Thursday, 13 October 2011
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Obesity
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Obesity: Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. A person may be overweight fr...
Obesity
Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. A person may be overweight from extra muscle, bone, or water, as well as from having too much fat.
Both terms mean that a person's weight is higher than what is thought to be healthy for his or her height.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Taking in more calories than you burn can lead to obesity because the body stores unused calories as fat. Obesity can be caused by:
Eating more food than your body can use
Drinking too much alcohol
Not getting enough exercise
Many obese people who lose large amounts of weight and gain it back think it is their fault. They blame themselves for not having the willpower to keep the weight off. Many people regain more weight than they lost.
Today, we know that biology is a big reason why some people cannot keep the weight off. Some people who live in the same place and eat the same foods become obese, while others do not. Our bodies have a complex system to help keep our weight at a healthy level. In some people, this system does not work normally.
Other factors that affect weight include:
The way we eat when we are children can affect the way we eat as adults. The way we eat over many years becomes a habit. It affects what we eat, when we eat, and how much we eat.
We are surrounded by things that make it easy to overeat and hard to stay active:
Many people do not have time to plan and make healthy meals.
More people today work desk jobs compared to more active jobs in the past.
People with less free time have less time to exercise.
The term "eating disorder" means a group of medical conditions that have an unhealthy focus on eating, dieting, losing or gaining weight, and body image. A person may be obese, follow an unhealthy diet, and have an eating disorder all at the same time.
Sometimes, medical problems or treatments cause weight gain, including:
Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
Medicines such as birth control pills, antidepressants, and antipsychotics
Other things that can cause weight gain are:
Quitting smoking. Most people who quit smoking gain 4 - 10 pounds in the first 6 months after quitting. Some people gain as much as 25 - 30 pounds.
Stress, anxiety, feeling sad, or not sleeping well
For women:
Menopause -- women may gain 12-15 pounds during menopause
Not losing the weight they gained during pregnancy
Signs and tests
The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history, eating habits, and exercise routine.
The two most common ways to measure health risks from your weight are:
Body mass index (BMI)
Waist circumference (your waist measurement in inches)
BMI is measured using height and weight. You and your health care provider can use your BMI to estimate how much body fat you have.
Your waist measurement is another way to estimate how much body fat you have. Extra weight around your middle or stomach area increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. People with "apple-shaped" bodies (meaning their waist is bigger than their hips) also have an increased risk for these diseases.
Skin fold measurements may be taken to check your body fat percentage.
Blood tests may be done to look for thyroid or hormone problems that could lead to weight gain.
Treatment
CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE
An active lifestyle and regular exercise, along with healthy eating, is the best way to lose weight. Even modest weight loss can improve your health. You will need a lot of support from family and friends.
When dieting, your main goal should be to learn new, healthy ways of eating and make them a part of your daily routine.
Many people find it hard to change their eating habits and behaviors. You may have practiced some habits for so long that you may not even know they are unhealthy, or you do them without thinking. You need to be motivated to make lifestyle changes. Make the behavior change part of your life over the long term. Know that it takes time to make and keep a change in your lifestyle.
Work with your health care provider and dietitian to set realistic, safe daily calorie counts that help you lose weight while staying healthy. Remember that if you drop pounds slowly and steadily, you are more likely to keep them off. Your dietitian can teach you about:
Healthy food choices
Healthy snacks
Sweetened drinks
Portion sizes
How to read the nutrition labels
New ways to prepare food
Extreme diets (fewer than 1,100 calories per day) are not thought to be safe or to work very well. These types of diets often do not contain enough vitamins and minerals. Most people who lose weight this way return to overeating and become obese again.
Learn new ways to manage stress, rather than snacking. Examples may be meditation, yoga, or exercise. If you are depressed or stressed a lot, talk to your health care provider.
MEDICATIONS AND HERBAL REMEDIES
You may see ads for supplements and herbal remedies that claim they will help you lose weight. Many of these claims are not true, and some of these supplements can have serious side effects. Talk to your health care provider before using them.
Several prescription weight loss drugs are available. Most people lose between 5 and 10 pounds by taking these drugs. Most people also regain the weight when they stop taking the medicine, unless they have made lasting lifestyle changes, such as exercising and cutting unhealthy foods from their diet.
SURGERY
Bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of disease in people with severe obesity. These risks include:
Arthritis
Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Sleep apnea
Some cancers
Stroke
Surgery may help people who have been very obese for 5 years or more and have not lost weight from other treatments, such as diet, exercise, or medicine.
Surgery alone is not the answer for weight loss. It can train you to eat less, but you still have to do much of the work. You must be committed to diet and exercise after the surgery. Talk to your doctor to learn if this is a good option for you.
The two most common weight-loss surgeries are:
Laparoscopic gastric banding
Gastric bypass surgery
You may have complications from these surgeries. One problem some people have is throwing up if they eat more than their new small stomach can hold.
Support Groups
Many people find it easier to follow a diet and exercise program if they join a group of people with similar problems.
Complications
Obesity is a major health threat. The extra weight puts added stress on every part of your body.
People with obesity are at risk for these health problems:
Bone and joint problems -- extra weight puts strain on the bones and joints. This can lead toosteoarthritis, a disease that causes joint pain and stiffness.
Gallstones and liver problems
Heart attack from coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke
High blood cholesterol and triglycerides (dislipidemia or high blood fats)
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High blood sugar (glucose) or diabetes
Stopping breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). This can cause daytime fatigue or sleepiness, poor attention, and problems at work.
Both terms mean that a person's weight is higher than what is thought to be healthy for his or her height.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Taking in more calories than you burn can lead to obesity because the body stores unused calories as fat. Obesity can be caused by:
Eating more food than your body can use
Drinking too much alcohol
Not getting enough exercise
Many obese people who lose large amounts of weight and gain it back think it is their fault. They blame themselves for not having the willpower to keep the weight off. Many people regain more weight than they lost.
Today, we know that biology is a big reason why some people cannot keep the weight off. Some people who live in the same place and eat the same foods become obese, while others do not. Our bodies have a complex system to help keep our weight at a healthy level. In some people, this system does not work normally.
Other factors that affect weight include:
The way we eat when we are children can affect the way we eat as adults. The way we eat over many years becomes a habit. It affects what we eat, when we eat, and how much we eat.
We are surrounded by things that make it easy to overeat and hard to stay active:
Many people do not have time to plan and make healthy meals.
More people today work desk jobs compared to more active jobs in the past.
People with less free time have less time to exercise.
The term "eating disorder" means a group of medical conditions that have an unhealthy focus on eating, dieting, losing or gaining weight, and body image. A person may be obese, follow an unhealthy diet, and have an eating disorder all at the same time.
Sometimes, medical problems or treatments cause weight gain, including:
Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
Medicines such as birth control pills, antidepressants, and antipsychotics
Other things that can cause weight gain are:
Quitting smoking. Most people who quit smoking gain 4 - 10 pounds in the first 6 months after quitting. Some people gain as much as 25 - 30 pounds.
Stress, anxiety, feeling sad, or not sleeping well
For women:
Menopause -- women may gain 12-15 pounds during menopause
Not losing the weight they gained during pregnancy
Signs and tests
The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history, eating habits, and exercise routine.
The two most common ways to measure health risks from your weight are:
Body mass index (BMI)
Waist circumference (your waist measurement in inches)
BMI is measured using height and weight. You and your health care provider can use your BMI to estimate how much body fat you have.
Your waist measurement is another way to estimate how much body fat you have. Extra weight around your middle or stomach area increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. People with "apple-shaped" bodies (meaning their waist is bigger than their hips) also have an increased risk for these diseases.
Skin fold measurements may be taken to check your body fat percentage.
Blood tests may be done to look for thyroid or hormone problems that could lead to weight gain.
Treatment
CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE
An active lifestyle and regular exercise, along with healthy eating, is the best way to lose weight. Even modest weight loss can improve your health. You will need a lot of support from family and friends.
When dieting, your main goal should be to learn new, healthy ways of eating and make them a part of your daily routine.
Many people find it hard to change their eating habits and behaviors. You may have practiced some habits for so long that you may not even know they are unhealthy, or you do them without thinking. You need to be motivated to make lifestyle changes. Make the behavior change part of your life over the long term. Know that it takes time to make and keep a change in your lifestyle.
Work with your health care provider and dietitian to set realistic, safe daily calorie counts that help you lose weight while staying healthy. Remember that if you drop pounds slowly and steadily, you are more likely to keep them off. Your dietitian can teach you about:
Healthy food choices
Healthy snacks
Sweetened drinks
Portion sizes
How to read the nutrition labels
New ways to prepare food
Extreme diets (fewer than 1,100 calories per day) are not thought to be safe or to work very well. These types of diets often do not contain enough vitamins and minerals. Most people who lose weight this way return to overeating and become obese again.
Learn new ways to manage stress, rather than snacking. Examples may be meditation, yoga, or exercise. If you are depressed or stressed a lot, talk to your health care provider.
MEDICATIONS AND HERBAL REMEDIES
You may see ads for supplements and herbal remedies that claim they will help you lose weight. Many of these claims are not true, and some of these supplements can have serious side effects. Talk to your health care provider before using them.
Several prescription weight loss drugs are available. Most people lose between 5 and 10 pounds by taking these drugs. Most people also regain the weight when they stop taking the medicine, unless they have made lasting lifestyle changes, such as exercising and cutting unhealthy foods from their diet.
SURGERY
Bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of disease in people with severe obesity. These risks include:
Arthritis
Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Sleep apnea
Some cancers
Stroke
Surgery may help people who have been very obese for 5 years or more and have not lost weight from other treatments, such as diet, exercise, or medicine.
Surgery alone is not the answer for weight loss. It can train you to eat less, but you still have to do much of the work. You must be committed to diet and exercise after the surgery. Talk to your doctor to learn if this is a good option for you.
The two most common weight-loss surgeries are:
Laparoscopic gastric banding
Gastric bypass surgery
You may have complications from these surgeries. One problem some people have is throwing up if they eat more than their new small stomach can hold.
Support Groups
Many people find it easier to follow a diet and exercise program if they join a group of people with similar problems.
