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·PSA Supports Frontline Role For Pharmacists, Australia
·Proposed Biomass Plant In Leon County, Fla., Might Exacerbate Area's High Black Infant Mortality Rate, Opinion Piece Says
·New Medicaid Regulation Will Curb Abuse, Save Money, HHS Secretary Leavitt Writes In Letter To The Editor
·Sens. Baucus, Grassley ReleaseDraft Bill To Link Medicare Payments For Inpatient Hospital Care To Quality
·Man Says His Dog Detected His Skin Cancer
·Scottish Study Shows One-Third Of Men With HIV Unaware Of Status; NHS Launches HIV Awareness Campaign
·Connecticut Attorney General Calls For Rebidding Of State Health Insurance Programs, Governor Says Move Is Unnecessary
·Senate Leaders Hold Closed-Door Meeting To Discuss Health Care Overhaul Legislation
·Sex Work Increasing On Colombia's Caribbean Coast, Contributing To Increased HIV Prevalence, IRIN/PlusNews Reports
·Michigan Attorney General Says Lawmakers Should Not Pass Health Insurance Legislation In Lame-Duck Session
read more... |
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 | Health Spotlight: Coping with Stress |  |
 You've got a major report due at noon, and it's not finished yet. Your daughter is close to flunking algebra. This morning, you sat in a horrible mess of traffic on the highway. You’re dealing with the holiday season. Feeling stressed?
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Stress can hurt you or help you.  When you are stressed, your body gets ready to deal with a crisis. The brain triggers the adrenal glands to kick into high gear by releasing a surge of adrenaline, the body's rocket fuel. The heart rate and blood flow quicken to give cells extra oxygen. Cortisol or hydrocortisone is also released to help the body repair itself later on. Also, endorphins surge to act as painkillers. Your pulse and breathing rate spike, pupils dilate to let in more light, perspiration increases and digestion slows. The body is aroused and energized and temporarily does not feel pain
This is a natural process called the classic "fight-or-flight" response. Do you stay and fight the danger or do you run from it? Your stress response can help you get through a pressing deadline at work or help you adjust to a major change, such as the arrival of a new child. However, chronic stress affects your quality of life and your physical and mental health.
Chronic stress can lower your immune system. Stress also can bring on angina (chest pain), arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythms) and even heart attack or stroke. Stress can worsen conditions such as type 2 diabetes, asthma or gastrointestinal problems. Also, stress can lead to depression or it can be a major tip-off that you have a mental illness such as generalized anxiety disorder.
Stress affects each of us differently and we all react differently. Some of us are better able to withstand great stress. Much of our reactions to stress depend on our upbringing, personalities, genetic makeup, coping methods and past experiences with stress. A factor in dealing with stress depends on your strategies in coping and your social network.
Sometimes people under a great deal of stress eat poorly, drink too much, smoke and neglect their health. These behaviors and habits have a double-edged sword. Not only are the actions themselves bad for your body, but the cause of these behaviors - the stress - causes great strain and damage to your physical and emotional health. It's a vicious cycle. Stress just perpetuates the bad habits and lifestyle choices. If you are stressed and worried all the time, you aren't going to be thinking about kicking bad habits.
Chances are, you probably aren't sleeping that well either. So you end up not feeling well during the day and are less able to cope with the stress load.
Prognosis
The good news is that stress is manageable. If you learn simple relaxation techniques, identify the causes of your stress - your "stressors" - and change your thinking about stressful situations, you can reduce stress and lessen its effects on your body. If your stress is related to an anxiety disorder or depression, you can be successfully treated with psychotherapy, medication or both.
( This overview of stress was taken from www.healthatoz.com)
Stress Spotlight Links
Definition, description, causes and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of stress.
Health A to Z
Search results with a wide number of links relating to stress.
InteliHealth
An enormous information base on stress with an A to Z drop down menu.
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Stress Management
Symptoms of Stress
Video Yoga for Stress Management
Stress Management Techniques
(For Elders and all of us)
Stress and Its Impact on Sleep
Take The Stress Test
Childhood Stress
Organizations
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Posted by hsg on Monday, December 04 @ 14:14:25 EST (2048 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 5)
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| Health Spotlight: Autism | |
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
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Today, 1 in 166 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a p erson's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.
Autism was first identified in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins Hospital. At the same time, a German scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger, described a milder form of the disorder that is now known as Asperger Syndrome. These two disorders are listed in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as two of the five developmental disorders that fall under the Autism Spectrum Disorders. The others are Rett Syndrome, PDD NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. All of these disorders are characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social abilities, and also by repetitive behaviors.
