Saturday, November 17, 2012

The Job Of A Hand Surgeon Is Vital

There are some careers and occupations that get more attention than others. That's because some people see them as being more important or beneficial. Take someone like a hand surgeon, for instance. In the eyes of some, their job is not seen as being as beneficial as someone like an ear, nose and throat doctor or a plastic surgeon. However, these professionals play an extremely important role.
The reason that the job of a hand surgeon is so beneficial is because of how vital the hands are to people's everyday lives. Without the use of these body parts, many seemingly mundane tasks would all of a sudden become extreme challenges or impossibilities. Now, there are rare and extraordinary cases where people have been able to overcome these challenges by utilizing other body parts in their place. However, this is not the norm. People, in general, need the use of their hands more than they realize. For some, they don't come to this realization until it's too late. This goes to show why a hand surgeon is so beneficial.
Without the help of these specialists, many people would have to go through life struggling to do things like typing, writing, playing basketball or even washing dishes. These are activities that are many times taken for granted by the average person. In actuality, some people dread having to do some of the aforementioned tasks. This is especially true of writing, typing and washing dishes. However, they might change their perception about these duties if they think about how their life would be if they were one day unable to participate in them.
In most cases, people in these situations would be almost totally dependent on others. This may be okay for people who are used to this type of lifestyle, but it can be really difficult for those who are used to being more independent. In their cases, they may feel a sense of overwhelming embarrassment. This isn't because there's something wrong with getting help or assistance when needed. The issue comes in when someone isn't used to having a personal assistant, so to speak. In other words, their pride could get the best of them. This isn't to say that people who depend on others in this capacity are inferior. It just shows how difficult it can be for some people to mentally adjust to certain life changes.
The job of a hand surgeon should be appreciated just as much as other medical professions. These professionals help people regain the mobility and use of their hands, which are extremely important parts of the body.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Genetically Modified Foods

Based on information compiled by the Label GMOs Grassroots Committee, the following are facts we all need to keep in mind to protect our health and to make informed political decisions:
GMO Fact #1
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are laboratory creations of agricultural biotechnology engineered by forcing DNA from a foreign species into plants or animals. This foreign DNA may be from a virus, bacteria such as E. coli, insects, animals or humans, resulting in traits that would not occur naturally.
Upwards of 70 percent of supermarket foods in the U.S. contain GMOs. While 50 other countries including the entire European Union require labeling of GMOs, the U.S. does not.
GMO Fact #2
Animal studies have shown GMOs cause infertility, accelerated aging, dysfunctional insulin regulation, changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system, and immune problems such as asthma, allergies, and inflammation. As a result of these studies, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine has called for a moratorium on GMOs. The FDA's own scientists warned that GMOs have serious health hazards, but no safety studies are required. Europe has rejected GMOs due to health effects.
GMO Fact #3
GM food poses higher risks for children - In feeding studies, adolescent rats showed damaged immune systems and digestive function; smaller brains, livers, and testicles; atrophy of the liver; and pre-cancerous cell growth in the intestines after only 10 days of GM feed. One study showed that offspring of rats fed GM soy died within three weeks. Bt toxin, a pesticide that has been engineered into GM corn, has been found in the placenta of pregnant women and and in fetuses. In newborns, since the blood-brain barrier is not yet developed, scientists speculate these toxins may enter the brain and cause serious cognitive problems such ADHD and autism.
GMO Fact #4
Agricultural bio-tech companies have undue influence on government institutions that are supposed to regulate them to protect public health. Many former Monsanto executives are now in the FDA and USDA. Michael Taylor, former VP and attorney for the biggest GMO company, Monsanto, is now the Deputy Commissioner at the FDA. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is a former Monsanto attorney. Agritech companies give generous campaign contributions and use heavy lobbying to politicians. The FDA has chosen to disregard strong warnings of its own scientists and allowed GMOs in our food supply without any health studies or even labeling.
GMO Fact#5
GMOs offer no benefits to consumers or farmers . GMOs do not provide higher yields, are not more drought tolerant than conventional crops, are less nutritious, and do not taste better. Many GM crops are created to increase tolerance to herbicides, which encourages more herbicide use and increases agritech profits. Because GM plants are engineered to produce sterile seed, farmers must purchase new seed every year. Farmers who do not use GM seed and whose fields become contaminated by GMOs have lost their livelihood due to lawsuits from agritech companies.
GMO Fact #6
Overuse of herbicide on GM crops has led to super-weeds that require super-toxic herbicides, increased incidence of deadly plant diseases, degradation of the soil, and pollution of waterways.
GMO Fact #7
GMOs are widespread in our food supply. U.S. supermarkets sell products containing unlabeled ingredients from genetically engineered soybeans, sugar beets, corn, canola and cottonseed. Genetically engineered Hawaiian papaya, zucchini and crook neck squash are also sold in the U.S. The bovine growth hormone rBGH is genetically engineered. Livestock are routinely raised on feed containing GM soy, corn and cottonseed. The FDA has recently deregulated GM alfalfa, a common feed crop for dairy cattle. The FDA is weighing approval of GM salmon and a variety of other foods.
GMO Fact #8
GMOs could be contributing to the increases seen in childhood food allergies, asthma and autism, which have risen dramatically over the past 15 years since GMOs were introduced. The process of creating GMOs can increase levels of existing allergens, or introduce new allergens. GMO animal feeding studies show immune dysregulation, which is associated with asthma. The pesticide Bt from GM corn has been found in the bloodstream of women and fetuses; pesticides are linked to Autism via their potential to affect changes in the fetal brain.
GMO Fact #9
GMOs can be avoided by using the Non-GMO Shopping Guide or choosing organic foods. The most at-risk ingredients are corn, soy, cottonseed and canola. The guide available at nongmoshoppingguide.com tells how to avoid hidden GM ingredients, e.g. lecithin, modified food starch and high fructose corn syrup. Certified organic products cannot intentionally contain any genetically engineered ingredients.
GMO Fact #10
You can make a difference! Here are action steps recommended by Karen Hudson, Sonoma County Coordinator of Label GMOs Grassroots Committee encourages everyone to do:
*Contact carighttoknow.org to endorse, donate, volunteer, and get more information.
*Watch "Future of Food," "The World According to Monsanto" or
*See Jeffrey Smith's new video "Genetic Roulette."
*Check out Nutiva's 2 min. video on YouTube: "What is a GMO?".
*Forward this article to everyone in your network.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Plastic Surgeons Who Care About More