Complications
Obesity is a major health threat. The extra weight puts added stress on every part of your body.
People with obesity are at risk for these health problems:
Bone and joint problems -- extra weight puts strain on the bones and joints. This can lead toosteoarthritis, a disease that causes joint pain and stiffness.
Gallstones and liver problems
Heart attack from coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke
High blood cholesterol and triglycerides (dislipidemia or high blood fats)
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High blood sugar (glucose) or diabetes
Stopping breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). This can cause daytime fatigue or sleepiness, poor attention, and problems at work.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Delayed ejaculation
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Delayed ejaculation: Delayed ejaculation is a medical condition in which a male is unable to ejaculate, either during intercourse or with manual stimulation in t...
Delayed ejaculation
Delayed ejaculation is a medical condition in which a male is unable to ejaculate, either during intercourse or with manual stimulation in the presence of a partner. Ejaculation is the action in which semen is release from the penis.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Most men ejaculate within a few minutes after onset of active thrusting in intercourse. Men with delayed ejaculation may be entirely unable to ejaculate in some circumstances (for example, during intercourse), or may only be able to ejaculate with great effort and after prolonged intercourse (for example 30 to 45 minutes).
Delayed ejaculation can result from psychological or physical causes.
Common psychological causes include:
A strict religious background causing the person to view sex as sinful
Lack of attraction for a partner
Conditioning caused by unique or atypical masturbation patterns
Traumatic events (such as being discovered in masturbation or illicit sex, or learning one's partner is having an affair)
Some factors, such as anger toward the partner, may be involved.
Physical causes may include:
Use of certain drugs (such as prozac, mellaril, and guanethidine)
Neurological disease such as a stroke or nerve damage to the spinal cord or back
Signs and tests
Stimulation of the penis with a vibrator or other stimulatory device may determine if an underlying physical (often neurological) problem exists. A neurological examination may uncover other nerve problems associated with delayed ejaculation.
Treatment
If the man has never ejaculated through any form of stimulation (such as wet dreams, masturbation, or intercourse), a urologist should be consulted to determine if there is a congenital or physical cause.
If, however, he is able to ejaculate in a reasonable period of time by some form of stimulation, he should seek sex therapy from a therapist specializing in ejaculatory problems. Treatment usually includes both partners. The therapist will usually educate the couple about the fundamentals of sexual response and how to communicate and guide the partner to provide ideal stimulation, rather than trying to make a sexual response occur.
Therapy commonly involves a series of homework assignments wherein the couple, in the privacy of their home, engage in sexual activities that reduce performance pressure and focus on pleasure.
Typically, sexual intercourse will be prohibited for a limited period of time, while the couple gradually enhances their ability to enjoy ejaculation through other types of stimulation.
In cases where there is a problematic relationship or an inhibition of sexual desire between the couple, therapy to enhance the relationship and emotional intimacy may be required as a preliminary step.
Sometimes hypnosis may be a useful adjunct to therapy, particularly if a partner is not willing to participate in therapy. Self-treatment of this problem will probably be unsuccessful in most cases.
If a medication is believed to be the cause of the problem, other medication options may be discussed. (Never stop taking any medicine without first talking to your doctor.) This may be difficult in certain instances, especially when the medication is working appropriately to solve a pre-existing medical or psychological problem.
Expectations (prognosis)
Outpatient treatment commonly requires about 12 - 18 sessions with an average success rate in the range of 70 - 80%.
A more positive outcome is associated with having a previous history of satisfying sexual experiences, a short duration of the problem, feelings of sexual desire, feelings of love toward one's sexual partner, motivation for treatment, and absence of serious psychological problems.
If medications are causing the problem, your health care provider may recommond switching or stopping the medicine (if possible). A full recovery is possible if this can be done.
Complications
Marital stress, sexual dissatisfaction, inhibited sexual desire, and avoidance of sexual contact may result if the problem is not addressed and remedied. If pregnancy is desired, sperm may have to be collected using other methods because of the lack of ejaculation.
Prevention
Healthy attitudes toward sexuality and one's own genitals helps prevent delayed ejaculation. It is also vitally important to realize that you cannot will a sexual response, just as you cannot will yourself to go to sleep or to perspire. The harder one tries to have a certain sexual response, the more it becomes inhibited.
To minimize the pressure, a man should absorb himself in the pleasure of the moment, without worrying about whether or when he will ejaculate. The partner should create a relaxed atmosphere, free of pressure, rather than create pressure with questions about whether or not ejaculation has occurred. Finally, any fears or anxieties, such as fear of pregnancy or disease, should be openly discussed.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Most men ejaculate within a few minutes after onset of active thrusting in intercourse. Men with delayed ejaculation may be entirely unable to ejaculate in some circumstances (for example, during intercourse), or may only be able to ejaculate with great effort and after prolonged intercourse (for example 30 to 45 minutes).
Delayed ejaculation can result from psychological or physical causes.
Common psychological causes include:
A strict religious background causing the person to view sex as sinful
Lack of attraction for a partner
Conditioning caused by unique or atypical masturbation patterns
Traumatic events (such as being discovered in masturbation or illicit sex, or learning one's partner is having an affair)
Some factors, such as anger toward the partner, may be involved.
Physical causes may include:
Use of certain drugs (such as prozac, mellaril, and guanethidine)
Neurological disease such as a stroke or nerve damage to the spinal cord or back
Signs and tests
Stimulation of the penis with a vibrator or other stimulatory device may determine if an underlying physical (often neurological) problem exists. A neurological examination may uncover other nerve problems associated with delayed ejaculation.
Treatment
If the man has never ejaculated through any form of stimulation (such as wet dreams, masturbation, or intercourse), a urologist should be consulted to determine if there is a congenital or physical cause.
If, however, he is able to ejaculate in a reasonable period of time by some form of stimulation, he should seek sex therapy from a therapist specializing in ejaculatory problems. Treatment usually includes both partners. The therapist will usually educate the couple about the fundamentals of sexual response and how to communicate and guide the partner to provide ideal stimulation, rather than trying to make a sexual response occur.
Therapy commonly involves a series of homework assignments wherein the couple, in the privacy of their home, engage in sexual activities that reduce performance pressure and focus on pleasure.
Typically, sexual intercourse will be prohibited for a limited period of time, while the couple gradually enhances their ability to enjoy ejaculation through other types of stimulation.
In cases where there is a problematic relationship or an inhibition of sexual desire between the couple, therapy to enhance the relationship and emotional intimacy may be required as a preliminary step.
Sometimes hypnosis may be a useful adjunct to therapy, particularly if a partner is not willing to participate in therapy. Self-treatment of this problem will probably be unsuccessful in most cases.
If a medication is believed to be the cause of the problem, other medication options may be discussed. (Never stop taking any medicine without first talking to your doctor.) This may be difficult in certain instances, especially when the medication is working appropriately to solve a pre-existing medical or psychological problem.
Expectations (prognosis)
Outpatient treatment commonly requires about 12 - 18 sessions with an average success rate in the range of 70 - 80%.
A more positive outcome is associated with having a previous history of satisfying sexual experiences, a short duration of the problem, feelings of sexual desire, feelings of love toward one's sexual partner, motivation for treatment, and absence of serious psychological problems.
If medications are causing the problem, your health care provider may recommond switching or stopping the medicine (if possible). A full recovery is possible if this can be done.
Complications
Marital stress, sexual dissatisfaction, inhibited sexual desire, and avoidance of sexual contact may result if the problem is not addressed and remedied. If pregnancy is desired, sperm may have to be collected using other methods because of the lack of ejaculation.
Prevention
Healthy attitudes toward sexuality and one's own genitals helps prevent delayed ejaculation. It is also vitally important to realize that you cannot will a sexual response, just as you cannot will yourself to go to sleep or to perspire. The harder one tries to have a certain sexual response, the more it becomes inhibited.
To minimize the pressure, a man should absorb himself in the pleasure of the moment, without worrying about whether or when he will ejaculate. The partner should create a relaxed atmosphere, free of pressure, rather than create pressure with questions about whether or not ejaculation has occurred. Finally, any fears or anxieties, such as fear of pregnancy or disease, should be openly discussed.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Tips for Men
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Tips for Men: We have a belief that men are not that interested in beauty tips. We also have a notion that beauty is not for them and it is for women only...
Tips for Men
We have a belief that men are not that interested in beauty tips. We also have a notion that beauty is not for them and it is for women only. Recent researches have shown that men are also interested in beauty. So, Tips for Men are important. We have a bunch of tip which will help men.
We always thought that man just wanted to look masculine and macho. But they also need a parlor and tip to look better. The hair might look better with spikes. The pimple on your face might require treatment and you might need to glow your skin too. Hence we have carious ways to make you beautiful and you need to believe that beauty tips are not only for woman. Tips for men are also important. These tips now have high demand.
Few tips for men on facial
1. To remove pimples and acne keep your face clean.
2. Choose a face wash with minimum chemical.
3. Wash your face twice in a day with a mild face wash.
4. Soap based on deodorant should not be used on your face.
5. Use a moisturizer to retain moisture in your face.
6. The skin toner that you use should be rich in vitamin E or Aloe Vera.
7. Your razor must have a strip of Aloe Vera as it saves the after burns.
8. Home made packs for your face can be helpful.
9. Use Vaseline to soften your lips.
10. For a rugged look visit a parlor to get the right beard that suits on your face.
To know more about the homemade beauty tips on this website you can browse the required section.
Hair Tips for you
Today even men are cautious about their hair. You need to pay special attention to your hair. Healthy hair always looks good. Here we have few hair tips for men which will help you.
• Oil your hair regularly.
• If oiling your hair daily is a problem, then oil massage your hair on weekends. Wash away the oil with a mild shampoo.
• If you have grey hair then you may use henna or hair color.
• If you are facing hair fall then trim your hair frequently and keep your hair short.
• To set your hair you can use hair gel.
Make sure that any beauty product that you use on your hair or skin should not have harmful chemicals.
Tips for body care
• You might like to get rid of the excess hair on your body. The body hair at times becomes very embarrassing. Hair on your ears can be waxed. Even you can wax the hair on your chest. Body waxing will help you get a bare body look.
