Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/N1rE3gHPvVY/
Thursday 31 March 2011
Disease Management Care Blog hosts Cavalcade of Risk
The latest Cavalcade of Risk blog carnival is hosted at the Disease Management Care Blog. Share
Public sector health benefits: Civil War II?
As a kid learning about the US Civil War I remember being particularly moved by the fact that it divided a lot of families who had some members on one side and some on the other. It’s not as dramatic and isn’t violent, but the fight over public sector benefits, especially retirement health benefits, has [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/4Av_Oi2qi7A/
Waiting for the robot wheelchair
I’ve taken a lot of grief in the past for my prediction that robots will play a key role in nursing over the long term. There will still be jobs for nurses but we have little to fear from the ominous predictions of giant workforce shortages. Robots will be useful in many areas. Among those [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/9-LshjJamHM/
Gluten-Free January Survey Data, Part I: Demographics and Limitations
Thanks to Matt Lentzner for organizing Gluten-Free January, and everyone who participated and completed the survey, we have a nice data set illustrating what happens when a group of people stop eating gluten for a month. Janine Jagger, Matt and I have been busy analyzing the data, and I'm ready to begin sharing our findings.
GFJ had over 500 participants, 527 of which received the survey and 279 of which completed the survey at the end of the month. Of those who received the survey, 53 percent completed it. I think these are respectable numbers for a survey of this nature, and it reflects the conscientious nature of the people who participated in GFJ.
Demographics
Although respondents were primarily from the United States, I'm happy to say that the data represent 18 different nationalities:
Respondents represented a diversity of ages, the largest group being 30-39 years old, with similar numbers in the 20-29 and 40-49 year groups.
Respondents were just under 2/3 women.
Respondents represented a variety of weights, but the sample was biased toward lean people, in comparison with the general population. There were not many obese participants.
Overall, I was pleased to see that the demographics were quite diverse, particularly in the age and gender categories.
Limitations
There are a few caveats to keep in mind when interpreting the survey results:
GFJ had over 500 participants, 527 of which received the survey and 279 of which completed the survey at the end of the month. Of those who received the survey, 53 percent completed it. I think these are respectable numbers for a survey of this nature, and it reflects the conscientious nature of the people who participated in GFJ.
Demographics
Although respondents were primarily from the United States, I'm happy to say that the data represent 18 different nationalities:
Respondents represented a diversity of ages, the largest group being 30-39 years old, with similar numbers in the 20-29 and 40-49 year groups.
Respondents were just under 2/3 women.
Respondents represented a variety of weights, but the sample was biased toward lean people, in comparison with the general population. There were not many obese participants.
Overall, I was pleased to see that the demographics were quite diverse, particularly in the age and gender categories.Limitations
There are a few caveats to keep in mind when interpreting the survey results:
- GFJ participants do not represent a random cross-section of the population at large. They represent primarily health-conscious individuals who were motivated enough to make a substantial dietary change. In addition, many of the people who participated probably did so because they already suspected they had a problem with gluten.
- The survey response rate was 53%. Although I think that's a reasonable number considering the circumstances, it leaves open the possibility that survey responders differ from non-responders. It's conceivable that participants with better adherence and better outcomes were more likely to complete the survey than those who did not adhere to the diet or had neutral or unfavorable outcomes, despite our efforts to encourage everyone to complete the survey regardless of adherence or outcome. So the results could be biased toward positive outcomes, meaning that we will need to see a strong effect for it to be believable.
- This was a non-blinded diet trial without a control group. There's no way to know how much of the effect was due to avoiding gluten per se, how much was due to overall changes in diet patterns, and how much was a placebo effect.
Source: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/03/gluten-free-january-survey-data-part-i.html
Wednesday 30 March 2011
The value of denial may be underrated
Maybe denying one’s illness isn’t as bad as it’s cracked up to be. I saw an article over the past couple days –but can’t for the life of me remember where– about a woman sent to a physician by her relatives with very advanced cancer. The tumor had broken through her skin causing a highly [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/uONK1arMRo8/
Early signs of dementia
The early stages of Alzheimer's and other causes of dementia can be difficult to spot, but there are some signs that be useful in spotting the disease.
Early signs of Alzheimer's include:
Regularly misplacing everyday items, or putting things in odd places, and then forgetting or even denying having done.
Problems with everyday tasks like preparing a meal, putting it on the table, but forgetting to eat it and then preparing it all over again.
General disorientation, such as failing to recognize familiar streets and frequently becoming confused about the time of the day.
Diminished judgment, like dressing inappropriately for the weather or being unaware of dangerous situations.
Mood or behavioral problems which may resemble depression - usually a mixture of agitation, irritability, apathy and lack of care with personal hygiene.
Early signs of vascular dementia are similar, but the decline can happen in distinct steps rather than gradually.
Tags : dementia symptoms,,advanced dementia symptoms,early dementia symptoms
Early signs of Alzheimer's include:
Regularly misplacing everyday items, or putting things in odd places, and then forgetting or even denying having done.
Problems with everyday tasks like preparing a meal, putting it on the table, but forgetting to eat it and then preparing it all over again.
General disorientation, such as failing to recognize familiar streets and frequently becoming confused about the time of the day.
Diminished judgment, like dressing inappropriately for the weather or being unaware of dangerous situations.
Mood or behavioral problems which may resemble depression - usually a mixture of agitation, irritability, apathy and lack of care with personal hygiene.
Early signs of vascular dementia are similar, but the decline can happen in distinct steps rather than gradually.
Tags : dementia symptoms,,advanced dementia symptoms,early dementia symptoms
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/09/early-signs-of-dementia.html
How Did This Man Have 20 Foot Long Hair?
Hello Dr. Rassman
This man who died last year had hair 20 feet long. How did it ever reach this length, i thought anagen phase was only 7 years. Or is it just fallen hair dreadlocked to attached hair. here is the link — OddityCentral.com
Indeed, that is odd. One explanation is that Tran Van Hay (the [...]
This man who died last year had hair 20 feet long. How did it ever reach this length, i thought anagen phase was only 7 years. Or is it just fallen hair dreadlocked to attached hair. here is the link — OddityCentral.com
Indeed, that is odd. One explanation is that Tran Van Hay (the [...]
Source: http://www.baldingblog.com/2011/03/28/how-did-this-man-have-20-foot-long-hair/
US biogenerics policy makes me sad
I can only shake my head on days like today when I read about the state of biogenerics policy in the United States. The Wall Street Journal reports (Firms Push for Biotech Generics) that biotech companies are lined up against health plans and PBMs over the interpretation of the waiting period for biogenerics embedded in [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/naxJ7vHQeSw/
Protein in urine strong indicator of prostate cancer risk
A protein in urine could be a strong indicator of prostate cancer risk, according to British scientists who say their findings could one day be developed into a quick and simple test for the disease.
Scientists from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) said the protein, called microseminoprotein-beta or MSMB, is found at reduced levels in men diagnosed with the disease and are also lower in men with more aggressive forms of the cancer.
"The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out on men to identify those most at risk of developing the disease," said Hayley Whitaker of the Cambridge institute, who led the study.
