Your body is, after all, key to all other productivity and creation in your life, financially and otherwise.It is easy to get distracted with lists of things to do, errands to run, paperwork to complete, bills to pay... and lose track of what your body needs to keep you up and running.In fact, most of us keep better track of the gas tank in our car and scheduled oil changes than we do of keeping our bodies fed every 3-4 hours and making sure we get 8 hours of sleep each night.Take a minute and think about where your focus lies. Are you (your health) anywhere near the top of your to-do list?When you are in the situation of choosing between something that benefits your wellness, but costs more versus something that costs less but doesn't benefit your health in the long run, consider this question: Would you rather be poor and healthy, or rich and unhealthy?Health insurance, except in rare cases, is really not set up to support you in choosing preventive and natural health care. Instead of expecting health insurance to do what it is not set up to do (which only leads to frustration), think of insurance as protection to be used in the case of a catastrophic medical emergency.Choose insurance with a high deductible and, like with your car and home insurance, consider it a regular expense for just-in-case. Then, with your health care premium savings, create a whole other area in your budget for taking care of you!
Here are a few of the choices and activities I find are well-worth the expense in terms of keeping me well.• Join a gym! Exercise (aerobic and weight training) 20-60 minutes, 3-5 times per week.
• One-hour massage twice monthly.
• Eat organic, free range foods.
• Triple Flu Defense, 10 drops per week.Things you can do for your health that don't have additional cost associated:• Open a Health Savings Account (HSA). This way you don't pay taxes on the money you spend on wellness care.
• Take a class at the gym (already paying membership). I went to a Pilates class last week and loved it!
• Do Escogue "exercises" at home for 10 minutes every day.
• Hot bath with epsom salts.
• Go to bed early (so you are sure to get 8 hours sleep).
• Drink water or green tea instead of alcohol or a latte!
• Join your local running or cycling club!!All the best to you as you find ways, big and small, to invest in your body.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
How Much Is The Salary of a Medical Laboratory Technician?
They examine body fluid samples in a laboratory setting to detect parasites, bacteria, and other microorganisms that may be causing the patient's disease. Laboratory tests are carried out in toxicology, hematology, chemistry, microbiology, and immunology in order to diagnose and treat patients. Medical laboratory technicians work in various healthcare facilities that include hospitals, offices of physicians, research laboratories, health clinics, veterinary laboratories, medical diagnostic laboratories, and biotechnology companies.The usual day of a medical laboratory technician begins by setting up and adjusting lab equipment. Throughout the day, their tasks include collecting and receiving blood, tissue, urine, and other body fluid samples from patients. They are required to prepare these samples for routine testing through a microscope or automatic analyzer, which will give results detecting any abnormalities or diseases. The results will then be put into a computer for further analysis using graphs, charts, tables, etc. Some samples may need to be stored under controlled conditions for future use. In preparation for the next day, they clean up the lab equipment at the end of the day.The career of a medical laboratory technician can be rewarding and also challenging at the same time. An individual must be able to work along well with other health care professionals, including scientists and physicians. A Medical laboratory technician must be patient and detail-oriented since there are the important traits of this profession. All information collected must follow the data protection act and patient confidentiality practice.Education, Training and CertificationAn applicant should first possess a high school diploma in order to enter into a medical laboratory technician program. Students are then required to complete at least an Associate's degree, like a 2-year education program provided by a community college, technical school, vocational school, or university. There are also 1-year certificate programs available from hospitals for those already in related fields, such as nursing.Medical laboratory technicians are restricted in the duties they can perform, like they cannot perform complex lab tests because they do not have the same type of extensive education as a medical laboratory technologist. Pursuing further education to become a medical laboratory technologist is therefore advisable for laboratory technicians.Training programs aim at helping trainees acquire the necessary knowledge and skills they need to enter the workforce. Students undergo hands-on practice in real laboratory settings.Medical laboratory technicians do not require any certification in most states but some states and employers may require a license before an individual can practice. Certified technicians usually have better job offers and higher salaries. Medical laboratory technicians that want to be certified should complete the accredited education program before they write the licensing exam. Continuing education credits are required every year to maintain certification.
