The uterus

The uterus is part of a woman's reproductive system. It's a hollow organ in the pelvis.
The uterus has three parts:

• Top: The top (fundus) of your uterus is shaped like a dome. From the top of your uterus, the fallopian tubes extend to the ovaries.
• Middle: The middle part of your uterus is the body (corpus). This is where a baby grows.
• Bottom: The narrow, lower part of your uterus is the cervix. The cervix is a passageway to the vagina.

The wall of the uterus has two layers of tissue:

• Inner layer: The inner layer (lining) of the uterus is the endometrium. In women of childbearing age, the lining grows and thickens each month to prepare for pregnancy. If a woman does not become pregnant, the thick, bloody lining flows out of the body. This flow is a menstrual period.
• Outer layer: The outer layer of muscle tissue is the myometrium.

Cancer Cells

Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the uterus and the other organs of the body.
Normal cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When normal cells grow old or get damaged, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells form when the body doesn't need them, and old or damaged cells don't die as they should. The buildup of extra cells often forms a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.
Tumors in the uterus can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Benign tumors are not as harmful as malignant tumors:

• Benign tumors (such as a fibroid, a polyp, or endometriosis):
• are usually not a threat to life
• can be treated or removed and usually don't grow back
• don't invade the tissues around them
• don't spread to other parts of the body
• Malignant growths:
• may be a threat to life
• usually can be removed but can grow back
• can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs (such as the vagina)
• can spread to other parts of the body

Cancer cells can spread by breaking away from the uterine tumor. They can travel through lymph vessels to nearby lymph nodes. Also, cancer cells can spread through the blood vessels to the lung, liver, bone, or brain. After spreading, cancer cells may attach to other tissues and grow to form new tumors that may damage those tissues. See the Staging section for information about uterine cancer that has spread.

Picture of the uterus

Diabetes: 5 Steps to Total Body Care

If you have type 2 diabetes, you know that blood sugar control, a balanced diet, weight management, regular exercise, and checkups are vital to your health. Taking special care of every part of your body to avoid serious complications is just as critical.
Among some of your biggest concerns with diabetes care are:

• Foot infections
• Chronic skin infections
• Gum disease and tooth loss
• Vision problems
• Heart disease and blood circulation problems

Diabetes Body Care: It's for Everyone

The need to take care of yourself isn't just for adults; with the epidemic of childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes has also become more prevalent among children, teens, and young adults.
"In hospitals, we're seeing first-time patients in their late 20s and 30s who have uncontrolled blood sugar and severe skin infections that probably started as a boil or a spider bite," says Philip Orlander, MD, director of endocrinology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
How can diabetes so dramatically damage the body? If blood sugar is uncontrolled, blood vessels and nerves become damaged, while the body becomes less able to fight infections.
Controlling blood sugar is the bottom line in preventing these problems, but personal care routines -- simple things you can do every day -- can dramatically reduce your risks, too.

5 Steps to Total Diabetes Body Care

Your feet, skin, eyes, heart, and teeth and gums need special attention if you have diabetes. Here are steps you can take to care for these parts of your body:
1. Foot Care and Diabetes
Common foot problems can cause many complications, including athlete's foot, fungal infections in nails, calluses, corns, blisters, bunions, dry skin, sores, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, and plantar warts.
While anyone can have these problems, they're more critical for people with diabetes because:

• If you have nerve damage, you may not feel small wounds that need treatment.
• Poor blood flow can slow wound healing.
• If you're immune suppressed, you may be more prone to infection.
• Damaged foot muscle nerves may prevent your foot from aligning properly, causing you to put more pressure on one area of the foot, leading to foot sores and pressure point ulcers.

Prevention tips: Make time for foot care daily. Wash, dry and examine the tops and bottoms of your feet. Check for cracked skin, cuts, scratches, wounds, blisters, redness, calluses, and other changes. Use antibiotic creams recommended by your doctor and apply sterile bandages to protect cuts. Prevent ingrown toenails by cutting toenails straight across; don't cut corners. Don't go barefoot and always protect your feet. Make sure you wear properly fitting footwear.
If you develop even minor foot problems, treat them right away or see a doctor. And see a foot doctor (podiatrist) every two or three months.
Checking your feet daily means you can catch small things and get them treated before they become serious. Make it part of your daily morning routine -- it doesn't take long.

8 Reasons to Practice Meditation

Meditation is simply directed concentration, and involves learning to focus your awareness and direct it onto an object: your breath, a phrase or word repeated silently, a memorized inspirational passage, or an image in the mind's eye.

The benefits of meditation are numerous, and include:

1. Helping lower blood pressure
2. Decreasing heart and respiratory rates
3. Increasing blood flow
4. Enhancing immune function
5. Reducing perception of pain
6. Relieving chronic pain due to arthritis and other disorders
7. Maintaining level mood
8. Bringing awareness and mindfulness to everyday aspects of life

A simple form of meditation that can be practiced by anyone is to walk or sit quietly in a natural setting and allow your thoughts and sensations to occur; observing them without judgment.

Health and Physical Fitness and The Top 20 Lessons For Living Longer

Health and physical activity tips including information on men's and women's health and wellness including advanced nutritional products for the immune system, joint health, weight loss and general health. All five components of fitness and health: strength training, weight management, cardiovascular exercise, nutrition, and flexibility.
You are probably sick of hearing "new" studies telling you to do this or eat that to live longer and feel like you did in your twenties.
Despite all the medical advances available today, the most effective and the most practical advice to living a long and healthy life can be found in our past.
Here are the top twenty time-tested healthy habits that have survived for centuries to increase the quantity and quality of our life.
1. Eat mostly plants.
(Have meat as a side dish instead of the main dish)
2. Put family first.
(Time with family is priceless)
3. Take a walk.
(Our legs are meant to move us, so move)
4. Drink a glass of red wine daily.
(It's been a practice for centuries, it must be good)
5. Reduce and manage stress.
(Stress kills, so avoid it or deal with it)
6. Have a purpose.
(Be excited when you wake up each morning)
7. Get outdoors.
(We came from nature, go back for a visit)
8. Be grateful.
(Appreciate what you got and you will get more)
9. Have fun.
(Do things that you enjoy)
10. Maintain a healthy body weight
(Move more, eat less)
11. Get regular exercise.
(Push and pull heavy things)
12. Love and laugh
(Preferably both at the same time)
13. Snack on nuts
(The most nutrient dense food in the world)
14. Give something back.
(If you want to get, you have to give)
15. Eat a large breakfast.
(Your mother was right...again)
16. Eat a medium lunch
(It's a lunch break, not a lunch buffet)
17. Eat a small dinner
(Enough eating already)
18. Drink plenty of water.
(It's the basis of all living things)
19. Sleep when it's dark.
(There is a reason why we can't see in the dark)
20. Learn new things.
(You live, you learn)

Know your Sports Nutrition

Health conscious people know that carbohydrate is the most important source of energy in terms of sports nutrition.   Sports nutrition supports the players of any game  enhancing energy and fueling  the muscle constractions in the body. Normally in everybody’s diet carbohydrate act as a good source of sports nutrition as it breaks down into small sugars like glucose, fructose, and galactose and is absorbed by the body for releasing energy. Mostly trainers of sportsperson give scheduling  diet to their players and  as per that one follows the strict sports nutrition for enhancing one’s performance. One should have the information that sports nutrition like carbohydrate consumption is an  important for weight lifters and sprinting players .   This makes the diet of common people and athletes more nutricious by following correct sports nutrition diet. The glycogen is the most important aspect of sports nutrition which is a major source of energy help in  exercising.