Tags : new prostate cancer test,psa prostate cancer test,prostate cancer test results,prostate cancer test kit,home prostate cancer test,prostate cancer test procedure,free prostate cancer test,prostate cancer test psa
Scientists from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) said the protein, called microseminoprotein-beta or MSMB, is found at reduced levels in men diagnosed with the disease and are also lower in men with more aggressive forms of the cancer.
"The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out on men to identify those most at risk of developing the disease," said Hayley Whitaker of the Cambridge institute, who led the study.Tags : new prostate cancer test,psa prostate cancer test,prostate cancer test results,prostate cancer test kit,home prostate cancer test,prostate cancer test procedure,free prostate cancer test,prostate cancer test psa
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/10/protein-in-urine-strong-indicator-of.html
Tuesday 29 March 2011
Gluten-Free Desserts Books - Temporarily Out of Stock
If you are one of those persons trying to purchase our Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free Gourmet Desserts books, we must apologize for being out of stock temporarily. This is a situation that will be rectified soon, and once we are able to start fulfilling orders again, we will run a nice sale to show our appreciation for patient buyers.
In other news...
Busy Building the New Gluten-Free Kitchen
Next, I personally apologize for not being very active here on the Gluten-Free Blog in the past month or so, as I have been busy with home-remodeling activities during our first Winter at our new house -- I have tried to create what is the near-term vision of our "perfect kitchen" for baking all those wonderful wheat-free and gluten-free delights. (this may remain the long-term vision too, as I don't think I can do this again)
I believe that after this round of work, the new gluten-free kitchen is complete after a few months of hard work -- removing/lowering a large wall, building a new counter-top in its place, refinishing what turned out to be beautiful cabinets once I finished stripping the paint from them and sanding, staining, and re-varnishing all of the doors (ughgh!). But, in the end, it is hopefully worth all the effort.
Here is one view:
We wanted a very OPEN kitchen, with plenty of counter-space and preparation area, with baking and cooking pans and utensils close at hand (there is a pot-hanger above the stove; though it does not show in the picture. In addition, we wanted to be able to entertain and immerse ourselves in the action and conversation even as we prepared meals, snacks, and desserts for our guests. We also like to demonstrate our gluten-free cooking techniques to those that wish to observe, and this new kitchen makes all of that possible in a way no other kitchen could.
From the kitchen, we can now see people entering the house (over the stove -- it is a clear view to the entry way) and then continue to interact with guests as they work their way throughout the living room and dining room areas too. There is a large fireplace in the middle of it all (though, we have yet to use it) that we have considered converting into a "brick oven" instead. Aside from the fireplace in the middle of the room, it is all wide open.
Finally, we also wanted to enjoy the view of the outdoors from our kitchen. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen working on recipes (gluten-free desserts and many other GF items), and the existing kitchen blocked the view considerably : no longer the case! Now we can bake as we take in the scenery of the surrounding valley here in Eastern Ohio. Even in the Winter time, the new design is marvelous at getting ample natural light into the kitchen.
GF Recipes Emerging from the New Kitchen
The kitchen is getting quite a bit of use, and it has yielded some new recipes and variations that we plan to post on our Free Gluten-Free Recipes Library when we get time. My wife has recently come up with a very nice crispy thin-crust gluten-free pizza crust recipe that I am quite a fan of : that is the first recipe I need to get online when I have time. It is not dairy-free though (it uses whey-protein in it), but if you can consume a bit of dairy, you will enjoy the crispy crunchy crust that holds up when loaded down with cheese and sauces -- it does not just fall apart or crack when you pick it up, but stays quite nice and crispy.
I will *try* to get that recipe up here in a few more weeks. I still have another project that is being wrapped up, including taking care of book supplies. But, I will get the recipe posted. Thanks for patience.
Source: http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/2010/03/gluten-free-desserts-books-temporarily.html
Continua?s Chuck Parker on connected health
Continua Health Alliance is focused on creating an ecosystem where personal connected health devices can communicate using common standards. In this podcast interview, Continua’s Executive Director, Chuck Parker and I discuss the meaning of “connected health” and the “connected home,” progress in demonstrating return on investment, and the link between Continua’s activities and emerging delivery [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/OJNuHqu2iV8/
Rerun: Why the states can?t drive health reform
I’m taking a break from blogging this week so am rerunning some favorite posts from 2010. Please visit the original post to comment. Sara Rosenbaum?s has an informative Perspective (Can States Pick up the Health Reform Torch?) in the current New England Journal of Medicine. She argues that reforming health care at the state level [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/sbVYCbUd0es/
Fitness Myths the Industry Would Prefer to Perpetuate
The fitness industry has a vested interest in nurturing some of the misconceptions that we have about fitness. It is in their interest that we believe these myths and continue to buy products that promise the earth but deliver little. Some of the most common fitness myths perpetuated by the fitness and weight-loss industry are: [...]
Source: http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/fitness/fitness-myths/
Monday 28 March 2011
Ronald Hansen on the NIH?s planned drug development center
The NIH is poised to establish a new National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences to bolster the early stages of drug development. In this podcast interview, Ronald W. Hansen, Senior Associate Dean for Program Development and William H. Meckling Professor of Business Administration at the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business discusses the implications [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/oPtER9k7kMs/
Uterine Artery Embolization-non surgical Fibroids treatment
A simple scar-less procedure that requires just an overnight stay at the hospital brings hope to women. According to experts like Dr Muley, Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE), a non-surgical treatment for fibroid is fast becoming popular the world over. Until now, the most common treatment for fibroid removal was hysterectomy.
But the surgery has an irreversible side effect. After the surgery, women had to forget about conception for the rest of their lives.During an UAE, however, the blood supply to the fibroid is reduced gradually until it is completely cut off from nourishment. Even after it has shrunk, the surrounding normal uterine muscles continue to get their requisite blood supply and can survive.
Deprived of blood, nutrition and oxygen, the fibroids shrink during the next three to six months after the embolization treatment."Around 66 per cent of women who have undergone the UAE have conceived," says Dr Muley. What makes it even more popular is that single or multiple fibroid (up to 12-14 cm in size) can be effectively treated. And the chances of recurrence are almost negligible.
The advantages of UAE are several - it is done under local anesthesia, requires only a tiny incision in the skin and the recovery period is shorter than for, say, an open surgery. Besides, all the fibroid can be treated in one sitting with the patient suffering no blood loss. Recovery is quick, but in case there is excessive vaginal bleeding, all it takes is a couple of days of rest to be up on your feet again.
But the surgery has an irreversible side effect. After the surgery, women had to forget about conception for the rest of their lives.During an UAE, however, the blood supply to the fibroid is reduced gradually until it is completely cut off from nourishment. Even after it has shrunk, the surrounding normal uterine muscles continue to get their requisite blood supply and can survive.
Deprived of blood, nutrition and oxygen, the fibroids shrink during the next three to six months after the embolization treatment."Around 66 per cent of women who have undergone the UAE have conceived," says Dr Muley. What makes it even more popular is that single or multiple fibroid (up to 12-14 cm in size) can be effectively treated. And the chances of recurrence are almost negligible.
