Archive for March, 2009

How to Save Money on Health Plans

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Since the world is suffering from recession, most people think that health plans serve only as dead weight on anyone’s budget. However, investing in them is important as they could save one from unexpected health problems and the consequent financial crises that are sure to follow.

There are, however, several points one should know in order to save money on health plans.

• Shop around first and take note that there are different types of health insurance. Knowing what the advantages, disadvantages, and possible costs of each can help one understand what sort of insurance is suited.
• Join discount clubs, for example Careington International (careington.com), AmeriPlan (ameriplanusa.com), or HealthInsurance.com’s dental-discount cards. Joining one of these will bestow one up to a 60% discount. One will just pay a monthly membership fee that ranges from about $12 to $30.
• Always get regular check-ups as these help doctors detect health problems early and would potentially save one from expensive medications. Often, people wait until a problem becomes severe or intolerable before seeking medical attention. Failing to treat a medical condition in its early stages will prove to be a more expensive path.
• Read bills carefully as they might contain discrepancies. Something as simple as an incorrect billing code could prompt one’s insurance to pay less than expected or even reject the claim. Familiarize the benefits booklet carefully, too. If there is an error, send a certified letter to the insurer and make a follow-up.
• Seek discounts as retailers offer great deals and these will surely help one’s budgets to be still on track.
• Prefer generic medicines. They are cheaper and more often than not, are as good as brand names.

Acquiring a health plan is necessary nowadays. Whether married or not, health should be on top of one’s priority. Getting a health plan is essential and the steps mentioned above can be of great help especially in today’s unpredictable environment.

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Choosing the Right Psychiatrist

Friday, March 27th, 2009

A psychiatrist is a doctor with the certification for treating mental disorders. This doctor is trained in psychotherapy and diagnostic evaluation. As part of the assessment of the patient, the psychiatrist conducts physical examination, prescribes psychiatric medication, and interprets and order laboratory tests and electroencephalograms. That said, it is very crucial for a patient to find the right one.

One should choose his psychiatrist wisely since getting the services of one involves a lot of personal issues and information. A patient is required to be honest in sharing personal feelings, experiences and thoughts. The education of and the seminars attended by the psychiatrist should also be considered. A good psychiatrist has the right credentials for treating a patient.

The psychiatrist and the patient should easily develop a unique relationship that is based on trust, commitment and mutual respect.

A good psychiatrist must:

• be sensitive to his patient’s fears.
• accept a patient for who he/she is without bias or judgment.
• exert every effort to listen to the patient with an open mind.
• see a patient as a person and not as a collection of symptoms.
• use a balanced approach in considering treatment alternatives.
• allocate enough time to address all concerns.

The doctor should be able to understand that emotional symptoms can create an impact on all aspects of a patient’s life, from behavior to thoughts. He must understand that emotional balance is needed in order to have satisfying relationships with others. At times, emotional symptoms will allow one to act in contrast to their usual behavior hence affecting a person’s spiritual stand as well. Since everybody is unique, doctors should be open-minded and versatile enough to consider personality and biological factors, genetic influences, as well as the society where a person lives.

To learn more about psychiatry, visit the American Psychiatric Association.

Laura Schlessinger has written many books on self-improvement and mental well being.

Dr. Laura has many fan clubs, including the We Love Dr. Laura site.

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Diabetes is on the Rise: Why is Diabetes Becoming More Common?

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Diabetes is a widespread disease caused by a body with an inadequate production or usage of insulin which later results in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood and urine. It could cause complications like infection and gangrene of the limbs and even blindness. There are various types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, Gestational Diabetes and Prediabetes.

In the U.S alone, there are 23.6 million people (7.8% of the total population) suffering from this disease while 5.7 million are undiagnosed. In 2007 reports, about 1.6 million new cases were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older. American Indian, African American, Hispanic and Alaska Native adults are twice as likely to acquire diabetes.

Diabetes is common because people tend to have an unhealthy lifestyle. Studies show that a lifestyle change could alter or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Those with prediabetes should exercise at least four hours per week. This could reduce at least 58% of the risk to acquire type 2.

There are other causes of diabetes, namely: hereditary, infections caused by viruses, obesity, stress, high carbohydrate diet, increased cholesterol level, excessive intake of oil and sugar, nutritional deficiency, overeating, high blood pressure and tension.

One must have his blood sugar checked if he or she experiences common symptoms of the disease. These are: frequent urination, increased thirst, extreme hunger, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections (gum, skin, vagina and bladder) and of course, if injuries tend to heal quite slowly.

If people would only be careful with their health, diabetes can be prevented. For those who already have it, blood glucose control will lower the risk of kidney, eye and nerve disease manifestations by about 40%. Constant monitoring of blood pressure levels also reduces the risk for stroke and other heart diseases among individuals with diabetes. Lastly, detecting and medicating diabetic eye disease with laser therapy can minimize the possibility of blindness by about 50%-60%.