Sports nutrition  carries several elements in one’s  diet like  protein, pulses, fruits , and vegetables, and many milky products.   Consumers will find sports nutrition both in simple and complex forms for usage. As per several other reports sports nutrition consumes lots of time in breaking down resulting energy in slow rates.   The best source of carbohydrate mostly present in breads, rice and pasta. So one should read lots of books and sharing information about sports nutrition among their colleagues.   Not only this sportspersons requires starch and fiber along with energy given by carbohydrate.   Users should know that  fiber  is not a source of  energy as it cannot be digested in thebody.   On sports nutrition one will find several booklets and magazines present in the market. This not only helps the athletes but also normal people can get sports nutrition advantages.   Sports nutrition several other forms kept in the body as stock to fight diseases.   Now  athletes preferred starch rich in sports nutrition diet’s which is  brokedown and stored as glycogen in the body. There are several food products of sports nutrition such as whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and grains for supporting the health conscious users .

The good source of sports nutrition is fruit and energy drinks which is aborbed and get converted to energy quickly in the body. Consumers must have info that whatever they eat and drink sports nutrition helps to enhance enery level  in the body . so one should know that protein, carbohydrate, and fats are the important constituents of sports nutrition . In this way athletes and common people consume heavy amount of sports nutrition daily to maintain their physique.   Actually sports nutrition is structured for athletes and many other game players for performing good in their particular fields.   The dictionary of sports nutrition is vast across the globe.   So users should go under expert guidance for making best usages of sports nutrition globally.   Also  online guidlines and specified diet are making sports nutrition more beneficial.

five Common Allergies – And Tips To Get Rid Of Them

Allergy season is now in full swing, and people everywhere are looking for tips to get rid of allergies. One of the first things you should do if you suspect allergies, is to go have an allergy test done. This test is usually done at either your primary care physician’s office, or at the office of an Allergy and Immunology doctor. The test is usually performed by a nurse or medical assistant and the results are interpreted by the doctor. After this test is complete, you will have a better idea of what is triggering your symptoms. Then you can take steps to prevent allergy symptoms, and ultimately, learn how to get rid of your allergies!
This article will discuss five of the most common allergies and tips on how to get rid of them. First you may ask, what is an allergy? Basically, an allergy is an unnatural immune reaction to a normally benign substance (whether plants, animals, insects or food) that your body thinks is harmful. These substances are called allergens. When you come into contact with an allergen, your body releases a chemical called histamine into the bloodstream, (in hopes of destroying what it thinks of as an invader) which causes inflammation. This is called an allergic reaction. Sometimes, an allergic reaction is so severe, it can become fatal. What are some of the most common allergies? They include substances such as:
1. Pollen
2. Mold
3. Pets/animal hair
4. Latex
5. Food
Of all common offenders, pollen is the number one allergen in the United States, and is the most common allergy during seasonal allergy months. Pollen comes from a multitude of plants, herbs, trees and flowers, and spreads like wildfire through the air. The most prevalent time for pollen is during the spring and summer, when most plants bloom to life. Plants release pollen on into the autumn season, and while winter is usually a time for pollen-allergy sufferers to breathe a sigh of relief, there are still some plants that release pollen even in the dead of winter.
Mold is pesky little fungi that loves to grow in warm, moist, dark places. Mold releases spores into the air, and when mold is touched or the spores are inhaled, they cause inflammation in the airways and bring on an allergic reaction. It is important to have your house routinely checked for mold, especially if you live in a humid climate. The longer a mold problem persists, the harder it is to eradicate.
An allergy to animal hair is a very common, yet unfortunate, allergy to have. The most common cause of an allergy to animal hair is the proteins that coat the hair. Those oils/proteins are there to protect the animal’s coat of hair and keep it shiny. Unfortunately, those shiny coats trigger respiratory allergies in many people, which can be very sad for animal lovers. Sometimes, animal hair allergies are so severe that the afflicted person, sadly, cannot keep a pet.
Latex allergy is another quite common, yet often times severe, allergy. The protein contained in the latex rubber is the offender here, and usually leads to an immediate, sometimes very severe allergic reaction. For those who work in the healthcare field, and those who require frequent doctor visits, this allergy can be problematic, since many healthcare items contain latex. Fortunately, more and more medical manufacturers are coming out with latex-free gloves and other latex-free equipment.
Last on this list of the top five most common allergies, but certainly not least, are food allergies. Food allergy can, at times, be the most problematic allergy of all. This is because nowadays, in this age of food additives and preservatives, there are many hidden ingredients in processed and pre-prepared foods. The most common food allergies are nuts, shellfish, wheat and milk/dairy products. When a food allergy sufferer eats an allergy-causing food, their bodies release histamine into the bloodstream, causing inflammation which can be severe. This reaction can be anywhere from diarrhea and stomach cramps to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the airway to close or swell shut.
Now that you know some of the most common allergies, and you know that getting tested to identify your allergies is the first step, it’s time to talk about how to get rid of your allergies. Many (but not all) modern doctors believe that adults won’t be able to totally get rid of their allergies. Children tend to grow out of their allergies, but most adults retain their allergies for life. Don’t groan just yet – keeping positive is a huge step in dealing with your allergies. Contrary to popular belief, there is hope – yes, you can get rid of your allergies! Some more good news is that many naturopathic doctors, herbalists, and natural healers believe that you can indeed get rid of allergies.
The next step to getting rid of your allergies is to avoid the things that give you allergic reactions. That sounds fairly simple, but it can be complicated when it involves allergens such as food. Modifying your environment can go a long way to getting rid of allergies. Keep an allergy diary and write about your reactions – this will help you learn what to avoid. If you have mold in your house, make sure it is cleaned out and totally eradicated by specialists that deal specifically with getting rid of mold. If you are allergic to your household pets, don’t fret. Do some research into allergy-friendly pets that you can own – yes, there are allergy-friendly animals out there. There are even allergy-friendly dogs such as the short-haired Chihuahua. If you are allergic to pollen, make sure to have someone help you keep your grass mowed and your yard in tip-top shape, and take your prescribed allergy medicine daily. If latex is what gets your allergic response going, be sure to alert any new doctors to this allergy, and carefully read labels on household and cosmetic supplies to make sure they are latex-free. Food allergies can be the trickiest, but if you become an avid-label reader and carry allergy medicine (including an Epi-Pen for serious reactions) with you that should go a long way to helping you avoid the offending substances. Do a diet of elimination – meaning, eliminate all the problem foods from your diet for a period of time (usually around 6 weeks) and then slowly introduce them back in, one at a time. Many times, elimination diets have huge success rates, even to the point that the previous allergy-causing foods no longer cause problems!
Next on the list is treatment. Take your prescribed allergy medicine every day. If you know you are going to come into contact with any allergens, take your medicine beforehand to lessen or even prevent symptoms. Talk to your doctor about getting what is called allergy shots. These shots contain very small amounts of the substances to which you are allergic, so as to desensitize you. The theory is, which each shot, you become less and less allergic to that particular substance. The good thing is, many people have a huge success rate with allergy shots. Another option is alternative treatments such as chiropractic and acupuncture sessions. A lot of allergy sufferers swear by acupuncture to alleviate their allergies. Other alternative treatments would be vitamin, antioxidant and herbal supplements that boost the immune system, stabilize cells, and repair damage. Examples of these would be vitamin C, vitamin B complex, vitamin E, Quercetin, green tea, and omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Saline sinus rinses also have a high success rate, since they flush out irritants and bacteria. Speaking of flushing out irritants – a good intestinal cleanse has worked wonders for many food allergy sufferers.
Remember to always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements, doing any kind of cleanse, or starting any kind of alternative therapy for your allergies. Though you may want to, you can’t diagnose yourself. Allergy sufferers need to be under the care of a physician. Don’t fret or get discouraged, though! No matter what the naysayers say, there are options and you can get rid of allergies. Allergies don’t have to last forever – and when you follow the tips outlined in this article, you can kiss your allergies goodbye.