The advantages of UAE are several - it is done under local anesthesia, requires only a tiny incision in the skin and the recovery period is shorter than for, say, an open surgery. Besides, all the fibroid can be treated in one sitting with the patient suffering no blood loss. Recovery is quick, but in case there is excessive vaginal bleeding, all it takes is a couple of days of rest to be up on your feet again.
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/08/uterine-artery-embolization-non.html
Hot and Cold Therapy With a Scented Twist
It?s occurred to me that temperature control has a big impact on my comfort level. If you live in an area dominated by extreme temperatures (read: record-breaking heat wave summers in Manhattan), a cold shower or bubble bath at the end of a long day can be the difference between a breath of relief and a temper tantrum. So when I tried out Carex?s Bed Buddy Hot & Cold Pack, I was hopeful to add a new hot-cold quick fix into my options.
I tried out a Bed Buddy delightfully scented with ?pink bliss,? an aromatherapy blend intended to be ?uplifting and healing.? (It?s also available in green fresh ? ?purifying, invigorating? ? and orange balance ? ?comforting, calming?). It?s bright pink, about a foot-and-some-change long, and filled with natural grain, herbs, and flowers. The pack is bookended with sturdy rope handles.
After checking the package instructions about 17 times to make sure I was reading it correctly, I cooked the Bed Buddy Easy-Mac-style in my microwave for a minute and 15 seconds. To my relief, it did not catch fire.
The reason we use heat for pain relief is because it?s soothing for the aching body. It relieves stiff, sore muscles while stimulating blood flow. I used mine on my shoulders and neck, which were sore from a yoga class the day before. The pack reaches the perfect level of warmth ? never hot enough to be scalding but warm enough to earn a resounding ?aahhhh.? And it lasts for a while ? about an hour to be exact. Within 10 minutes I felt relief. The heated Bed Buddy is my post-workout buddy. I could also use it as a post-day-at-the-office buddy, where my neck is victim to 8 hours in front of a computer screen.
Cold therapy can reduce swelling when pain causes joint inflammation. And while I don?t have any swollen joints to tend to at the moment, I thought the cold pack would be nice for my non-air-conditioned apartment on a hot day. The pack should be stored overnight in the freezer for cold therapy use.
(Note: When the package instructs to place the Bed Buddy in a plastic bag before storing it in the freezer, it?s serious. Upon not being able to find a plastic bag, I left it in the freezer willy-nilly. My Bed Buddy now smells like frozen fish and leftover vodka from last Christmas. The herbs and seeds must absorb the smells around it.)
The cold-acting side of the pack is not a role it plays well. After a night in the freezer, the pack is slightly cool at best. So if you suffer from chronic muscle pain, arthritis, or all-around achiness, you?re better off using an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables.
At only $12.99 and with plenty of reuse value, the Bed Buddy is worth a try. The comfort of the heated pack is so wonderful that I can forgive the shortcomings of the cold pack attempt.
And a heads up: If you purchase the ?pink bliss? Bed Buddy, a portion of proceeds will support the fight against breast cancer.
Jennifer Paxton, editorial intern at Everyday Health
Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/blogs/health-beauty-reviews/hot-and-cold-therapy-with-a-scented-twist
US biogenerics policy makes me sad
I can only shake my head on days like today when I read about the state of biogenerics policy in the United States. The Wall Street Journal reports (Firms Push for Biotech Generics) that biotech companies are lined up against health plans and PBMs over the interpretation of the waiting period for biogenerics embedded in [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/naxJ7vHQeSw/
Sunday 27 March 2011
Complications,difficult labour in pregnancy-chance post-natal depression
A new study by Dutch researchers has found that women who have complications in pregnancy or a difficult labor stand a much greater chance of having post-natal depression than those who do not.Post-natal depression occurs most often in the first three months after delivery and can range from mild symptoms - sometimes called the ?baby blues? - to clinically diagnosed post-natal depression.Women who are not diagnosed early enough can end up suffering for many months or even years.
The analysis of data from almost 5,000 women also revealed that one complication raises the chance of depression but this increases even further if more than one thing goes wrong.The researchers found that women admitted to hospital during their pregnancy had more than twice the risk of post-natal depression as those who stayed out of hospital until delivery time.
Meanwhile, women with pre-eclampsia (linked to high blood pressure) were also more than twice as likely to suffer, the researchers found.
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/08/complicationsdifficult-labour-in.html
Early signs of dementia
The early stages of Alzheimer's and other causes of dementia can be difficult to spot, but there are some signs that be useful in spotting the disease.
Early signs of Alzheimer's include:
Regularly misplacing everyday items, or putting things in odd places, and then forgetting or even denying having done.
Problems with everyday tasks like preparing a meal, putting it on the table, but forgetting to eat it and then preparing it all over again.
General disorientation, such as failing to recognize familiar streets and frequently becoming confused about the time of the day.
Diminished judgment, like dressing inappropriately for the weather or being unaware of dangerous situations.
Mood or behavioral problems which may resemble depression - usually a mixture of agitation, irritability, apathy and lack of care with personal hygiene.
Early signs of vascular dementia are similar, but the decline can happen in distinct steps rather than gradually.
Tags : dementia symptoms,,advanced dementia symptoms,early dementia symptoms
Early signs of Alzheimer's include:
Regularly misplacing everyday items, or putting things in odd places, and then forgetting or even denying having done.
Problems with everyday tasks like preparing a meal, putting it on the table, but forgetting to eat it and then preparing it all over again.
General disorientation, such as failing to recognize familiar streets and frequently becoming confused about the time of the day.
Diminished judgment, like dressing inappropriately for the weather or being unaware of dangerous situations.
Mood or behavioral problems which may resemble depression - usually a mixture of agitation, irritability, apathy and lack of care with personal hygiene.
Early signs of vascular dementia are similar, but the decline can happen in distinct steps rather than gradually.
Tags : dementia symptoms,,advanced dementia symptoms,early dementia symptoms
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/09/early-signs-of-dementia.html
Albuminuria and kidney injury
Doctors may be able to watch for kidney injury and protect patients by looking for protein in urine, researchers reported.Patients with the highest levels of protein, or albuminuria, had an almost five-fold increase in the risk of developing acute kidney injury, the researchers reported in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
The cheap and easy test may provide a way to watch for kidney damage and improve upon the current method, called estimated glomerular filtration rate, the team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore said.
Acute kidney injury, common when people are in hospital, is seen in 1.6 per cent of all hospital patients and occurs when kidneys suddenly lose the ability to filter waste products from blood.
Acute kidney injury can be reversible if a patient is otherwise healthy, but often results in chronic kidney disease and kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Tag : albuminuria presence,treatment for albuminuria,types and causes of albuminuria
The cheap and easy test may provide a way to watch for kidney damage and improve upon the current method, called estimated glomerular filtration rate, the team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore said.