Work EnvironmentMedical laboratory technicians primarily work in hospitals and laboratories including research specialty and veterinary labs while some may work in public health centers, health clinics, and biotech companies.Typical Work ScheduleThe typical work of a medical laboratory technician is 35-40 hours per week but they may have to do shift work depending on the facility they are working. Some laboratories are open 24 hours a day while hospitals are open on weekends and holidays so many technicians who are working in these facilities will have to work evenings, weekends and holidays.Factors that affect the salary of a Medical Laboratory Technician- Experience - Medical Technicians who just joined the field will start a salary at $25,000 while experienced technicians can make from $45,000 upwards.- Education - Education is crucial in determining a medical laboratory technician's salary. Although most states do not require a technician to be certified, employers tend to look for individuals with certification and in turn they receive higher wages.- Location - Location is also very important in determining a medical laboratory technician's salary. Salaries can differ from State to State. The highest paying state is Rhode Island.- Employer - Working for different employers will result in different salaries. Generally, technicians working in hospitals have higher pay than those who work in medical and diagnostic laboratories. Top paying employers in this occupation are office of dentists, medical equipment and supplies manufacturing, junior colleges, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, and computer system design and related services.Average Annual Salary of a Medical TechnicianThe average annual salary of a laboratory personnel is $38,960. This is calculated by adding all the wages within the occupation and divided that value by the total number of employees. Lowest 10% of this occupation makes less than $24,580 and the top 10% makes over $57,330. Their average hourly salary is $18.73. The bottom 10% makes $11.82 while the top 10% makes $27.56.Highest Paying Cities:
1. San Francisco, CA: $56,610
2. Providence, MA: $55,370
3. San Jose, CA: $54,570
4. Anchorage, AK: $54,120
5. Bridgeport, CT: $53,320Highest Paying States:
1. Rhode Island: $59,910
2. Alaska: $53,740
3. Oregon: $47,140
4. District of Columbia: $46,950
5. Connecticut: $46,840State with Highest Employment Level:
1. California
2. Texas
3. Georgia
4. Pennsylvania
5. Illinois
Work EnvironmentMedical laboratory technicians primarily work in hospitals and laboratories including research specialty and veterinary labs while some may work in public health centers, health clinics, and biotech companies.Typical Work ScheduleThe typical work of a medical laboratory technician is 35-40 hours per week but they may have to do shift work depending on the facility they are working. Some laboratories are open 24 hours a day while hospitals are open on weekends and holidays so many technicians who are working in these facilities will have to work evenings, weekends and holidays.Factors that affect the salary of a Medical Laboratory Technician- Experience - Medical Technicians who just joined the field will start a salary at $25,000 while experienced technicians can make from $45,000 upwards.- Education - Education is crucial in determining a medical laboratory technician's salary. Although most states do not require a technician to be certified, employers tend to look for individuals with certification and in turn they receive higher wages.- Location - Location is also very important in determining a medical laboratory technician's salary. Salaries can differ from State to State. The highest paying state is Rhode Island.- Employer - Working for different employers will result in different salaries. Generally, technicians working in hospitals have higher pay than those who work in medical and diagnostic laboratories. Top paying employers in this occupation are office of dentists, medical equipment and supplies manufacturing, junior colleges, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, and computer system design and related services.Average Annual Salary of a Medical TechnicianThe average annual salary of a laboratory personnel is $38,960. This is calculated by adding all the wages within the occupation and divided that value by the total number of employees. Lowest 10% of this occupation makes less than $24,580 and the top 10% makes over $57,330. Their average hourly salary is $18.73. The bottom 10% makes $11.82 while the top 10% makes $27.56.Highest Paying Cities:
1. San Francisco, CA: $56,610
2. Providence, MA: $55,370
3. San Jose, CA: $54,570
4. Anchorage, AK: $54,120
5. Bridgeport, CT: $53,320Highest Paying States:
1. Rhode Island: $59,910
2. Alaska: $53,740
3. Oregon: $47,140
4. District of Columbia: $46,950
5. Connecticut: $46,840State with Highest Employment Level:
1. California
2. Texas
3. Georgia
4. Pennsylvania
5. Illinois
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Eat Half, Twice As Often!