Five Common Allergies – And Tips To Get Rid Of Them

Allergy season is now in full swing, and people everywhere are looking for tips to get rid of allergies. One of the first things you should do if you suspect allergies, is to go have an allergy test done. This test is usually done at either your primary care physician’s office, or at the office of an Allergy and Immunology doctor. The test is usually performed by a nurse or medical assistant and the results are interpreted by the doctor. After this test is complete, you will have a better idea of what is triggering your symptoms. Then you can take steps to prevent allergy symptoms, and ultimately, learn how to get rid of your allergies!
This article will discuss five of the most common allergies and tips on how to get rid of them. First you may ask, what is an allergy? Basically, an allergy is an unnatural immune reaction to a normally benign substance (whether plants, animals, insects or food) that your body thinks is harmful. These substances are called allergens. When you come into contact with an allergen, your body releases a chemical called histamine into the bloodstream, (in hopes of destroying what it thinks of as an invader) which causes inflammation. This is called an allergic reaction. Sometimes, an allergic reaction is so severe, it can become fatal. What are some of the most common allergies? They include substances such as:
1. Pollen
2. Mold
3. Pets/animal hair
4. Latex
5. Food
Of all common offenders, pollen is the number one allergen in the United States, and is the most common allergy during seasonal allergy months. Pollen comes from a multitude of plants, herbs, trees and flowers, and spreads like wildfire through the air. The most prevalent time for pollen is during the spring and summer, when most plants bloom to life. Plants release pollen on into the autumn season, and while winter is usually a time for pollen-allergy sufferers to breathe a sigh of relief, there are still some plants that release pollen even in the dead of winter.
Mold is pesky little fungi that loves to grow in warm, moist, dark places. Mold releases spores into the air, and when mold is touched or the spores are inhaled, they cause inflammation in the airways and bring on an allergic reaction. It is important to have your house routinely checked for mold, especially if you live in a humid climate. The longer a mold problem persists, the harder it is to eradicate.
An allergy to animal hair is a very common, yet unfortunate, allergy to have. The most common cause of an allergy to animal hair is the proteins that coat the hair. Those oils/proteins are there to protect the animal’s coat of hair and keep it shiny. Unfortunately, those shiny coats trigger respiratory allergies in many people, which can be very sad for animal lovers. Sometimes, animal hair allergies are so severe that the afflicted person, sadly, cannot keep a pet.
Latex allergy is another quite common, yet often times severe, allergy. The protein contained in the latex rubber is the offender here, and usually leads to an immediate, sometimes very severe allergic reaction. For those who work in the healthcare field, and those who require frequent doctor visits, this allergy can be problematic, since many healthcare items contain latex. Fortunately, more and more medical manufacturers are coming out with latex-free gloves and other latex-free equipment.
Last on this list of the top five most common allergies, but certainly not least, are food allergies. Food allergy can, at times, be the most problematic allergy of all. This is because nowadays, in this age of food additives and preservatives, there are many hidden ingredients in processed and pre-prepared foods. The most common food allergies are nuts, shellfish, wheat and milk/dairy products. When a food allergy sufferer eats an allergy-causing food, their bodies release histamine into the bloodstream, causing inflammation which can be severe. This reaction can be anywhere from diarrhea and stomach cramps to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the airway to close or swell shut.
Now that you know some of the most common allergies, and you know that getting tested to identify your allergies is the first step, it’s time to talk about how to get rid of your allergies. Many (but not all) modern doctors believe that adults won’t be able to totally get rid of their allergies. Children tend to grow out of their allergies, but most adults retain their allergies for life. Don’t groan just yet – keeping positive is a huge step in dealing with your allergies. Contrary to popular belief, there is hope – yes, you can get rid of your allergies! Some more good news is that many naturopathic doctors, herbalists, and natural healers believe that you can indeed get rid of allergies.
The next step to getting rid of your allergies is to avoid the things that give you allergic reactions. That sounds fairly simple, but it can be complicated when it involves allergens such as food. Modifying your environment can go a long way to getting rid of allergies. Keep an allergy diary and write about your reactions – this will help you learn what to avoid. If you have mold in your house, make sure it is cleaned out and totally eradicated by specialists that deal specifically with getting rid of mold. If you are allergic to your household pets, don’t fret. Do some research into allergy-friendly pets that you can own – yes, there are allergy-friendly animals out there. There are even allergy-friendly dogs such as the short-haired Chihuahua. If you are allergic to pollen, make sure to have someone help you keep your grass mowed and your yard in tip-top shape, and take your prescribed allergy medicine daily. If latex is what gets your allergic response going, be sure to alert any new doctors to this allergy, and carefully read labels on household and cosmetic supplies to make sure they are latex-free. Food allergies can be the trickiest, but if you become an avid-label reader and carry allergy medicine (including an Epi-Pen for serious reactions) with you that should go a long way to helping you avoid the offending substances. Do a diet of elimination – meaning, eliminate all the problem foods from your diet for a period of time (usually around 6 weeks) and then slowly introduce them back in, one at a time. Many times, elimination diets have huge success rates, even to the point that the previous allergy-causing foods no longer cause problems!
Next on the list is treatment. Take your prescribed allergy medicine every day. If you know you are going to come into contact with any allergens, take your medicine beforehand to lessen or even prevent symptoms. Talk to your doctor about getting what is called allergy shots. These shots contain very small amounts of the substances to which you are allergic, so as to desensitize you. The theory is, which each shot, you become less and less allergic to that particular substance. The good thing is, many people have a huge success rate with allergy shots. Another option is alternative treatments such as chiropractic and acupuncture sessions. A lot of allergy sufferers swear by acupuncture to alleviate their allergies. Other alternative treatments would be vitamin, antioxidant and herbal supplements that boost the immune system, stabilize cells, and repair damage. Examples of these would be vitamin C, vitamin B complex, vitamin E, Quercetin, green tea, and omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Saline sinus rinses also have a high success rate, since they flush out irritants and bacteria. Speaking of flushing out irritants – a good intestinal cleanse has worked wonders for many food allergy sufferers.
Remember to always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements, doing any kind of cleanse, or starting any kind of alternative therapy for your allergies. Though you may want to, you can’t diagnose yourself. Allergy sufferers need to be under the care of a physician. Don’t fret or get discouraged, though! No matter what the naysayers say, there are options and you can get rid of allergies. Allergies don’t have to last forever – and when you follow the tips outlined in this article, you can kiss your allergies goodbye.

