Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Easy Ways To Improve Children's Dental Health

Many parents aren't aware of various routine everyday behaviors they have that contribute to tooth decay and other forms of poor dental health for their children, according to an article in the Sebeka Menahga Review Messenger.


The paper listed some of the mistakes parents make, according to a survey by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.


Some of the most common mistakes stem from a lack of understanding that the presence of sugar in the mouth for bacteria to feed on is one of the key factors in causing tooth decay. Even the healthiest of snacks can result in sugar for the bacteria, as starches and other food particles are readily converted to sugar and usually stay in the mouth far longer than candy.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Speedy organ harvesting

By taking a heart from a dying infant within 75 seconds of the heart stopping, the chances of a successful transplant to another baby are greatly increased, according to a study in today's New England Journal of Medicine that is raising ethical questions about the definition of death.


The study examined the cases of three dying newborns whose hearts were taken within 75 seconds of cardiac death and given to three other infants.


"As a result of their investigational protocol, three babies are now alive; had the procedures not been performed, it is virtually certain that all six babies would be dead," the journal's executive editor Dr. Gregory Curfman and others wrote in one of several commentaries accompanying the study.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Spanish saviour sibling

Little Javier was born last week into a world of controversy.


That's because the little Spanish boy was conceived for one reason only: to provide stem cells for his older brother, Andres, who suffers from a congenital form of anaemia. Stem cells from Javier's umbilical cord will be used in a bone marrow transfer to his six-year-old sibling in hopes of curing his condition.


Javier was screened before birth to ensure he was free of the condition, which has led the Roman Catholic Church in Spain to condemn the situation, since such screenings mean other embryos that were not free of the condition were discarded.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Sex selection in Turkey

Parents who want to pick the sex of their babies need only to travel to Turkey and pay for in-vitro fertilization there, an undercover BBC report has found.


As in Canada, sex selection is illegal in Britain is illegal, unless for medical reasons. For instance, if your family has a genetic disorder affecting only males, you can chose to have a girl.


Ironically, similar rules apply in Turkey, and yet the Jinemed Center, a fertility clinic in Istanbul, has proven a popular destination for patients wanting to pick the gender of their baby.


BBC reporter Colette McBeth took her husband and a hidden camera to a meeting with representatives from the centre and made it clear they wanted to have a girl. A video of the meeting shows the couple discussing with the representative ways to get around the law by pretending a heriditary desorder runs in their family.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Surgeon sued

The definition of informed consent for surgery may be expanded as a result of a law suit filed recently in the United States. In the future, doctors my need to tell patients if they have a financial stake in the treatment being given, beyond the usual fees for their medical services.


In fact, ethicists are saying they should disclose such information already.


The issue stems from a law suit filed by a Chicago woman who is suing a leading heart surgeon there after he implanted a device in her heart to repair a valve. The patient, 41-year-old Toni Vlahoulis, said she never would have agreed to the surgery had she known her doctor invented the device meant to keep her valve from leaking, and received royalties every time one is used.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Surfing for care

I got an e-mail from a reader saying that she was under the impression that most doctors don't like their patients coming into their offices armed with web page printouts, convinced they already know what's wrong with them and just need a prescription written. She was responding to my last post about Health 3.0, which is web-based health care, allowing patients to largely diagnose themselves -- even take their own blood tests.


Well, I can't speak for most doctors, or whether they would like such a thing, but I can tell you the type of doctors who come to a conference like the Health Care Globalization Summit here in Las Vegas.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Ways to Stop Smoking

It is important to stop smoking because smoking can cause several terrible diseases like lung cancer, asthma and bad breadth in the body of the chain smokers. Smoking not only reduces the life span but also harms the physical appearance of the smokers. Smoking can make the lips of the smokers as darker as never before. Smoking can cause wrinkles on the skin of the users. Your children can also incur the same habit by noticing you smoking on regular intervals. Will power is the most important attribute required to stop smoking as a person can get out of the smoking addiction only after taking a firm resolution of not touching cigarettes whatever may come. Electronic cigarettes are the perfect source to quit smoking. Electronic cigarettesare prepared by the means of the supercritical atomizing and microelectronic control methodologies.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Sertraline and its Side Effects

Type of Drug:


Antidepressant; SSRI; mood-elevating agent.