• After all days work your body must require a bit of relaxation. You can go for body massage on a weekend. This will increase a blood circulation of the body.
• Manicure and pedicure helps to clean up the feet and hands.
• A balanced diet and regular exercise are the secret to a healthy mind and body.
Cosmetics and dressing tips
• After bath use talcum powder.
• Use proper deodorant or perfume to get the fresh feeling.
• Wear clean and ironed clothes always.
• You may use lip balm to soften your lips.
We always thought that man just wanted to look masculine and macho. But they also need a parlor and tip to look better. The hair might look better with spikes. The pimple on your face might require treatment and you might need to glow your skin too. Hence we have carious ways to make you beautiful and you need to believe that beauty tips are not only for woman. Tips for men are also important. These tips now have high demand.
Few tips for men on facial
1. To remove pimples and acne keep your face clean.
2. Choose a face wash with minimum chemical.
3. Wash your face twice in a day with a mild face wash.
4. Soap based on deodorant should not be used on your face.
5. Use a moisturizer to retain moisture in your face.
6. The skin toner that you use should be rich in vitamin E or Aloe Vera.
7. Your razor must have a strip of Aloe Vera as it saves the after burns.
8. Home made packs for your face can be helpful.
9. Use Vaseline to soften your lips.
10. For a rugged look visit a parlor to get the right beard that suits on your face.
To know more about the homemade beauty tips on this website you can browse the required section.
Hair Tips for you
Today even men are cautious about their hair. You need to pay special attention to your hair. Healthy hair always looks good. Here we have few hair tips for men which will help you.
• Oil your hair regularly.
• If oiling your hair daily is a problem, then oil massage your hair on weekends. Wash away the oil with a mild shampoo.
• If you have grey hair then you may use henna or hair color.
• If you are facing hair fall then trim your hair frequently and keep your hair short.
• To set your hair you can use hair gel.
Make sure that any beauty product that you use on your hair or skin should not have harmful chemicals.
Tips for body care
• You might like to get rid of the excess hair on your body. The body hair at times becomes very embarrassing. Hair on your ears can be waxed. Even you can wax the hair on your chest. Body waxing will help you get a bare body look.
• After all days work your body must require a bit of relaxation. You can go for body massage on a weekend. This will increase a blood circulation of the body.
• Manicure and pedicure helps to clean up the feet and hands.
• A balanced diet and regular exercise are the secret to a healthy mind and body.
Cosmetics and dressing tips
• After bath use talcum powder.
• Use proper deodorant or perfume to get the fresh feeling.
• Wear clean and ironed clothes always.
• You may use lip balm to soften your lips.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Weight loss plan 'lacks evidence'
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Weight loss plan 'lacks evidence': It showed the step-by-step behavioural approach used in hospitals and clinics led to an average weight loss of 2kg (4.4lb) or less. The re...
Weight loss plan 'lacks evidence'
It showed the step-by-step behavioural approach used in hospitals and clinics led to an average weight loss of 2kg (4.4lb) or less.
The report, by The Cochrane Library, looked at studies involving nearly 4,000 people around the world.
A nutritionist said changing one's mindset was not enough.
The method, known as the transtheoretical model stages of change, is used to encourage people to move towards more healthy forms of behaviour.
The five-step process encourages people to see the need to change and then give it a go.
It has been shown to be successful in helping people quit smoking, and has also been used in alcohol and drug addiction.
The analysis looked at five trials - in the UK, US, Netherlands, Canada, and Australia - involving 1,834 overweight or obese patients, and 2,076 people of normal weight.
The authors, led by Prof Azeem Majeed and Dr Nik Tuah of Imperial College London, found no convincing evidence of any sustained or significant weight loss.
Prof Majeed told the BBC: "Changing people's dietary patterns is very difficult - that's why we've got such a problem with obesity."
Dr Tuah added: "This review does not necessarily challenge the notion that diet and exercise are effective weight loss strategies, but instead raises questions about how to approach lifestyle changes for individuals who want to adopt them."
A spokesperson for the charity, the British Nutritional Foundation, said the report emphasised the need to take concerted action when trying to lose weight.
She said: "Changing one's mindset is not enough. People need to eat less and exercise more to lose weight."
The report, by The Cochrane Library, looked at studies involving nearly 4,000 people around the world.
A nutritionist said changing one's mindset was not enough.
The method, known as the transtheoretical model stages of change, is used to encourage people to move towards more healthy forms of behaviour.
The five-step process encourages people to see the need to change and then give it a go.
It has been shown to be successful in helping people quit smoking, and has also been used in alcohol and drug addiction.
The analysis looked at five trials - in the UK, US, Netherlands, Canada, and Australia - involving 1,834 overweight or obese patients, and 2,076 people of normal weight.
The authors, led by Prof Azeem Majeed and Dr Nik Tuah of Imperial College London, found no convincing evidence of any sustained or significant weight loss.
Prof Majeed told the BBC: "Changing people's dietary patterns is very difficult - that's why we've got such a problem with obesity."
Dr Tuah added: "This review does not necessarily challenge the notion that diet and exercise are effective weight loss strategies, but instead raises questions about how to approach lifestyle changes for individuals who want to adopt them."
A spokesperson for the charity, the British Nutritional Foundation, said the report emphasised the need to take concerted action when trying to lose weight.
She said: "Changing one's mindset is not enough. People need to eat less and exercise more to lose weight."
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Anemia
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Anemia: Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Caus...
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
While many parts of the body help make red blood cells, most of the work is done in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue in the center of bones that helps form blood cells.
Healthy red blood cells last between 90 and 120 days. Parts of your body then remove old blood cells. A hormone called erythropoietin made in your kidneys signals your bone marrow to make more red blood cells.
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells. It gives red blood cells their red color. People with anemia do not have enough hemoglobin.
Possible causes of anemia include:
Certain medications
Chronic diseases such as cancer, ulcerative colitis, or rheumatoid arthritis
Genetis: Some forms of anemia, such as thalassemia, can be inherited
Kidney failure
Blood loss (for example, from heavy menstrual periods or stomach ulcers)
Poor diet
Pregnancy
Problems with bone marrow such as lymphoma, leukemia, or multiple myeloma
Problems with the immune system that cause the destruction of blood cells (hemolytic anemia)
Surgery to the stomach or intestines that reduces the absorption of iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid
Too little thyroid hormone (underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism)
Testosterone deficiency
Symptoms
Possible symptoms include:
Chest pain
Dizziness or light-headedness (especially when standing up or with activity)
Fatigue or lack of energy
Headaches
Problems concentrating
Shortness of breath (especially during exercise)
Some types of anemia may have other symptoms, such as:
Constipation
Problems thinking
Tingling
Signs and tests
The doctor will perform a physical examination, and may find:
Pale skin
Rapid heart rate
Heart murmur
Some types of anemia may cause other findings on a physical exam.
Blood tests used to diagnose some common types of anemia may include:
Blood levels of vitamin B12, folic acid, and other vitamins and minerals
Red blood count and hemoglobin level
Reticulocyte count
Ferritin level
Iron level
Other tests may be done to identify medical problems that can cause anemia.
Treatment
Treatment should be directed at the cause of the anemia, and may include:
Blood transfusions
Corticosteroids or other medicines that suppress the immune system
Erythropoietin, a medicine that helps your bone marrow make more blood cells
Supplements of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, or other vitamins and minerals
Expectations (prognosis)
The outlook depends on the cause.
Complications
Severe anemia can cause low oxygen levels in vital organs such as the heart, and can lead to a heart attack.
Calling your health care provider
Call your health provider if you have any symptoms of anemia, or any unusual bleeding.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
While many parts of the body help make red blood cells, most of the work is done in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue in the center of bones that helps form blood cells.
Healthy red blood cells last between 90 and 120 days. Parts of your body then remove old blood cells. A hormone called erythropoietin made in your kidneys signals your bone marrow to make more red blood cells.
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells. It gives red blood cells their red color. People with anemia do not have enough hemoglobin.
Possible causes of anemia include:
Certain medications
Chronic diseases such as cancer, ulcerative colitis, or rheumatoid arthritis
Genetis: Some forms of anemia, such as thalassemia, can be inherited
Kidney failure
Blood loss (for example, from heavy menstrual periods or stomach ulcers)
Poor diet
Pregnancy
Problems with bone marrow such as lymphoma, leukemia, or multiple myeloma
Problems with the immune system that cause the destruction of blood cells (hemolytic anemia)
Surgery to the stomach or intestines that reduces the absorption of iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid
Too little thyroid hormone (underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism)
Testosterone deficiency
Symptoms
Possible symptoms include:
Chest pain
Dizziness or light-headedness (especially when standing up or with activity)
Fatigue or lack of energy
Headaches
Problems concentrating
Shortness of breath (especially during exercise)
Some types of anemia may have other symptoms, such as:
Constipation
Problems thinking
Tingling
Signs and tests
The doctor will perform a physical examination, and may find:
Pale skin
Rapid heart rate
Heart murmur
Some types of anemia may cause other findings on a physical exam.
Blood tests used to diagnose some common types of anemia may include:
Blood levels of vitamin B12, folic acid, and other vitamins and minerals
Red blood count and hemoglobin level
Reticulocyte count
Ferritin level
Iron level
Other tests may be done to identify medical problems that can cause anemia.
Treatment
Treatment should be directed at the cause of the anemia, and may include:
Blood transfusions
Corticosteroids or other medicines that suppress the immune system
Erythropoietin, a medicine that helps your bone marrow make more blood cells
Supplements of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, or other vitamins and minerals
Expectations (prognosis)
The outlook depends on the cause.
Complications
Severe anemia can cause low oxygen levels in vital organs such as the heart, and can lead to a heart attack.
Calling your health care provider
Call your health provider if you have any symptoms of anemia, or any unusual bleeding.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Free funerals could boost organ donation
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Free funerals could boost organ donation: Offering free funerals to people who donate kidneys, livers and other organs could help boost donation rates, an influential British medica...
Free funerals could boost organ donation
Offering free funerals to people who donate kidneys, livers and other organs could help boost donation rates, an influential British medical ethics group says.
