Daily Health and Medicine News

Wellness Today

Guidelines for wellness centres

New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) In order to promote wellness tourism, government today issued guidelines for defining the roadmap for the industry as well as accreditation of wellness centres in the country.
“The guidelines will be applicable to all wellness centres across the country,” Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said here at a workshop on wellness tourism.
The new guidelines would be looking into aspects of functioning of wellness centres like identifying and correcting unhygienic service delivery practices and laying down a system for continuous monitoring of quality of services being provided.
Defining the concept of wellness, Sahai said, “It has been interpreted from several perspectives and we in India should relate it to our ancient system of living the tradition that is still preserved namely the constant, conscious pursuit of living life to its fullest in harmony with the environment.”
He said India has an ancient heritage of healing but is facing severe competition from several destinations who are positioning themselves as leading destinations for wellness tourism. “We should put our acts together and promote wellness tourism aggressively in the international and domestic markets,” he added.
Making a distinction between the health and the wellness aspects, Minister said medical tourism involves those visitors with medical conditions who travel for treatment of ailments.
A person who travels for wellness is generally healthy but seeks therapies to maintain his or her well-being.
The accreditation standards are prepared by National Accreditation Standards for Hospitals and Healthcare providers and approved by Department of AYUSH.
Only the accredited service providers would be eligible for any assistance from Tourism Ministry.
Among others, the guidelines will also look into the hygienic issue to prevent catching infections from the staff or the other customers by ensuring cleaning and disinfection practices for linen and equipment.
Centres have to display services and tariff list that the spa is providing to ensure uniform pricing policy, as per the guidelines.
Taking note of mushrooming of massage parlours, Sahai said, “There should be a mechanism to check whether all prescribed norms are being followed or not.”
On the implementation of guidelines, he said, “I think it should be mandatory as we are dealing directly with tourists and they should have good experience.
“But initially we are seeking voluntary implementation.
Later on we may opt for enforcing the guidelines.”
The Ministry is developing Haridwar-Rishikesh as well as Puducherry as wellness centres to give visitors a complete experience which is physically healing, spirituality enriching and mentally rejuvenating.

Troubled Wellness and World Music Festival dealt new blow

The producer that Desert Hot Springs paid $250,000 to put on a twice-delayed festival has not paid his associate producers, who have now backed out of the controversial project.

Baruch/Gayton Entertainment Group of Burbank wrote a Jan. 4 letter to producer Tony Clarke stating they would no longer be associated with his company, an e-mail the city released Monday shows.

“There have been financial problems with Tony. He owes us money. He owes others money, who we have brought into the project,” Wayne Baruch told The Desert Sun.

Clarke, who has been paid the entire $250,000 over seven installments to put on the Wellness and World Music Festival, did not return a message Monday. Tresed Ventures spokesman Ed Smith declined to comment.

The departure of the accomplished producers shook the confidence of several city leaders, including City Manager Rick Daniels, who still continued to voice optimism about the festival.

The city council has met in closed session at least three times to consider taking legal action against Clarke, whose claims of being an internationally known producer were never verified by the city.

The council will meet again today to discuss a lawsuit in closed session.

“I think we get a step closer there every day,” Daniels said. “The longer this stays an open issue, the longer it continues to be a problem.”

The producers’ departure is the latest in a series of blows to the festival, which is nowhere close to showtime more than 14 months after the council approved the contract.

The contract, which expires in June, specifies there is no guarantee the festival must happen, and producers have yet to announce a new date, music and performing acts or ticket sales.

The contract was drafted in part by city attorney Ruben Duran, who works for the Oakland-based Meyers Nave.

Duran is still accepting financial documents Clarke had been asked to turn over to the city by Jan. 18 to show his progress on the festival. Four weeks after that deadline, Duran also has not completed his review of the paperwork.

Duran said Monday he has received “quite a bit of information,” but declined to say when he expects to finish his review or what he would advise the council to do.

Mayor Pro Tem Russell Betts, who was the lone vote against the December 2009 contract with Clarke, said the unraveling of the festival frustrates him and he hopes the city could reach an informed conclusion soon.

“My confidence isn’t real high now at all, and the problem is we’re still reviewing these documents — three, four weeks later,” Betts said.

Friendship Elementary putting weight on wellness program

Teachers at Friendship Elementary are replacing classroom chairs with exercise balls as part of a new wellness program.

The school recently began an initiative that couples its academics with a focus on health and wellness.

Friendship Principal Berry Walton gave the Hall County school board an update at the Monday work session.

“I hope that this will become a program of choice,” he told the board. “Our goals are to focus on childhood obesity, nutrition and academic performance.”

Walton said childhood obesity is a growing epidemic. Georgia has the second-highest rate of childhood obesity in the United States.

“About 24 percent of third-graders are obese in the state,” he said. “We’re starting to see elementary school students with Type II diabetes, not Type 1, Type II.”

Friendship developed a committee last summer to research programs and best practices.

The school recently implemented strategies to improve nutrition such as offering healthier snacks. At a Valentine’s Day party, a teacher served smoothies rather than candy, Walton said.

The staff are also learning about fitness. Twice a week about 20 teachers work out with a personal trainer after school.

At the meeting, Walton showed the board members a Pilate ball, which is being used for classroom seating.

“It’s called active sitting,” he said, adding that it helps strengthen core muscles.

The school will measure their success using Fitnessgram, a district wide program that provides a fitness measure for each child. The school will also evaluate test scores, Walton added.

Down the road, Walton said the school hopes to add after-school activities such as karate, dance and gymnastics for a fee.

Superintendent Will Schofield said it has been exciting to watch the initiative build.

“We look forward to seeing where this takes us,” Schofield said.

In other business, the school board heard an update from the Early Language Development Center, established last year.

Lois Myers, who heads the center and is principal at Lyman Hall Elementary School said the program serves at-risk language students.

The center is housed in the former Jones Elementary School, and students learn half of the day in English and half of the day in Spanish.

She said students are progressing well, but a longer immersion experience will help students become more successful when they get to high school. The school is hoping to add pre-kindergarten and Head Start programs next year.

Flu Treatment News

BioCryst reports 4Q loss on revenue dip

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Thursday reported a fourth-quarter loss on a decline in revenue from emergency sales of its flu treatment.

The company lost $9.1 million, or 20 cents per share, compared with net income of $15.2 million, or 35 cents per share, during the same period a year prior. Revenue fell to $17.8 million from $54.9 million.

Analysts polled by FactSet expected a loss of 21 cents per share on revenue of $16.9 million.

In 2009, the company had an exceptional boost to its revenue from emergency use sales of the flu treatment peramivir, mainly to the federal government. The drug is still under development, but the U.S. government had approved it as an emergency treatment for swine flu. The intravenous flu drug is intended for patients who are too sick to take an oral drug.

For the full year, the company lost $32.7 million, or 73 cents per share, compared with a loss of $13.5 million, or 35 cents per share, in 2009. Revenue fell to $63.5 million from $74.6 million.