Plastic surgeons can be a great help to people with deformities. Most people have seen children or adults with physical deformities. It can be very difficult to look at. Perhaps your child points and stares, and you feel your face grow red and hot. It is difficult to know how to treat someone with problems like this.
If you or someone you love is at the point of being sick of the comments, then perhaps doing some research into plastic surgeons is a good option. Before choosing a surgeon, you will want to take several areas into account. Some plastic surgeons may be all about perfection. Of course it is good that a surgeon would always strive to do his or her best, but when dealing with someone who had awful deformities, the goal is to remove the deformity, and help the person have a normal life.
Plastic surgeons should be well versed in knowing how to counsel people. An individual who has been teased most of their life for something they could not help has some scars. It is important to find a surgeon who is empathetic and able to help the individual recover from the difficult time they had early on.
Another important qualification for plastic surgeons if you are looking for one is that he or she is qualified through experience and education. Education alone is not enough to make someone qualified. It is okay if much of the experience was in a residence program, but they should definitely have had a good amount of hands-on experience in reconstructive surgery before you should hire them to take care of a deformity.
You should also consider the cost of hiring a highly skilled physician. Depending on your situation, you may be able to get help financially. It is important to look into this before starting out. If you are able to get help, then it may cover the entire bill. Sometimes insurance will not cover surgeries that seem cosmetic, but when it comes to a deformity from birth, an accident, or some other problem like this then they may reconsider. Make sure to check with your insurance to see if your problem will be covered.
Do not go another day dealing with your deformity without taking action. Perhaps you believe you have accepted it. Even so, if you have the opportunity for a more normal life, you should consider it.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Pregnancy Week 11 Development