5 Anti-Aging Tips

Years ago, the word “anti aging” seemed to come only from science fiction movies. People joked about the Fountain of Youth and miracle medicines that were supposed to reverse the aging process to make one look 10 or 20 years younger. But today, anti-aging is more than a myth. Through scientific studies and the new cutting edge science in genomics, women are discovering that, by taking just a few steps, skin beauty and bodily cell health can indeed be encouraged.
Here are five powerful anti aging tips for Frisco Women.
1. Check Your Lifestyle
A lifestyle filled with health-threatening habits can be detrimental to your skin’s health and beauty. Smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages in excess, eating poorly or overeating, sunbathing, etc. all can speed up the aging process. Even taking anti-aging supplements may not help if you continue to do these things regularly. Remember, just as your bodily organs are affected by everything you eat or drink, so are your skin cells.
2. Eat for Good Skin Health
Good women’s health starts with eating healthy foods. Be sure to eat balanced meals with an abundance of leafy green vegetables and fruits. Eat protein-rich foods such as nuts or eggs to maintain good bone and joint health. Healthy eating and weight loss are both major contributors to good women’s health as well as beauty for the skin. The anti-aging process is much easier when you provide your body with the nutrients and vitamins it needs to repair cell damage and build healthy new cells on a daily basis.
3. Drink Water in Frisco
The diet programs always cry aloud, “Drink water!” That’s because there are so many benefits to drinking water. Water is needed to help the body function properly, inside and out. Water brings life to all your body parts – and your skin as well. It brightens your complexion, helps rejuvenate skin cells to promote anti aging, and adds moisture to your body. You’ll be a well-oiled machine if you can commit to drinking plenty of water daily. Water is probably the most readily available anti-aging product you can get your hands on! So, replace those sodas (and diet sodas) with a healthy dose of water.
4. Stay in Shape
Staying in shape with exercise will also help with the anti-aging battle. Exercise encourages good bone and joint health and helps with the flow of blood through your body. That’s why many people say that exercise “gets your blood pumping!” The blood carries oxygen with it through your body, which is necessary for good overall health.
5. Use Anti-aging Supplements and Creams
Through the cutting edge science of genomics, anti-aging products are now being developed to aid in cell rejuvenation, which is needed for slowing down the aging process.
Genomics is the study of the complete DNA makeup of organisms. The recent discovery that is crucial to those interested in anti-aging products is that the repair of cells and the creation of healthy, strong cells is a major key to slowing the aging process. The new anti-aging products are all-natural and come in pills, creams or patches. Anti-aging products based on genomics help to provide the right amount of ingredients (vitamins and nutrients) needed by the body to repair cells and build new, healthy cells.
These five tips combined can help maximize the results for your anti-aging efforts. You’ll feel and look better than ever as you pass through the stages of life.

Understanding The Underlying Cause For Hair Loss With Women

Hair loss with women is something that is becoming more and more common.   A lot of women want to know how to prevent it and what treatments may be available.    Although itis not always preventable, it is important you understand what causes the loss of hair. In order to do this you need to first recognize the growth cycle of hair.

Tresses typically grow at a rate of one-half inch per month with each hair containing a growth phase of two to six years.   When the hair rests, it will eventually fall out and the follicle iwll begin to grow a new strand.   It is a cycle that continues into the senior years for most.

For others, however, a group of hormones called androgen’s will interfere with the natural process.   Androgen hormones include testosterone, androsteinedione and dihytestorserone.   Those who are susceptible can fall victim to the testosterone when it comes in contact with the enzymes resting in the hair cell.   It will be converted into a more potent androgen, which will ultimately blind with receptors.

What this means is over time the excess build-up the potent androgen in the follicle cause shrinkage, which alters the natural resting and growth phases of the hair.   As a result, hair loss will become evident for women much sooner than expected.   Some of the follicles will die and others will become incapable of producing or maintaining healthy hair growth.

THe good news is all hope is not lost.   There are treatments and products availabe like Hiar Gowth Laser 50 that can deliver tremendous results.   Instead of worrying about wearing a wig the rest of your life, you can actually re-grow your hair naturaqlly to correct the hair deficiency.

Be healthy body,mind and spirit.

If you’re one of the millions of women who experience painful menstrual cramps every month, then you’re probably looking for some sort of pain relief. For some women, the monthly flow is not just a time of annoyance or a passing inconvenience, but is a time of severe pain that they dread from month to month.
Here are a few tips that can help you deal with painful menstrual cramps:
1.     Drink lots of water and maintain a healthy diet. Pay attention to what you eat and see if there are specific foods that increase cramp severity or reduce the pain. While certain tips, like avoiding chocolate during your period, are mostly myths, these bits of folk advice ring true for many women with cramps.
2.     Use a hot water bottle or heating pad on your lower abdomen. Menstrual cramps are caused by the contracting of your uterus, so what you really need is relax the uterus. Since cramps are similar to muscle pain in this way, applying heat, like with sore muscles, will help relax the uterus and ease up the menstrual cramps.
3.     Lay on your stomach. Applying pressure to your uterus may relieve some of the pain and laying on your belly is the best way to do that.
4.     Take a painkiller. Certain painkillers, like Celebrex for example, are specially designed to relieve muscle pain and inflammation, including menstrual cramps. Millions of women find relief in Celebrex, especially when nothing else seems to work for them. You can buy generic Celebrex online as an affordable and efficient option.
5.     Exercise. Exercise is often considered a cure-all for many conditions, including painful menstrual cramps. Moving around and being active will not only take your mind off of cramps, but will also serve as pain relief by sending healing endorphins to the brain and by stretching the uterus during movements.
If none of these solutions work for you, consider making an appointment to see your doctor. You could have a more serious medical condition that needs further attention.

Good Women Health is the Symbol of Fertility

The physical difference between male and female is there just for the sake of fertility. Women are the symbol of fertility; and only a healthy woman can give birth to a healthy child. For the sake of healthy family, healthy society and healthy country it is essential to pay necessary attention to women’s health. Balanced diet is the prime requirement for keeping a woman fit and fine. The diet of a woman must be rich in vitamins and minerals.

Like other parts of the body, reproductive organs of women also require due care. After reaching the age of puberty menstrual cycle starts in women which provide them power to conceive. Menstrual cycle is the process of formation of egg in the ovary, entrance of egg to the uterus for fertilization and removal of unfertilized egg. With the beginning of menstrual cycle possibility of problems related with female genital organs also increases.