Shares of BioCryst fell 13 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $3.92 in afternoon trading. The stock earlier reached a 52-week low of $3.87 and it has traded as high as $8.37 during that same period.

ACIP updates antiviral guidelines for flu treatment

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued revised guidelines for vaccinating patients against influenza. The ACIP report was published in Mortality and Morbidity Report Weekly.

The updated guidance suggests several significant changes to the 2008 committee recommendations, including revisions to the tables of contraindications and precautions to vaccination; restructuring reports to emphasize vaccine risk-benefit screening immediately after discussion of contraindications and vaccines; and establishing stricter criteria for selecting appropriate storage units for vaccines.

ACIP remained bullish on the benefits of using vaccine for the prevention and control of influenza. “Antiviral medications are effective for the prevention of influenza, and when used for treatment, can reduce the duration and severity of illness,” wrote Anthony E. Fiore, MD, and his colleagues.

However, the authors concluded, the emergence of strains resistant to 1 or more of the 4 licensed antiviral agents (oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantadine, and rimantadine) has made prevention and treatment far more complicated in the last 5 years.

Therefore, the authors stated, it is important to consider information about surveillance data and resistance patterns when making decisions on which vaccine to use.
In addition, ACIP recommended that antiviral treatment begin as soon as possible in patients with suspected or confirmed severe, complicated, or progressive influenza, or in outpatients with risk factors connected with age or underlying medical conditions.

The guidance was intended to help vaccination providers assess benefits and risks, recommend administration and storage practices, and understand the most effective strategies for ensuring vaccination coverage, according to CDC.

GlaxoSmithKline begins phase III trial of influenza treatment

GlaxoSmithKline is beginning a phase III clinical study of a potentially promising new treatment for influenza.

The pharmaceutical company has provided the first enrolled patient with a dose of intravenous zanamivir as part of the pivotal trial, which will aim to compare the efficacy of the therapy with oral oseltamivir.

Zanamivir is licensed from the manufacturer Biota and has been marketed globally in its inhaled form since 1999, but it has yet to be approved in any countries as an intravenous treatment.

This new study will involve 462 hospitalised influenza patients by the time enrolment is concluded, with subjects set to be drawn from more than 20 nations in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

GlaxoSmithKline expects the trial to last for three years and is hoping that the new treatment will deliver a faster clinical response among users than the control drug.

Last week, the company announced that it has also begun a new phase III trial of GSK1605786, a therapy for Crohn’s disease it is developing with ChemoCentryx.

Vision Care Today

Wendy discovers vision care with flair!

As caring parents, our children’s health is of utmost importance. We are very diligent about getting our children to the family doctor, dentist and optometrist for annual checkups, but often neglect our own health in the process.

Self-care is something no parents should ignore. By maintaining their own health and wellness, they are better able to care for their children. At the same time, they’re setting an excellent example for their children to follow later in life.

Through the Beautiful You lifestyle makeover program, Wendy Korchinski is learning the importance of self-care.

Comprehensive vision care is an important element of the Beautiful You program, provided by Family Focus Eyecare, located at #1 – 419 Ludlow Street in University Heights, adjacent to Willowgrove.

Family Focus Eyecare was established in 1998 by Dr. Elisabeth Foucault and Dr. Nadia Lypka. Dr. Ken Lypka joined the practice in 2002. The practice has continued to grow with Saskatoon, welcoming associate optometrists Dr. Jen Bachiu, Dr. Vy Pham, Dr. David Sherin and Dr. Fern Yee, who provides vision therapy services. The expert optometrists, along with their friendly support staff, are dedicated to providing patients with the utmost in vision care.

Wendy was pleased to learn that she would be working with Dr. Nadia Lypka at Family Focus Eyecare, as she was very familiar with the practice. This is where she has taken her three children for their vision care for the past four years. During that time, however, Wendy had neglected to have her own eyes examined. “I tend to not put myself on the list,” says Wendy.

With a history of both glaucoma and macular degeneration in Wendy’s family, Dr. Lypka says it is vital for Wendy to have a comprehensive eye exam every two years.

“Macular degeneration and glaucoma are two of the leading causes of blindness among Canadians. When there is a family history of this, it’s even more important for patients to be diligent about having regular eye examinations. With glaucoma, symptoms often aren’t apparent until the advanced stages. At that point, damage is irreversible. Through a routine eye exam, we can detect the early signs of these eye diseases, and other potential health problems, and ensure prompt treatment,” says Dr. Lypka.

Family Focus Eyecare employs the newest technologies to provide the ultimate in patient care, including a new imaging technique called the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) which provides unprecedented high resolution cross-sectional images of structures in the back of the eye. “The OCT is very helpful in earlier diagnoses of glaucoma and retinal problems,” says Dr. Lypka. “We were pleased that Wendy’s eyes are very healthy.”

Dr. Lypka’s exam revealed that in addition to being near-sighted, Wendy had presbyopia, a common eye condition that begins to develop in your 40s. Presbyopia is the diminished ability to focus on near objects.

“I was asking the kids to read words in small print to me. My arms just weren’t stretching long enough any more!” says Wendy.

Wendy also has a common eye condition called astigmatism, which means the front surface of the eye is shaped like a football, rather than a perfect sphere. “Astigmatism can distort your vision, up-close and in the distance,” says Dr. Lypka.

Dr. Lypka prescribed premium progressive lenses. “The lenses not only correct her distance vision, they now correct her near vision as well.”

Optometric assistant Tracy Sielski helped Wendy select stylish new frames for her lenses, by J.F. Rey, designed and made in France.

Family Focus Eyewear offers a vast selection of fashionable frames. Among the collection of over 1,500 frames are trendy designer lines including Lafont, Orr Green, Versace, Cogan and Fendi.

“I chose the J.F. Rey frames for Wendy because they best flattered the shape of her face and her skin tones. The trendy style has really updated Wendy’s look!” says Tracy.

“I really like them! They’re fashion-forward but they still go with everything I wear,” says Wendy.

It had been over 15 years since Wendy had last worn contact lenses. “I didn’t find them that comfortable, and after my first son was born, it was just easier to throw on my glasses,” says Wendy.

New advances in technology have greatly increased comfort levels and made it possible for people with both astigmatism and presbyopia to enjoy the freedom of contact lenses.

“We are in the process of fitting Wendy with contact lenses. She requires a Toric contact lens for her astigmatism. Because she’s also presbyopic, she also requires a multi-focal lens which create multiple levels of corrective powers. It can take a few adjustments to find the lenses that will stabilize the best. Wendy’s now trying her second pair of lenses,” says Dr. Lypka.

“I really enjoy the freedom of wearing contact lenses, especially when I’m working out at the gym,” says Wendy.

Next, Family Focus Eyecare will provide Wendy with a pair of glamorous designer sunglasses. Over 300 styles of designer sunglasses are on display in the Sunglass Cove at Family Focus Eyecare, including the latest looks by Prada, Coach, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Ed Hardy, Gucci and Versace. “We also feature premium sunglass lines by Oakley, Kaenon and Maui Jim,” says Tracy.