Acute kidney injury, common when people are in hospital, is seen in 1.6 per cent of all hospital patients and occurs when kidneys suddenly lose the ability to filter waste products from blood.Acute kidney injury can be reversible if a patient is otherwise healthy, but often results in chronic kidney disease and kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Tag : albuminuria presence,treatment for albuminuria,types and causes of albuminuria
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/08/albuminuria-and-kidney-injury.html
Comorbidity of mental and physical illness: new insights and synthesis
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Synthesis Project has produced an excellent report and accompanying policy brief entitled Mental disorders and medical comorbidity. The publications provide a variety of insights and policy implications that I believe are right on the money. They transcend partisan positions on health insurance and delivery reform to deliver valuable lessons that [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/Ch2Vrdz2sHw/
How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System, Urine and Blood
How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System, Urine and Blood Cocaine (crack, snow, flake, and blow) is derived from the coca plant, Erythroxylon coca. It is a CNS stimulant that has a local anesthetic effect. In the streets, cocaine comes in the form of a powdered hydrochloride salt which is dissolved in water and then injected or snorted. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2009 alone, around 4.8 million young Americans (from age 12 and up) had used cocaine in its various form and that a million had used it at least once before the 2009 survey was made. The 2010 ?Monitoring The Future? [...]
Source: http://www.allhealthsite.com/how-long-does-cocaine-stay-in-your-system-urine-blood.html
Saturday 26 March 2011
Insurers flat foot their way into the social media era
A couple of related pieces caught my attention today: @HealthPlan: How insurers use social media and Insurers are scouring social media for evidence of fraud. Slowly but surely health plans and other insurers are stepping into the world of social media and it’s interesting to see how they are doing it. Health plans seem to [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/TTTATVM80ek/
Rerun: Just how bad are hospital discharge summaries?
I’m taking a break from blogging this week so am rerunning some favorite posts from 2010. Please visit the original post to comment. The hospital discharge process is a rocky one. Such ?transitions of care? are fraught with challenges as patients move from a highly supervised to less supervised settings, caregivers change, and information about [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/D3ZrIPA_6Yw/
Estrogen therapy increased risk of developing kidney stones
A new report has suggested that the use of estrogen therapy is associated with an increased risk of developing kidney stones in postmenopausal women. Using data from the national Women's Health Initiative study, Naim M. Maalouf, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, examined data from two trials.
10,739 postmenopausal women with hysterectomy who received either an estrogen-only treatment or matching placebo and 16,608 postmenopausal women without hysterectomy who received either an estrogen plus progesterone treatment or matching placebo. Data were collected for an average of 7.1 years in the estrogen-only trial and 5.6 years for the estrogen plus progestin trial.
A total of 335 cases of kidney stones were reported in the active treatment groups, while 284 cases occurred in the placebo groups. The beginning demographic characteristics and risk factors for kidney stones were similar in the two groups.
Estrogen therapy was associated with a significant increase in risk of kidney stones. The corresponding annualized incidence rate per 10,000 women per year was 39 in the treatment group and 34 in the placebo group.
10,739 postmenopausal women with hysterectomy who received either an estrogen-only treatment or matching placebo and 16,608 postmenopausal women without hysterectomy who received either an estrogen plus progesterone treatment or matching placebo. Data were collected for an average of 7.1 years in the estrogen-only trial and 5.6 years for the estrogen plus progestin trial.
A total of 335 cases of kidney stones were reported in the active treatment groups, while 284 cases occurred in the placebo groups. The beginning demographic characteristics and risk factors for kidney stones were similar in the two groups.
Estrogen therapy was associated with a significant increase in risk of kidney stones. The corresponding annualized incidence rate per 10,000 women per year was 39 in the treatment group and 34 in the placebo group.
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/10/estrogen-therapy-increased-risk-of.html
Grand Rounds is up at Diabetes Mine
Amy Tenderich of Diabetes Mine does a great job with the Ides of March edition of the Grand Rounds blog carnival. Share
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/SujznzX2pXo/
Friday 25 March 2011
Dr. Ted Eytan of Kaiser on health IT, walking meetings, innovation (transcript)
This is the transcript of my recent podcast interview with Dr. Ted Eytan of Kaiser Permanente. David E. Williams:����������� This is David Williams, co-founder of MedPharma Partners and author of the Health Business Blog.� I?m speaking today with Dr. Ted Eytan of Kaiser Permanente.� Ted, what?s your role at Kaiser and how did you get [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/BR1KwbCVgLs/
The value of denial may be underrated
Maybe denying one’s illness isn’t as bad as it’s cracked up to be. I saw an article over the past couple days –but can’t for the life of me remember where– about a woman sent to a physician by her relatives with very advanced cancer. The tumor had broken through her skin causing a highly [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/uONK1arMRo8/
Morning Cup of Links: Victorian Wire
A year ago, we linked to a Metafilter thread in which the forum banded together to avert disaster for two young women from Russia. Now those who were there tell the entire story. One NSFW image. (via Cynical-C) * Midnight was born missing part of one leg, and then was so neglected by his owner [...]
Link between asthma and prostate cancer
Men who take steroid tablets or injections for treating severe asthma could face 70 per cent higher risk of prostate cancer. Those who regularly use an inhaler or a bronchodilator to relieve wheezing are 36 per cent more at risk, says a new study.Even having asthma appears to increase prostate cancer risk by around 25 per cent. But the chances of a tumour are significantly higher if people start medication, says a Daily Mail report.The study was undertaken by a team of scientists in Melbourne, Australia.
They decided to look at the link between asthma and prostate cancer because both arise from inflammation in the body, according to the journal Cancer Epidemiology , Biomarkers and Prevention.
Tag : asthma treatment,asthma symptoms,asthma attack,asthma inhaler,asthma cure
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/08/link-between-asthma-and-prostate-cancer.html
Bye, bye brokers?
In general I oppose the minimum Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provision of the Affordable Care Act. If an insurer can help keep me healthy and out of the hospital and doctor’s office I’m happy to pay them to do so. But I have to admit I’m pleased that the new MLR rules are putting the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/dLu0Pfe5Xe4/
Thursday 24 March 2011
Saucony?s Celliant Suit Soothes Sore Muscles
?But really, it?s a recovery suit that Saucony gave me. It?s got this stuff called Celliant in it, and it reflects the photons??
This is what you might very well say to your friends as they look at you dumbstruck for lounging around in a racing-striped black unitard. They?d probably laugh less if you said ?I?m now a masked vigilante.?
Really, I get it. It seemed nuts to me too. Had Saucony not been the company whose shoes enabled me to start running again, I would?ve written this off to snake oil. But Saucony gear almost never fails for me. I figured I owed it to them to have an open mind to their recovery suit, right?
Aaaand? the suit really works. Seriously. I?m more shocked than you are.
I?m not even willing to admit that it?s because of the space-aged material. I can?t tell if it makes me strangely warm because it?s inducing a sort of self-perpetuated light therapy, or because it?s made from polyester. I don?t know if my muscles are getting fixed faster because of the Celliant, the compression, or something else.
But, the bottom line is, I recover faster when I wear the Saucony AMP PRO 2 recovery suit after a hard workout.
I was so unprepared to believe that I tried it twice.
Last Tuesday, I ran a sprint drill. I haven?t run sprints since I was maybe 20. I had my friend Courtney with me to help coach my form. But still, we ran 3-4 miles of intermittent sprints. It was a sure recipe for shin splints, cramped calves, aching thighs and the worst-case scenario: reigniting nerve-shattering knee pain. So, I slept in the suit and hoped for the best.
The best happened. The next day I had nothing but a tiny twinge in my right thigh. I was almost completely recovered.