Sex is a vital part of normal human life. During sex the egg is fertilized by the sperm if it is available in the uterus. Though sex only for enjoyment is prohibited in many societies and religion but millions iconoclast are there who break the norms. When physical relations are established for mutual enjoyment then women don’t want pregnancy. Contraceptive protects a woman against any unwanted pregnancy. There many types of female contraceptives available in the market.

Oral pills and skin birth control patches are the two prominent ways for women to stop unwanted pregnancy. Trivora and Ortho Tri-Cyclen are the oral contraceptive which can also stop unwanted pregnancy. Women also wear birth control patches on their skin; these are easy to use contraceptives in hectic schedule of modern life. These patches contain hormones like estrogen and progestin which are slowly released in blood stream which stop pregnancy. Ortho Evra is a birth control patch which is easily available through an online order.

Vaginal infection is a common disease in women which generally occurs because of microbes. Yeasts and certain types of fungi are responsible for vaginal infection. Yellowish discharge, dampness, itching and pain in love making are prominent symptoms of vaginal infection. There are tablets like Diflucan which can get rid of vaginal infection.

Every woman wants to have child but sometimes infertility tries to kill her wish. Infertility can occur because of many factors but hormonal disorder is the prime cause of the infertility. Drugs like Clomid can bring hormone on appropriate level so that ovary is stimulated to produce more and mature eggs. This increases the chances for conceiving, as mature egg forms zygote easily.

Menopause is the stage where women may have some complications like hot flashes, vaginal dryness and osteoporosis. After menopause every woman should pay more attention to her health. These described complications can be easily eliminated with the help of Estradiol which is usually prescribed by the doctor for curing malady related with menopause.

Before starting the use of any above described oral or topical medication, drug and contraceptive, doctor’s prescription and advice is essential. Stick to the methods and dosages as advised by the doctor.

Hair Loss: Patterns and Causes in Men and Women

Hair Loss: Patterns and Causes in Men and Women
Hair loss in adult male and female is not uncommon. Adults lose about 10,000 scalp hairs each and every day. Hair normally lives for around five years. Male and female baldness happen when these hairs do not always get replaced (which they normally would) and gradually bald areas appear. There are a lot of hair loss treatments as well as hair loss remedies in the market today. But how effective are they? Let’s have a post mortem of the causes of hair loss and the hair loss treatment available today and find out which products or treatments suit you the most.
The Normal Cycle of Hair Growth and Loss
The normal hair cycle growth lasts between 2 to 6 years. Each hair strand grows at the rate of approximately 1 centimeter per month during this phase. As a matter of fact, about 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is in the active growing phase while the rest 10% is in dormant phase. Once a hair strand enters a dormant phase (hair stop growing), it will stay on the scalp for 2 to 3 months, then fall out. It is normal to shed some hair each day (average of 100 strands) as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this type can affect both men and women and even children.
Causes of Hair Loss
Illness
A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary. Hormonal problems may cause hair loss, which more often than not, caused by stress. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children. Finally, hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes.
Scalp Cleanliness
If you have dandruff, you need to get rid of it. Dandruff can be a source of hair loss when it combines with dirt, shampoo chemicals, and excess sebum follicle oil. Over time this combination of chemicals can create a film on your scalp that hardens and start to plug up your hair follicles. Once plugged, your follicles can’t support hair growth.
DHT (di-hydro-testosterone)
When excessive amounts of testosterone are converted to DHT by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, this DHT accumulates at the hair root where it blocks blood circulation to that hair follicle. This decrease in blood to the hair root weakens it and it loses its health.
Male Pattern Baldness
The male pattern baldness form of androgenetic alopecia  (inherited hair loss pattern) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By age 35, two-thirds of men will have some degree of appreciable hair loss and by age 50 approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. About 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness begin the painful process before they reach 21. In male-pattern baldness, hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head. Most men who suffer from male pattern baldness are extremely unhappy with their situation and would do anything to change it. Hair loss affects every aspect of their life. It affects interpersonal relationships as well as their professional life. It is not uncommon for men to change their career paths because of hair loss.
The Causes of Male Pattern Baldness
Most men are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness. It is the effect of hormones on the hair follicle that produces male pattern baldness. Testosterone, a hormone that is present in high levels in males after puberty, is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT has an adverse affect on the hair follicles. Acting on a hormone receptor on the hair follicle it slows down hair production and produces weak, shorter hair, sometimes it stops hair growth from the follicle completely. This process gradually depletes your stock of hair and is normal hair loss.
Female Pattern Baldness
The patterns of hair loss in women are not as easily recognizable as those in men. Unlike hair loss in men, female scalp hair loss may commonly begin at any age through 50 or later, may not have any obvious hereditary association, and may not occur in a recognizable “female-pattern alopecia” of diffuse thinning over the top of the scalp. A woman who notices the beginning of hair loss may not be sure if the loss is going to be temporary or permanent—for example, if there has been a recent event such as pregnancy or illness that may be associated with temporary hair thinning.
Patterns that may occur include:
Diffuse thinning of hair over the entire scalp, often with more noticeable thinning toward the back of the scalp. Diffuse thinning over the entire scalp, with more noticeable thinning toward the front of the scalp but not involving the frontal hairline. Diffuse thinning over the entire scalp, with more noticeable thinning toward the front of the scalp, involving and sometimes breaching the frontal hairline.   
The Causes of Female Pattern Baldness
In women as in men, the most likely cause of scalp hair loss is androgenetic alopecia—an inherited sensitivity to the effects of androgens (male hormones) on scalp hair follicles. However, women with hair loss due to this cause usually do not develop true baldness in the patterns that occur in men—for example, women rarely develop the “cue-ball” appearance often seen in male-pattern androgenetic alopecia. Unlike the case for men, thinning scalp hair in women due to androgenetic alopecia does not uniformly grow smaller in diameter (miniaturize).
Women with hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia tend to have miniaturizing hairs of variable diameter over all affected areas of the scalp. While miniaturizing hairs are a feature of androgenetic alopecia, miniaturization may also be associated with other causes and is not in itself a diagnostic feature of androgenetic alopecia. In post-menopausal women, for example, hair may begin to miniaturize and become difficult to style. The precise diagnosis should be made by a physician hair restoration specialist or suitable hair treatment products.
It is important to note that female pattern hair loss can begin as early as the late teens to early 20s in women who have experienced early puberty. If left untreated, this hair loss associated with early puberty can progress to more advanced hair loss.