Sunglasses are more than just a fabulous fashion accessory. They provide vital protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays, says Dr. Lypka. “UV radiation can contribute to cataracts and macular degeneration, and we already know that Wendy has a family history of macular degeneration. Wearing sunglasses also helps protect the delicate skin around the eyes, not only from wrinkles, but also from skin cancer. This is an area of the face where skin cancer commonly occurs.”

Working with Wendy has been a delight for everyone at Family Focus Eyecare, says Dr. Lypka. “She’s very bubbly and has a great attitude! She’s taking the Beautiful You program very seriously and her hard work shows!”

“I love going to Family Focus Eyecare. Dr. Lypka and the staff are so friendly and caring. It’s nice that I’ll be going there now, as well as my kids!” says Wendy.

Elka Nir Joins VisionCare Board of Directors

Head of Life Sciences at Giza Venture Capital brings twenty years of experience leading dynamic and cutting edge technology organizations

SARATOGA, Calif., Feb. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc., a developer of advanced visual prosthetic devices for the treatment of end-stage age-related macular degeneration, today announced Elka Nir of Giza Venture Capital has joined VisionCare’s Board of Directors. Ms. Nir expands the company’s Board to seven.

Ms. Nir heads the life sciences sector for Giza and serves on the board of directors of five medical device companies in Israel and the US. Prior to Giza, she led large multi-disciplinary teams (R&D, supply chain, quality & regulatory, marketing) at a division of Johnson & Johnson managing multi-million dollar budgets and delivering innovative market leading products, resulting in over $400 million in yearly revenues and double-digit annual growth.

Ms. Nir holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science, from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, a B.S. from the University of Haifa, and completed the Senior Executive Education program at Stanford University School of Business.

Allen W. Hill, VisionCare’s President and CEO, commented, “VisionCare welcomes Elka to our Board. She was instrumental in helping VisionCare raise $31.4 million in the recent Series E financing. Elka’s extensive experience in executive roles and raising funds for the development of new state of the art solutions, via business collaboration with global market leaders, will be of great assistance to VisionCare.”

On joining the VisionCare Board, Elka Nir commented, “VisionCare has made tremendous progress in developing, clinically testing, and obtaining FDA approval for its implantable telescope prosthesis in patients with advanced forms of macular degeneration, which disables hundreds of thousands of individuals in major markets. VisionCare’s products show significant promise of improving vision and quality of life for these individuals who now have no other surgical option. I am looking forward to working with the Board and the company as it begins US commercialization of this breakthrough product later this year.”

About the Telescope Implant

The Implantable Miniature Telescope (by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz) is designed to improve vision and quality of life in patients with end-stage AMD. Smaller than a pea, the telescope is implanted in one eye in an outpatient surgical procedure.

CentraSight Treatment Program

The first-of-kind telescope implant is integral to a new patient care program, CentraSight, for treating patients with end-stage AMD. The CentraSight treatment program involves a patient management process and access to reimbursement resources for patients and physicians.

About End-Stage Macular Degeneration

AMD is a disorder of the central retina, or macula, which is responsible for detailed vision that controls important functional visual activities like recognizing faces and watching television. The National Eye Institute estimates that over 1.7 million Americans over age 50 suffer vision loss from advanced AMD, which frequently culminates as end-stage AMD (visual impairment due to untreatable advanced AMD in both eyes). These patients often experience a loss of independence and quality of life, and have difficulty with activities of daily living. Approximately half of the individuals living with advanced AMD are affected in both eyes.

About Giza Venture Capital

Located in Tel Aviv, Giza is a leading venture capital firm investing in seed and early-stage technology companies. Giza currently manages five funds totaling $600 million. Founded in 1992, the firm’s professionals have extensive experience and expertise in life sciences, communications, semiconductor, information technology, enterprise software, clean tech, media, and entertainment sectors. Giza has invested in ninety-seven companies with thirty-two successful exits.

About VisionCare

VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Saratoga, CA, with facilities in Petah Tikva, Israel, is a privately-held company focused on the development, manufacturing, and marketing of implantable ophthalmic devices and technologies that are intended to significantly improve vision and quality of life for individuals with untreatable retinal disorders.

Reminder tool `helps majority of contact lens wearers

A tool used by contact lens wearers to remind them to put in or take out the products is effective in the vast majority of cases, it has been claimed.

Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, claims that its Acuminder tool is rated as helpful by 95 pr cent of those who use it as part of their daily contact lens routine.

In addition, 66 per cent of the users polled in recent survey by the organisation say that it has helped them improve the frequency and accuracy of their contact lens replacement.

Acuminder was found to be particularly effective for two-weekly lens wearers, with 76 per cent remembering to change them after 14 days when using the reminder, compared with only 40 per cent who did not use the tool.

Recent contact lens safety advice was issued by consultant ophthalmologist Peter McDonnell, honorary treasurer at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, who said that people who follow manufacturer instructions on lenses should not encounter any problems.

Arthritis Treatment Today

Tylenol issues another recall, but says products are safe for consumers

The maker of Tylenol is recalling several of its Tylenol products — as well as some cases of Benadryl, Sudafed and Sinutab products — because they were made in a Pennsylvania plant that has been shut down.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Tylenol 8 Hour, Tylenol Arthritis Pain and Tylenol upper respiratory products that were distributed in the United States, the Caribbean and Brazil.

The products, which also include some lots of Sudafed PE, Sinutab and Benadryl, were manufactured at the McNeil plant in Fort Washington, Penn., before April 2010, when production at that plant was suspended because of insufficient cleaning procedures.

The company says that the recall is a precautionary measure taken after the company reviewed its quality procedures.

The company says that consumers do not need to take any action and may continue to use the products. “It is very unlikely that this impacted the quality of these products,” the company said in a statement.

In addition, McNeil also has recalled certain product lots of Rolaids Multi-Symptom Berry Tablets distributed in the United States, in order to update the labeling. The company initiated the recall after determining that the product labeling does not include the language “Does not meet USP” as required by regulation.

A USP label means that the product meets the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia, a non–governmental authority that sets standards for prescription and over-the-counter medicines and other healthcare products manufactured or sold in the United States.

Johnson & Johnson, which owns McNeil Consumer Healthcare, has come under scrutiny in the past year because it has recalled about 288 million items, including about 136 million bottles of liquid Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl for infants and children.

The problems stem from quality-control issues in multiple factories. Last year’s recalls were sparked because some of its consumer products contained bits of metal, while others came in bottles with a moldy smell.

McNeil, meanwhile, is conducting a comprehensive review of records at its U.S. manufacturing facilities.

Consumers can access full product details and other information about the recall on the http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com website or by calling its Consumer Care Center at 1-888-222-6036 (available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time).

Master switch that triggers arthritis found

LONDON: In what may pave the way for an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis , scientists have identified what they claim is a “master switch” which triggers the condition .

A team at Imperial College London has, in fact, found a protein, called IRF5, that acts as a switch, telling immune system cells, called macrophages , to promote or stop inflammation , the Daily Express reported . “This is really exciting ,” lead researcher Irina Udalovasaid .

Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable immune system disease where joints are swollen by inflammation. The body uses inflammation as a defence against infection and tissue damage, but too much is harmful .

Blocking the production of IRF5 could help in a range of diseases including RA, lupus and even MS , say the British scientists .

Petpals – Treating canine arthritis

Like humans, dogs can also get arthritis due to old age, joint infections, traumatic injury to joints, dietary imbalance, autoimmune diseases and hormonal imbalance. Genetic factors, breed susceptibility, being overweight and lack of exercise can act as predisposing factors for arthritis.

On an average, a dog’s skeletal system has 319 bones regardless of the breed type. The structure comprises of different kinds of bones and joints which undergo several changes due to environmental challenges during lifetime.

The first seven to eight months are very important in pup’s life as this is the period of rapid growth and development. Proper supplementation of essential minerals like Calcium and Phosphorous is important during this period. Along with oral supplementation, proper exercise for the dog is also needed to keep the body in proper shape and to ensure a strong skeletal system.

The most common form of arthritis in dogs is osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease)

Symptoms

Favouring a particular limb

Hesitancy to jump, run or climb the stairs

Behavioural changes like prolonged sleeping

Reduction in alertness

Stiff, sore joints & lameness

Reluctance to play or work

Joint enlargement or swelling

Weight gain

Physical examination and an x-ray are required to diagnose arthritis.

Treatment:

Regular exercise

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) supplementation to reduce pain and inflammation, although with side effects.

Dietary provision of nutrients like Glucosamine, Chondritin sulfate and Hyaluronic acid salt formulations are very effective as they provide structural support

Therapy including NSAIDS , Glucosamine, Chondritin and Hyaluronic acid

Proper diet can be used as a preventive major for control of canine arthritis in older dogs.

(The author is CEO– Provimi Animal Nutrition India. He can be reached at sandeepkarkhanis@provimi.in.)

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HERO OF THE WEEK Deepa nominates her father for rescuing a weak, hurt puppy. The pup was named Chotu and was then adopted by a friend who takes good care of him.

TAKE ME HOME This serene, handsome 2-month-old Indian puppy has been vaccinated and is very healthy. To adopt him, call 9283390693

A snow white kitten with a cheerful temperament is in search of a nice place to call home. To adopt her, call 9840634986

Mental Health News

Families worry mental health cuts will send kids spiraling

A week before Christmas, Judy Powelson was awaiting her son’s first visit home in nine months with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Earlier in the year, the 17-year-old’s mental illness had spiraled out of control to the point that he attacked her, kicked a teacher in the groin and was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment. But since he entered residential treatment funded in part by the state, she’d seen him go through marked improvements — getting a 3.11 GPA and being voted MVP in soccer.

Now Powelson’s son, identified in court papers as T.G., is one of 20,000 students across California whose mental health services may be in jeopardy in the new year because of a line-item veto by the governor. In October, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger slashed $133 million in funding for what are known as AB 3632 services, a 25-year-old program that requires state and local education and mental health agencies to jointly provide education-related mental health services.
Families with children who suffer from mental illnesses ranging from depression to schizophrenia and who depend on these services have been thrown into chaos, parents and advocates say. Several counties, including Orange and Alameda, have sent out notices indicating that the services will be discontinued in January, attorneys representing the parents said.

“If my son loses this treatment, I will lose my son,” Powelson said, her voice quivering. “I will lose him to mental illness, I will lose him to the criminal justice system, to drug abuse, to suicide.”

She has filed a declaration about her son’s situation as part of a federal class-action lawsuit seeking to block cutbacks to or discontinuation of the services. This month, a federal judge in Los Angeles heard arguments from attorneys representing the families and various state and local agencies but said he would wait until the new year before considering whether to issue an injunction.

U.S. District Judge George Wu said it wasn’t immediately clear what would happen come Jan. 14, when a temporary order restoring the funding for the services is due to expire. He said he also wanted to wait for the outcome of a separate state court case in Sacramento challenging the governor’s veto, which is scheduled to be heard in early January.

“I understand that the state agencies are pointing the finger and saying, ‘It’s your problem, it’s your problem, it’s your problem,’ ” Wu said at the hearing, adding that each agency was “waiting for somebody to blink.” But he said it wasn’t the right time for him to issue an order because “it’s a complicated situation…. Bad things have not happened, but may happen in the future based on how these agencies act.”

Attorneys representing various state and county agencies said they were trying to determine where the funds would come from, not dodging their responsibilities. They also said the four named plaintiffs in the case were currently receiving the necessary treatment and had not been notified that it would be taken away.

“They’re here prematurely,” said Supervising Deputy Atty. Gen. Jennifer M. Kim, representing the governor’s office and the California Department of Mental Health.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs contended that a statewide court order was immediately necessary because vulnerable children were at risk of being harmed while the case was being litigated.

“Every day, a new county is saying they can’t provide the services,” said Laura Faer, an attorney for Public Counsel, which filed the class-action lawsuit along with Disability Rights California and the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

David Campos, whose son is the lead plaintiff, said he felt his child was being left behind while government agencies passed the blame.

“Everybody’s waiting for somebody else to take the first step,” said Campos, whose son, identified as A.C. in court papers, has been receiving counseling since kindergarten. Campos and his wife, Gail, have been trying to get help for their son ever since they adopted him at age 4 knowing he suffered the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome and had been neglected and abused.

This summer, their son twice attempted suicide — swallowing half a bottle of Tylenol and trying to hang himself — and landed in juvenile hall. Through AB 3632 funding, he is receiving residential treatment for oppositional defiant disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder in Texas.

“When I heard the news [of the cut], I felt like I had been punched in the stomach,” Gail Campos wrote in a declaration submitted with the court. “My son so desperately needs these services to get better, and I don’t want him to end up in the criminal system or homeless.”

Powelson said the treatment for her son, who has been diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and intermittent explosive disorder, had been like the “light at the end of the tunnel” for her family.

“The bad days before turned into bad weeks and bad months. My husband used to say it was like a piano falling from a tall building,” she said. “Now, in treatment, he has a safe place to fall.”

Mental health beds set to move

It has been a process almost a dozen years in the making, but come January, 31 regional, specialized beds with the Northeast Mental Health Centre will be transferred from North Bay to the former Sudbury Algoma Hospital.

Thirty-one patients to fill those spots will move Jan. 14 to newly renovated quarters at the hospital, set in a park-like setting on Kirkwood Drive.

The move has not come without controversy, with some North Bay business leaders and union members complaining about the patient moves and associated job transfers.

But the woman in charge of organizing the transfer believes it will be a good one in the long run for the 31 patients involved.

Karen Bennett is vice-president of clinical programs with the North East Mental Health Centre, an agency that didn’t exist when the Health Services Restructuring Commission recommended the beds be moved from North Bay to Sudbury in 1998.

Until then, those beds were located in one of 10 provincially run psychiatric hospitals in the province. The commission transferred care of acute mental health services to hospitals and created the North East Mental Health Centre to oversee the operation of those 31 regional beds.

