Saturday, October 17, 2009

H1N1 Flu Vaccine

H1N1 Flu Vaccine: "This is a brief public service announcement from SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG. Vincent Rancaniello, PhD from This Week in Virology and Marc Pelletier, PhD from This Week in Biotech talk about the new H1N1 Infuenza vaccine.

It is safe and effective. I will get it myself and recommend it to all my patients.

Please share this announcement with others.

To learn more go to http://flu.gov or http://cdc.gov/h1n1.
"

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Denial is a River in Egypt

Denial is a River in Egypt: "I saw that on a sign about 6 months ago when I went to a rehab facility to see a patient. I was curious as to what the significance was, so I asked one of the therapists. He said it's a favorite saying in group therapy when one group member is in denial and starts making excuses for his or her drug or alcohol issues -- justifying behaviors. The group will shout 'Denial is a river in Egypt'. No denial allowed!

For some reason through out the week following that visit the sign kept haunti..."

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Simple Method to Prevent a Stroke

Simple Method to Prevent a Stroke: "

stroke may seem like something that only happens to other people — and the thinking is usually that those people are older, in ill health, and also have heart disease. But in reality, stroke can affect many different kinds of people and have a range of effects on their health, life, and physical and mental abilities.


Stroke: The 411


Simply put, a stroke is what happens when blood can’t reach the brain. This can happen for two main reasons: a blood clot or other blockage in an artery keeps blood from reaching the brain, causing an stroke; or a blood vessel bursts, causing a hemorrhagic stroke. (Another name that you may hear for stroke is cerebrovascular accident, or CVA.) When blood, and the crucial nutrients and oxygen it carries, can’t reach the brain, brain cells can quickly die, leaving permanent damage


About 700,000 Americans have strokes each year, and 150,000 of them will die as a result. There are approximately 5.7 million stroke survivors in the United States today, many of whom suffered permanent disability caused by their stroke.


Although strokes are the third most frequent cause of death in the United States, the good news is that nearly 80 percent of strokes can be prevented if people make lifestyle choices that help them maintain good health.


Stroke: Know the Symptoms


The warning signs of a stroke may include:



  • Visual problems like a sudden change in vision or sudden double vision

  • Numbness of the face, weak arms or legs, weakness on one side of the body

  • Disorientation, problems with speech (e.g., slurred speech), and/or trouble understanding others

  • Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

  • Painful headache that comes on suddenly and has no known cause


Stroke: Risk Factors


Some stroke factors can be controlled; others can’t. Here are some key risk factors that you should be aware of:



  • Age. Once you turn 55, your risk of stroke practically doubles every decade.

  • Family and personal history. If a close family member has had a stroke, or if you have had a stroke, TIA ( transient ischemic attack, a small stroke that causes little or no damage), or heart attack, your stroke risk is increased.

  • Other health conditions.High blood pressurehigh cholesteroldiabetesheart disease, atrial fibrillation, and sickle cell anemia are all factors that increase your risk for stroke.

  • Your lifestyle.Smoking cigarettes, eating a high-fat and/or high-sodium diet, being obese, and not getting enough exercise can all increase your risk of stroke.


Stroke: Early Treatment


Every second counts when restoring blood flow to the brain because with every second lost, more brain cells die. Early recognition of stroke symptoms is crucial — the sooner treatment is given, the better.


One of the best treatments for blood clots — the cause of ischemic strokes — is tissue plasminogen activator, or t-PA, a clot-busting drug that works quickly to dissolve a clot and restore blood flow to the brain. But it must be given within the first few hours after symptoms start. While t-PA is not appropriate for people who suffer a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke, about 80 percent of strokes are caused by blood clots.


Anti-clotting medications and other blood thinners may also be given to people who have had an ischemic stroke, to help reduce the risk of another blood clot forming. Emergency surgery may also be done to open a blocked artery or repair a burst blood vessel.


The best thing to do if you or someone you know may be experiencing symptoms of stroke is to call 911 to get the most immediate medical attention possible.


Stroke: The Recovery Process


Stroke survivors often face an uphill battle when it comes to recovery. Fifty percent of stroke survivors will suffer from disabilities that prevent them from completely taking care of themselves and their daily needs.


Complications that may follow stroke include communication problems involving both language comprehension and speech. Stroke survivors may also experience paralysis on one or both sides of the body, as well as loss of control over their muscles. Swallowing may be difficult; memory problems and loss of memory are also common, as are pain and numbness throughout the body.


Stroke is a frightening condition to deal with. While you can’t control all of the risk factors, you can influence a great many of them. Keeping health conditions under control and focusing on following a healthy diet, not smoking, and getting plenty of regular exercise can help to decrease you likelihood of having a stroke.


"

A Stroke

A Stroke: "

A stroke can be very scary. You will find that it can cause some part
of the brain to loss control over a certain part of the body or you
may lose consciousness since your bloody supply is interrupted.


When you have a stroke you will feel a sudden loss of neuro function.
There are many reasons why you might have a stroke and there are
different parts of the brain and body that are affected from a stroke.
Patients who survive a stroke may be severely handicapped.


There are people who do not survive a stroke, and that is why it is
important that you avoid the risk factors of a stroke. Some factors
that you can control is smoking, high blood pressure, and high
cholesterol.



You will also find that diabetes, heart trouble, and migraines with
aura will put you at risk.


When it comes to strokes, you will find that it is also called a brain
attack. This is because when you have a stroke it effects the brain
more than anything. When the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen
and the blood flow is cutoff.


It can be very scary to deal with someone who is having  a stroke.
You shouldn’t panic, but you will want to call 9-1-1 immediately to
help the person.


You will want to ask the dispatcher what you can do to help them.
They will give you some instructions and you will want to follow
them exactly.


You will have to think about getting the person some medical attention
after they are released from the hospital. Most people who have a
stroke will need to look into home medical care. They may need to
have someone with them always.


There are tons of reasons why you will want to get them a home
nurse, but it should be because you need to give them a lot of
attention and sometimes it is just better for you to have a medical
experienced person.


There are some signs of a stroke that you will want to pay attention
to. There are lot of people who will have more strokes after their
first stroke. Sometimes they may only have a mini stroke, and then
there are times when people will have a full-blown stroke.


There is always neruo damage when there is a stroke, however,
what you do to react to the signs may matter in life or death.


Strokes are not something that you should take lightly. You will
a heart attack. You will want to treat a stroke like any other
disorder. You will find that it can be just as deadly as any other
medical condition, such as a heart disease.


Here is a free report


http://minisitesmall.com/stroke/Women_and_Stroke.pdf 



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Dying soldier made film to help others (VIDEO) - Stoke & Staffordshire

Dying soldier made film to help others (VIDEO) - Stoke & Staffordshire: "

Dying soldier made film to help others (VIDEO)
Stoke & Staffordshire
Matthew decided to take up the Pulmonary Hypertension Association's offer to make a film promoting the charity and publicising the symptoms. ...

"