Autism Spectrum Disorders can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 3, although new research is pushing back the age of diagnosis to as early as 6 months. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or their child's failure to reach appropriate developmental milestones. Some parents describe a child that seemed different from birth, while others describe a child who was developing normally and then lost skills. Pediatricians may initially dismiss signs of autism, thinking a child will “catch up,” and may advise parents to “wait and see.” New research shows that when parents suspect something is wrong with their child, they are usually correct. If you have concerns about your child's development, don't wait: speak to your pediatrician about getting your child screened for autism.
If your child is diagnosed with autism, early intervention is critical to gain maximum benefit from existing therapies. Although parents may have concerns about labeling a toddler as “autistic,” the earlier the diagnosis is made, the earlier interventions can begin. Currently, there are no effective means to prevent autism, no fully effective treatments, and no cure. Research indicates, however, that early intervention in an appropriate educational setting for at least two years during the preschool years can result in significant improvements for many young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. As soon as autism is diagnosed, early intervention instruction should begin. Effective programs focus on developing communication, social, and cognitive skills.
www.autismspeaks.org
Autism Spotlight Links
 A special report, including general information, as well as the latest medical news on autism
A consumer health information sheet answering questions on autism
Comprehensive government directory of informational resources for autism
Article on Autism, including signs and symptoms, as well as screening and diagnosis
Discusses autism and answers various questions on the topic
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Interactive Tools
A video titled "Medications Help Tame Aggression in Children with Autism"
A video titled "Brain Food for Autism"
A video titled "Supplements at Work: Treating Autism With Vitamins"
An interactive health map of autism-related topics.
Societies and
Organizations
Medical Doctor
Advice
A question-and-answer
forum on Autism. Visitors
can submit their own questions.
Submit your health-related questions here
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Posted by hsg on Tuesday, July 18 @ 16:28:51 EDT (2459 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 2.8)
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| Health Spotlight: Prostate Cancer | |
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer.
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The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 234,460 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2006. About 27,350 men will die of this disease. Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer and colorectal cancer. While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer durin g his lifetime, only 1 man in 34 will die of this disease. The death rate for prostate cancer is going down. And the disease is being found earlier as well.
The prostate (pros-tate) is a gland found only in men. The prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The tube that carries urine (the urethra) runs through the prostate. The prostate contains cells that make some of the seminal fluid. This fluid protects and nourishes the sperm.
Male hormones cause the prostate gland to develop in the fetus. The prostate keeps on growing as a boy grows to manhood. If male hormone levels are low, the prostate gland will not grow to full size. In older men, though, the part of the prostate around the urethra often keeps on growing. This causes BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) which can result in problems with urinating.
Although there are several cell types in the prostate, nearly all prostate cancers start in the gland cells. This kind of cancer is known as adenocarcinoma. The rest of this information refers only to prostate adenocarcinoma.
Most of the time, prostate cancer grows slowly. Autopsy studies show that many older men who died of other diseases also had prostate cancer that neither they nor their doctor were aware of. But sometimes prostate cancer can grow and spread quickly. Even with the latest methods, it is hard to tell which prostate cancers will grow slowly and which will grow quickly.
Some doctors believe that prostate cancer begins with very small changes in the size and shape of the prostate gland cells. These changes are known as PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia). These changes can be either low-grade (almost normal) or high-grade (abnormal).
If you have had a prostate biopsy that showed high-grade PIN, there is a greater chance that there are cancer cells in your prostate. For this reason, you will be watched carefully and may need another biopsy.
www.cancer.org
Prostate Cancer Links
Describes different options for prostate cancer screening and both the positive and negative sides to PSA testing
Guides visitors through a “Prostate problems self- assessment”
Discusses prostate cancer screening, including who should be screened, how it is done, the disadvantages, and how one makes the decision to get screened
Provides an in-depth description of all aspects of the PSA Test (Prostate-Specific Antigen Blood Test), primarily used as a screening test for prostate cancer.
Gives an overview of the different types of methods used to screen for prostate cancer
Provides a comprehensive condition guide on all aspects of prostate cancer
Gives a brief description of four different methods of diagnosis for prostate cancer
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Videos
Contains different videos on prostate cancer; includes "Aggressive Prostate Cancer: Needs Aggressive Approaches"
Interactive tutorials on "What is Prostate Cancer?"
Video on "Once-a-Year Treatment for Prostate Cancer"
"Video on "What's first in deciding what to do with a diagnosis of prostate cancer?"