I figured out that all you have to do to lose weight and then maintain your new weight is eat half as much as you normally would, but twice as often.While you may have heard of a similar concept (small, frequent meals) before, what may be new to most people is to adjust the proportions each time you eat.Notice that I say "each time you eat" instead of "meal." I believe the word "meal" is overly associated with a whole lot of food! So from now on, the food on your plate will be referred to as "time to eat."Instead of 3 meals a day, make it 6 times to eat per day. Instead of breakfast, lunch and dinner, I say "first breakfast, second breakfast, first lunch, second lunch, etc."Back to proportions! Okay, so we all learned from the standard American health classes and diet pyramid that "meals" should be basically 1/3 starch, 1/3 vegetables/fruit and 1/3 protein. The problem, as I see it, is that BOTH starch (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice) and vegetables/fruit contain carbohydrates (and very little protein/fat).With that much carbohydrate in every "meal," three times per day, it is only a matter of time before a person's insulin stops working and the gates open for health issues like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, weight gain, etc...I recommend shifting the percentages to 50:50. That is 50% protein based food (meat, poultry, fish, beans, nuts, eggs), which also contain healthy fats, and 50% carbohydrate based food (vegetables/fruits and gluten free grains).Notice that I completely left out dairy products and gluten, which I consider to be the single biggest instigators of health issues all around.
So "eat half" means to eat half protein based food and half carb based food.It also means "eat half" at each sitting. Instead of eating everything on a large plate, draw a line down the middle and eat half. (Or use a smaller plate!) Save the other half for 3-4 hours later when your body needs another fill of nutrients and calories.Why 3-4 hours later? When you go more then 3-4 hours without eating, your body goes into stress mode, otherwise known as starvation. While we may wish that our bodies would burn the excess around our middles, or perhaps a little off the backside, that is simply impossible, I am sorry to say. Our bodies ONLY know how to use muscle for fuel.So save your muscle, for goodness sake, and feed yourself every 3-4 hours. It may seem like a babysitting job at first, but hey, if you don't feed yourself, who will?I suggest setting an alarm on your cell phone for every 3 hours throughout the day. At first you may find that you have no idea what to eat, but soon you will catch on to the game and make sure you have something around so that you can move on to the next 3 hour interval nourished, energized and feeling clear and level-headed.That's right! Eating something every 3-4 hours ensures your blood sugar and your mood will be balanced.Which means you'll be more productive while you nourish yourself and feel great!Eat half (half protein, half carb.) and eat half as much, twice as often!Think of it this way, you are not eating any more or less. You are just spreading it out differently through the day, in a way that works for your body.
So "eat half" means to eat half protein based food and half carb based food.It also means "eat half" at each sitting. Instead of eating everything on a large plate, draw a line down the middle and eat half. (Or use a smaller plate!) Save the other half for 3-4 hours later when your body needs another fill of nutrients and calories.Why 3-4 hours later? When you go more then 3-4 hours without eating, your body goes into stress mode, otherwise known as starvation. While we may wish that our bodies would burn the excess around our middles, or perhaps a little off the backside, that is simply impossible, I am sorry to say. Our bodies ONLY know how to use muscle for fuel.So save your muscle, for goodness sake, and feed yourself every 3-4 hours. It may seem like a babysitting job at first, but hey, if you don't feed yourself, who will?I suggest setting an alarm on your cell phone for every 3 hours throughout the day. At first you may find that you have no idea what to eat, but soon you will catch on to the game and make sure you have something around so that you can move on to the next 3 hour interval nourished, energized and feeling clear and level-headed.That's right! Eating something every 3-4 hours ensures your blood sugar and your mood will be balanced.Which means you'll be more productive while you nourish yourself and feel great!Eat half (half protein, half carb.) and eat half as much, twice as often!Think of it this way, you are not eating any more or less. You are just spreading it out differently through the day, in a way that works for your body.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Abortion Pills: Medical and Legal Issues
While Mifepristone, the so-called "abortion pill," has been declared generally safe to use, nearly all women who use mifepristone and misoprostol have reported experiencing the following adverse reactions: Abdominal pain or cramping (96%); nausea (61%); headache (31%), vomiting (26%); diarrhea (20%); dizziness (12%), and; uterine hemorrhage (5%).In most clinical trials long before the approval of this abortion pill, almost all women who applied the abortion procedure experienced the mentioned side effects. As a consequence, about one out of 14 women using RU-486 had experienced severe bleeding requiring medical attention. Since its approval, the drug had been implicated with the death of 14 women in America. Here are other details worth noting:Two women died after a rupture on ectopic pregnancies.About eight women went through a systemic bacterial infection.Four women died from overdose and toxic shock.Others who survived had faced severe complications, including heart attack.Other reported incidents and reactions from taking this abortion pill can be noted during Canada's clinical test of the drug in 2001, when a Canadian woman died of septic shock that resulted from a clostridium infection. In 2011, a Portuguese girl also died of a septic shock just five days after taking the abortion pill. A total of five non-American women have died resulting from taking mifepristone.