The 31 beds will be transferred to the Kirkwood building, which is owned by the North East Mental Health Centre. Sudbury Regional Hospital rents space from the mental health centre for some acute mental health beds it operates at Kirkwood.

The reorganization of acute mental health services to Sudbury and North Bay hospitals, and of regional beds to North East Mental Health Centre, has been a long time coming and there have been some hard feelings along the way.

While change is difficult for most people to accept, Bennett firmly believes the 31 patients currently in the 31 regional beds will receive even better care in their new quarters.

The 31 patients will be divided into two streams — 15 of them into specialized dementia care and 16 in the adult transitional program.

The goal of professionals working in both units is to help people get well so they can return to live at home, in long-term care or in other arrangements in their home communities.

Yeast Infection Treatment News

Can a Yeast Infection Be Cured From Reading A Book?

Yeast Infection No More is the Best Candida eBook In Internet History, With A large number of Satisfied (And today Yeast Infection Free) Users In 127 Countries Worldwide for any reason…

A large number of women and men of every age have completely cured their candidiasis condition and gained complete freedom from candida related symptoms naturally, without drugs, creams or “magic potions,” by simply using the clinically proven, scientifically-accurate step by step method found inside this amazing yeast infection freedom guidebook.

Linda Allen, a certified nutritionist, health consultant and author hasn’t just pumped out another “anti-yeast program” into an already over-saturated market. Linda’s Candidiasis No More can be more accurately described as a “Candida Bible.” It is quite simply probably the most comprehensive, complete, and precise guides to candida freedom you’ll ever read. What makes it so much different than other candidiasis publications available on the market?

Well To begin with, it’s not just a “yeast infection relief” program, it’s a candida cure program. This may seem like semantics or wordplay in the beginning, but once you have read just the first chapters, there won’t be any doubt in your mind that pursuing “yeast infection relief” is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason that you’ve failed to stop and maintain your ‘candida free internal environment’. Yeast Infection No More shows you exactly why you need to fix the internal problem that’s causing your candidiasis, not just masking the symptoms or getting relief and then goes on to show you exactly how to get it done.

Secondly, what makes Yeast Infection No More different may be the amount of attention that is paid to every and every element required to achieve permanent freedom from candida albicans related symptoms. Yeast Infection No More not only thoroughly discusses the lies, myths and fallacies surrounding a very confusing subject, it is simply the most detailed ebook about yeast infection, and holistic health ever written.

The Yeast Infection No More ebook is quite extensive (250 pages of rock solid content) which focuses on 100% natural yeast infection treatment. Which means there aren’t recommendations for harsh prescription medications with nasty side effects. In yeast infection No More core formula section (The 5 step system) – There is nothing held back. In this section, Linda provides a detailed summary of each step, and then dives into the specifics inside a perfect chronological order. There’s also outstanding charts and checklists which will make it super easy to know where you are at within the program and follow it.

Because the Yeast Infection No More program isn’t a quick fix ‘fairy tale’ cure but an entire holistic solution targeted at eliminating the root cause of yeast infection and candida (no matter their severity) and ensure your will permanently be candida-free, it will take work and persistence to complete. “The dictionary may be the only place success comes before work” says Linda, as she emphasizes the “no quick fix” philosophy behind the entire ebook.

When there is any downside of the Yeast Infection No More ebook, it’s that it contains a lot information, that some readers may find it a bit overwhelming. Those who are looking for a quick start type of candida program, may be a bit intimated in the beginning. The good part however, is that even these types of readers can feel confident and assured that it will be well worth the effort as this will literally be the last book they ever need to read on the topic.

Treatments for Yeast Infection Demand Increases to Cure Condition at Home

Recent figures now suggest that 25% of the USA suffer from yeast infection related issues. People seeking home treatment for yeast infections seems to have hit an all time high. More alarmingly a yeast infection can be linked to a whole string of problems you would not normally consider.

Most of us of heard of the normal signs of a yeast infection but many don’t realize there are many less known effects including chronic, fatigue, digestive problems and more. These factors are often overlooked by most doctors, however it seems more people are starting to become aware of the problem known as ‘Candida overgrowth’. Making way for treatments for yeast infection

Luckily there are a few set of individuals who are willing to devote time into studying yeast infections further. Because of the circumstances of yeast infections, many people feel more comfortable to treat the condition themselves at home. This has made way for a guide which has become one of the top selling ebooks of its kind on the Internet.

Written by Sarah Summers a medical researcher and web master, the 12 Hour natural yeast infection treatment has made quite a stir on the Internet. It has taught countless people both male and female how to cure the condition in hours at home. In addition, unlike most drugs the treatment acts as a permanent cure of the root cause.

Flexible Spending Account Spending Spree

Last year, when you opted into your Flexible Spending Account at work, did you overestimate your spending needs? I haven’t done the childcare FSA, but I have opted into the health care FSA for years. It makes a lot of sense for me. It pulled money before taxes for me to spend on health care expenses not covered by insurance — like co-pays, over-the-counter medications, dental work.

This keeps me from having to add up the health expenses and hope they are enough to deduct at the end of the year for taxes. Usually, that isn’t enough to meet the tax deduction for health care expenses. (Thank goodness!) I overestimate though. I think “This will be the year I will get all the dental work done!” “What if I get really sick?” The past two years have been particularly troubling — leaving me to scramble lest I lose the money that was withheld. Flexible spending accounts are “use it or lose it.”

In most cases, this is at the end of the calendar year. In some, your employer will allow a few extra months to spend the rest of your FSA withholding. If you leave a job (voluntarily or not), you must use ALL of your FSA money by the last day of employment.

Last year, I had a good amount left in November. I went to the dentist and spent what I could there. (And she had a list for the new year that I knew I had to withhold a ton in order to get done.) I still had about 300.00 left.

My employer had issued a handy dandy “FSA Credit Card” which made paying for items easier.

In December, I refilled every prescription med I could. I bought fiber, band-aids, over-the-counter pain relievers, yeast infection medications, and somehow we managed to spend it all but 8 cents.

This year, I left my job in September. I realized the week before the clause about using it all before the last day of employment. EEEK! I had over 1K left. I went to the dentist (again) and dropped about $450. Then we went to the pharmacy. We got heating pads, fiber, band aids, first aid items, over-the-counter pain relievers, allergy medicines, refilled prescriptions, bought enough yeast infection medicine for the whole family of women for a year (Merry Christmas Michelle! A stocking full of Monistat!; a big expense when you are a college student prone to yeast infections), bought UTI and Yeast Infection test kits. I got a flu shot. (And was VERY glad when girl child came home with the flu and everyone else got it but m — I mean, not that they had it, but that I didn’t get it.)

It took two drug stores, enough cross-checking with the approved list of FSA items online via the phone to get a captcha on Google to make sure we weren’t auto-requesting, and a lot of tired bizarre stress my last night at my old job — but we spent it. Now, we are ready for the apocalypse in over-the-counter FSA covered items.