What Happens Inside the Body
As time passes by, your baby continues to grow and develop in such a rapid and impressive rate. By this week, the fingernails, ovaries and hair follicles are developing. Ears are nearly in their final shape, with feet and hands on their distinct shapes. The baby's tongue, nipples and palate as well as the fingers and toes are now becoming visible. This means that the webbed fingers and toes have now disappeared.
This week, the size of your baby's head is not proportion with his body. The head actually takes almost half of the entire body size. The blood begins to circulate in the body and the baby weighs around 7 grams. Using a Doppler device, your baby's heartbeat can now be detected.
What Can You Expect This Week
By this time, you should expect morning sickness to be more intense. You tend to get hungry most of the time because you're actually eating for two. Since your body is working very hard in supplying your baby's needs, fatigue and extreme tiredness are most likely to be experienced.
Pregnancy symptoms which have been manifesting for several weeks continue to show this week. These pregnancy symptoms include food cravings, food aversions, excessive saliva, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination and breast tenderness. Other symptoms include bloating and occasional faintness, dizziness and headaches.
Spinach for Good Health
According to research, spinach is one of the best foods to eat during pregnancy. This vegetable is fortified with essential nutrients that are beneficial in enhancing the baby's growth and development. Three cups of spinach everyday can supply the required amount of folic acid for pregnant women everyday. Spinach is also said to contain high levels of nutrients that are beneficial for lactating mothers as they help improve the quality of milk.
Spinach is beneficial to the body as it serves as the powerhouse of nutrients such as beta carotene, folate, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. Its potassium content is beneficial in regulating the level of blood pressure and heart rate. Zinc regulates the growth and development of humans and controls sperm generation, nucleic acid synthesis and digestion. Spinach is also a good source of iron which plays an essential role in the production of red blood cells.
This green vegetable also contains Vitamin K which plays a vital role in strengthening the bones by enhancing its bone building activity. It even helps in preventing the development of Alzheimer's disease. In fact, spinach is considered as one of the richest sources of Vitamin K. Meanwhile, spinach makes a good source of Vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C is beneficial in increasing the body's resistance against diseases.
This vegetable is also a good source of lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, flavonoids and antioxidants which are known for their abilities to protect the body against diseases. Its zeaxanthin component is useful in preventing the onset of macular degeneration in elderly. This leafy vegetable also offers B vitamins which include pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine and niacin which are very useful to the body. Its beta carotene and zeaxanthin contents eliminates free radicals which when left unchecked can trigger the development of certain types of cancer.
Folate is exceptionally important during this crucial stage. Research reveals that spinach is packed with folate or folic acid. Insufficient level of folic acid in the body increases the baby's risk for neural tube defects including spina bifida, cleft palate and cleft lip. Lack of folate in the body also increases the mother's risk to suffer from megloblastic anaemia, diarrhoea, tiredness, weight loss and shortness of breath.
Spinach is actually an excellent source of beta carotene which the body converts into Vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for the development of the foetus and in breastfeeding. It also aids in optimizing the development of the foetus, maturation as well as in lung development. Aside from its manganese and potassium content which are essential in promoting heart health, spinach also contains anti-inflammatory properties which help in preventing the onset of asthma, osteoporosis, migraines, headaches and arthritis.
Spinach is also important even after birth. This vegetable makes an excellent source of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and amino acids which are exceptionally important for the child's development.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Attributes to Consider When You Hire a Plastic Surgeon

A plastic surgeon should be someone who has a good educational background and experience in a broad variety of areas in his or her field. They should also be well-versed in working with people so that individuals can be counseled to make wise decisions.
No matter what the reason is for needing a plastic surgeon, you should look for one with attributes that you would want in any medical professional. It is important for a plastic surgeon to have a broad educational and experiential background in their field. It is also important for them to have experience and aptitude as a counselor to help the people whom they treat.
Finding a plastic surgeon for your desired procedure is probably the most important part of the entire process. Each professional does things a little bit differently, and some have their own techniques that they have developed for certain procedures. As you research the particular procedure that you want, you would be wise to find a surgeon who has developed new and affective ways of doing things.
When you find someone who has a new way of doing an old surgery, make sure to check their educational and experiential background. Find out where they went to school and where they have worked. Make sure that they have worked in a surgical capacity for a number of years and that they have specifically worked a great deal in the area that you are considering.
The way a plastic surgeon deals with people is also very important. It is impossible for him or her to treat every patient exactly the same way because each one is an individual that is there for a different reason. The professional should be able to adapt to the different personalities and problems that he or she encounters, and they should be able to counsel individuals to make the right decisions.
Surgeons in this capacity could end up dealing with breast cancer survivors, burn victims, individuals suffering from congenital deformities, and those who are suffering from a lack of confidence due to their appearance. Each case will take a different level of understanding and empathy, and each case will require the professional to be a good listener to make sure that they and the patient are on the same page. Sometimes it may take a while for an individual to actually be ready to go through with a surgery. A medical professional in this field should have the aptitude to be able to tell when someone needs more emotional healing before jumping into a major physical change.
Whatever your issue, search for the right person to help you as you seek treatment. You will not regret taking time to do the right research and find the right candidates that are available for your situation.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Microdermabrasion To Achieve Healthy Looking Skin