I refused to believe it. I figured that I must not have worked as hard as I thought. So, on Saturday, I hit up the Run A Muck Festival, a 5k mud run with obstacles, boulders, and water. I went as hard as I could in the race (I wore Saucony Razors, by the way ? great for bouncing off rocks. Would you believe I can swim well in them?), and I did not wear the suit that night. By Sunday, my legs were stiff and wracked with pain. I didn?t want to get out of bed, much less walk around, with this kind of conditioning pain.
So I put on Saucony?s recovery suit. Usually, if you?re this beat up after a race, you?re stiff and sore at least through the next two days. But after lounging in the suit for three hours, I felt limber again and the pain subsided to a dull ache. I could literally feel the thing working. I was almost recovered by bedtime, and that has never happened to me before, at least not without a masseuse involved.The down side: It is warm, so you might need to crank the AC a little when you wear it. Also, you step in through the shoulders, so there is no fly, adding an extra step to a 3 a.m. bathroom break.
Whether you?re a casual athlete like me, or training for something that makes mortals tremble, you should at least try some of Saucony?s forthcoming Celliant-based products and see if they help you as much as they help me.
Blinded Wheat Challenge
Self-experimentation can be an effective way to improve one's health*. One of the problems with diet self-experimentation is that it's difficult to know which changes are the direct result of eating a food, and which are the result of preconceived ideas about a food. For example, are you more likely to notice the fact that you're grumpy after drinking milk if you think milk makes people grumpy? Maybe you're grumpy every other day regardless of diet? Placebo effects and conscious/unconscious bias can lead us to erroneous conclusions.
The beauty of the scientific method is that it offers us effective tools to minimize this kind of bias. This is probably its main advantage over more subjective forms of inquiry**. One of the most effective tools in the scientific method's toolbox is a control. This is a measurement that's used to establish a baseline for comparison with the intervention, which is what you're interested in. Without a control measurement, the intervention measurement is typically meaningless. For example, if we give 100 people pills that cure belly button lint, we have to give a different group placebo (sugar) pills. Only the comparison between drug and placebo groups can tell us if the drug worked, because maybe the changing seasons, regular doctor's visits, or having your belly button examined once a week affects the likelihood of lint.
Another tool is called blinding. This is where the patient, and often the doctor and investigators, don't know which pills are placebo and which are drug. This minimizes bias on the part of the patient, and sometimes the doctor and investigators. If the patient knew he were receiving drug rather than placebo, that could influence the outcome. Likewise, investigators who aren't blinded while they're collecting data can unconsciously (or consciously) influence it.
Back to diet. I want to know if I react to wheat. I've been gluten-free for about a month. But if I eat a slice of bread, how can I be sure I'm not experiencing symptoms because I think I should? How about blinding and a non-gluten control?
Procedure for a Blinded Wheat Challenge
1. Find a friend who can help you.
2. Buy a loaf of wheat bread and a loaf of gluten-free bread.
3. Have your friend choose one of the loaves without telling you which he/she chose.
4. Have your friend take 1-3 slices, blend them with water in a blender until smooth. This is to eliminate differences in consistency that could allow you to determine what you're eating. Don't watch your friend do this-- you might recognize the loaf.
5. Pinch your nose and drink the "bread smoothie" (yum!). This is so that you can't identify the bread by taste. Rinse your mouth with water before releasing your nose. Record how you feel in the next few hours and days.
6. Wait a week. This is called a "washout period". Repeat the experiment with the second loaf, attempting to keep everything else about the experiment as similar as possible.
7. Compare how you felt each time. Have your friend "unblind" you by telling you which bread you ate on each day. If you experienced symptoms during the wheat challenge but not the control challenge, you may be sensitive to wheat.
If you want to take this to the next level of scientific rigor, repeat the procedure several times to see if the result is consistent. The larger the effect, the fewer times you need to repeat it to be confident in the result.
* Although it can also be disastrous. People who get into the most trouble are "extreme thinkers" who have a tendency to take an idea too far, e.g., avoid all animal foods, avoid all carbohydrate, avoid all fat, run two marathons a week, etc.
** More subjective forms of inquiry have their own advantages.
The beauty of the scientific method is that it offers us effective tools to minimize this kind of bias. This is probably its main advantage over more subjective forms of inquiry**. One of the most effective tools in the scientific method's toolbox is a control. This is a measurement that's used to establish a baseline for comparison with the intervention, which is what you're interested in. Without a control measurement, the intervention measurement is typically meaningless. For example, if we give 100 people pills that cure belly button lint, we have to give a different group placebo (sugar) pills. Only the comparison between drug and placebo groups can tell us if the drug worked, because maybe the changing seasons, regular doctor's visits, or having your belly button examined once a week affects the likelihood of lint.
Another tool is called blinding. This is where the patient, and often the doctor and investigators, don't know which pills are placebo and which are drug. This minimizes bias on the part of the patient, and sometimes the doctor and investigators. If the patient knew he were receiving drug rather than placebo, that could influence the outcome. Likewise, investigators who aren't blinded while they're collecting data can unconsciously (or consciously) influence it.
Back to diet. I want to know if I react to wheat. I've been gluten-free for about a month. But if I eat a slice of bread, how can I be sure I'm not experiencing symptoms because I think I should? How about blinding and a non-gluten control?
Procedure for a Blinded Wheat Challenge
1. Find a friend who can help you.
2. Buy a loaf of wheat bread and a loaf of gluten-free bread.
3. Have your friend choose one of the loaves without telling you which he/she chose.
4. Have your friend take 1-3 slices, blend them with water in a blender until smooth. This is to eliminate differences in consistency that could allow you to determine what you're eating. Don't watch your friend do this-- you might recognize the loaf.
5. Pinch your nose and drink the "bread smoothie" (yum!). This is so that you can't identify the bread by taste. Rinse your mouth with water before releasing your nose. Record how you feel in the next few hours and days.
6. Wait a week. This is called a "washout period". Repeat the experiment with the second loaf, attempting to keep everything else about the experiment as similar as possible.
7. Compare how you felt each time. Have your friend "unblind" you by telling you which bread you ate on each day. If you experienced symptoms during the wheat challenge but not the control challenge, you may be sensitive to wheat.
If you want to take this to the next level of scientific rigor, repeat the procedure several times to see if the result is consistent. The larger the effect, the fewer times you need to repeat it to be confident in the result.
* Although it can also be disastrous. People who get into the most trouble are "extreme thinkers" who have a tendency to take an idea too far, e.g., avoid all animal foods, avoid all carbohydrate, avoid all fat, run two marathons a week, etc.
** More subjective forms of inquiry have their own advantages.
Source: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/01/blinded-wheat-challenge.html
Don?t Frighten the Children
In 2005, the National Academy of Sciences announced what many already knew: there?s no safe dose of ionizing radiation. The late John Goffman had been saying this for years, but the National Academy brought that knowledge right into the mainstream. Why is it then that both ordinary and extraordinary exposures are discussed in terms of [...]