Tips:
Check your FSA leftover amount before heading out — including things that might not have “cleared.”
Check the list of approved FSA items from YOUR insurance company before going out. Not all items are covered from year to year and they change. For example: vitamins and anti-diarrhea meds were covered in the past but weren’t this year on my plan, but other people could get these covered.
Ask the pharmacist for help. The pharmacist at our second drug store had a lot of good ideas.
Don’t forget that dental expenses, co-pays, and eye doctors count.
You can get a general idea of allowable expenses here in IRS Publication 502, but again check with your employer’s insurance company about the specifics.
ALWAYS save your receipts. The FSA issuers tend to ask for documentation at odd times and for the strangest items. (Doctor co-pays, prescriptions refilled via the insurance company prescription service, etc)

Wellness Today

Alberta health officials sound alarm over syphilis outbreak

Syphilis is spreading fast in Alberta, and the number of reported cases have risen exponentially over the last decade. According to a report by the Alberta Health and Wellness, reported cases of the sexually transmitted infection have risen from two in 1999 to 267 in 2009. “We have a problem,” reads the first headline of the document, titled The Syphilis Outbreak in Alberta. “Alberta continues to experience a sustained outbreak of syphilis which shows no signs of abating,” the report says. The bacterial infection is transmitted through intimate sexual contact, and can be easily treated if detected in its early stages. It frequently has no symptoms, though, and if left untreated, can spread to the brain, heart, blood vessels and bones, and can eventually be fatal. Dr. Martin Lavoie, Alberta’s deputy chief medical officer of health, believes the spread of the infection is partially caused by a growing complacency about safe sex, particularly as people have come to view HIV as a treatable condition rather than a deadly infection.

$5K grant gives CJHS wellness program a boost

Student health and wellness efforts at Clinton Junior High recently got a big boost.

The school was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation for use by its health council. Bonnie Brown, computer discovery teacher and member of the school’s health council, applied for the funds.

“Healthy students are able to achieve their full academic potential, full physical and mental growth and lifelong health and well-being,” Brown said. “Nutrition, physical activity and learning well are all linked components. We want our students to be informed and productive citizens, today and in the future.”

CJHS uses the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, a school health and wellness program created by the National Football League and the National Dairy Council. Students can log into the program’s Web site and keep track of what they’re eating and how much physical activity they’re getting.

Brown has also held educational meetings to discuss nutrition and the importance of exercise.

With the grant money, she said, the program can be expanded to more students. Currently there are 15 students on the panel, but Brown said she’d like to include all seventh-graders.

“If we get the seventh-graders on board, they can continue the program next year here at Clinton Junior High,” Brown said.

Incentives will be awarded in each Fuel Up to Play 60 challenge, such as jump rope, hula-hoop and running competitions, she said.

Sheila Grogan, executive director of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, said her agency’s focus is on making Mississippians healthier.

“The grant request submitted by Clinton Junior High School proposed a project that will encourage students to eat healthier and exercise,” she said. “This aligns with the vision of our foundation. Students across our state are becoming more active and learning lifestyle choices that will support a healthy lifestyle now, and in the future.”

Clinton Junior High’s grant will allow the purchase of jump ropes and other PE equipment as well as educational materials about health and wellness.

“We’re also looking for restaurants interested in providing students with healthy selections from their store menu,” she said. “They can come during our school lunch periods.”

Seniors May Need A Push To Use Free Wellness Exam

Fewer than 10 percent of seniors took advantage of the “Welcome to Medicare” physical exam paid for by Medicare, according to the government.

So what does that mean for how seniors will use the new, more comprehensive preventive health exam benefits that kick in by 2011?

“I don’t think people will be running to do this,” said Judith Stein, executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. While she applauds the new benefit, she said seniors may not see the value without a strong recommendation from their doctor.

The wellness visit, which was included in the new health law at a projected cost of $3.6 billion over next 10 years, has several advantages over the “Welcome to Medicare” exam.

The new benefit can be used every year and it is free. Medicare patients had a 20 percent co-pay on “Welcome To Medicare” exam — although that is eliminated starting Jan. 1.

The exam would include the usual checks of vital signs, height, weight, establish a schedule for screenings for patients and seek to identify cognitive impairment, functional ability and depression.

Aside from improving patients’ health, doctors have another reason to promote the wellness exam — a bigger reimbursement. They will get an average of $172 for it compared to the $136.80 they got for the “Welcome to Medicare” physical, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. Roland Goertz, president of the academy, said most doctors have found ways to provide preventive care during patient sick visits in the past. “You had to be creative, but with this new benefit it will give more status to the value of prevention,” he said.

Nonetheless, patients may not understand the need for checkup when they’re feeling well, he said. “It will take a culture change,” he said.

Dr. Barry Straube, chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he’s confident more seniors will take advantage of the new wellness exam. But he wonders whether busy doctors will promote it.

New grants help promote wellness in Fall River

Fall River —

If you live in Fall River, you’re more likely to smoke, suffer from substance or mental illness and to die of cancer than people living in other parts of the ccommonwealth. In most cases, Fall River residents are twice as likely to experience these conditions when compared with others in the state. While there are many factors that contribute to these rates, including our high unemployment rates and stress associated with poverty, the most important question to ask is what are we doing about it. In the last month, three major grants have recently been announced that specifically target these conditions and, in time, could begin to bring these high numbers down.

On Nov. 1, the city of Fall River announced that it was one of only three cities in the country to be awarded a grant of 1.4 million dollars per year for the next four years by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for substance abuse prevention, mental health promotion, and short-term therapies for depression and anxiety. Led by staff from Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, the grant will provide screenings for people who may be in the early stages of substance use or who show early signs of depression or other mental illnesses. These conditions are well known to be associated with unemployment and poverty, but few efforts have been funded to head off the conditions early enough to prevent people from developing more chronic conditions that are more difficult to treat.

“We think we have the ability to prevent brief periods of drinking, drug abuse or depression from becoming life-long conditions if we intervene early,” commented Nancy Paull, executive director of SSTAR. “The focus of our efforts over the next four years will be to identify people with early symptoms and to get them into brief treatment,” she said. “A lot of people we see in treatment have sought help years after problems first developed,” she added, “ when it’s much more difficult to turn around.” Substance abuse, including the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and depression not only create substantial health problems on their own, they often lead to the development of other health problems when people fail to attend to their physical health.

A second grant to address one of these conditions in Fall River and other nearby communities was announced on Nov. 18. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health began a new media campaign that targets smokers in the Southcoast region of the state. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funds will address the high smoking rate with positive ads that encourage smokers to seek help with quitting.

Ads in newspapers, on billboards and on SRTA buses, as well as on radio stations, in Fall River and New Bedford feature local people who have quit smoking. Their stories encourage smokers to speak with their physicians about medicines and counseling covered by their insurance, as well as the use of the free Smokers’ telephone Quitline (1-800-Quit-Now or 1-800-784-8669). Southcoast Hospital has already been recognized by DPH for their efforts to encourage smokers to quit through the use of the Quitworks program for health care providers.