Animations/
Illustrations
Illustration and description of the digital rectal exam, used to test for prostate cancer
Illustration and description of the PSA blood test, used to test for prostate cancer
Illustration of the male sex organs and description of the symptoms of prostate cancer
Human Body Atlas: Male Reproductive System
Societies
and Foundations
"
Medical Doctor Advice
Submit your medical questions to professionals at the Mayo Clinic
Submit your health-related questions here
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Posted by hsg on Tuesday, July 18 @ 14:08:57 EDT (3060 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 3.66)
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| Health Spotlight: Breast Cancer | |
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the second leading cause of cancer death (exceeded by lung cancer in 1985). Breast cancer is three times more common than all gynecologic malignancies put together.
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The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing steadily from an incidence of 1:20 in 1960 to 1:7 women today.
The American Cancer Society estimates that 211,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year and 43,300 patients will die from the disease. Breast cancer is  truly an epidemic among women and we don't know why.
Breast cancer is not exclusively a disease of women. For every 100 women with breast cancer, 1 male will develop the disease. The American Cancer society estimates that 1,600 men will develop the disease this year. The evaluation of men with breast masses is similar to that in women, including mammography.
The incidence of breast cancer is very low in the twenties (age) gradually increases and plateaus at the age of forty-five and increases dramatically after fifty. Fifty percent of breast cancer is diagnosed in women over sixty-five indicating the ongoing necessity of yearly screening throughout a woman's life.
Breast cancer is considered a heterogenous disease, meaning that it is a different disease in different women, a different disease in different age groups and has different cell populations within the tumor itself. Generally, breast cancer is a much more aggressive disease in younger women. Autopsy studies show that 2% of the population has undiagnosed breast cancer at the time of death. Older women typically have much less aggressive disease than younger women.
www.nationalbreastcancer.org
Breast Cancer Spotlight Links
Describes different types of tests and examinations for early detection of breast cancer, as well as diagnostic tests, should a person show symptoms of the disease
Gives a detailed description of a breast self-examination and discusses both normal and abnormal results
Contains a list of Prevention/Screening articles, in addition to pictures and diagrams, from different websites
Discusses steps a person can take to find breast lumps early, including explanations on mammograms and changes to look for in your breasts
Explains different ways of diagnosing breast cancer, including a physical examination, mammography, ultrasonography, and biopsy.
Defines and details the specifics of a mammography. Includes images of a Mammogram, Showing the Progression of a Breast Mass”
The ADAM Health Encyclopedia explains the step-by-step process of a breast self-exam. Images are included.
The ADAM Health Encyclopedia explains the specifics of a breast biopsy, including but not limited to, how the test is performed and the risks associated. Images are included.
Consumer Reports
Healthatoz.com
Healthology.com
Mayo Clinic
Merck.com
MerckSource.com
Myhealthytoday.com
Caremark
Familydoctor.org
Intelihealth.com
WebMD
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Illustrations
An illustration and explanation of a mammography.
Provides an illustration and a description of how to do a breast self-exam.
Videos
Educational articles and videos with information on breast cancer symptoms, prevention strategies, screening techniques,
and new breast cancer treatments.
Gives detailed explanations and descriptions of the two types of mammography exams: screening and diagnostic. Goes step-by-step through the procedure.
This site contains an interactive breast
self-exam
Societies and
Foundations
Breast Cancer Organizations
Medical Doctor Advice
Submit your medical
questions to professionals
at the Mayo Clinic.
Submit your health-related questions here.
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Posted by hsg on Tuesday, July 18 @ 12:12:37 EDT (2863 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 3)
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| Health Spotlight: Heart Disease | |
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. CHD is caused by a narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, and often results in a heart attack.
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Each year, about 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack.  About 460,000 of those heart attacks are fatal. About half of those deaths occur within 1 hour of the start of symptoms and before the person reaches the hospital.
Fortunately, everyone can take steps to protect their heart–and their life or that of someone else. The key is seeking medical care as soon as possible.
Heart Attack Warning Signs (from www.americanheart.org)
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs: These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
Heart Disease Spotlight Links
Information on medical tests for heart catheterization, heart catheterization for congenital heart defects, and heart echocardiograms.
Info on Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
The CardioCare Center is a good source for information and assistance. Read about support programs, research, and new advances in the
field of cardiac care.
Offers various webcasts and articles
A heart disease risk calculator that estimates your risk of having a heart attack or dying of heart disease within the next 10 years
Tips for Heart-Healthy Living
Cardiac Rehabilitation- a comprehensive risk factor modification and educational program that provides risk factor management to patients with cardiovascular disease
A listing of tests and procedures. Scroll down to view Heart Disorders.