In a set of recommendations published Monday, the Nuffield Council listed various ways to encourage people to donate more body parts, including organs, blood, eggs and sperm.
It suggested that Britain's health system test the idea of paying for the funerals of people who sign up to the national organ donor register and then die after donating a body part. The free funerals would not be available to living donors, such as people who voluntarily give up a kidney, bone marrow, or liver.
"We have ruled out giving people a direct financial incentive to donate," said Keith Rigg, a transplant surgeon at Nottingham University Hospital and an author of the report.
Rigg told reporters Monday that the free funeral idea would not benefit the donor, but might offer surviving relatives help at a difficult time. He said it was similar to what's done in medical schools, which often cover the burial or cremation costs of people who donate their bodies for anatomy and other classes.
While there are 18 million people in the U.K. signed up to donate organs, only about 1,000 people a year actually do so, mostly because few die in circumstances that allow their organs to be donated. Britain has among the lowest rates of organ donation in Europe and half the rate of the U.S.
Rigg said the funerals proposal should be tested first to see if it would actually increase organ donation rates, and that experts hadn't set a limit on the amount of money families would get for funeral expenses.
Other experts weren't sure it would work.
"Associating free funerals with organ donation is an odd reward," said Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. "It reminds people of how they get to be an organ donor and may make them nervous."
Caplan said educating the public about the need for organ donation would be a better way to convince more people to donate.
John Harris, a bioethics professor at the University of Manchester, described the free funerals offer as "macabre" and said more people would sign up to donate if offered more direct incentives, such as cash.
"We shouldn't be hung up on this idea that altruism and recompense are mutually exclusive," he said. "It is not wrong to try to influence people to do good."
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: What are the advantages and disadvantages of butte...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: What are the advantages and disadvantages of butte...: From a nutritional standpoint, both butter and ghee are basically made from the fats of whole milk. Although butter in the United States is ...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of butter and ghee when it comes to cooking?
From a nutritional standpoint, both butter and ghee are basically made from the fats of whole milk. Although butter in the United States is almost always made from cow's milk, the ghee used for cooking in India is often made from buffalo milk. Both ghee and butter are usually 80% milk fat or greater in terms of their composition, and about two-thirds of that fat is saturated fat.
How Butter Is Made
Butter is made by separating cream from milk. Since the fat-based cream portion of the milk is lighter than the water and milk solids portion, the cream in fresh milk will eventually rise to the top of the milk over time if the milk is simply left standing. However, a centrifuge that very forcefully spins can be used to speed up this process. (When milk is centrifuged, the lighter cream will stay closer to the center and the heavier water and solid portions will fly to the outside of the centrifuge.) When cream has been separated from milk, it can be churned until it reaches a semi-solid state. That product is what we call butter.
Clarified Butter and Ghee
Clarified butter is butter that has been melted over low heat and allowed to bubble and simmer until most of the water has been evaporated. Clarified butter is also sometimes called drawn butter. Ghee is essentially clarified butter, although traditional ghee-making processes (originating in India, where ghee is very commonly used in cooking) place a focus on exact steps and specific qualities of the clarified butter. The cooking process is usually extended for a longer period of time with ghee, eliminating more of the moisture and also causing the milk solids to caramelize for eventual removal from the ghee through strainers. The highest-quality ghee is obtained when the long-simmered butter is allowed to cool and only the top-most layer is skimmed off. (That layer becomes the ghee that is considered top-quality and used in cooking.)
Health Consequences of Ghee and Butter
Research on ghee and health is limited, but fairly consistent. When ghee is consumed at levels above 10% total calories, it can increase risk of cardiovascular disease. (For a person consuming 1,800 calories per day, 10% of those calories would be 180 calories, or about 20 grams of fat, which equals approximately 2 tablespoons of ghee.) At levels under 10% of total calories, however, ghee appears to help lower cardiovascular risks, especially when other fats consumed during the day are exclusively from plants or plant oils.
Butter, like ghee, can increase risk of cardiovascular disease when consumed in excessive amounts. One research study has shown that 3 tablespoons of butter per day over 4 weeks can increase total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For this reason, if you are going to cook with butter, you will want to keep the amount at a moderate level of no more than 1-2 tablespoons.
The benefits of butter at moderate levels do not yet have the same level of research backing as ghee. However, there is increasing research interest in butter as having some unique potential benefits of its own, particularly in relationship to its vitamin K and vitamin D content. This content may vary, however, depending on the diet and living circumstances of the dairy cow. (We look forward to new research in this area, especially with respect to vitamin K2.)
Types of Fats in Ghee and Butter
When comparing ghee to butter in terms of health, one reason for the more favorable past research record of ghee versus butter might be the increased amount of medium- and short-chain fatty acids in ghee. Butter contains about 12-15% of these medium-chain and short-chain fats, whereas ghee contains about 25%. (Our bodies metabolize medium-chain and short-chain fats differently than long-chain ones, and medium- and short-chain ones are not associated with cardiovascular problems in the same way as the long-chain ones are.)
Ghee Has a Higher Smoke Point than Butter
Ghee tends to have a higher smoke point than butter. For butter, smoke point is typically reached between 325˚-375˚F (163˚-191˚C). Some clarified butters also fall into this general range, but ghee usually has a higher smoke point, between 400˚-500˚F (204˚-260˚C). This higher smoke point can be an advantage when cooking at high heat since smoke point is that moment when heat damage to some of the components in a fat or oil is sufficient to become visible in the form of smoke. When it comes to our health, heating above smoke point is not a good idea with any oil or fat.
Cooking Recommendations
For persons choosing to cook in fat at higher heats in the 400˚-500˚F (204˚-260˚C) range, ghee makes sense to us, provided that it's used in moderation (no more than 1-2 tablespoons per day). Even for a person deciding to cook in fat, however, the use of butter at higher heats does not make sense to us due to its lower smoke point (325˚-375˚F/163˚-191˚C).
The use of butter and ghee at lower heats (300˚-375˚F/163˚-191˚C) may be acceptable, provided once again that both of these animal fats are used in moderation. Whether there are distinct advantages to the use of butter at lower heats versus plant oils is not clear to us from the existing research. In general, however, we do not like the idea of heating plant oils due to the delicate nature of their polyunsaturated fats and phytonutrients. Since butter has far fewer polyunsaturates than plant oils, it might provide a lower heat cooking alternative for this reason. However, the phytonutrient and vitamin content of butter would still be susceptible to heat damage, and since we have not yet seen research to confirm the health benefits of butter in lower heat cooking, we cannot recommend this practice without the benefit of more research. On our website, we offer a method of healthy sautéing that requires no fat or oil of any kind. You can visit the Cooking Healthy section of our website to learn more about this method.
How Butter Is Made
Butter is made by separating cream from milk. Since the fat-based cream portion of the milk is lighter than the water and milk solids portion, the cream in fresh milk will eventually rise to the top of the milk over time if the milk is simply left standing. However, a centrifuge that very forcefully spins can be used to speed up this process. (When milk is centrifuged, the lighter cream will stay closer to the center and the heavier water and solid portions will fly to the outside of the centrifuge.) When cream has been separated from milk, it can be churned until it reaches a semi-solid state. That product is what we call butter.
Clarified Butter and Ghee
Clarified butter is butter that has been melted over low heat and allowed to bubble and simmer until most of the water has been evaporated. Clarified butter is also sometimes called drawn butter. Ghee is essentially clarified butter, although traditional ghee-making processes (originating in India, where ghee is very commonly used in cooking) place a focus on exact steps and specific qualities of the clarified butter. The cooking process is usually extended for a longer period of time with ghee, eliminating more of the moisture and also causing the milk solids to caramelize for eventual removal from the ghee through strainers. The highest-quality ghee is obtained when the long-simmered butter is allowed to cool and only the top-most layer is skimmed off. (That layer becomes the ghee that is considered top-quality and used in cooking.)
Health Consequences of Ghee and Butter
Research on ghee and health is limited, but fairly consistent. When ghee is consumed at levels above 10% total calories, it can increase risk of cardiovascular disease. (For a person consuming 1,800 calories per day, 10% of those calories would be 180 calories, or about 20 grams of fat, which equals approximately 2 tablespoons of ghee.) At levels under 10% of total calories, however, ghee appears to help lower cardiovascular risks, especially when other fats consumed during the day are exclusively from plants or plant oils.
Butter, like ghee, can increase risk of cardiovascular disease when consumed in excessive amounts. One research study has shown that 3 tablespoons of butter per day over 4 weeks can increase total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For this reason, if you are going to cook with butter, you will want to keep the amount at a moderate level of no more than 1-2 tablespoons.
The benefits of butter at moderate levels do not yet have the same level of research backing as ghee. However, there is increasing research interest in butter as having some unique potential benefits of its own, particularly in relationship to its vitamin K and vitamin D content. This content may vary, however, depending on the diet and living circumstances of the dairy cow. (We look forward to new research in this area, especially with respect to vitamin K2.)
Types of Fats in Ghee and Butter
When comparing ghee to butter in terms of health, one reason for the more favorable past research record of ghee versus butter might be the increased amount of medium- and short-chain fatty acids in ghee. Butter contains about 12-15% of these medium-chain and short-chain fats, whereas ghee contains about 25%. (Our bodies metabolize medium-chain and short-chain fats differently than long-chain ones, and medium- and short-chain ones are not associated with cardiovascular problems in the same way as the long-chain ones are.)
Ghee Has a Higher Smoke Point than Butter
Ghee tends to have a higher smoke point than butter. For butter, smoke point is typically reached between 325˚-375˚F (163˚-191˚C). Some clarified butters also fall into this general range, but ghee usually has a higher smoke point, between 400˚-500˚F (204˚-260˚C). This higher smoke point can be an advantage when cooking at high heat since smoke point is that moment when heat damage to some of the components in a fat or oil is sufficient to become visible in the form of smoke. When it comes to our health, heating above smoke point is not a good idea with any oil or fat.
