Beauty Health for Life

Calcium-rich diet and supplements provide similar benefits

Taking a calcium supplement of up to 1,000 mg per day can help women live longer, according to a study whose lead author was Lisa Langsetmo, a Ph.D. Research Associate at McGill University, and whose senior author was Prof. David Goltzman, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and researcher in the Musculoskeletal Disorders axis at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC).Their findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Calcium, an essential nutrient for bone health, is commonly found in dairy products as well as vitamins. Although calcium is an essential nutrient for bone health, past studies have linked calcium supplements to heart disease risk. The researchers, located at universities across the country, analyzed data from the large-scale Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) seeking to determine whether calcium and vitamin D intake were associated with overall increased risk of death.

"We found that daily use of calcium supplements in women was associated with a lower risk of death, irrespective of cause," said the studys lead author, Prof. Goltzman, Director, Calcium Research Laboratory at McGill. "The benefit was seen for women who took doses of up to 1,000 mg per day, regardless of whether the supplement contained vitamin D."

The longitudinal study of participants living in or near 9 cities across Canada monitored the health of 9,033 Canadians between 1995 and 2007. During that period, 1,160 participants died. Although the data showed women who took calcium supplements had a lower mortality risk, there was no statistical benefit for men. The study found no conclusive evidence that vitamin D had an impact on mortality.

"Higher amounts of calcium were potentially linked to longer lifespans in women, regardless of the source of the calcium," says Goltzman. "In other words, the same benefits were seen when the calcium came from dairy foods, non-dairy foods or supplements."

Every practicing physician using an electronic health record (EHR) has seen them.  Past diagnosis zombies that stumble endlessly through every encounter record.  "Coronary heart disease" that the patient never really had, "diabetes" that was only one possibility among many and a "fracture" that never appeared on any x-ray.

These undead conditions clutter the technology-enabled health system basically because of two EHR value propositions:

1) saving physician time by using automatic templates that vacuum up every past diagnosis entry and importing them into the encounter note, and

2) enabling a higher payment "complexity" level by documenting every past diagnostic consideration.

So, if someone somewhere anywhere in the past enters "Ehlers Danlos Syndrome" as an unlikely, but possible, diagnosis or a reason to perform additional testing, the EHR will spawn the same immortal entry of "Ehlers Danlos" forever.  That diagnosis will emerge from the HIT server-cloud crypts each and every time the patient sees a physician.

But you dont have to take the DMCBs word for it.

Dr. Faith Fitzgerald chose a far less gruesome allegory. Using Hans Christian Andersons "The Emperors New Clothes," this University of California Davis professor wrote a biting essay on the topic of lingering electronic untruths in a recent Annals of Internal Medicine.  She describes a patient who, despite having none of the features of Ehlers Danlos, is aggressively treated for it because the condition has been repeatedly listed in the EHR as a diagnosis.  Yet, unlike the boy who pointed out the Emperor was naked, Dr. Fitzgerald was unable to overcome her colleagues unconditional willingness to assume the EHRs information was correct.

"Zombie" and  "Emperors New Clothes" are only two ways to characterize this particular shortcoming of the EHR. dbs Medical Rants has a third, describing it as documentation inertia.  

Whatever the allegory, fable or jargon, the phenomenon is real.  The DMCB did a quick literature search to see if the frequency of untrue electronic diagnoses has been measured, and it cant find any studies.

If readers know of any please share.  In the meantime, the DMCB will continue to periodically revisit the issue.

A secret has been revealed in the news over the past few weeks. I was a part of that secret. What was the secret you ask? Men are now using skin care products as a part of their daily activities!

I started a few months ago due to something I learned about myself. I had my picture taken. Not just a standard picture. I had my picture taken with a special ultraviolet camera and light that shows damaged skin due to excessive sun exposure. First they took a picture of my face with standard light. Although not a flattering picture, it looked like I expected. Then they took a picture of my face with the ultraviolet light. What did I look like? I looked like I had a face FULL of freckles. Only these freckles werent the cute ones that would have showed up in the first picture. They showed that I have a significant amount of sun damage. I guess my early years of working and playing outside all summer long with little or no sun protection is catching up with me.