Source: http://www.yourownhealthandfitness.org/blogs/2011/03/15/don%e2%80%99t-frighten-the-children/
Benefits Package is up at InsureBlog
The fledgling Benefits Package blog carnival has left the nest, moving for the first time away from its founder’s See First blog to InsureBlog, where it’s ably hosted by Hank Stern. The carnival is all about health benefits, and you should stop by for a look. Share
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/b1WDyaZgqII/
Should parents be allowed to give teachers gifts?
Today?s Boston Globe (Gift limits for teachers irk givers, recipients; Many reject fears of undue influence) goes after an easy target: restrictions and reporting requirements for teachers who receive gifts from parents. Under a state advisory teachers can?t accept gifts worth more than $50 and must file written disclosures even for cheaper gifts if a [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/AJ7_N9jXBx0/
Wednesday 23 March 2011
Cavalcade of Risk is up at Wenchypoo
Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket hosts the latest edition of the Cavalcade of Risk blog carnival, where you can read a roundup of risk-related posts. I’m hosting the next version in the New Year, so pleas submit using the Blog Carnival form. Share
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/Yhuoj9EUugI/
New Ancestral Diet Review Paper
Pedro Carrera-Bastos and his colleagues Maelan Fontes-Villalba, James H. O'Keefe, Staffan Lindeberg and Loren Cordain have published an excellent new review article titled "The Western Diet and Lifestyle and Diseases of Civilization" (1). The paper reviews the health consequences of transitioning from a traditional to a modern Western diet and lifestyle. Pedro is a knowledgeable and tireless advocate of ancestral, primarily paleolithic-style nutrition, and it has been my privilege to correspond with him regularly. His new paper is the best review of the underlying causes of the "diseases of civilization" that I've encountered. Here's the abstract:
I gave Pedro my comments on the manuscript as he was editing it, and he was kind enough to include me in the acknowledgments.
It is increasingly recognized that certain fundamental changes in diet and lifestyle that occurred after the Neolithic Revolution, and especially after the Industrial Revolution and the Modern Age, are too recent, on an evolutionary time scale, for the human genome to have completely adapted. This mismatch between our ancient physiology and the western diet and lifestyle underlies many so-called diseases of civilization, including coronary heart disease, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, epithelial cell cancers, autoimmune disease, and osteoporosis, which are rare or virtually absent in hunter?gatherers and other non-westernized populations. It is therefore proposed that the adoption of diet and lifestyle that mimic the beneficial characteristics of the preagricultural environment is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of chronic degenerative diseases.At 343 references, the paper is an excellent resource for anyone with an academic interest in ancestral health, and in that sense it reminds me of Staffan Lindeberg's book Food and Western Disease. One of the things I like most about the paper is that it acknowledges the significant genetic adaptation to agriculture and pastoralism that has occurred in populations that have been practicing it for thousands of years. It hypothesizes that the main detrimental change was not the adoption of agriculture, but the more recent industrialization of the food system. I agree.
I gave Pedro my comments on the manuscript as he was editing it, and he was kind enough to include me in the acknowledgments.
Source: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-ancestral-diet-review-paper.html
Blueberries : Fight Atherosclerosis, Gluten-Free
It is always nice to read about gluten-free diet items that are great tasting and versatile while also offering the promise of even better health. In the case of blueberries, it looks as though these gluten-free wonders also hold the promise of fighting atherosclerosis (i.e., "hardening of the arteries"), at lease according to a recent study funded by the USDA.
The results of using blueberries to counteract atherosclerosis were quite promising, if even just observed in mice at this point. As the study concluded:
"The research provides the first direct evidence that blueberries can help prevent harmful plaques or lesions, symptomatic of atherosclerosis, from increasing in size in arteries."
Now wouldn't that be nice if we could just all consume blueberries and prevent a major cause of cardiovascular disease!? I personally did not need to read this study to have a reason to consume blueberries in my gluten-free diet: I already love blueberries! I try to mix them into my morning pancakes on a regular basis, or into my yogurt or smoothies, and I really like blueberry pie and other gluten-free desserts featuring blueberries (gee, I wonder if they will counteract the butter and sugar in those desserts? he he he) Certainly a healthy fruit-salad featuring blueberries must be good for me, even if the blueberry-topped cheesecake is not :)
The details of the study findings showed that:
"The study compared the size, or area, of atherosclerotic lesions in 30 young laboratory mice. Half of the animals were fed diets spiked with freeze-dried blueberry powder for 20 weeks; the diet of the other mice did not contain the berry powder.
Lesion size, measured at two sites on aorta (arteries leading from the heart), was 39 and 58 percent less than that of lesions in mice whose diet did not contain blueberry powder.
[...]
The blueberry-spiked diet contained 1 percent blueberry powder, the equivalent of about a half-cup of fresh blueberries."
Now, my only concern is that if they fed the equivalent of a half-cup of fresh blueberries to a mouse in order to achieve these results, would that imply that I need to eat 1000-time that much to get the same results? If so, then this is obviously unachievable for both financial and food-volume reasons. Perhaps someone will find a way to create a blueberry powder concentrate (or synthesized version) that achieves similar results with less volume and a reasonable price.
Either way, I will continue to include blueberries in my gluten-free diet. Knowing they may give me a bit of a defense against artery disease is just an added "bonus" in my book: I was going to eat them anyhow!
Source: http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/2010/10/blueberries-fight-atherosclerosis.html
Tips for People who suffer from Heartburn
Most likely you have several friends among your circle that suffer from gastroesophageal reflux or what is commonly known as heartburn. If you are suffering from the condition yourself, here are some tips to help you minimize the symptoms: Take medications as prescribed Upon consult, your doctor might prescribe some Histamine 2 blockers or antacids [...]
Source: http://yourbodyyourtemple.net/health/tips-for-people-who-suffer-from-heartburn/
Take me out to the Health Wonk Review
Glenn Laffel hosts a very informative Spring Training edition of the Health Wonk Review blog carnival at Pizaazz. I hope his beloved Yankees play as poorly this year as his blog is good. Share
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/9qQwjnbFlX8/
Tuesday 22 March 2011
The year ahead: Transparency, mobile health, patient safety and health reform implementation
My crystal ball is a little foggy so I decided to ask my Twitter followers (@HealthBizBlog) to help compile a list of health care predictions for 2011. I?ve integrated my thoughts with theirs and organized the predictions into four themes: Transparency will change from buzzword to reality Information technology progress will be uneven, with the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/ABtt2ibuZnk/
Weight gain during pregnancy
Putting on more weight during pregnancy does not necessarily mean that the baby will be bigger, according to the preliminary findings of an ongoing study, which is the first of its kind in Singapore and the region.
Instead, there are ethnic differences: While Malay mothers-to-be seemed to put on the most weight, Chinese mothers had the biggest babies, said Associate Professor Chong Yap Seng of National University Hospital and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, who leads the study.
But the reasons are not yet clear, he said, as research is still in a very early stage. The Growing Up In Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (Gusto) study seeks to understand how pregnancy and early childhood environments can affect children's risk of developing obesity and diseases like Type 2 diabetes.
For example, other studies have found that poor nutrition during pregnancy often leads to babies being born small, but those same children are more likely to get fat and suffer from metabolic illnesses later in life.
The Gusto study tracks about 1,200 mothers. But only about 500 babies have been born to them to date, with the last batch of infants due to be delivered next April.
