However, the sugery isn’t as easy as it is made out to be.  General anesthesia is administered to the patient and they are placed on a respirator.  Then a dilator is threaded down the patient’s throat to stretch their esophagus.  Next, their stomach is inflated with carbon dioxide to make a space to work in.  Another wide tube, about 2 feet long, will contain the stapler, is then inserted.  After the stapler is positioned it is activated and a sail and cuving wire comes out to move the folds of the stomach.  Next a vacuum pump will be used to move parts of the front and back walls of the stomach so that they are into the device so that they can be stapled together.  This procedure requires 3 rows of staples, however the stapler only holds one row of staples.  Unfortunately the device has to be taken out, rinsed, reloaded, and reinserted back down the throat and repositioned to staple each row.  In all, the surgery takes 3 hours

Just like other bariatric surgeries, the patient is placed on a full liquid diet for several weeks.  As with other surgeries the patient is also warned that eating too much or too fast will cause them to be ill.  Nutritionists say that the ideal time to lose weight is about 6 to 12 months after surgery. Until that time, they body will try to reject the surgery by absorbing an excess amount of nutrients.

98 patients in Mexico and Europe have had the new surgery . Those who have reached the one-year bench mark have lost an average of 40% of their excess weight.  Currently in the U.S. the procedure is still in the experimental stages and has only been performed a few times during a paid study from the from the devices maker, Satiety, Inc.

 Stress in unavoidable, no matter who you are.  Everyone experiences stress in different ways at different times in their life.  Sometimes stress can be a good way to keep you on your toes by giving you a good challenge.  However, it can also be harmful.  Excessive stress can have severe effects on your health and can agitate current problems including; heart disease, hypertension, stroke, depression, and sleep disorders. Researchers have even found a connection between stress and academic performance.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of Minnesota’s Boyton Health Service examined 9,931 students from 14 different 2 year and 4 years schools.   They matched grade point averages with health problems such as; stress, smoking, drinking, and lifestyle choices like excessive screen time and gambling.   They concluded that students that exhibited unhealthy behaviors had significantly lower grades than other students.

Stress was one of the largest contributing factors.  Out of the 69.9% of students who said they were stressed, 32.9% stated that stress was affecting their academic performance.

Students who reported 8 or more emotional stressors like credit card debt, failing a class, or parental issues had an average GPA of 2.72.  The students who reported little or no significant stress had an average GPA of 3.3. “While this may seem like a small difference in GPA, when you are looking at over 9,000 students the impact of this difference is huge,” said Dr. Ed Ehlinger, director of Boynton Health Services.

The study also found that the ability to handle stress was just as important.  Students who reported that they are able to handle their stress well, performed better than those who could not manage their stress.  This information is important because it can show colleges the need to supply students with the tools needed to learn to manage stress.

20% of students stated that their difficulty sleeping affected their grades.  Those who reported sleep disturbances had an average GPA of 3.08 in contrast with 3.27  for those who were able to get sufficient sleep.  “The more days a student gets adequate sleep, the better GPA’s they attain,” Dr. Ehlinger said. “There is a direct link between the two.”
In addition the study illustrated that excessive TV and computer use (not related to school) also significantly affected grades.  Students who avoided watching TV during the day carried an average GPA of 3.37, students who viewed 2 hours of TV per day dropped to 3.21, and those with 4 or more hours of TV time perday held an average GPA of 3.04 or less.  Also students who played less than an hour of video games per day held an average GPA of 3.31 and those who played for more than 5 hours a day carried a GPA of 2.98.

The same pattern was seen with binge drinking, drugs and smoking. Students who reported issues with alcohol had an average GPA of 2.92, compared with 3.28 for students who did not. The drug use gap was 2.94 versus 3.25. And students who reported smoking within the past 30 days had an average GPA of 3.12 compared with 3.28 for those who reported not smoking. “Even students who smoked once or twice in a month had lower GPA’s than those who didn’t smoke,” said Dr. Ehlinger. “Using tobacco to calm down or ‘to be social’ is lowing students’ grades.”

In our lifetime, many of us will experience the flu, an ear infection, or perhaps a wound that becomes infected.  When these situations arise, it is common for doctors to prescribe  a treatment with antibiotics.  Generally, patients experience an improvement within the first few days after treatment begins.  No, this is not magic; but the science behind antibiotics.

Antibiotics are chemical substances that are made from microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria.  These substances are used to destroy or slow the growth of harmful microorganisms.  The most common use for antibiotics is to treat infectious disease, although they may be used to treat discomfort and assist in the healing of minor wounds.

There are over 100 different types of antibiotics available, however there are several main types including well-known substances such as; penicillin and tetracycline.  Each type of antibiotice is formulated to treat specific types of infections.

It is important that doctors determine what kind of bacteria is causing the infection, from there they will determine which type of antibiotic will best treat this condition.  In instances where the bacteria is common and well-known such as those involved in an earache; the doctor will know immediately what to prescribe.  However,  in serious infections like pnemonia or an uncommon type of infection; the doctor may require a culture be sent to the lab to determine what kind of bacteria is involved.

Also, doctors must note any medications the patient is currently taking to determine if any drug interactions will take place or the risk of a side effect occurring.  They must also ensure that the patient does not have any known allergies to the prescribed antibiotics.

Once a patient receives an antibiotic it is crucial to note any special requirements for taking the medications such as; whether or not it must be taken with water, on a full stomach, or kept at a specific temperature.

When kept properly and taken according to the directions and for the length of time prescribed; antibiotics can help rapidly heal infections.

An ingredient used in Chinese cooking for centuries has now been linked to  fighting off heart disease, according to the American Journal of Cardiology.

An extract from Red Yeast Rice (known as xuezhikang) or a placebo was giving to about 5,000 people who had incurred a heart attack in the previous year.  After nearly 5 years, the members who consumed the red yeast rice had shown a 45%  reduced risk of another heart attack and a 30% reduced risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.

Similiar to statins, red yeast rice slows an enzyme that is involved in the synthesis of cholesterol.  While statins reduce levels of coenzyme Q10; red yeast rice does not appear to have the same effect.

While red yeast rice may seem like a great alternative to traditional statins; be sure to consult your doctor first.  If you are curious about treating your cholesterol with red yeast rice, it is recommended that you work with a physician who is “open and knowledgeable about alternatives for heart health.”