Additional Resources on Diabetes:

Overview of Diabetes from National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

The Centers for Disease Control have extensive resources on diabetes diagnosis and prevention.

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Stress Associated With Heart Problems

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Stress is inevitable in everyday life but you should learn how to manage stress especially since it is found to be associated with several health problems. In fact, several studies have been conducted linking stress to cardiac problems.

A new study published in March 2009 on the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported a connection between sudden cardiac arrest and mental stress, the former being the major culprit in over 400,000 deaths each year. The research demonstrates that anger and stress trigger electrical charges in the heart, predicting future arrhythmias in patients.

Arrhythmia is a medical term for a group of conditions wherein the heart produces an abnormal electrical activity. As a result, the heartbeat may be too slow or too fast, and the condition may be regular or irregular. Some arrhythmias are critical in that they cause cardiac arrest and sudden death while others are inclined to cause embolus or stroke. Some may also cause aggravating symptoms like palpitations.

Researchers examined 62 patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, which are devices used to monitor heart rhythms, and produce painful shocks whenever they respond to dangerous rhythms.

According to Dr. Charles Raison, psychiatrist and director of Mind/Body Institute at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, studies have shown that most patients were angry prior to experiencing the heart attack.

Another research published in 2008 looks into the effect of work stress on the cardiovascular system. The study demonstrated that work stress could lead to coronary heart disease (CHD). The study conducted in London showed that the risk of CHD had an average of 68% more for people subjected to work stress compared to those who reported the absence of work stress. The finding also linked work stress to the biological mechanisms underlying CHD, including the autonomic nervous system and the neuroendocrine function, both of which affect the signals to the heart that may lead to cardiac instability.

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Human Antibodies to Combat Against Bird Flu

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Researchers and scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have reported the discovery of human antibodies that could protect against H5N1 bird flu and other strains of influenza A viruses like the seasonal influenza viruses and the past pandemic influenza viruses. Scientists hope that this discovery could lead to the development of lifesaving treatments that would set off flu vaccines in case of bird flu outbreaks.

Over 180 people worldwide have been killed by the H5N1 bird flu virus since 2003. H5N1 is a strain of avian influenza virus. In 2004, H5N1 caused an outbreak that swept over some Asian countries, affecting millions of chickens and other birds. A few cases of humans infected with the H5N1 virus have also been reported. They became seriously ill and some have even died.

In an issue published on the Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, researchers reported that the antibodies neutralized numerous types of influenza A virus, like the H5N1 bird flu virus, in tests done on mice. The human immune system produces proteins called antibodies to attach to invaders such as bacteria and viruses and then neutralize them. In this study, the researchers isolated the antibodies in the immune system proteins from 57 volunteers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The study was done in association with Harvard Medical School in Boston.

According to Robert Liddington of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, they were surprised to discover that the antibodies neutralized other influenza viruses such as the seasonal H1N1 flu virus. Seasonal influenza occurs annually, causing mild to severe illness. In fact, seasonal influenza has caused over 250,000 deaths around the world each year. Yearly vaccination is the best protection against this kind of illness although they are not always as effective since the vaccine must be annually updated.

Article Source: Reuters, Harvard Science, BBC.

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Feed the Children, NutraCea, and FedEx Fight Hunger in Brazil

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

In some of the poorest villages outside Sao Paulo, Brazil, three big names in the industry — namely NutraCea, FedEx and Feed the Children — helped in providing food to families. Around 57,000 children and families were able to take part of this program.

NutraCea concentrates on the processing and distribution of stabilized rice bran and other proprietary, rice bran-based ingredients and formulations. It has developed intellectual properties to produce an array of whole food nutrition products, delivery systems, and proprietary product formulations.

FedEx Corporation offers businesses and clients worldwide with a wide array of transportation, business, and e-commerce services. It provides integrated business applications through operating companies that are managed collaboratively and competing collectively, under the respected FedEx banner. Known as one of the world’s best employers, FedEx motivates its more than 290,000 employees and contractors to remain focused on the needs of their customers and communities, safety, and the highest ethical and professional standards.

Feed the Children, founded in 1979 by Larry and Frances Jones, is labeled as one of the largest global charities in the U.S. based on private, non-government support. Based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Feed the Children is an international not-for-profit relief entity that provides medicine, clothing, food, and other necessities to families, individuals, and children who lack these bare essentials due to war, famine, natural disasters, or poverty.

The three big names joined forces in order to provide food for the poor Brazilian families. As a shipping company, FedEx did the shipping from NutraCea’s Sacramento warehouse to Sao Paulo while Feed the Children distributed the meals to families through five feeding centers located throughout the city of Sao Paulo, the fourth largest city in the world with more than 21 million people. Each of the feeding centers was situated in or near a severely impoverished area.

Music Evangelism Project and Feed the Children team up to fight hunger.