Tags : pregnancy weight gain chart,pregnancy weight gain by week,pregnancy weight gain by trimester,pregnancy weight gain estimator,normal pregnancy weight gain,twin pregnancy weight gain,pregnancy weight gain by month
Instead, there are ethnic differences: While Malay mothers-to-be seemed to put on the most weight, Chinese mothers had the biggest babies, said Associate Professor Chong Yap Seng of National University Hospital and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, who leads the study.
But the reasons are not yet clear, he said, as research is still in a very early stage. The Growing Up In Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (Gusto) study seeks to understand how pregnancy and early childhood environments can affect children's risk of developing obesity and diseases like Type 2 diabetes.For example, other studies have found that poor nutrition during pregnancy often leads to babies being born small, but those same children are more likely to get fat and suffer from metabolic illnesses later in life.
The Gusto study tracks about 1,200 mothers. But only about 500 babies have been born to them to date, with the last batch of infants due to be delivered next April.
Tags : pregnancy weight gain chart,pregnancy weight gain by week,pregnancy weight gain by trimester,pregnancy weight gain estimator,normal pregnancy weight gain,twin pregnancy weight gain,pregnancy weight gain by month
Source: http://www.aboutthehealth.com/2010/10/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.html
Saucony?s Celliant Suit Soothes Sore Muscles
?But really, it?s a recovery suit that Saucony gave me. It?s got this stuff called Celliant in it, and it reflects the photons??
This is what you might very well say to your friends as they look at you dumbstruck for lounging around in a racing-striped black unitard. They?d probably laugh less if you said ?I?m now a masked vigilante.?
Really, I get it. It seemed nuts to me too. Had Saucony not been the company whose shoes enabled me to start running again, I would?ve written this off to snake oil. But Saucony gear almost never fails for me. I figured I owed it to them to have an open mind to their recovery suit, right?
Aaaand? the suit really works. Seriously. I?m more shocked than you are.
I?m not even willing to admit that it?s because of the space-aged material. I can?t tell if it makes me strangely warm because it?s inducing a sort of self-perpetuated light therapy, or because it?s made from polyester. I don?t know if my muscles are getting fixed faster because of the Celliant, the compression, or something else.
But, the bottom line is, I recover faster when I wear the Saucony AMP PRO 2 recovery suit after a hard workout.
I was so unprepared to believe that I tried it twice.
Last Tuesday, I ran a sprint drill. I haven?t run sprints since I was maybe 20. I had my friend Courtney with me to help coach my form. But still, we ran 3-4 miles of intermittent sprints. It was a sure recipe for shin splints, cramped calves, aching thighs and the worst-case scenario: reigniting nerve-shattering knee pain. So, I slept in the suit and hoped for the best.
The best happened. The next day I had nothing but a tiny twinge in my right thigh. I was almost completely recovered.
I refused to believe it. I figured that I must not have worked as hard as I thought. So, on Saturday, I hit up the Run A Muck Festival, a 5k mud run with obstacles, boulders, and water. I went as hard as I could in the race (I wore Saucony Razors, by the way ? great for bouncing off rocks. Would you believe I can swim well in them?), and I did not wear the suit that night. By Sunday, my legs were stiff and wracked with pain. I didn?t want to get out of bed, much less walk around, with this kind of conditioning pain.
So I put on Saucony?s recovery suit. Usually, if you?re this beat up after a race, you?re stiff and sore at least through the next two days. But after lounging in the suit for three hours, I felt limber again and the pain subsided to a dull ache. I could literally feel the thing working. I was almost recovered by bedtime, and that has never happened to me before, at least not without a masseuse involved.The down side: It is warm, so you might need to crank the AC a little when you wear it. Also, you step in through the shoulders, so there is no fly, adding an extra step to a 3 a.m. bathroom break.
Whether you?re a casual athlete like me, or training for something that makes mortals tremble, you should at least try some of Saucony?s forthcoming Celliant-based products and see if they help you as much as they help me.
Herpes Simplex 1 and 2
Herpes simplex is a viral disease which is caused by Herpes simplex viruses. It is a recurring disease marked by the eruption of blisters on the mouth, lips, or face. These blisters or vesicles contain clear fluid. Infection with the herpes virus is usually categorized based on the site of infection. Herpes Simplex Types There are two types of herpes simplex virus: Herpes Simplex 1 HSV type-1 – It commonly infects the mouth and lips, causing sores which are known as fever blisters or cold sores. Herpes Simplex 2 HSV type-2 – It is the usual cause of genital herpes, but can also infect the mouth depending on the circumstances. [...]
Source: http://www.allhealthsite.com/herpes-simplex-1-2.html
Gluten-Free Recipe: "Chocolate Orange-Juice Cheesecake"
I really like the flavors of Orange and Chocolate combined. And, thanks to my wife's latest gluten-free recipe creation, I have a new and delicious way to enjoy this favored taste combination: the Gluten-Free "Chocolate Orange-Juice Cheesecake"?, or "Chocolate Orange-Juice-Concentrate Cheesecake"? (which would be more accurate)
This new cheesecake formula has moved the dessert into my "top 10 list" for now, and I have had the pleasure of enjoying two of these cakes in the past couple months - it is always good to double-test recipes before publishing (and, double-eat too!) I was hoping to share a more complimentary photo of the end-product, but my picture suffered a bit and does not really make the new cheesecake recipe look as good as it tastes; the piece cracked a bit getting it onto a plate... oh well. But, it is good enough to get the idea I hope:
I may be a bit biased about how great this Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange-Juice Cheesecake tastes, but I find it to be fabulous. Full of chocolate flavor, plenty smooth in texture, and a very sweet orange taste throughout too.
It reminds me a bit of a chocolate Tobler Orange (actually, I believe they changed the name of those to Terry's Chocolate Orange now - produced by Kraft foods), where chocolate combines wonderfully with the semi-pronounced taste of orange (from orange-oil). But, unlike those Terry's chocolate-oranges, this dessert does not get split into 20-segments resembling slices of an orange; in fact, if I had my way, it may only get split into 2 pieces... one for me, one for my wife :)
The recipe came about rather by accident: a lack of fresh oranges in the house made the move to frozen orange juice concentrate a move of desperation that resulted in taste sensation. In addition, it makes it much easier to make, since the need for fresh oranges has been removed. And, my wife made this recipe even easier by using standard chocolate-chips (so you do not need to worry about baker's chocolates and/or weighing chocolate). We hope you enjoy it!
Here is a link to the Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange-Juice Cheesecake Recipe on our website's recipe library. We're using an adapted crust from another one of our cheesecakes (from our cookbook), but any favorite crust should work fine. My preference for cheesecake crusts include ones featuring nut-meals, coconut, and the like. They are rather simplistic formulas, but very tasty.
And, though it should be obvious, this OJ Cheesecake is gluten-free and wheat-free, but not dairy-free. And, before anyone asks, I took the picture of the Orange a while back... it was not available for this recipe. It is actually what I believe to be a Satsuma-Mandarin-Orange that I got at Whole Foods, and I really liked how the leaves were still intact: made for a good photo.