Cooking Recommendations
For persons choosing to cook in fat at higher heats in the 400˚-500˚F (204˚-260˚C) range, ghee makes sense to us, provided that it's used in moderation (no more than 1-2 tablespoons per day). Even for a person deciding to cook in fat, however, the use of butter at higher heats does not make sense to us due to its lower smoke point (325˚-375˚F/163˚-191˚C).
The use of butter and ghee at lower heats (300˚-375˚F/163˚-191˚C) may be acceptable, provided once again that both of these animal fats are used in moderation. Whether there are distinct advantages to the use of butter at lower heats versus plant oils is not clear to us from the existing research. In general, however, we do not like the idea of heating plant oils due to the delicate nature of their polyunsaturated fats and phytonutrients. Since butter has far fewer polyunsaturates than plant oils, it might provide a lower heat cooking alternative for this reason. However, the phytonutrient and vitamin content of butter would still be susceptible to heat damage, and since we have not yet seen research to confirm the health benefits of butter in lower heat cooking, we cannot recommend this practice without the benefit of more research. On our website, we offer a method of healthy sautéing that requires no fat or oil of any kind. You can visit the Cooking Healthy section of our website to learn more about this method.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Nigeria, Ghana may clash over stolen ship
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Nigeria, Ghana may clash over stolen ship: There’s a looming diplomatic row between the maritime regulatory authorities of Ghana and Nigeria as a marine tanker vessel, MT Kemepade, de...
Nigeria, Ghana may clash over stolen ship
There’s a looming diplomatic row between the maritime regulatory authorities of Ghana and Nigeria as a marine tanker vessel, MT Kemepade, declared missing in Nigeria has been found in Ghana, slated for urgent scrapping.
Already, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reportedly sent a protest letter to the Presidency, through the Federal Ministry of Transport, expressing its displeasure that a tanker vessel which was declared missing in the Lagos anchorage on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 had been found in a ship yard at Tema Habour in Ghana with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number wipped off, contrary to laid down maritime norms.
International rules to which both Nigeria and Ghana subscribe to, stipulate that any vessel slated for scrapping must submit legitimate documents from its owners, past and present as well as the last certificating authority, all of which must be contacted for authentication, before any ship could be scrapped. A rule which NIMASA insisted Ghana, deliberately or othrwise, refused to follow.
The Nigerian Tribune was told that when the MT Kemepade was reported missing by its owner, it also had one sailor on board at the time.
It was further gathered that in line with its statutory responsibility to ensure the safety and security of ships on Nigerian waters, the management of NIMASA had sent signals to all neighbouring shipping and maritime regulatory authorities alerting them of the development and requesting for assistance, in case the vessel was sighted in their areas.
Already, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reportedly sent a protest letter to the Presidency, through the Federal Ministry of Transport, expressing its displeasure that a tanker vessel which was declared missing in the Lagos anchorage on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 had been found in a ship yard at Tema Habour in Ghana with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number wipped off, contrary to laid down maritime norms.
International rules to which both Nigeria and Ghana subscribe to, stipulate that any vessel slated for scrapping must submit legitimate documents from its owners, past and present as well as the last certificating authority, all of which must be contacted for authentication, before any ship could be scrapped. A rule which NIMASA insisted Ghana, deliberately or othrwise, refused to follow.
The Nigerian Tribune was told that when the MT Kemepade was reported missing by its owner, it also had one sailor on board at the time.
It was further gathered that in line with its statutory responsibility to ensure the safety and security of ships on Nigerian waters, the management of NIMASA had sent signals to all neighbouring shipping and maritime regulatory authorities alerting them of the development and requesting for assistance, in case the vessel was sighted in their areas.
Monday, 10 October 2011
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: City face striker shortage
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: City face striker shortage: Manchester City look set to be without star striker Sergio Aguero against Aston Villa on Saturday. Aguero is still struggling with the a...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: City face striker shortage
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: City face striker shortage: Manchester City look set to be without star striker Sergio Aguero against Aston Villa on Saturday. Aguero is still struggling with the a...
City face striker shortage
Manchester City look set to be without star striker Sergio Aguero against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Aguero is still struggling with the adductor strain he picked up during the 4-0 win at Blackburn Rovers and had already been ruled out of Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Venezuela.
Mario Balotelli also had to sit out Italy's matches with a back injury while Carlos Tevez is suspended by the club until Thursday.But coach David Platt has played down a situation that could leave Edin Dzeko as the only conventional striker available when they face unbeaten Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
"We have plenty of ways of playing," Platt said. "We have Yaya Toure, David Silva and Samir Nasri, three who can all work off the striker as well.
"Let's just concentrate on what we have available. We know we have a squad of players which means we can put a team out against anyone and make a good game of it.
Aguero is still struggling with the adductor strain he picked up during the 4-0 win at Blackburn Rovers and had already been ruled out of Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Venezuela.
Mario Balotelli also had to sit out Italy's matches with a back injury while Carlos Tevez is suspended by the club until Thursday.But coach David Platt has played down a situation that could leave Edin Dzeko as the only conventional striker available when they face unbeaten Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
"We have plenty of ways of playing," Platt said. "We have Yaya Toure, David Silva and Samir Nasri, three who can all work off the striker as well.
"Let's just concentrate on what we have available. We know we have a squad of players which means we can put a team out against anyone and make a good game of it.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Johnson eyes Manchester United match
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Johnson eyes Manchester United match: Liverpool defender Glen Johnson is hoping to be fit to face Manchester United. The full-back wants to be part of the Reds' matchday squad...
Johnson eyes Manchester United match
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson is hoping to be fit to face Manchester United.
The full-back wants to be part of the Reds' matchday squad for their Barclays Premier League meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson's men on 15th October as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.
Having originally picked up the injury in a pre-season friendly against Valencia, Johnson aggravated it when making his comeback appearance as a substitute in the defeat to Stoke City on 10th September.
The England international has not featured since, but now has his sights set on the Barclays Premier League leaders' visit to Anfield.
"I'm feeling good at the moment and I've been doing plenty of running," Johnson told the official club website.
"I've just started doing ball work outside in training so I reckon it won't be too long now.
"I'm working hard and it would be nice to be back in the squad for the Man United game. Hopefully I can make the bench anyway, so fingers crossed."
The full-back wants to be part of the Reds' matchday squad for their Barclays Premier League meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson's men on 15th October as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.
Having originally picked up the injury in a pre-season friendly against Valencia, Johnson aggravated it when making his comeback appearance as a substitute in the defeat to Stoke City on 10th September.
The England international has not featured since, but now has his sights set on the Barclays Premier League leaders' visit to Anfield.
"I'm feeling good at the moment and I've been doing plenty of running," Johnson told the official club website.
"I've just started doing ball work outside in training so I reckon it won't be too long now.
"I'm working hard and it would be nice to be back in the squad for the Man United game. Hopefully I can make the bench anyway, so fingers crossed."
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Starbucks to Share Wealth with Urban League, Abyss...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Starbucks to Share Wealth with Urban League, Abyss...: When Starbucks Coffee Co. closed its store on the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Vernon Avenue, the Los Angeles Urban League started askin...
Starbucks to Share Wealth with Urban League, Abyssinian Corporation
When Starbucks Coffee Co. closed its store on the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Vernon Avenue, the Los Angeles Urban League started asking questions.
Some two years later, those questions have morphed into a new business model that Starbucks, the L.A. Urban League and the Harlem-based Abyssinian Development Corp. announced Tuesday.
Under this new model, for a three-year period, Starbucks will donate a minimum of $100,000 out of the profits from two of its stores to each of the nonprofit groups for use to help bolster programs in the communities the two organizations serve.
In Los Angeles, the bustling Starbucks at Crenshaw Boulevard and Coliseum Street will serve as the focal point, and in New York, the store at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue will support Abyssinian.
“Starbucks is partnering with two organizations doing heroic work to address the economic, social and education challenges in their communities,” said Howard Schultz, president, chairman and CEO, Starbucks Coffee Co. “These two partnerships are intended to help us learn how our company can successfully join with change-making community organizations in a localized, coordinated and replicable way.”
“Starbucks is taking the lead in very tough economic times. They fully recognize and appreciate the need for collaboration between forward-thinking organizations from the for-profit and nonprofit sectors,” said Blair H. Taylor, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.
“This 21st-century partnership makes tremendous sense, since the Los Angeles Urban League is fundamentally committed to transforming communities through our holistic model, Neighborhoods@Work™. Howard Schultz has fully embraced the notion of Starbucks playing a vital role in rebuilding communities. Our hope is that this powerful relationship–which allows communities to receive contributions from Starbucks through nonprofit agencies–will be replicated by other companies across the nation.”
The program begins this month, and according to Urban League spokesperson Chris Strudwick-Turner, the funding will allow the nonprofit to do some things it has not been able to do in this shaky economic climate.
Some two years later, those questions have morphed into a new business model that Starbucks, the L.A. Urban League and the Harlem-based Abyssinian Development Corp. announced Tuesday.
Under this new model, for a three-year period, Starbucks will donate a minimum of $100,000 out of the profits from two of its stores to each of the nonprofit groups for use to help bolster programs in the communities the two organizations serve.
In Los Angeles, the bustling Starbucks at Crenshaw Boulevard and Coliseum Street will serve as the focal point, and in New York, the store at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue will support Abyssinian.
“Starbucks is partnering with two organizations doing heroic work to address the economic, social and education challenges in their communities,” said Howard Schultz, president, chairman and CEO, Starbucks Coffee Co. “These two partnerships are intended to help us learn how our company can successfully join with change-making community organizations in a localized, coordinated and replicable way.”
“Starbucks is taking the lead in very tough economic times. They fully recognize and appreciate the need for collaboration between forward-thinking organizations from the for-profit and nonprofit sectors,” said Blair H. Taylor, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.
“This 21st-century partnership makes tremendous sense, since the Los Angeles Urban League is fundamentally committed to transforming communities through our holistic model, Neighborhoods@Work™. Howard Schultz has fully embraced the notion of Starbucks playing a vital role in rebuilding communities. Our hope is that this powerful relationship–which allows communities to receive contributions from Starbucks through nonprofit agencies–will be replicated by other companies across the nation.”