Non-Pattern Causes of Hair Loss in Women
In women more often than in men, hair loss may be due to conditions other than androgenetic alopecia. Some of the most common of these causes are:
Trichotillomania— compulsive hair pulling. Hair loss due to trichotillomania is typically patchy, as compulsive hair pullers tend to concentrate the pulling in selected areas. Hair loss due to this cause cannot be treated effectively until the psychological or emotional reasons for trichotillomania are effectively addressed.
Alopecia areata— a possibly autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss that can range from diffuse thinning to extensive areas of baldness with “islands” of retained hair. Medical examination is necessary to establish a diagnosis.
Triangular alopecia— loss of hair in the temporal areas that sometimes begins in childhood. Hair loss may be complete, or a few fine, thin-diameter hairs may remain. The cause of triangular alopecia is not known, but the condition can be treated medically or surgically.
Scarring alopecia— hair loss due to scarring of the scalp area. Scarring alopecia typically involves the top of the scalp and occurs predominantly in women. The condition frequently occurs in African-American women and is believed to be associated with persistent tight braiding or “corn-rowing” of scalp hair. A form of scarring alopecia also may occur in post-menopausal women, associated with inflammation of hair follicles and subsequent scarring.
Telogen effluvium— a common type of hair loss caused when a large percentage of scalp hairs are shifted into “shedding” phase. The causes of telogen effluvium may be hormonal, nutritional, drug-associated, or stress-associated. Loose-anagen syndrome—a condition occurring primarily in fair-haired persons in which scalp hair sits loosely in hair follicles and is easily extracted by combing or pulling. The condition may appear in childhood, and may improve as the person ages.
There are various hair loss products as well as hair loss treatments available in the market. It is recommended that users should conduct due diligence to identify which product suit them most, in order to stop hair loss and hair thinning.

Constipation in Pregnancy & Constipation Relief During Pregnancy

 Constipation in pregnancy can cause bloating, pain and even pre term labor. Read on to see what options pregnant women have for constipation relief during pregnancy.

Constipation relief during pregnancy is a question many pregnant women ask. Approximately half of all women experience constipation in pregnancy.


Why do women get constipation in pregnancy?



 The pregnancy hormone progesterone has a relaxing effect on the intestines and this slows the movement of the bowel causing pregnancy constipation.

The growing fetus needs as much vitamins, minerals and nutrients as possible. Therefore the increasing hormone levels of a pregnant woman cause food to move slower through the bowels. This results in constipation but also gives the body more time to absorb extra nutrients.

Pregnant women need extra water for the extra blood volume required for pregnancy. Therefore the mother will absorb more water from the bowel than normal which will result in a harder, dryer bowel movement resulting in constipation.

The longer food stays in the intestines, the more water is reabsorbed from the bowel into the body to accommodate for the extra blood volume required during pregnancy.

All prenatal vitamins contain iron which is known to cause constipation in pregnancy.

 Constipation relief during pregnancy:

Drink at least 8-10 glasses of oxygen rich purified water a day.

 Increase fiber in your diet such as whole grains and brown rice.

 Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly prunes (which can be taken via prune juice).

 Peppermint tea or peppermint water can help with gas or bloating pains.

 Try to reduce stress in your life as stress can cause constipation.

 You may have to switch you prenatal vitamins over to a different brand. Even though they all have iron, some brands may be less pregnancy constipating to you than others.

 Add a little more exercise to your daily routine. If you do not normally exercise then start with 10-15 minutes walking every day. If you routinely exercise change your exercise routine slightly to see if you can stimulate bowel activity.

 Mangosteen juice Mangosteen juice has been shown to have a positive effect on all systems of the body including bowel mobility. Mangosteen is a fruit and is very effective in preventing pregnancy complications.

 Consult with a homeopath for a pregnancy safe homeopathy remedy for constipation. Avoid over-the-counter laxatives as they can stimulate uterine contractions resulting in miscarriage or pre-term labor.

 Prevention of constipation is the best place to start. Many of my pregnant clients have experienced a constipation free pregnancy by taking mangosteen and minerals on a daily basis prior and during pregnancy. Mangosteen is present in different quantities in different products. Wondering where to get more information about a high quality mangosteen and mineral product? Mangosteen is present in different quantities in different products, so do your research.

 I urge you to act at once. Read for yourself, an amazing message for humanity from my son when he was seven-weeks old. Yes you read correctly, he was seven weeks old! I have the ability to communicate with baby’s emotions from inside and outside the womb. Read it! Enjoy it! Share it!

Muscle fitness and 7 Secrets To Better Workouts

1. Start your engines

As your old high school gym teacher might have led you to believe, stretching before weight training is not the best way to warm-up. Recent reports show that static stretching before exercise can reduce muscle strength. Stretching relaxes your muscles, so why would you want to relax your muscles when you need to lift explosively during weight training? The proper warm-up for weight training should involve 5-10 minutes of Dynamic mobility movements. These drills help improve active range of motion and activate the nervous system. Exercise like bodyweight squats, pushups and lunges help to fire up the nervous system, increase blood flow and fluid to the surrounding joints in preparation for intense lifting. In addition, a couple acclimation sets of the first exercise in your workout will get you prepared to train with your maximal weights.

2. Train What You Don't See

One of the most common complaints you hear from long time lifters is a chronic shoulder problem. This is mainly due to imbalances in their exercise selection where they perform more pressing exercises like bench presses than pulling exercise like bent over rows. You should be doing equal exercise volume in the horizontal push and pulls as well as the vertical push and pulls such as shoulder presses and chin-up variations. This will ensure proper balance for the muscles you don't see in your back to prevent tight upper back muscles, which contribute to most shoulder problems. Including some old school traditional pushups in place of bench presses also allow your scapula muscles in your upper back to move freely enhancing shoulder health unlike any lying bench press movements. Pushups are referred to as a "close-chain" exercise because during these movements, your hands or feet are in a constant, fixed position (usually on the ground) during the exercise.

3. The New Cardio

High intensity interval training has been proven to be nine times more effective than steady-state cardio for burning fat. You don't have to do cardio in the traditional form of what most people think. People were burning fat long before treadmills and stationary bikes with old-fashioned manual labor. You need to be doing high intensity exercise that revs up your metabolism each and every workout. You could run, sprint, swim, lift weights, do supersets with weights. Remember you don't really burn much fat when you are actually exercising, except for a small amount of fatty acids that are in your bloodstream. It's the calories your body burns during the other 23 hours of the day that count. With exercise and a clean diet you will put your body in a caloric deficit, which is still the ONLY proven way to melt off that unwanted fat.

4. Times Up

Standing around chatting about the news of the week for 5 minutes in between sets is not the most effective way to get a great workout. Keeping track and shortening your rest periods between exercises is an awesome away to burn calories and increase your conditioning. There is a BIG difference in "keeping track" of your time in your head and actually using your watch. Most people don't realize how short a 60 second rest period is once they start watching the clock. Increasing training density by shortening or eliminating some rest periods in between sets is a great way to get a lot of workout volume done in a short amount of time. Keep your headphones on to avoid unwelcome distractions and keep your eye on your watch!

5. Be Cool

You started your workout off right with a dynamic warm-up, now its time to call it a day with a proper cool down. This is when you should be doing some old school Static stretching, which basically consists of stretching a muscle as far as your flexibility will allow and then holding that position for 10-15 seconds. Static stretching is of value primarily for preventing or correcting excessive muscle tension and establishing proper muscle length at the joints, both of which will improve movement efficiency. This type of stretching is best performed post-workout or several hours after the exercise session. Always easy into a stretch while gradually increasing the range of motion as your flexibility improves.