It is common knowledge that sun damaged skin will cause premature signs of aging skin (wrinkling, "leathery" appearance and feel, etc.) as well as being a cause of skin cancer. So, I decided to do something about it. One of those things is to take better care of my skin. I am using skin care products that have a sunscreen built in. These same products also contain enzymes that can help speed cell renewal in sun damaged skin.

Yes, the secret is out. I am using skin care products every day. My wife says my complexion is also better because of it. I look forward to having my picture taken in the future. Maybe my complexion isnt the only thing that is improving.

by: Roger Carr

Article Source : Facing Sun Effects

I think a lot about patients rights, and expectations; about what the most ideal medical care should look like for a person with diabetes. Ive often thought of putting together a post regarding these thoughts, but I never quite had a catalyst to really help me organize together all the elements.

The time I spent at Medicine X really got me thinking more in that direction, and contextualizing my vision. Some of these might seem like basic tenets, but others are quite revolutionary.

When I advocate, I feel I usually do so, subconsciously, from some of these starting points... and I suppose they could apply to just about any other health condition. These are what patients want from their clinicians:

To Be Afforded Humanity... With:

• Respect and Freedom: As a partner in a journey of self discovery. An equal who is allowed the freedom to disagree, respectfully, and to make a different (informed) choice from what the provider would have chosen. Not as a civilian kept under the inflexible regime of the provider, nor as a subordinate, ignorant layperson, or petulant child.
• Dignity and empathy: As potential mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, significant others; people with potential hopes and dreams, fears and anxieties, just like them. Not as cold hardware to be tested, and prodded.
• Encouragement: As persons in need of perspective, and hope, from those who have the positive power to guide us into better health. Not recrimination, or scolding, whenever we fail at meeting a goal. 
• Acknowledgement: As partners deserving of their full attention, concern, praise or recognition. Not ignored when we present our health concerns, or when we reach an important milestone in care, or when we work hard to achieve goals. It is, sometimes, incredibly hard to jump through some of the hoops and obstacle courses which you demand of us... so please, give praise and positive feedback when we achieve them! 

To Be Afforded Effective Communication... With:  

About four years ago, I started working out regularly for the first time in my life. Since my childhood diagnosis, I’d used asthma as an excuse for never pushing myself to exercise. I began slowly by riding my bike to work. A year later, through a friend, I found an exercise class I liked. It met weekly, but required a monthly commitment, and I thought I can do this for a month. That month turned into a year, then two years, then a gym membership.

Riding my bicycle through New York City’s streets gave me a thrill like I’d never experienced. It was like being in a video game. My heart pounded as my legs pumped the pedals, whizzing past cars and buses. It was exhilarating. In the class, I discovered the outer limits of my endurance and a confidence I never knew existed. I pushed myself like never before.

In three years, 40 pounds had disappeared. The weight loss was so gradual that I barely noticed it—except that my clothes didn’t fit—because for the first time in my life, weight loss was not driving my endeavor. My primary concern was loving that person in the mirror and making sure she was healthy. My confidence was soaring.

What surprised me most was that I had done nothing about my diet. Not much needed to change, since I already ate a healthy, home-cooked, whole foods diet. I’ve always been a “5 small meals” eater, so I tend to eat smaller portions. I rarely denied myself the occasional indulgence or the occasional over-indulgence, and I still lost weight. I wasn’t counting calories beyond what I do for CHG. I merely added exercise to my life.

All was going well until I hit a roadblock last fall. As a freelancer, I hate saying no to work, and I found myself completely over-committed—for an entire month. First my social life went by the wayside. My friends understood, especially the ones with babies. Then cooking all but ceased. If it wasn’t going to be blogged about, it wasn’t getting made. Finally, the gym gave way. I still walked to the office every day, but my beloved 3-times-a-week exercise class fell by the wayside.

It’s only temporary, I told myself. But I knew me. I knew how hard it had been to establish that routine I was so proud of myself for maintaining.

Just as I feared, one month became two became four. I felt my energy level decrease, my asthma worsen, my clothes tighten, and the guilt build. Oh Heather, it’s so hard to break out of that shame spiral.