Source: http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/2009/12/gluten-free-recipe-chocolate-orange.html
Monday 21 March 2011
Home Gym Exercise ? Some Dos and Don?ts
For a lot of us, who are strapped for time, or live far from commercial gyms or are hindered by any other factor, the home gym exercise option is realistic, convenient and a workable solution. We take a look at the dos and don’ts that you should keep in mind when it comes to home [...]
Source: http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/exercises/home-gym-exercise-some-dos-and-donts/
Zynx CEO Weingarten on ACOs, decision support, meaningful use
Zynx Health is the leader in clinical order sets and decision support rules. In this podcast interview, Zynx CEO Dr. Scott Weingarten and I discuss how the rollout of the ARRA/HITECH stimulus program and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are reshaping health care providers and creating new opportunities for decision support companies. We [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/fpGDW5soFc8/
US biogenerics policy makes me sad
I can only shake my head on days like today when I read about the state of biogenerics policy in the United States. The Wall Street Journal reports (Firms Push for Biotech Generics) that biotech companies are lined up against health plans and PBMs over the interpretation of the waiting period for biogenerics embedded in [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HealthBusinessBlog/~3/naxJ7vHQeSw/
Governors and HHS in Violent Agreement Concerning Exchange Flexibility?
While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is federal law, much of its implementation is� in the hands of the states. Near the top of the list on the state?s to-do list is the creation, design and operation of the health insurance exchanges. Not all Governors are happy with this burden. They are busy [...]
Sunday 20 March 2011
Cultural Revolution Yogurt : Gluten-Free and Awesome!
UPDATE / F.Y.I: "Cultural Revolution" is now re-braned as "Kalona SuperNatural" (11/2010)
"Cultural Revolution" brand organic yogurt from Kalona Organics is my current favorite gluten-free yogurt for a variety of reasons, especially the fact that it is has a richness and natural creamy consistency that is outstanding, and this texture is complemented by really wonderful taste : all in a yogurt that is both Low Sugar and Low Carb (and low sodium too)! As I enjoy this yogurt for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner, I feel that the nutrition and beneficial live active cultures are contributing positively to my overall health without introducing unnecessary sugar and sodium.
A quick aside here: Cultural Revolution currently does not specifically label their yogurts gluten-free, so I contacted the company and they provided a statement from the creamery that produces the Cultural Revolution yogurt (Westby Cooperative Creamery, Westby, WI) which indicates the yogurts are definitely gluten-free (see image below). Another bit of good news is that they are currently working to update their labeling to clearly indicate which of their products are gluten-free.
Cultural Revolution Ingredients
(Complete 5% Vanilla Organic Yogurt)
This yogurt really reminds me of some great European yogurts I encountered while in the United Kingdom a couple years ago, with its thick cream-top and gently marbled texture. It is made with organic whole milk and includes the rich, creamy butterfat that naturally contains vitamins A&D too. The ingredients are simply: Organic Cultured Grade-A Milk, Organic Cream, Organic and Natural Vanilla Flavors (Organic Vanilla, Evaporated Organic Cane Juice, Pectin, and Organic Lemon Juice) -- and the Live Active Cultures that include s.thermophilus, l.acidophilus, bifidus, and l.bulgaris (bottom line: an array of "beneficial bacterium" / probiotics to help improve your GI health!)Cultural Revolution Organic yogurt is available in six flavors in both 2 percent (low fat) and 5 percent. Six ounce flavors include blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, peach, vanilla, and plain. Vanilla and plain also are available in 24 oz sizes. Cultural Revolution is the newest product from Kalona Organics. This true, European-style, organic yogurt uses only the freshest, most natural ingredients, and?here?s the revolutionary part?it delivers naturally sweet, creamy taste without all the sugar, carbs, calories and sodium contained in most other yogurts. In fact, Cultural Revolution has as much as 1/3 less sugar than other yogurts.
Yogurt Comparison:
Cascade Fresh vs. Cultural Revolution
Nutrition / Statistics
Before encountering the Cultural Revolution brand yogurt, I was consuming Cascade Fresh Fat-Free Vanilla Gluten-Free Yogurt, which was pretty decent yogurt, though I found the sugar/carb content a bit higher than I would have liked. Cascade Fresh is not organic, but is simply labeled "all natural". Cascade has a simple ingredient-list and is full of those probiotics too: Grade A Nonfat Milk (with active cultures s.thermophilus, l.acidophilus, b.bifidum, l. casei, b. longum, b.infantis, and l.bulgaris), Fruit Juice Concentrate, Pectin, Natural Vanilla Flavor. Cascade Fresh actually have a wider-variety of probiotic strains, though I do not know what the difference for your GI tract will be with either brand.
Perhaps it is not a fair comparison from a taste-and-texture standpoint since I am comparing a full-fat yogurt from Cultural Revolution to a fat-free variety from Cascade Fresh, but they just happen to both be yogurts I have consumed and enjoy. For me, the Cultural Revolution Vanilla Organic Yogurt is a hands-down winner over Cascade Fresh Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt, but I cannot always locate the brand at stores near me. In fact, this seems a problem in general with non-mainstream brands... I cannot always locate Cascade Fresh either. But, when I can find it, I will definitely be consuming the Cultural Revolution brand for reasons stated herein.
Nutrition / Statistics
One of my biggest complaints with many (especially "big name" brand) yogurts on the market is the over abundance of added sugars. And the type of sugar is equally important: I absolutely refuse to consume any yogurt that contains high-fructose corn syrup : an ingredient that is blood-sugar unfriendly (to say the least) and absolutely unnecessary. Also, a yogurt MUST have live active cultures in it for me to consider it - otherwise I might as well be eating pudding. Both brands I compared meet my criteria for active cultures and no high-fructose corn syrup, and also has Cultural Revolution presenting with substantially lower sugar levels.
When performing my comparison, I normalized the nutritional-information for the two brands to a 6-ounce serving-size, since Cascade Fresh considers their serving size to be an 8-ounce serving while Cultural Revolution considered their serving size to be 6-ounces.
| Cultural Revolution Vanilla 5% Butterfat | Cascade Fresh Vanilla Fat-Free | |
| Calories: | 142 | 120 |
| Fat (g): | 8 | 0 |
Total Carbs (g) | 13 | 20 |
| Sugars (g): | 10 | 16.5 |
Protein (g) | 6 | 9 |
| Vitamin-A (%): | 8 | 0 |
Iron (%) | 2 | 2 |
| Calcium (%): | 22 | 26 |
Potassium (mg) | not indicated | 412 |
Sodium(mg) | 66 | 90 |
My Subjective Rating of Taste/Texture (1-10 Scale : 10 being highest) | 9+ | 7 |
Summary
I have made this Cultural Revolution Gluten-Free yogurt an integral part of my gluten-free diet lately, as I find it not just pleasing to taste and consume, but it also seems to satisfy me for a nice long period of time after I eat it, and preventing me from feeling hungry and snacking when I should not. These are not just "empty" calories from my experience, but are rather a nice balance of proteins, carbs, and fats. And, the fact that it really tastes great just furthers my reasons for eating it regularly. I highly recommend the product, and hope you have a chance to try it yourself and enjoy it.
Source: http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/2010/05/cultural-revolution-yogurt-gluten-free.html
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