“There has never been more help available to help smokers quit,” commented Judith Coykendall, who runs the Partners for Clean Air program for the Southcoast out of Seven Hills Behavioral Health. “We are hopeful that our smoking rates, which are double that of the rest of the state, will start to come down as people take advantage of these resources.”
A third new major prevention grant was also recently announced by DPH to address the health of SouthCoast residents. The Massachusetts Cancer Prevention Policy Initiative brings $750,000 over the next five years to address the some of the environmental and lifestyle factors that frequently lead to the development of cancers.
Rates of lung, stomach and colon and other cancer have been higher in Fall River and other SouthCoast communities for years. Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Massachusetts, surpassing heart disease several years ago. The higher rates in Fall River can be attributed to greater rates of smoking and alcohol use, while factors such as diet and sedentary lifestyle have also been implicated in research studies over the past decade.
In order to lower the rates of cancer in our area, project staff will be working closely with participants in VOICES for a Healthy Southcoast, a coalition of seventeen towns from Swansea to Wareham that is focused on policy and environmental changes that will encourage healthier lifestyles. The goals of lowering rates of smoking, increasing physical activity and eating healthier diets will be achieved by changing laws and regulations that affect these behaviors and by making it easier for people lead more active lives by increasing opportunities for walking and purchases of fruits and vegetables.

“Years ago we thought that educational programs would motivate people to change certain behaviors for a positive impact on their health,” suggested Maria Evora-Rosa, the DPH staff member who will be coordinating the project. “Now we realize that we have to make the healthy choice the easy choice; we have design our communities in ways that provide convenient and cost-effective opportunities for healthier living. We also know that making the unhealthy choice the more difficult choice through local legislative change has worked in many communities, especially pertaining to the access of tobacco products. Through local initiatives, we can have a significant impact on our community’s health.” she added.

“We now see some cancers – lung, skin, colorectal and some breast, just to mention a few, as more of a chronic disease that may develop over a lifetime,” said Gail Merriam, director of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Control Program. “In order to prevent these diseases from occurring, we have to address the environmental and behavioral factors that lead to their development,” she said.

Clearly, the combination of these three major grants in Fall River and nearby communities has the potential of beginning to bring our numbers down.

Anxiety News and Treatment

Anxiety increasing due to cancer treatment waiting times

Anxiety among patients who wait for treatment of cancer is on a rise as the Cancer Society says that waiting times for treatment are increasing that adds to their stress.

According to the society, more specialists are needed for treating patients at most cancer treatment centres but at the moment there are fewer specialists than is needed.

A complaint has been received by the Wellington region’s Capital and Coast District Health Board about patients waiting for seeing a medical oncologist.

There are no reports of people waiting to see a specialist and getting his appointment but there are reports of about 43 people considered semi-urgent being on the waiting list, and five being overdue for an appointment.

According to Fiona Pearson, the Cancer Society’s Wellington manager of support and information, due to the waiting time added to a patient’s list, he gets more stressed.

Pearson said, “I understands a number of specialists have retired or moved into the private sector in the past few years, which has left a gap in public health.”

According to a spokesman for Ryall, due to the lack of specific details, he was unable to say anything about the situation.

Brain Anomaly Leaves Woman Without Fear

THURSDAY, Dec. 16 (HealthDay News) — Researchers who have studied a woman with a missing amygdala — the part of the brain believed to generate fear — report that their findings may help improve treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders.

In perhaps the first human study confirming that the almond-shaped structure is crucial for triggering fear, researchers at the University of Iowa monitored a 44-year-old woman’s response to typically frightening stimuli such as snakes, spiders, horror films and a haunted house, and asked about traumatic experiences in her past.

The woman, identified as S.M., does not seem to fear a wide range of stimuli that would normally frighten most people. Scientists have been studying her for the past 20 years, and their prior research had already determined that the woman cannot recognize fear in others’ facial expressions.

S.M. suffers from an extremely rare disease that destroyed her amygdala. Future observations will determine if her condition affects anxiety levels for everyday stressors such as finance or health issues, said study author Justin Feinstein, a University of Iowa doctoral student studying clinical neuropsychology.

“Certainly, when it comes to fear, she’s missing it,” Feinstein said. “She’s so unique in her presentation.”

Researchers said the study, reported in the Dec. 16 issue of the journal Current Biology, could lead to new treatment strategies for PTSD and anxiety disorders. According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, more than 7.7 million Americans are affected by the condition, and a 2008 analysis predicted that 300,000 soldiers returning from combat in the Middle East would experience PTSD.

“Because of her brain damage, [the patient] appears to be immune to PTSD,” Feinstein said, noting that she is otherwise cognitively typical and experiences other emotions such as happiness and sadness.

In addition to recording her responses to spiders, snakes and other scary stimuli, the researchers measured her experience of fear using many standardized questionnaires that probed various aspects of the emotion, such as fear of death or fear of public speaking. She also carried a computerized emotion diary for three months that randomly asked her to rate her fear level throughout the day.

Perhaps most notable, Feinstein said, are her many near-misses with peril because of her inability to avoid dangerous circumstances. In one case, when she was 30, she approached a drugged out-looking man late one night who pulled a knife and threatened to kill her.

Because of her complete absence of fear, the woman — who heard a choir singing in a nearby church — responded, “If you’re going to kill me, you’re going to have to go through my God’s angels first.” The man abruptly let her go.

The mother of three was also seen by her children approaching and picking up a large snake near their home with no seeming regard for its ability to harm her, Feinstein said.

“Its a perfect example of the sort of situation she gets herself in that anyone without brain damage would be able to avoid,” Feinstein said. “With her brain damage, she’s so trusting, so approachable to everything. In hindsight, [her response to the man with the knife] may have saved her life because the guy got freaked out.”

Alicia Izquierdo, an assistant professor of psychology at California State University in Los Angeles, said the study results add to existing evidence that the amygdala should be targeted in developing therapies for phobias, anxiety disorders and PTSD, “where too much fear is a bad thing.”

“In small doses, fear is a good thing — it keeps us alive,” Izquierdo said. “For many years, we have known from studies in rodents and monkeys that the amygdala is necessary for the normal expression of fear. Those who study the amygdala in animals are limited, however . . . and can only speculate about what this brain region does for the experience of fear.”

“This is one reason why the study . . . is so meaningful: We can now say that the amygdala is important for the expression and the subjective experience of fear,” she added.

Feinstein said PTSD treatment tactics targeting the amygdala would not involve surgically removing or altering it. Rather, it is thought that the amygdala’s hyperactive response in frightening situations can be modified over time through repetitively doing things a patient considers scary.

“This prolonged exposure therapy involves approaching the things causing them distress and fear the most,” Feinstein said. “We don’t ever want to surgically alter this area.”

Acne Treatment News

Simpler Treatments Often Mean Better End Results

Having trouble sticking to your acne treatment regimen? Maybe a simpler routine is needed.