The program begins this month, and according to Urban League spokesperson Chris Strudwick-Turner, the funding will allow the nonprofit to do some things it has not been able to do in this shaky economic climate.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: The Jobs' Crisis Collateral Damage: The Coming Men...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: The Jobs' Crisis Collateral Damage: The Coming Men...: The U.S. is facing “a silent mental health epidemic” as joblessness lengthens and deepens for millions of once-gainfully employed Americans,...
The Jobs' Crisis Collateral Damage: The Coming Mental Health Epidemic
The U.S. is facing “a silent mental health epidemic” as joblessness lengthens and deepens for millions of once-gainfully employed Americans, a new study is warning.
The report contends that signs of significant mental health problems are already readily apparent among the jobless who’ve been out of work six months or longer, and that they are also beginning to show themselves among workers who have found jobs after a long period of unemployment but at substantially lower wages and benefits.
These problems include difficulty sleeping; having more arguments than usual with family and friends, a tendency to isolate one’s self socially out of shame at being unemployed; a listlessness and loss of self-confidence in pursuing job opportunities in the face of countless rejections, and even clinical depression.
Sociologists and labor market analysts have long discussed these and other effects on individuals of a prolonged spell of joblessness. More recently, the impact of the Great recession and continuing slow recovery has provoked news media to devote more attention to examining the impact on individuals and families of prolonged joblessness.
The huge buildup to record levels of the jobless, and especially the long-term unemployed – those out of work six months and longer – has led some to warn the nation faces a looming social and economic catastrophe.
Among those at the forefront of that effort is the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. Its researchers have produced a series of reports over the past two years probing the psychological well-being as well as the economic condition of a cohort of jobless workers, paying special attention to the long-term jobless. The findings of the latest, “Out of Work and Losing Hope: The Misery and Bleak Expectations of American Workers,” offer a grim portrait of individuals, most still in their prime working years, whose joblessness has marooned them on the margins of the society and are increasingly pessimistic about finding their way back to the center.
Nearly three-quarters of the 14 million Americans out of work have been jobless for more than six months. Half have been jobless for two years or more.
The loss of workers is a blow to the productivity of the workplace and, via workers spending their wages, the health of the economy.
The collateral damage stems from the drag on the economy caused by a sizeable cohort of unemployed and from the funding for the social services they will require.
The “Out of Work” report found that 47 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced stress because of their joblessness and 32 percent had undergone substantial emotional turmoil; at least 11 percent said they had sought professional help for depression within the last year.
The reasons why are apparent from another set of statistics embedded in the Heldrich Center survey. They show that 41 percent of those who lost a job before being first surveyed two years ago are either still unemployed or have settled involuntarily for part-time work. Among those who’ve found work, over half settled for lower pay; and nearly a third had their job-related benefits cut. The group as a whole remains in dire economic straits. Less than a fifth say their financial circumstances are “excellent; 45 percent say, after their prolonged period of joblessness that they are “poor.”
Further, as a group they are deeply pessimistic about America’s future. Nearly three-quarters believe the U.S. economy is experiencing fundamental and lasting changes, compared to just over half who said that two years ago.
Not surprisingly, the Heldrich Center found a high level of support among its survey subjects for government action to reduce unemployment, including funding long-term education and training program that help people change careers, giving tax credits to businesses that hire new workers, direct government creation of jobs for unemployed workers, and requiring recipients of unemployment benefits to enter job-training programs.
The report contends that signs of significant mental health problems are already readily apparent among the jobless who’ve been out of work six months or longer, and that they are also beginning to show themselves among workers who have found jobs after a long period of unemployment but at substantially lower wages and benefits.
These problems include difficulty sleeping; having more arguments than usual with family and friends, a tendency to isolate one’s self socially out of shame at being unemployed; a listlessness and loss of self-confidence in pursuing job opportunities in the face of countless rejections, and even clinical depression.
Sociologists and labor market analysts have long discussed these and other effects on individuals of a prolonged spell of joblessness. More recently, the impact of the Great recession and continuing slow recovery has provoked news media to devote more attention to examining the impact on individuals and families of prolonged joblessness.
The huge buildup to record levels of the jobless, and especially the long-term unemployed – those out of work six months and longer – has led some to warn the nation faces a looming social and economic catastrophe.
Among those at the forefront of that effort is the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. Its researchers have produced a series of reports over the past two years probing the psychological well-being as well as the economic condition of a cohort of jobless workers, paying special attention to the long-term jobless. The findings of the latest, “Out of Work and Losing Hope: The Misery and Bleak Expectations of American Workers,” offer a grim portrait of individuals, most still in their prime working years, whose joblessness has marooned them on the margins of the society and are increasingly pessimistic about finding their way back to the center.
Nearly three-quarters of the 14 million Americans out of work have been jobless for more than six months. Half have been jobless for two years or more.
The loss of workers is a blow to the productivity of the workplace and, via workers spending their wages, the health of the economy.
The collateral damage stems from the drag on the economy caused by a sizeable cohort of unemployed and from the funding for the social services they will require.
The “Out of Work” report found that 47 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced stress because of their joblessness and 32 percent had undergone substantial emotional turmoil; at least 11 percent said they had sought professional help for depression within the last year.
The reasons why are apparent from another set of statistics embedded in the Heldrich Center survey. They show that 41 percent of those who lost a job before being first surveyed two years ago are either still unemployed or have settled involuntarily for part-time work. Among those who’ve found work, over half settled for lower pay; and nearly a third had their job-related benefits cut. The group as a whole remains in dire economic straits. Less than a fifth say their financial circumstances are “excellent; 45 percent say, after their prolonged period of joblessness that they are “poor.”
Further, as a group they are deeply pessimistic about America’s future. Nearly three-quarters believe the U.S. economy is experiencing fundamental and lasting changes, compared to just over half who said that two years ago.
Not surprisingly, the Heldrich Center found a high level of support among its survey subjects for government action to reduce unemployment, including funding long-term education and training program that help people change careers, giving tax credits to businesses that hire new workers, direct government creation of jobs for unemployed workers, and requiring recipients of unemployment benefits to enter job-training programs.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: News
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: News: The Jobs' Crisis Collateral Damage: The Coming Mental Health Epidemic The U.S. is facing “a silent mental health epidemic” as joblessness l...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Hormone Drug Considered Unsafe in U.S. Now Creatin...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Hormone Drug Considered Unsafe in U.S. Now Creatin...: A controversial hormone drug, long opposed by several Black, Latina and Native American women’s health groups, has found its way to Africa w...
Hormone Drug Considered Unsafe in U.S. Now Creating Havoc in Africa
A controversial hormone drug, long opposed by several Black, Latina and Native American women’s health groups, has found its way to Africa where new research has made some alarming discoveries.
In the just-published study of seven African countries, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that women who used the Pfizer drug Depo Provera – a hormone-based contraceptive injection - were twice as likely to acquire and pass on HIV as those who didn’t. A higher risk was also observed for birth-control pills.
The study suggests that active promotion of injectable contraception in Africa may be fueling the spread of the world’s biggest infectious killer, said Charles S. Morrison and Kavita Nanda, researchers at FHI 360, a nonprofit organization in Durham, North Carolina, that works on reproductive health projects.
Some 3,790 couples in Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia in which one partner was infected with HIV were studied for the research.
For years , Depo-Provera has been targeted by health activist women of color, who point out how disproportionately it is used with Black and poor women despite dangerous side effects. Depo users in the U.S. are 33 percent under the age of 19, 84 percent Black women, and 74 percent low income, according to a recent study.
In 2004, Pfizer acknowledged that Depo caused a significant loss of bone mineral density, and a study funded by USAID found that women using Depo had a three-fold chance of infection from Chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Nevertheless, from 1994-2000, USAID provided 41,967,200 units of Depo-Provera to the developing world. USAID sends more units of Depo-Provera to Africa, to countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria than to any other part of the world.
“Depo-Provera is potentially life-threatening,” warned a poster by the Racism & Reproductive Rights Taskforce in San Francisco. “Get The Facts Before You Get The Shot.”
More than 140 million women worldwide use hormonal contraception, including pills and long-acting injections, which are the most popular form of birth control in Africa. But limiting the most highly used method of contraception could also be risky, warned the FHI 360 group. It could contribute to increased maternal mortality and more low birth weight babies and orphans – “an equally tragic result.”
In the just-published study of seven African countries, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that women who used the Pfizer drug Depo Provera – a hormone-based contraceptive injection - were twice as likely to acquire and pass on HIV as those who didn’t. A higher risk was also observed for birth-control pills.
The study suggests that active promotion of injectable contraception in Africa may be fueling the spread of the world’s biggest infectious killer, said Charles S. Morrison and Kavita Nanda, researchers at FHI 360, a nonprofit organization in Durham, North Carolina, that works on reproductive health projects.
Some 3,790 couples in Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia in which one partner was infected with HIV were studied for the research.
For years , Depo-Provera has been targeted by health activist women of color, who point out how disproportionately it is used with Black and poor women despite dangerous side effects. Depo users in the U.S. are 33 percent under the age of 19, 84 percent Black women, and 74 percent low income, according to a recent study.
In 2004, Pfizer acknowledged that Depo caused a significant loss of bone mineral density, and a study funded by USAID found that women using Depo had a three-fold chance of infection from Chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Nevertheless, from 1994-2000, USAID provided 41,967,200 units of Depo-Provera to the developing world. USAID sends more units of Depo-Provera to Africa, to countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria than to any other part of the world.
“Depo-Provera is potentially life-threatening,” warned a poster by the Racism & Reproductive Rights Taskforce in San Francisco. “Get The Facts Before You Get The Shot.”
More than 140 million women worldwide use hormonal contraception, including pills and long-acting injections, which are the most popular form of birth control in Africa. But limiting the most highly used method of contraception could also be risky, warned the FHI 360 group. It could contribute to increased maternal mortality and more low birth weight babies and orphans – “an equally tragic result.”
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: China Seen 'Dictating African Policy' in Rebuff to...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: China Seen 'Dictating African Policy' in Rebuff to...: Tibet’s religious leader, the Dalai Lama, was forced to cancel plans to give the keynote speech at the 80th birthday celebration of the Arch...