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently required special distribution rules for RU-486. They considered the manufacturer's information and warning for physicians that explains that the drug should be supplied only to licensed physicians who signed a Prescriber's Agreement.With Mifeprex being a prescription drug, it should not be available to the public even through licensed pharmacies. Moreover the label bears a caution that this only be administered by medical professionals.Considering all of these medical concerns, most clinics have thoroughly explained that all administering the drug will definitely be observed by their medical staff. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) significantly has observed that about 95 out of 100 women have had abortion successfully with these pills, if taken within 9 weeks of gestation. Likewise, the complications brought up by RU-486 have deemed to be manageable and can be treated likewise.Considering this information, you would be able to learn more about the proper way of taking this particular drug and physicians about the so-called "abortion drug" should be able to explain this to you. Women around the world are generally concerned about the medical complications of the drug more than the secondary emotional and socio-political effects.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently required special distribution rules for RU-486. They considered the manufacturer's information and warning for physicians that explains that the drug should be supplied only to licensed physicians who signed a Prescriber's Agreement.With Mifeprex being a prescription drug, it should not be available to the public even through licensed pharmacies. Moreover the label bears a caution that this only be administered by medical professionals.Considering all of these medical concerns, most clinics have thoroughly explained that all administering the drug will definitely be observed by their medical staff. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) significantly has observed that about 95 out of 100 women have had abortion successfully with these pills, if taken within 9 weeks of gestation. Likewise, the complications brought up by RU-486 have deemed to be manageable and can be treated likewise.Considering this information, you would be able to learn more about the proper way of taking this particular drug and physicians about the so-called "abortion drug" should be able to explain this to you. Women around the world are generally concerned about the medical complications of the drug more than the secondary emotional and socio-political effects.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
To Deal With Nail Fungus Infections You Need a Remedy Which Is Extremely Potent
If you have been infected by the dermatophytes, which cause nail fungus infections you will certainly need a remedy which can get rid of the problem. It is possible that you may not want to visit a physician because of the higher costs that are involved. In such cases, you are likely to search for over-the-counter remedies, which prove affordable. Before you go ahead and make a choice, consider some of the points that have been mentioned throughout this discussion.Do not ever believe that all over-the-counter remedies which are being sold are effective in dealing with such conditions. Research has proven that most contain negligible amounts of fungicides are required to deal with dermatophytes. Moreover, they contain no vitamins or soothing properties, which can provide relief from the pain that, may be felt or provide the nails the nourishment it needs to grow back healthier. Therefore, you will need to conduct some research to understand which product will be suitable for your requirements.Avoid products that are manufactured by companies who do not have a reputation to speak about. These are entities that will make offers to you and could even look forward to selling their products at extremely affordable prices. No manufacturer of nail fungus remedies can go beyond a certain point when compromising with the cost to improve sales. At some time, they will look forward to compromising the quality of the product making it unsuitable for you. Once you have understood these factors you can also look at how this problem can be dealt with effectively.
The antifungal remedy which is chosen must have the ability to eliminate dead tissue on the nail bed and expose it to the fungicidal components. It should soften the nail so that the remedy can penetrate it and reach the nail bed. The remedy should also contain a combination of fungicides, which can work at the same time to eliminate nail fungus infections and help to grow fresh healthy nails. Treatments of any kind can leave behind some discomfort to the individual using them. This is the reason why the product chosen must contain vitamins and soothing components, which will not let you feel any pain during the application.Manufacturers who are willing to give you a product like this will also offer you a money-back guarantee safe in the knowledge that their product is not likely to fail. These types of remedies are considered extremely potent because they begin to act within a period of two weeks. If you are prepared to go through the trouble of conducting research, you will definitely find a product which is extremely potent and will deal with the issue you have effectively.
