AIDS Reporting
Starting Jan. 1, Massachusetts doctors will be required to report by name, those people who test positive for the Aids and the HIV virus. They are the sixth state in the union to have adopted such a measure.
The only exception was those who have tested positive for HIV and have not gotten Aids yet.That was early in the epidemic. They say that the records will be sealed and protected and will be used so they can target the areas that need the most intervention and treatment. They already report those who have other venereal diseases.
Breast Cancer Update
Doctors now say women double the risk of breast cancer from eating more than one meal of red meat a day.
This especially means processed red meat, like hamburgers and sausages.
The female hormones oestrogen and progesterone are important for bodily functions but also stimulate growth in 70 per cent of breast cancers – those known as hormone receptor positive.
Eunyoung Cho, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said the reasons red meat triggered this type of breast cancer were the treatment of cattle with hormones to speed growth, carcinogens made when meat was cooked at high temperatures and a certain form of iron. Women who ate more than 1½ servings of red meat a day were 97 per cent more likely to have positive breast cancer than those who ate fewer servings a week.
Women who had meat in processed form more than three times a week were 2.3 times more likely to get cancer than those who ate them less than once a month. Those who ate hamburgers between one and three times a week were 71 per cent more likely to get cancer than those who did so less than once a month.
Don’t Waste That Spit !
French researchers have discovered a chemical naturally produced in our bodies called oriorphin, which is in our saliva but could possibly be produced in other areas of our bodies.
They have tested it on rats in pain and found that it is a lot more potent than morphine.
They have to do many more tests to find out how it works on pain, and what causes it’s release, and the effects it would have if given as medicine. It sounds very promising, but it will be years before we may see this on the market.
Yet, Another Study
Children who are involved in athletics are at risk for sudden death from being hit in the chest, even with protective gear on.
This deadly blow usually happens when the child is hit directly over the heart, and can be delivered by a ball, stick, bat, puck, or human. It occurs when the blow interrupts the normal rhythm of the heart, causing it to go into an abnormal rhythm that does not allow the lower ventricles to pump properly, causing little or no blood to be pumped properly.
The answer for this is better protective equipment over the chest area, and education enough to recognize on the field when it happens and what kind of emergency treatment can be given immediately.
Another Brilliant Conclusion
Researchers have just come to the conclusion that firefighters are more likely to get cancer and other serious ailments.
Umm, let’s see, they breath in a lot more smoke and other chemicals than the normal person comes in contact with, could that be the cause? Sorry, but I think that should have been obvious before it ever became a problem.
Now that more and more firefighters are sick they will be looking for preventative measures. This should have been done from the start. Why would anyone assume that breathing all that smoke in would not have any affect?
These are our front line people and they should have the protection they need to not only do the job they were hired to do, but to keep themselves healthy in the meantime. I don’t think many people would mind their tax dollars going for something as worth while or important as this.
Kids Showing Signs Of Artery Hardening
Kids that have risk factors already, China researchers have discovered, are showing early signs of hardening of the arteries.
There seems to be a big push all over the world to battle fat. It is directly related to several diseases and is said to be epidemic.
Many governments want to make new laws and restriction’s for restaurants as to what kind of food they serve and how they prepare them. Schools have already changed what kind of snacks they carry in the machines and in the lunchrooms.
This is not the answer to battle the bulge, though it may help on a temporary basis, at least in schools. Though we still want the government to advise us, they do not and should not have the right to force us to eat a certain way.
I believe that we need to find out why we like to over eat, and why we like to eat foods that are not so good for us.
I know for myself that food is very important to me. I over indulge, but I also know why. When I was a child food was what joined the whole family together. It was how we celebrated and came together. My fondest memories are of my grandmother, aunt, and mother in the kitchen preparing feasts for the holidays. Of course there were vegetables served, they were usually made with cream sauces, and lots of butter or margarine. This is what we have to address because if someone really wants that unhealthy food they will find a way to get it.
Diabetes Said To Wipe Out Blacks?
I have just picked up a news story that claims in Australia they are claiming that what they refer to as the European style treatments for diabetes type 2, which is diet and exercise are not working for Aborigines. They feel it is at epidemic levels and that Aborigines there will be wiped out by the end of the century.
I for one find this story very hard to believe since I have diabetes type 2, and I know for a fact that when I adhere to my diet and exercise my sugar goes down and is under control. So what is the answer?
I could certainly be wrong, but could it be that they are simply not doing the exercise and proper diet? In the USA that has been the reason why so many diabetics are on pills and insulin, because they simply won’t or can’t change their lifestyle habits and it’s easier for them just to rely on medicine.
This will be an interesting story to follow and see what the doctors and researchers there conclude.
Dance, Dance, Dance !
It has been found that dancing is the best exercise for people with heart failure. The main reason is that dancing of course is equal to brisk walking and jogging type activities, but not as boring.
Those of us who love music can’t help but want to move to the tunes of our favorite songs, even if they are slow songs. Feel free to waltz, disco, or just make up your own dances and movements. The key is too get your body moving and keep it moving at least several times a week.
I think the reason you keep hearing about exercise is that most people are still not on board with it. It seems like too easy an answer to work, so we don’t take it seriously. We seem to think that pills are the only thing that can help cure a disease. I believe that as soon as we open up our minds and accept that simple diet and movement can make us healthy, there will be a lot less pill taking, and hospitalizations.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
I had not ever heard of this before now, but there is a cancer known as inflammatory breast cancer that does NOT present itself with lumps.
The symptoms vary and are vague which makes this cancer even scarier and from what I have heard more deadly than regular breast cancer. To see a video news report go to http://www.topsiecurvey.blogspot.com/
Remember also that breast cancer is not confined to females only. A small percentage of men also get the disease and can die from it. Everyone should check for lumps and be aware that any changes such as rashes, dimpling, or changes in appearance should be cause for a visit to the doctor.
Dems and Rep to Make Medicare Changes
Now that the elections are over both Democrats and Replicans are looking to make changes to the Medicare program which would include importing Canadian drugs and the price of cancer drugs among other things.