Make a donation to Feed the Children.

Facebook profile for Feed the Children.

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Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire Wins Oscar Best Picture

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Director Danny Boyle’s hard work has paid off. “Slumdog Millionaire”, the British-produced movie that he helmed, won Best Picture in the 2009 Oscar Awards held on February 22, 2009.

“Slumdog Millionaire” follows the story of a Mumbai orphan who goes on a winning streak on India’s version of the popular game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Incorporated into this is the love story of Jamal (the orphan played by Dev Patel) and Latika (Freida Pinto) who are separated from each other because of Jamal’s brother Salim. The story is told not only with artistic ambition and symbolism, but also with commercial appeal.

The film begins with the local police interrogating Jamal about the allegations that he was cheating in order to correctly answer the questions in the game show. Jamal responds by telling the police how his life’s stories helped him figure out the answer to each question. The film’s simple storytelling successfully intertwines Jamal’s quest for survival with all the questions asked in the popular game show.

Filled with subtitles and shot in India with an Indian cast and crew, “Slumdog Millionaire” is Fox Searchlight’s first Academy Award winner. It also serves as a clear indication that the production company is firm in its advocacy of promoting daring works that do not embrace the common studio system.

Aside from the Best Picture Award, the film also won Oscar statuettes for adapted screenplay, editing, cinematography, original song, sound mixing, original score, and the Best Director Oscar for Director Danny Boyle.

“Slumdog Millionaire” not only grabbed top honors in the prestigious awards ceremony, the movie has also become a box office hit worldwide. Despite lacking star power, the film’s domestic gross has reached over $100 million.

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A Posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

On January 22, 2008, Hollywood and the rest of the world was shocked and saddened by the death of Heath Ledger. The 28-year old actor, who was found in his New York apartment, died of prescription medication overdose several months before the movie “The Dark Knight” opened to audiences worldwide.

Last Sunday, February 22, 2009, Heath Ledger’s performance as Joker in the movie was honored with an Oscar statuette for the best supporting actor category. On hand to accept only the second posthumous Oscar were the actor’s family: Kim Ledger (father), Sally Bell (mother), and the late actor’s sister Kate Ledger. Amidst a standing ovation and solemn silence, the family accepted the award on behalf of Matilda, Heath Ledger’s daughter with actress Michelle Williams. The Oscar statuette will be handed over to Matilda when she turns 18 years old.

After the movie was shown last 2008, movie critics unanimously agreed that Heath Ledger’s interpretation of the villain was both chilling and shocking. Many praised his performance as being original. The late actor’s Joker was ugly and monster-like as compared to earlier interpretations like the one by Jack Nicholson in the Tim Burton helmed “Batman” in 1989.

During the filming of “The Dark Knight,” Heath Ledger admitted that he was suffering from bouts of insomnia. He took prescription medications to help him counter the problem.

Prior to reaping praises in “The Dark Knight”, Heath Ledger received an Oscar best actor nomination for his performance as Ennis Del Mar in Director Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” way back 2001.

Heath Ledger’s other film credits include “10 Things I Hate About You” (1999), “The Patriot” in 2000, and “Monster’s Ball” and “A Knight’s Tale which both came out in 2001.

CNN report on the death of Heath Ledger.

A tribute to Heath Ledger.

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Business Golf Etiquette

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Golf is a spectator sport that is played in almost every part of the world. Tournaments are held in different courses, each uniquely designed and covering either nine or 18 holes. It is the perfect venue for those who want to create and strengthen business relationships because of its relaxed atmosphere.

According to a COMPAS Leader Poll conducted in 2002, most of today’s business leaders use golf as a toll in doing business. Aside from being a relaxing activity, it is also a remunerative one since for every dollar spent on the golf outing, businesses and business leaders stand to earn as much as $1,500 or more. Some business leaders even organize charity tournaments that can serve as common venues for creating better rapport with business affiliates or possible clients.

Because of this, many new golf courses have opened with reduced membership costs.

Golf offers a glimpse of a person’s personality, conduct, and values – all of which are important factors in business dealings. So in order to make sure that proper results are achieved for every business golf outing, the following pointers should be remembered:

• One must be prepared.
• Get organized and find time to practice by arriving early at the venue.
• Plan ahead and set realistic goals or outcomes.
• Be completely knowledgeable about the company. Paint a positive picture of the company.
• Knowledge about the game is also important. It is advisable to take a crash course in golf if one is not familiar about the sport.
• Make sure that the venue is the best option for the client or business affiliate. It is important to take note of the golf course’s proximity.

A business golf outing will send the right signals and produce positive results if business leaders practice proper golf etiquette. Some of the things to keep in mind include dressing appropriately, refraining from cheating, and avoiding instances of bragging or complaining about anything.

More information on Golf Etiquette.

Golf Interest is a site dedicated to all things golf.

Learn more about the history of golf.

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