How the Sertraline Works:


The actual antidepressant mechanism of sertraline is not known. It is presumed that it works by blocking the uptake of serotonin, a chemical found in the brain.


Uses of The Sertraline:


To treat major depressive disorder, obsessions and compulsions in adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).


Unlabeled Uses: Has been used to treat generalized social phobia.


Pregnancy: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Use only if clearly needed and the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the possible hazards to the fetus.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Paroxetine and Its Side Effects

Type of Drug:


Antidepressant (SSRI); mood-elevating agent.


How the Drug Works:


The actual antidepressant mechanism of paroxetine is not known. It is presumed that it works by blocking the uptake of serotonin, a chemical found in the brain.


Uses Paroxetine


Immediate-release: To treat obsessions and compulsions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).


Pregnancy: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Use only if clearly needed and the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the possible hazards to the fetus.


Breastfeeding: Paroxetine appears in breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Parkinsons Disease and The Prescribed Drugs

Hyoscine is a natural plant product, helpful against tremor and to a lesser extent against rigidity. It causes considerable dryness of the mouth and blurring of vision. Benadryl, an antihistamine, is frequently employed for the control of tremor. It is a safe drug to use, except that patients who experience marked drowsiness must not employ it while driving a car.


Since the tremor of Parkinson's disease becomes greatly aggravated by embarrassment, nervousness and excitement, especially when in the presence of strangers, various tranquilizing drugsprove helpful to some patients as a temporary alleviant. They are more effective when not used too often and preferably in small doses, since they can cause mental fogginess and drowsiness. Alcohol if used in small amount helps to alleviate excitement and tremor in some patients, hence should not be prohibited where it proves useful.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Insulin And Insulin Resistance Diet

Type of Drug:


Hormone; antidiabetic agent.


How the Insulin Product Works:


Insulin, normally produced in the pancreas gland, is the major hormone that regulates glucose (sugar) use in the body. Without insulin, sugar


is trapped in the bloodstream and cannot enter the cells of the body where it can be utilized for energy, so blood sugar levels increase, resulting in diabetes. In type 1 (insulin-dependent) and advanced type 2 (non­insulin-dependent) diabetes, the pancreas is not able to make enough insulin to control sugar levels.


Insulin must be injected. If taken by mouth, it would be digested by the acids and enzymes in the stomach.

Friday, June 3, 2011

The Tooth Fairy: A History

Everyone knows that when a child loses one of their baby teeth they should leave it under their pillow were the tooth fairy will replace it with money. But what few people know is that this seemingly innocuous tradition actually has its roots in witchcraft, walking the earth as the undead and all that good stuff.


Not So Jolly Ole' England


Perhaps the oldest tradition dates back to England in the Middle Ages where it was believed that if a child's tooth fell out, that child must drop it into a fire to avoid having to look for it after they died. The addition of fire into the story undoubtedly conjured up images of witchcraft to superstitious Englanders during the Middle Ages so not surprisingly, suspected witches were often burned because people believed money appeared after they threw articles into fire. When a witch burned a piece of hair, clothing or teeth from a person, she supposedly obtained power over them. Parents may have prompted children into keeping teeth or burning the teeth themselves in order to keep themselves free of demon possession.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Insulin and Guidelines for its Use

Read the package inserts of the insulin and understand all aspects of its use .


Carefully follow the storage, preparation, and injection techniques taught to you by your doctor or diabetes educator.


Participate in a thorough diabetes education program so that you under­stand diabetes and all aspects of its treatment, including diet, exercise, personal hygiene, and how to self-monitor blood glucose.


Become familiar with the specific type of insulin that you are using and how your blood sugar levels are affected by each dose. Do not switch types, brands, strengths, doses, or the order of mixing your insulin without first con3ulting your doctor or diabetes educator. Overdosage could result in insulin shock.