A thorough guide to heart disease, including risk factors, tests, drug treatments and other heart problems.
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3-D Animations
A video animation demonstrates how a heart attack can happen.
An atlas of the human body with a guide to the heart.
Videos
A listing of various heart related videos.
A video of an
echocardiogram that
shows a normal
mitral valve.
Foundations and Organizations
Medical Doctor Advice
Mayo Clinic specialists answer select heart disease questions from readers.
Respected doctors take questions and give
answers on heart and circulatory conditions.
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Posted by hsg on Tuesday, July 18 @ 11:39:45 EDT (3078 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 5)
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| Health Spotlight: Diabetes | |
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.
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The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.
 There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.
In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform.
With the FPG test, a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl signals pre-diabetes. A person with a fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dl or higher has diabetes.
In the OGTT test, a person's blood glucose level is measured after a fast and two hours after drinking a glucose-rich beverage. If the two-hour blood glucose level is between 140 and 199 mg/dl, the person tested has pre-diabetes. If the two-hour blood glucose level is at 200 mg/dl or higher, the person tested has diabetes.
www.diabetes.org
Diabetes Testing/Prevention Links
A diabetes resource guide from AARP Bulletin.
An article on how vinegar and cherry extracts can help lower blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes.
Article on how antioxidants in coffee can help prevent diabetes
A description of the different types of tesst for type 1 diabetes, including Fasting Plasma-Glucose Test and Urine Tests..
A list of potential symptoms and risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Information on screening for type 2 diabetes
Various information on symptoms and testing for diabetes; includes risk factors, an FAQ, descriptions of different testing procedures
A list of warning signs for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes; includes links to other helpful information pages, such as testing, treatment options, and lifestyle management.
DiabetesinControl delivers current diabetes information to medical professionals and patients. The Ezine and Website is posted weekly and sent to more than 68,175 medical professionals and practitioners that care for 6.5 million plus diabetes patients.
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Videos
A video (and description) of normal glucose metabolism, and how this is affected with the onset of diabetes.
A series of videos on diabetes-related topics from Healthology.
A video titled "New Approach for Treating Diabetes."
A video on controlling diabetes titled "Diabetes Discipline."
Interactive Tools
An interactive tutorial on diabetes.
Societies and Foundations/Support Groups
The Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland's mission is to improve the lives of people affected by diabetes by leading the Northeast Ohio community in its prevention, management and cure.
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Posted by hsg on Tuesday, July 18 @ 09:53:26 EDT (3601 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 4.66)
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| Health Spotlight: Colon Cancer Screening | |
News stories on colorectal cancer indicate that in 2006, about 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with this disease. Of that, 55,000 will die, making this form of cancer one of the leading causes of death in the US.
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Fortunately it is also one of the most preventable. If people followed the American Cancer Society’s testing recommendations for colorectal cancer, the death toll could be cut in half. In its early stages, colorectal cancer often has no symptoms. Testing is especially important for people 50 and older, because they account for more than 90 percent of colorectal cancer cases. Early stage detection of colorectal tumors means a 90 percent survival rate, making colorectal cancer screening a necessity for those over 50 or those over 40 with a family history of the disease. Unfortunately, continued low screening rates mean that less than 40 percent of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an early stage.
Below and to the right are pre-searched, direct links to information on colorectal screening, including videos and animations. If you or someone you know should be screened for colon cancer, why not make that appointment today?
Colon Cancer Screening Links
General information on the different methods of colon cancer screening, including explanations and diagrams.
An overview of different screening and diagnostic procedures for colon cancer, as well as the different “stages” of the condition.
A list of links to colon cancer screening information from national medical associations and government institutions.
A diagram and explanation of a colonoscopy.
General information on colorectal cancer screening.
Detailed guide on colorectal cancer screening.
Colorectal cancer screening and related information.
Colorectal cancer screening guidelines overview.
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Animations
A 3D animation on the two different types of colon screening (Sigmoidoscopy and Colonoscopy).
Video
General information on colon cancer screening; includes a video called “Screening for Colon Cancer: Know the Facts”.
Video on the colonoscopy procedure.
Societies
Colon Cancer Organizations
ColonCancer
Foundation.org
Michael Picco, M.D., is a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. |
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Posted by HSG on Monday, June 26 @ 12:10:01 EDT (3014 daily)
(Read More... | Health Spotlight | Score: 4.75)
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