China Seen 'Dictating African Policy' in Rebuff to Dalai Lama
Tibet’s religious leader, the Dalai Lama, was forced to cancel plans to give the keynote speech at the 80th birthday celebration of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu – a victim, some said, of the growing muscle of China not only in trade but in diplomacy.
A Nobel Prize winner, as is Tutu, the Dalai Lama was scheduled to give a peace lecture at the University of the Western Cape and at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Tutu blasted the government’s failure to issue the a visa for the Dalai Lama, calling it "disgraceful," and University of the Witwatersrand vice chancellor Loyiso Nongxa said it "ridicules the values enshrined in our Constitution."
Trade union leader Tony Ehrenreich, speaking at a midnight vigil for the Tibetan figure, said: "Even though China is our biggest trading partner, we should not exchange our morality for dollars or yuan."
Beijing has attempted to block visits of the Dalai Lama to other foreign countries in a dispute over Tibet which China claims. South African officials insist they were not blocking the visa under pressure from China.
Still, it seemed like too much of coincidence that South Africa’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was in China recently signing a stack of commercial agreements, including one trade-financing deal valued at $2.5 billion. And visas for the Tibetan leader, approved.
A Nobel Prize winner, as is Tutu, the Dalai Lama was scheduled to give a peace lecture at the University of the Western Cape and at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Tutu blasted the government’s failure to issue the a visa for the Dalai Lama, calling it "disgraceful," and University of the Witwatersrand vice chancellor Loyiso Nongxa said it "ridicules the values enshrined in our Constitution."
Trade union leader Tony Ehrenreich, speaking at a midnight vigil for the Tibetan figure, said: "Even though China is our biggest trading partner, we should not exchange our morality for dollars or yuan."
Beijing has attempted to block visits of the Dalai Lama to other foreign countries in a dispute over Tibet which China claims. South African officials insist they were not blocking the visa under pressure from China.
Still, it seemed like too much of coincidence that South Africa’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was in China recently signing a stack of commercial agreements, including one trade-financing deal valued at $2.5 billion. And visas for the Tibetan leader, approved.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Rabies
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Rabies: Rabies is a deadly viral infection that is mainly spread by infected animals. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Rabies is spread by in...
Rabies
Rabies is a deadly viral infection that is mainly spread by infected animals.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Rabies is spread by infected saliva that enters the body through a bite or broken skin. The virus travels from the wound to the brain, where it causes swelling, or inflammation. This inflammation leads to symptoms of the disease. Most rabies deaths occur in children.
In the past, human cases in the United States usually resulted from a dog bite, but recently, more cases of human rabies have been linked to bats and raccoons. Although dog bites are a common cause of rabies in developing countries, there have been no reports of rabies caused by dog bites in the United States for a number of years due to widespread animal vaccination.
Other wild animals that can spread the rabies virus include:
•
Foxes
•
Skunks
Very rarely, rabies has been transmitted without an actual bite. This is believed to have been caused by infected saliva that has gotten into the air.
The United Kingdom had once completely eradicated rabies, but recently, rabies-infected bats have been found in Scotland.
Symptoms
The actual time between infection and when you get sick (called the "incubation period") ranges from 10 days - 7 years. The average incubation period is 3 - 7 weeks.
Symptoms may include:
•
Anxiety, stress, and tension
•
Drooling
•
Convulsions
•
Exaggerated sensation at the bite site
•
Excitability
•
Loss of feeling in an area of the body
•
Loss of muscle function
•
Low-grade fever (102 degrees F or lower)
•
Muscle spasms
•
Numbness and tingling
•
Pain at the site of the bite
•
Restlessness
•
Swallowing difficulty (drinking causes spasms of the voicebox)
Signs and tests
If an animal bites you, try to gather as much information about the animal as possible. Call your local animal control authorities to safely capture the animal. If rabies is suspected, the animal will be watched for signs of rabies.
A special test called immunofluorescence is used to look at the brain tissue after an animal is dead. This test can reveal whether or not the animal had rabies.
The same test can be used to check for rabies in humans, using a piece of skin from the neck. Doctors may also look for the rabies virus in your saliva or spinal fluid, although these tests are not as sensitive and may need to be repeated.
Treatment
Clean the wound well with soap and water, and seek professional medical help. You'll need a doctor to thoroughly clean the wound and remove any foreign objects. Most of the time, stitches should not be used for animal bite wounds.
If there is any risk of rabies, you will be given a series of a preventive vaccine. This is generally given in 5 doses over 28 days.
Most patients also receive a treatment called human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG). This is given the day the bite occurred.
Call your doctor right away after an animal bite or after being exposed to animals such as bats, foxes, and skunks. They may carry rabies.
•
Call even when no bite took place.
•
Immunization and treatment for possible rabies are recommended for at least up to 14 days after exposure or a bite.
There is no known effective treatment for people with symptoms of a rabies infection.
Expectations (prognosis)
It's possible to prevent rabies if immunization is given soon after the bite. To date, no one in the United States has developed rabies when given the vaccine promptly and appropriately.
Once the symptoms appear, the person rarely survives the disease, even with treatment. Death from respiratory failure usually occurs within 7 days after symptoms start.
Complications
Untreated, rabies can lead to coma and death.
In rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the rabies vaccine.
Calling your health care provider
Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if an animal bites you.
Prevention
To help prevent rabies:
•
Avoid contact with animals you don't know.
•
Get vaccinated if you work in a high-risk occupation or travel to countries with a high rate of rabies.
•
Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines by 4 months of age, followed by a booster shot 1 year later, and another one every 1 or 3 years, depending on the type of vaccine used.
•
Follow quarantine regulations on importing dogs and other mammals in disease-free countries.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Rabies is spread by infected saliva that enters the body through a bite or broken skin. The virus travels from the wound to the brain, where it causes swelling, or inflammation. This inflammation leads to symptoms of the disease. Most rabies deaths occur in children.
In the past, human cases in the United States usually resulted from a dog bite, but recently, more cases of human rabies have been linked to bats and raccoons. Although dog bites are a common cause of rabies in developing countries, there have been no reports of rabies caused by dog bites in the United States for a number of years due to widespread animal vaccination.
Other wild animals that can spread the rabies virus include:
•
Foxes
•
Skunks
Very rarely, rabies has been transmitted without an actual bite. This is believed to have been caused by infected saliva that has gotten into the air.
The United Kingdom had once completely eradicated rabies, but recently, rabies-infected bats have been found in Scotland.
Symptoms
The actual time between infection and when you get sick (called the "incubation period") ranges from 10 days - 7 years. The average incubation period is 3 - 7 weeks.
Symptoms may include:
•
Anxiety, stress, and tension
•
Drooling
•
Convulsions
•
Exaggerated sensation at the bite site
•
Excitability
•
Loss of feeling in an area of the body
•
Loss of muscle function
•
Low-grade fever (102 degrees F or lower)
•
Muscle spasms
•
Numbness and tingling
•
Pain at the site of the bite
•
Restlessness
•
Swallowing difficulty (drinking causes spasms of the voicebox)
Signs and tests
If an animal bites you, try to gather as much information about the animal as possible. Call your local animal control authorities to safely capture the animal. If rabies is suspected, the animal will be watched for signs of rabies.
A special test called immunofluorescence is used to look at the brain tissue after an animal is dead. This test can reveal whether or not the animal had rabies.
The same test can be used to check for rabies in humans, using a piece of skin from the neck. Doctors may also look for the rabies virus in your saliva or spinal fluid, although these tests are not as sensitive and may need to be repeated.
Treatment
Clean the wound well with soap and water, and seek professional medical help. You'll need a doctor to thoroughly clean the wound and remove any foreign objects. Most of the time, stitches should not be used for animal bite wounds.
If there is any risk of rabies, you will be given a series of a preventive vaccine. This is generally given in 5 doses over 28 days.
Most patients also receive a treatment called human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG). This is given the day the bite occurred.
Call your doctor right away after an animal bite or after being exposed to animals such as bats, foxes, and skunks. They may carry rabies.
•
Call even when no bite took place.
•
Immunization and treatment for possible rabies are recommended for at least up to 14 days after exposure or a bite.
There is no known effective treatment for people with symptoms of a rabies infection.
Expectations (prognosis)
It's possible to prevent rabies if immunization is given soon after the bite. To date, no one in the United States has developed rabies when given the vaccine promptly and appropriately.
Once the symptoms appear, the person rarely survives the disease, even with treatment. Death from respiratory failure usually occurs within 7 days after symptoms start.
Complications
Untreated, rabies can lead to coma and death.
In rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the rabies vaccine.
Calling your health care provider
Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if an animal bites you.
Prevention
To help prevent rabies:
•
Avoid contact with animals you don't know.
•
Get vaccinated if you work in a high-risk occupation or travel to countries with a high rate of rabies.
•
Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines by 4 months of age, followed by a booster shot 1 year later, and another one every 1 or 3 years, depending on the type of vaccine used.
•
Follow quarantine regulations on importing dogs and other mammals in disease-free countries.
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Mobile phone radiation is a possible cancer risk, ...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Mobile phone radiation is a possible cancer risk, ...: Radiation from mobile phones has been classified as a possible cancer risk by the World Health Organisation after a major review of the eff...
Mobile phone radiation is a possible cancer risk, warns WHO
Radiation from mobile phones has been classified as a possible cancer risk by the World Health Organisation after a major review of the effects of electromagnetic waves on human health.
The declaration was based on evidence in published studies that intensive use of mobile phones might lead to an increased risk of glioma, a malignant form of brain cancer.
The conclusion by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) applies to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation in general, though most research in the area has centred on wireless phones.
The findings are the culmination of an IARC meeting during which 31 scientists from 14 countries assessed hundreds of published studies into the potential cancer risks posed by electromagnetic fields. The UK was represented by Simon Mann from the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards in Oxfordshire.
Jonathan Samet, a scientist at the University of Southern California, who chaired the group, said: "The conclusion means that there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cellphones and cancer."
In designating radio-frequency fields as "possibly carcinogenic", the WHO has put them on a par with around 240 other agents for which evidence of harm is uncertain, including low-level magnetic fields, talcum powder and working in a dry cleaners.