Microdermabrasion is a long word for a fairly simple procedure. You have seen wood floors get redone. The old surface is removed, and the beautiful new layer is revealed from below. It is the same idea with this process. A device is used to sort of sand off that old skin that has been negatively affected by the sun, the environment, and your age.
This is not an invasive procedure. It can actually be done at a spa or by a dermatologist. If you think that your skin no longer has the glow that it once had, then perhaps Microdermabrasion would be a good option.
The actual process will take around twelve visits, and then you might need periodic maintenance visits after this. The good thing about this option versus plastic surgery is that there is really no recovery for it.
Youthful skin is something most women desire to keep. The difficulty is that many women spent their younger years sunbathing, and now their skin is suffering because of it. Using sunscreen will help with this. Smoking is another reason for skin aging. If you smoke, you should seriously consider stopping if you are going to get Microdermabrasion. It will do no good to get this process done and continue doing one of the things that is causing your problem.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It is a very busy one too. It filters out toxins through your sweat, and it keeps the rest of your organs and skeletal system all together as a unit. It is easy to neglect your skin because it is just there, and it does not seem to be doing much. The reason it gets the most wear and tear however, is because it does do a lot.
Maybe you have a birthday or anniversary coming up. Rather than get another piece of jewelry or a new outfit, suggest to a loved one that you would like to go to a spa. This is a great option for a gift for yourself or someone else.
Taking care of your skin takes work. Microdermabrasion will make it easier for you to look young. If you are definitely interested in having Microdermabrasion, take the time to look in your area for a spa or dermatologist that does this process. You may have to shop around for a good price or get a referral for a dermatologist, but you should be able to find someone that will help you rejuvenate your skin.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Septoplasty To Improve Breathing Problems

It is estimated that almost 80% of people suffer from a deviated nasal septum and Septoplasty is one treatment which has been helping them overcome the problems caused by it. Nasal septum is a wall like lining in the nose which separates the cavities of the nose into two equal halves. Ideally this wall should be in the midline of the nose thereby making equal passages on the right and left sides. The nasal septum consists of a central cartilage which provides support and is covered with mucus membrane on both sides. If this septum is not in the midline of the nose or is deviated, it can cause severe breathing problems.
Causes, Symptoms and Effects
Nasal septum deviation can be caused either through some injury to the nose or it can even be present by birth. Excessive growth of the skeleton system can also be a reason for deviated septum and cause the nasal passages to be blocked. Some of the most common symptoms of a deviated nasal septum are blockages in either one or both nostrils, obstructed breathing, nasal congestions, chronic sinus, infections, bleeding of the nose, snoring, breathing through the mouth, headaches and facial pain.
People suffering from deviated nasal septum often complain about breathing obstruction, congestion, headaches and sinusitis troubles. This deviation can significantly obstruct the flow of air from the nasal passage as well as not allow a nose to be completely clear of the sinus and mucus drainage. In extreme cases, the deviation could also affect the outward structure of the nose causing it to alter shape and leave the nose looking collapsed. In such cases, Rhinoplasty - a type of cosmetic surgery is the only way to correct it.
How Septoplasty works
Septoplasty is the most effective treatment for correcting a deviated nasal septum. This process is conducted via the nostrils, thereby ensuring that there are no bruises and no signs of surgery. The procedure involves realigning the portion of cartilage or bone which is bent in the nasal cavity. Local or general anaesthesia administered before the process and an incision is made via the nostrils on the septum to reach the affected area. It is ensured that there is sufficient cartilage being preserved so that it can provide structural support to the nose. After aligning the septum to the correct position, it is given a temporary stability with the help of small plastic sutures.
Septoplasty has helped a lot of patients to completely or partially eliminate the symptoms of deviated nasal septum. This procedure clears the blockage of the nose passage thereby allowing smooth breathing and clear nostrils. It also helps in avoiding any chronic infections or sinus that could have developed due to the obstruction as well as provides a structural support to the nose and preventing and facial damage