A recent study published in the medical journal Cutis found that people were more likely to stick with, and consistently, use a simpler acne treatment routine. This consistency lead to better clearing clearing of the skin.

Maybe instead of buying and using a bunch of different acne treatments, we’d be better off streamlining our treatment routine into a regimen that’s quick and simple to use. Some ideas:
Instead of buying several cleansers (or toners, creams, etc.) buy one and use it consistently. If you see results, no need to spend more money on another product.
Ask your doctor about combination treatments that contain more two acne medications in one tube (this may be a more expensive option, though, and some may not be covered by your insurance.)
Cut the guesswork and buy a complete acne treatment skin care system like Proactiv, AcneFree, or The Pimple Clinic. This is a good option if walking into the skin care aisle makes your head spin with too many choices.

Remember, anything that makes it easier for your to use your acne treatments correctly and consistently will ultimately help you get clearer skin.

Natural ways help clear up acne

(NaturalNews) Acne is a problem that doesn’t just affect teenagers, but also affects millions of adults as well. Drugs used to be the preferred method to clear up acne, but there are many natural methods that work very well. Natural methods are preferred, since the most common drugs prescribed to fight acne are antibiotics.

Long term antibiotic exposure can have serious consequences for your entire digestive system. It has also been linked to breast cancer in some studies. For this reason, it is strongly preferable that natural methods are used to attain clear, blemish free skin.

The first and most important aspect of naturally healing and clearing acne is your diet. This is no shock, since the phrase “you are what you eat” applies to just about every facet of your life. The food you put in your mouth has a direct impact on the appearance of your skin.

Diets that are high in saturated fats, salt, and sugar are especially harmful to your hormonal balance. Since almost all cases of acne are strongly linked to hormonal imbalances, it is vital that you eat a balanced diet.

Some of the best foods to eat for acne free skin are deeply colored fruits such as berries, citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges, fish, almonds, walnuts, and leafy green vegetables.

Avoid deep fried foods, all fast food, candy, cake and other sugary baked goods, and processed foods, and your skin will respond by clearing up over time.

Supplements, which help to maintain clear skin, can also be taken in addition to a hormone-balancing diet. Some of the supplements which are useful for maintaining clear, acne free skin are fish oil, vitamin B5, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

These vitamins and nutrients all have either anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties. Both antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods and vitamins are beneficial to acne prone skin. Antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals can damage the skin cells and hinder healthy new tissue growth, resulting in longer recovery after breakouts.

Anti-inflammatory foods and supplements help the inflammation caused by excess sebum production. By addressing both hormonal imbalance and inflammation through diet, you deal a powerful blow to this embarrassing skin condition.

Unfortunately for those that look forward to a caffeine pickup in the morning or throughout the day, coffee and other heavily caffeinated beverages can make acne worse. It is best to avoid any stimulants which stimulate the central nervous system. These types of stimulants often throw the hormones off balance and lead to more severe acne.

There are some excellent topical products that are all natural and can be used to help treat acne externally. One of the best and most effective is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has a distinct scent to it, and that is because it is a very potent antibacterial agent.

It is very helpful in the treatment of acne because acne lesions are partly caused by bacteria, which causes infection underneath the skin. When you take away the bacterial component, you have a much better chance at not breaking out and getting large, infected and painful acne lesions.

There are also some excellent natural acne soaps and cleansers that use pine tar and sulfur, both of which are excellent deep cleansing and astringent agents. Naturally derived topical acne care products are preferable to chemical products since they do not irritate and dry the skin.

Health Care News

U.S. Health Department Lays Out Its Health Goals For The Next Ten Years

As 2010 gets closer to its end, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has posted its latest strategies for promoting public health in over forty categories by the year 2020. The Healthy People 2020 objectives deal with nearly six hundred aspects of health, from decreasing children’s exposure to allergens, to cutting down the use of suntanning beds which cause cancer, to getting more people insured and food poisoning.

One of the goals laid out in the initiative is to lower the number of deaths from stroke and heart disease by twenty percent, and reduce new cases of diabetes, cancer deaths, and obesity rates by ten percent. Specified objectives to fight obesity feature building more neighborhood sidewalks, pressuring schools to keep their tracks and gyms open for after-hours exercising, and offering healthier meals in day care centers and schools.

The Healthy People goals are to some degree a guide for public health organizations, identifying what problems are improvable and which ones to direct resources toward in the next ten years. Since the Healthy People 2010 goals were set, only 19% of the goals have been met, but progress has been made toward 52% of those goals.

Meeting the goals set forth in Healthy People 2020 will depend less on developing new methods, programs and tools than on our commitment to putting the tools and methods we already have to their best use. For example, the medical establishment is convinced that heart disease could be all but eradicated if we fully applied what we already know about the use of tobacco, and the importance of exercise and proper diet.

CMS to Hold Listening Session on Health Care Delivery System Reform

On Tuesday, December 14, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will host an open door forum for Region 2 to discuss health care delivery system reforms established by the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Dr. Richard Gilfillan, Acting Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), and Cheryl Powell, Deputy Director for the Federal Coordinated Health Care Office, will provide a brief overview of the Accountable Care Organization Shared Savings Program, CMMI, and the Federal Coordinated Health Care Office, before opening the discussion for public comment.

Doctors fear health reform

SHREWSBURY — Massachusetts should tread slowly and carefully as it adopts new ways to pay for health care, representatives from medical groups told the state’s top health official yesterday.

Reforms aimed at bringing down costs could unintentionally block patients from their doctors or the care they need, according to some medical professionals and organizations.

“First of all, we need to protect our patients,” said Dr. Barbara Rockett, a general surgeon who practices at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton. “This process should be a very slow process.”

The comments came during a public forum before a committee of the Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Cost Council, a group created as part of the state’s 2006 health care reform law.

About 100 people representing family physicians, registered nurses, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, home health workers and others crowded into a conference room at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s center at 222 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury, to testify. The committee is preparing recommendations on legislation aimed at reforming health care payments.

Many of the speakers focused on a proposed method of paying for medical care called “global payments.” Insurers generally pay set fees to health professionals for specific procedures. Under global payments, insurers would give set amounts of money to groups of health professionals to manage all the care that patients need. Doctors, nurses, hospitals and others would form groups called “accountable care organizations” or “integrated provider organizations.”

There is no proof that approach will lower costs, said Dr. Bruce S. Auerbach, vice president of Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro.

“Too much consolidation can result in entities having so much market clout that prices are driven up,” Dr. Auerbach said.

Some patients seeking emergency care ran into barriers under a similar payment method, called capitation, used in the past, according to Dr. Joseph Bergen, past president of the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians. “Our fundamental principle is that patients must be protected by some consideration for emergency care,” Dr. Bergen said.

A payment reform commission established by the state has already recommended that any move to global payments take place over at least five years, said Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, state secretary of health and human services, who attended part of the forum. Although a number of speakers urged slow steps toward reform, Dr. Bigby said she has heard others say the state has not moved fast enough.

“I hear anxiety,” she said. “I also hear people say the system is untenable.”