6. Spice it Up

Most training research shows that your body begins to adapt to a training program after 6 weeks. More specifically, you adapt to the rep range before everything else. Like the saying goes, "variety is the spice of life". The same holds true for weight training. Ten reps might sound like a nice even number to aim for during each sets but that doesn't mean it's the most effective. For strength gains stick to the 1-3 rep range. For muscle growth work in the 4-6 rep range. For fat loss keep reps higher in the 10-12 rep range. Vary your workouts to prevent your body to adapting to the same training stress.

7. Failing To Plan

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". This rings true with a proper workout program as well. All of these workout secrets should be part of a long-term training plan. Certified personal trainers spend years learning proper methods for kinetics and exercise design. So why does everyone think they can just slap together a bunch of exercises and think it's going to get them the results they are after? Plan your workouts based on your goals. Are you looking to lose fat, build muscle or get stronger. It's better to focus on one in each training phase. The most common method most gym rats might use wither they know it or not is Linear periodization. This is when the reps are decreased and the loads are increased over a period of time.

Recent training research has shown that a method of structuring your workouts called undulating periodization - has proven to be more effective in inducing maximum muscle gains when compared to traditional linear periodization models. Rotating from heavy (4-6 reps), to medium (8-10 reps) to light (12-15 reps) all in the same week will ensure you make steady progress and prevent that dreaded training plateau.

"Busy Dad of 3 kids loses his gut and builds lean muscle!"...

“The Dad Fitness Lifestyle System worked wonders to get me in the shape of my life with only 3 workouts a week.

I work as an Aquatics director for our local recreation centre. I would spend hours each day coaching athletes in the swimming pool. This meant my body was out there for everyone to see. I wasn’t happy with how looked and I needed to make a change. But with my schedule I didn’t know how I would find the time to spend hours in the gym.

I was also a busy dad with three kids and a family. I was working up to 12 hours a day 6 days a week.

This left me with what I thought zero time to workout. Any spare time was spent with my family. But, with Sean’s help I had no problem fitting in just 3 short workouts a week. In under an hour I was finished my workout and full of energy to continue on with my busy day.

After just weeks using Sean’s workouts my body started to change so rapidly, everyone would ask me what I was doing. I began to look forward to working at the pool to show off my new body.

I lifted weights on and off in the past buy never seemed to be able to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I thought I would have to do separate workouts with weights to get big, and then lots of cardio workouts to get ripped. That left me confused, frustrated and fat!

The Dad Fitness System completely re-educated me on healthy eating once and for all. The nutrition information was full of easy to prepare meals and snacks. More importantly my family and I could eat together as my whole family loved the meal ideas including my young kids who are picky eaters!”

"For the first time in my life I can finally see my abs"...

“Coming from a “big boned” family I thought I was cursed with the fat gene. I am a guy who loves to eat, and on this lifestyle program I ate more than I ever had.

Within the first week after each workout it’s like I could actually feel my body burning fat. Over the years I tried all the traditional forms of exercise and spent hours in the gym, with minimal results. With this program I loved the freedom it gave me with just 3 workouts a week.

Sean’s program was different, it’s short, simple, and it works! And it’s backed my science, so I know it had to work.

I completely transformed my body to the point my own mother barely recognized me. Wherever I went around town or to social events people would compliment me on how great I looked, and man did that feel good. For the first time in my life I could actually see my abs!

The best thing is I now have the knowledge to maintain this body for the rest of my life. This program is the only one I will ever need. Sean is the real-deal and practices what he preaches.”

"Busy Dad of 3 kids loses his gut and builds lean muscle!"...

“Coming from a “big boned” family I thought I was cursed with the fat gene. I am a guy who loves to eat, and on this lifestyle program I ate more than I ever had.

Within the first week after each workout it’s like I could actually feel my body burning fat. Over the years I tried all the traditional forms of exercise and spent hours in the gym, with minimal results. With this program I loved the freedom it gave me with just 3 workouts a week.

Sean’s program was different, it’s short, simple, and it works! And it’s backed my science, so I know it had to work.

I completely transformed my body to the point my own mother barely recognized me. Wherever I went around town or to social events people would compliment me on how great I looked, and man did that feel good. For the first time in my life I could actually see my abs!

The best thing is I now have the knowledge to maintain this body for the rest of my life. This program is the only one I will ever need. Sean is the real-deal and practices what he preaches.”

The Saga Over The Privacy of Medicare Claims

Through indirection find direction out? With apologies to William Shakespeare, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the11th Circuit and D.C. circuit say: NO, not this time.

In Jennifer D. Alley, Real Time Medical Data, LLC v. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, issued Dec. 18, 2009, the Court held that plaintiffs Alley & Real Time Data cannot obtain certain Medicare data for procedures performed in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee by AMA physicians and for all Florida physicians (the certified class). Specifically, Medicare Part B raw claims data that could easily be matched to a particular physician and then aggregated to calculate the total annual Medicare payment by physician cannot be disclosed to Alley. Alley had sought the information through filing a federal Freedom of Information Request (FOIA).

The reason? Because the Florida District Court in 1979 issued a permanent injunction in Florida Medical Assn. v. Dept. of Health Education & Welfare, prohibiting DHHS (then HEW) from disclosing “any list of annual Medicare reimbursements…for any years, which would personally and individually identify those providers of services …. Any such disclosure of annual Medicare reimbursement amounts, for any years, in a manner that would personally and individually identify the providers….is contrary to federal law.” (quoted in Alley)

Judge Carnes in a well-authored opinion (for those of you, like me, who care about good writing) enjoys the irony of hearing argument that sounds much like the health policy arguments heard in the mid-1970s. His second sentence reads: “The present national debate over health care rhymes a lot with one that took place three decades ago.” But whether it’s still good policy or not, Judge Carnes holds that plaintiffs cannot collaterally attack the 1979 injunction by arguing it does not apply to the data sought or the context has shifted in favor of disclosure or the reimbursement methodology has changed. Rather, if plaintiffs believe the injunction is no longer valid, their recourse is to go back to the court where the injunction issued and challenge it there.

In a footnote, the 11th Circuit references a recent 2009, United States of Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit, decision: Consumers’ Checkbook, Center For Study of Services. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The lower court’s holding in this case was discussed in this blog in 2008 (Consumers' Checkbook v HHS Update). In the 11th Circuit footnote (No.9), the court observes that in a factually similar case, the D.C. Circuit has held that FOIA exemption 6 permits DHHS to not disclose the requested Medicare data. FOIA exemption 6 protects from disclosure government agency files that constitute “a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”

What we have then are two cases: one that upholds a 1979 injunction which enjoins DHHS from providing Medicare data that can be manipulated to identify annual reimbursements to individual physicians and other providers but which injunction reaches only the certified class of providers (identified above); and a second case that holds that providing similar Medicare data that can be tied to individual providers is protected from disclosure by a FOIA exemption. Thus, data elements which might indirectly seem disclosable are not if they lead to a resulting disclosure which invades personal privacy. We will see what changes health insurance reform brings, if any.