But I did it. Since the new year began, I’ve been back at the gym and my favorite class, walking more, and once the weather is nice, I will be back on my bike. I am lucky to have the support of my boyfriend and some very good friends who are on similar journeys. Now I know from experience I can get back on track and stay there. And if I slip, it’s okay. I’m a happy, healthy human who can have her Newman O’s and eat them too.

Find an exercise or activity you enjoy.
Anything that gets your body moving will do. Talk a walk. Throw a frisbee with someone. Dance around your living room if that suits you. Just do it a couple of times a week at first, and you’ll want to do more.  IntenSati is the mind-body cardio practice that got my body moving. Find what you love and get going. (Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.)

Slow and steady rules the day.
Whatever your fitness goals, slower is better. You’re more likely to keep weight off longer the slower you lose it. And don’t try to do everything at once. Start with exercise, and then incorporate dietary changes. Or build up to adding strength training into your routine. The longer you give yourself to adjust to the changes you’re making, the more likely they will become lasting changes.

Find a buddy (or three).
You may prefer to exercise alone, but it’s important to have a support system for the emotional part of getting and staying healthy. Not everyone wants to hear that you did 30 minutes on the elliptical this morning before work. So round up a couple of like-minded friends who do. You can be there to share each others triumphs and pitfalls. Connecting can be as simple as emailing a friend or joining an online message board. Spark People is a terrific online resource for health and fitness information, plus community support.

Your best is good enough.
Competition is at the core of many exercise and sports programs. But when you are trying to get healthy, for whatever reason, your best—right now—is good enough. If all you can do is walk to the corner and back, do that. Then do that twice a day, then three times. You get the idea. Eventually, you’ll be a triathlete if that’s your goal. In the immortal words of Senator Stuart Smalley, “You are good enough, smart enough, and doggonit, people, like me you.”

Gentle readers, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your favorite ways to exercise? What do you do to snap out of a slump? The comments are yours.

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If this tips your canoe, swim on over to:

• How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off: 10 Rules to Live By
• Trading Butter for All the Broccoli in China: Getting Healthy Takes Practice
• Why Weight Maintenance Is Harder Than Weight Loss, and How to Help It Along

Simple Ways of Maintaining Healthy Heart | Health problems can not be underestimated in the heart of the present. We must consider our health, especially heart health. Keeping the heart healthy way is actually quite simple. World Heart Federation (World Heart Federation/WHF) estimates that cardiovascular disease will be the leading cause of death in Asia in 2010. Below, there are some Simple Ways of Maintaining Healthy Heart, among others:

1. Adjusting diet
a. Try eating more foods such as rice, vegetables (green beans, spinach, etc.), fruits, fish, grains and yogurt.

b. Reduce your intake of foods such as milk, cheese and nuts. Add garlic to your recipes.

c. Eating foods that contain beta-carotene such as carrots, cabbage and root crops.

d. Reduce intake of sodium, no more than a quarter teaspoon of salt a day. Eat regular meals. Drinking enough water. Change the habit of drinking coffee with tea.

2. Changing patterns and lifestyles
a. Regular exercise. At first choose the type of mild to moderate intensity exercise such as brisk walking, or bike that carried at least 30 minutes three to five times a week. Get used to using the stairs on each to go up to higher floors.

b. Take advantage of every opportunity to perform physical activity. If you drive a motor vehicle, try to park a little farther from your destination so that you get used to walking.

c. Doing chores such as sweeping, mopping, cleaning the house in addition to your sport. Maintain your ideal weight.

d. Stop smoking and avoid alcohol.

e. Get plenty of rest. Organize your daily schedule to avoid stress.

f. Do it a useful exercise to reduce stress such as relaxation therapy, yoga and meditation. Lots of laughing is good medicine.

3. Check your health on a regular basis
a. Know history of heart disease and blood vessels in your family tree.

b. Perform regular medical check ups, including the monitoring of blood pressure and cholesterol your body.

4. Take the medication that was prescribed by a doctor for you

5. Give and receive affection from the people you care about

Try applying some basic tips above in your daily life, for the most appropriate treatment for heart disease is actually prevented heart disease itself.

May this Simple Ways of Maintaining healthy Heart could be beneficial to you. You can also read How To Keep Young Pregnancy. Good luck.