The report found no clear mechanism for the waves to cause brain tumours. Radiation from mobile phones is too weak to cause cancer by breaking DNA, leading scientists to suspect other, more indirect routes.
"We found some threads of evidence telling us how cancers might occur but there are acknowledged gaps and uncertainties," Samet said.
Christopher Wild, director of the IARC, said that in view of the potential implications for public health, there should be more research on long-term, heavy use of mobile phones. "Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure such as hands-free devices or texting," he said.
There are around 5bn mobile phone subscriptions globally, according to the International Telecommunication Union, a UN agency for information and communication technologies.
The IARC group reviewed research investigating potential health risks from electromagnetic fields associated with technologies such as radio, television, wireless communications and mobile phones.
The committee decided the fields were possibly carcinogenic to humans, a finding that will feed through to national health agencies in support of their efforts to minimise exposure to cancer-causing factors.
The IARC has evaluated nearly 950 chemicals, physical and biological agents, occupational exposures and lifestyle factors where there is either evidence or suspicion that they may cause cancer.
The report on radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation comes a year after the WHO published its much-delayed Interphone study, which found no solid evidence that mobile phones increase the risk of brain tumours, but pointed to a slightly higher risk among those who used mobile phones the most. The report was held up for several years because scientists failed to agree on its findings and whether to issue a warning about excessive use.
Exposure from a mobile phone base station is typically much lower than from a handset held to the ear, but concerns over the possible health effects of electromagnetic waves have extended to base stations and wireless computer networks, particularly in relation to schools.
According to the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, half of all primary schools and 82% of secondary schools make use of wireless computer networks.
Wi-fi equipment is restricted to a maximum output of 100 milliwatts in Europe at the most popular frequency of 2.4 gigahertz. At that level, exposure to radiowaves should not exceed guideline levels drawn up by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation and adopted in the UK.
A Health Protection Agency study led by Mann in 2009 found that exposure to radiowaves from wi-fi equipment was well within these guideline levels.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Healthy Food
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Healthy Food: Eating healthy food and exercising regularly improves your health. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can reduce your chance of getting...
Healthy Food
Eating healthy food and exercising regularly improves your health. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can reduce your chance of getting cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Low-fat meats, beans, and nuts are also part of a good nutrition plan. The United States Department of Agriculture has published a new food pyramid that includes tips and facts about how to eat healthy to improve your health and live longer.
What are the benefits of eating healthy foods?
People who eat healthy foods feel and look better.
They have fewer medical problems and miss less days from work or school.
People who eat healthy foods also feel more energetic and live longer than people who don't.
Is it important to take vitamins?
You can get all the vitamins you need from the foods you eat, but taking a multi-vitamin once a day is a good idea.
Multi-vitamins can be taken once a day after eating.
If you take a multi-vitamin, be sure to check the expiration date on the bottle
What kind of bread is healthy?
Whole wheat bread is good to eat.
The United States Department of Agriculture says we should have at least three ounces of whole grains per day.
Whole grains can be breads, cereal, crackers, pasta, or brown rice.
How many servings of vegetables should we eat?
We should eat 3-4 servings of vegetables a day.
It is important to eat green and orange vegetables like spinach and carrots every day.
Fresh vegetables are best, but frozen vegetables are healthy, too.
How many servings of fruits should we eat?
We should eat 3-4 servings fruits a day.
Fresh fruits like apples and oranges are best.
Avoid eating canned fruits because they contain too much sugar.
What kinds of meats are best?
Low-fat meats like turkey and chicken are good to eat.
Meats that are low in fat are called lean.
Meat that is baked has less fat than meat that is fried.
Are sweets good for your health?
No, sweets are bad for your health.
Avoid eating too many sweets.
Buy a juicer and make fresh juice instead.
Is exercising an important part of a healthy lifestyle?
Yes, exercising at least 20 minutes a day is very important.
Exercising burns calories, keeps bones strong, improves balance, and reduces stress.
Riding bikes is a fun and easy way to exercise.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: News
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: News: Ruling party wins chaotic Sri Lankan polls The Sri Lankan president's party has won 22 out of 23 local councils in elections, according t...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Psychological Health
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Psychological Health: Psychological Disorders Psychological disorders affect an array of people in various environments, at any age and without reason. It’s been...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Abscess
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Abscess: An abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body that, in most cases, causes swelling and inflammation around it. Causes, incidenc...
vps hosting
Abscess
An abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body that, in most cases, causes swelling and inflammation around it.
Abscesses can form in almost any part of the body. The skin, under the skin, and the teeth are the most common sites. Abscesses may be caused by bacteria, parasites, and foreign substances.
Abscesses in the skin are easy to see. They are red, raised, and painful. Abscesses in other areas of the body may not be obvious, but they may cause significant organ damage.
Some specific type of abscesses are:
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Abscesses occur when an area of tissue becomes infected and the body's immune system tries to fight it. White blood cells move through the walls of the blood vessels into the area of the infection and collect within the damaged tissue. During this process, pus forms. Pus is the buildup of fluid, living and dead white blood cells, dead tissue, and bacteria or other foreign substances.Abscesses can form in almost any part of the body. The skin, under the skin, and the teeth are the most common sites. Abscesses may be caused by bacteria, parasites, and foreign substances.
Abscesses in the skin are easy to see. They are red, raised, and painful. Abscesses in other areas of the body may not be obvious, but they may cause significant organ damage.
Some specific type of abscesses are:
Signs and tests
Often, a sample of fluid will be taken from the abscess and tested to see what organism is causing the problem.Treatment
Treatment varies, but often surgery, antibiotics, or both are needed.Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you think that you may have any type of abscess.Prevention
Prevention of abscesses depends on where they develop. For example, good hygiene can help prevent skin abscesses. Dental hygiene and routine care will prevent tooth abscesses.Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Managing Disease Health
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Managing Disease Health: Autoimmune Disorder An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body t...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Nutritional Health
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Nutritional Health: Healthy Fast Food Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices Fast food is cheap, convenient, filling, and to many of us it tastes good....
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: 25 ways to improve your health
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: 25 ways to improve your health: 1 Brush your teeth twice daily 2 Dress right for the weather 3 Visit the dentist regularly 4 Get plenty of rest 5.) Make ...
25 ways to improve your health
Do all these things and you will be a happier, healthier person.
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Upward
Glad that I live am I;
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes,
And the fall of dew.
After the sun the rain;
After the rain the sun;
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.
All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky.
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes,
And the fall of dew.
After the sun the rain;
After the rain the sun;
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.
All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky.
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Cancer
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Cancer: Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells. Causes, incidence, and ri...
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Cancer - penis
Your Health is Your Wealth Corner: Cancer - penis: Cancer of the penis is cancer that starts in the penis , an organ that makes up part of the male reproductive system. Causes, incidence, a...
Cancer - penis
Cancer of the penis is cancer that starts in the penis, an organ that makes up part of the male reproductive system.
Smegma, a cheese-like, foul-smelling substance found under the foreskin of the penis may increase the risk of penis cancer.
Uncircumcised men who do not keep the area under the foreskin clean and men with a history of genital warts or human papillomavirus (HPV) are at higher risk for this rare disorder.
A biopsy of the growth is needed to determine if it is cancer.
In general, cancer treatment includes:
For more severe tumors, total removal of the penis (total penectomy) is often necessary. A new opening will be created in the groin area to allow urine to exit the body. This procedure is called a urethrostomy.
Chemotherapy may be used along with surgery. Bleomycin, cisplatin, or methotrexate alone or together are usually used for treating penile cancer.
Radiation therapy is often recommended in combination with surgery. A type of radiation therapy called external beam therapy is often used. This method delivers radiation to the penis from outside the body. External beam radiation therapy is usually performed 5 days a week for 6 - 8 weeks.
See: Cancer - support group
Good personal hygiene and safer sexual practices, such as abstinence, limiting the number of sexual partners, and use of condoms to prevent HPV infection, may decrease the risk of developing penile cancer.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The exact cause is unknown.Smegma, a cheese-like, foul-smelling substance found under the foreskin of the penis may increase the risk of penis cancer.
Uncircumcised men who do not keep the area under the foreskin clean and men with a history of genital warts or human papillomavirus (HPV) are at higher risk for this rare disorder.
Symptoms
- Genital lesions on the penis
- Painless sore on penis (occasionally, the lesion may cause pain)
- Penis pain and bleeding from the penis (may occur with advanced disease)
Signs and tests
The health care provider will perform a physical exam, which may reveal a non-tender lesion that looks like a pimple or wart. This growth is typically near the end of the penis.A biopsy of the growth is needed to determine if it is cancer.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the size and location of the tumor and how much it has spread.In general, cancer treatment includes:
- Chemotherapy -- uses medicines to kill cancer cells
- Radiation -- using high powered x-rays to kill cancer cells
- Surgery - cuts out and removes the cancer
For more severe tumors, total removal of the penis (total penectomy) is often necessary. A new opening will be created in the groin area to allow urine to exit the body. This procedure is called a urethrostomy.
Chemotherapy may be used along with surgery. Bleomycin, cisplatin, or methotrexate alone or together are usually used for treating penile cancer.
Radiation therapy is often recommended in combination with surgery. A type of radiation therapy called external beam therapy is often used. This method delivers radiation to the penis from outside the body. External beam radiation therapy is usually performed 5 days a week for 6 - 8 weeks.
Support Groups
Joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems may help relieve the stress associated with diagnosis and treatment of penile cancer.See: Cancer - support group
Expectations (prognosis)
The outcome can be good with early diagnosis and treatment. The 5-year survival rate for penile cancers is 65%. Urination and sexual function can often be maintained even when a significant portion of the penis is removed.Complications
Cancer of the penis frequently spreads to other parts of the body (metastasizes) early in the course of the disease.Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if symptoms of penis cancer develop.Prevention
Circumcision may decrease the risk. Men who are not circumcised should be taught at an early age the importance of cleaning beneath the foreskin as part of their personal hygiene.Good personal hygiene and safer sexual practices, such as abstinence, limiting the number of sexual partners, and use of condoms to prevent HPV infection, may decrease the risk of developing penile cancer.
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