Saga of Health Care

As the Congress struggled to enact Health Care Reform legislation, the process we witnessed requires some explanation because it was, in many ways, a historical lesson in legislative procedure.
First, we saw the U.S. House of Representatives whip itself into shape so that all committees of jurisdiction (the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Labor, Health and Human Services subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee) and the House leadership were on the same page. They did this without any support from the minority (Republican) party. In the House, a simple majority (218 votes) is needed to pass legislation and with 250 Democrats passing their version of the Health Care Reform legislation was completed by summer of 2009. The bill would have offered health care insurance coverage to all through a government plan; eliminated insurance denials for pre-existing conditions; required everyone and every employer to have health care coverage; reworked Medicare savings and taxes to pay for the coverage; and developed new health care information technology (IT) and workforce programs.
Enter the U. S. Senate, where in order to pass legislation (except for budget reconciliation), it is required that there be enough votes to shut off debate (i.e. prevent a filibuster); therefore the Democrats needed 60 votes for the bill to bring it up for a vote and avoid a filibuster. In the fall of 2009, the Senate began an effort to develop and pass its version of Health Care Reform and did not complete action until Christmas Eve of that year.
As passed, the Senate bill did not contain a government plan, (it had a private plan to cover those not insured), but did have a requirement for individuals and companies to purchase health insurance; a provision eliminating insurance coverage denials for pre-existing conditions; and, contained several Medicare and tax provisions to cover the cost of the program. Among those Medicare provisions were a "Productivity Adjustment" for laboratory services and a Laboratory Fee Schedule reduction of 1.75%.

Queensland Health payroll saga raises taxing issues

THOUSANDS of Queensland Health staff could be short-changed again next financial year as fears grow the payroll crisis won't be fixed by July 1.
Tax experts say arrears paid after June 30 could push staff into new tax brackets, and force thousands to pay the Medicare levy for the first time.
Some union officials say they have lost hope that the millions of dollars owed to tens of thousands of Queensland Health workers will be paid by the end of this financial year.
Superannuation and overpayments are also tied up in the debacle.
Premier Anna Bligh and Health Minister Paul Lucas have repeatedly assured workers they wanted and expected the problem to be fixed by the financial deadline.
The pay crisis will move into its fifth cycle next Wednesday, with more problems expected.
Australian Services Union secretary Julie Bignell said payroll staff still had to check 40,000 anomalies, sifting through them for errors.
"Given that, I can't see how everything could be possibly fixed by July 1," Ms Bignell said.
She said corrections by July 1 were particularly concerning for workers who had been overpaid, because they were worried about being taxed too much this year.
Electrical Trades Union organizer Scott Reichman said he wouldn't pass on any promises to his workers about pay relief in the new financial year.
Tax specialist Mohan Satyanarayanan said back pay paid to workers in the 2010-11 financial year could push some workers into a new tax bracket.
He said it could also mean workers being slugged hundreds of dollars for a Medicare levy if the arrears pushed their income over the threshold of $73,000.
But tax expert Danielle Watson of Accounting Affairs at Clay field said arrears earned in a previous financial year could be taxed confessionally, with the onus on the employer.
Queensland Nurses Union secretary Gay Hawksworth said nurses were desperate for their group certificates to be correct.
"That includes superannuation," she said. "They don't want to be messed around. If things won't be fixed by July 1, I hope we are told soon so nurses know what to expect."
Ms Bligh said staff were working "double time" to ensure entitlements were paid by the new financial year.

The Continuing Shingles Saga & The Absence Of A Medical Home

Regular readers of Better Health will recall my personal frustration that my mother-in-law received 2 months of physical therapy, a head CT, and extensive blood testing in response to a shingles outbreak that I was able to diagnose easily over the phone. The misdiagnosis that resulted in chronic post-herpetic neuralgia and a $10,000 waste of resources, has continued to vex me. After Mrs. Zlotkus and I realized what was going on, I outlined for her the usual treatment regimen for shingles pain – explaining that most people needed a fairly high dose of the nerve pain medicine before they experience any relief at all, and to make sure her doctor gave her an adequate dose before deciding whether or not it worked.

And you can guess what happened next.
Mrs. Zlotkus was seen by a young and inexperienced neurologist who insisted on giving her a very tiny dose of the nerve medicine (it has an excellent safety profile even at very high doses). Of course, it didn’t help. She was given 100mg twice a day (where shingles sufferers often need as much as 1800mg/day) with instructions to return in a few weeks. The doctor also told her that she “couldn’t be sure the pain was due to shingles since she hadn’t seen the original rash.”
That’s like an ER physician saying to a trauma victim that they can’t be sure of the cause of the injuries because they didn’t witness the car accident.
At that point I instructed her to find an experienced pain management specialist who’d know how to titrate her medication appropriately – and who might even be able to do a nerve block to get her some immediate pain relief.
Luckily, Mrs. Zlotkus “knew somebody who knew somebody” and was able to make an appointment the next day with a senior anesthesiologist experienced in nerve blocks. The pain management physician knew just what to do, administered the nerve block, increased her medication dose, and sent her on her way. She experienced immediate relief of her symptoms and felt like a new woman.
If Mrs. Zlotkus had gone directly to the anesthesiologist in the first place, she might have saved herself months of agony and a $10,000+ bill to Medicare. (Better yet she would have gone to her PCP when she first noticed scabs on her scalp and he would have prescribed an anti-viral medicine that could have aborted the entire pain syndrome.) But how was she to know which provider was right for her? How could she know that her neurologist was prescribing her the wrong dose of pain medication, and that a nerve block might solve all of this nicely. Without the correct diagnosis, a cascade of wasted resources and personal suffering ensued. Without me nudging her in the right treatment direction – perhaps she’d still be doing neck stretching exercises in physical therapy?
I am a fan of the “medical home” concept as described by the AAFP and wonder if it could have made a difference in Mrs. Zlotkus’ care:

“In this new model, the traditional doctor’s office is transformed into the central point for Americans to organize and coordinate their health care, based on their needs and priorities. At its core is an ongoing partnership between each person and a specially trained primary care physician. This new model provides modern conveniences, like e-mail communication and same-day appointments; quality ratings and pricing information; and secure online tools to help consumers manage their health information, review the latest medical findings and make informed decisions.

Consumers receive reminders about necessary appointments and screenings, as well as other support to help them and their families manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. The primary care physician helps each person assemble a team when he or she needs specialists and other health care providers such as nutritionists and physical trainers. The consumer decides who is on his or her team, and the primary care physician makes sure they are working together to meet all of the patient’s needs in an integrated, ‘whole person’ fashion.”

In summary, there’s a lot of waste in our medical system caused by a lack of coordination of care, hasty diagnoses, and defensive medicine. Even the most common diagnoses (like shingles) can end up setting off a chain reaction of over testing, incorrect treatment and personal suffering. We need an “OnStar” system for healthcare – a way to help patients navigate their way to the right care at the right time. The medical home model is as good a GPS system as any… so long as the primary care physician at the center of the coordination of care is not so rushed that she can’t do her job properly. And that’s the secret to making the medical home work – giving the doctor enough time to unravel the problems at hand and figure out the best next steps in care. If we get this right, we can probably say goodbye to CT scans for shingles.