The antifungal remedy which is chosen must have the ability to eliminate dead tissue on the nail bed and expose it to the fungicidal components. It should soften the nail so that the remedy can penetrate it and reach the nail bed. The remedy should also contain a combination of fungicides, which can work at the same time to eliminate nail fungus infections and help to grow fresh healthy nails. Treatments of any kind can leave behind some discomfort to the individual using them. This is the reason why the product chosen must contain vitamins and soothing components, which will not let you feel any pain during the application.Manufacturers who are willing to give you a product like this will also offer you a money-back guarantee safe in the knowledge that their product is not likely to fail. These types of remedies are considered extremely potent because they begin to act within a period of two weeks. If you are prepared to go through the trouble of conducting research, you will definitely find a product which is extremely potent and will deal with the issue you have effectively.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Genomics in Medicine
Genomics in MedicineThe Gene Sequencing Future Has ArrivedIntroductionMerriam Webster defines genomics as:A branch of biotechnology concerned with applying the techniques of genetics and molecular biology to the genetic mapping and DNA sequencing of sets of genes or the complete genomes of selected organisms, with organizing the results in databases, and with the applications of the data (as in medicine or biology)Many of us have just started to hear about the advances in genomics in some fashion.These advances are on the leading edge of technology. The growth in this field is happening all around us. This article will provide a little review and then address a few of these advances.. In the interest of simplifying, the complex biochemistry will not be extensively addressed in this writing. We will look at the basics of biochemistry in future articles.DNA was first discovered in the late 1800's. Then in 1957, Francis Crick and James D. Watson discovered and described the double helix structure of DNA along with some of the molecular biology and chemistry that are all related. This article is more of a general overview of genomics and some recent advances in the fieldWhen Watson and Crick made these discoveries, they opened a door more powerful than the discovery of nuclear fission, the Atomic Bomb. The consequences of their discoveries and the subsequent science devoted to those discoveries make it the most important discovery humankind has ever made - according to some of the current experts in the field and Watson himself.The pursuits related to this discovery, the accompanying biochemistry, and many other rapidly growing branches of genetic science, have been going on since that first breakthrough.The first complete genome sequenced was that of a common bacterium called Hemophilus Influenzae - good old H. Flu. H. Flu is a bacterium with which most of us in the medical field are familiar. It is capable of causing infections from meningitis to pneumonia when it is the agent. Identified years ago, Hemophilus Influenzae is a very familiar and notorious organism. A Nobel laureate, named Hamilton Smith, one of the Human Genome project leaders, had been working on this organism and its DNA for decades because of its prevalence, and it was chosen as the first organism for sequencing because of the high quality DNA libraries he could provide.In modern genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information stored in the DNA, including all of its genes. The plan for sequencing the entire human genome was initialized in 1987 and was funded and planned for 15 years to accomplish the goal. Work started about 1990 and was declared completed in April of 2003. It cost 2.8 Billion dollars. It was a big event, you might remember seeing or reading about it.The Basics of What We Are DoingAs we began the sequencing of genomes for organisms in our world, discoveries have literally exploded and are driving technological advances as well. Technological advance had to occur to keep pace with the discoveries being made and vice versa. Some of these advances are faster computers, better storage of data, and ever-increasing efficiency in sequencing machines. We have sequenced all types of organisms from viruses, bacteria, plants, animals, and people, to even wine and chocolate. The numbers of completely sequenced organisms in each of these categories is relatively small. The number of organisms we have partially sequenced is large and growing. We also sequence the DNA from nonliving organic remains.At the peak of the Human Genome Project, we were generating DNA sequences at the rate of 1000 nucleotides per second, around the clock. In February of 2013, a gene sequencer came on the market that could sequence 1million nucleotides per second for targeted sequences. That is a 1000 fold increase in 11years. Moreover, they just keep getting faster and faster and cheaper and cheaper. The speed with which this technology is advancing is literally overwhelming.We have also fairly recently completed the sequencing for hundreds of cancers which have hundreds of mutations because of simple changes in the sequencing of their DNA which makes a gene stop or change functioning.The most common of the hereditary cancers are breast, ovarian, prostate, and colorectal. These genomes were chosen first in cancer sequencing because of this commonality. We all have similar DNA but it is not exactly the same, we do not get "exactly" the same cancers, even though we are 99.9% genetically identical. It is that elusive one tenth of the genome we look at for our ancestry, and the remainder for indications of disease. Therefore, the sequencing of an individual's genome can tell us about that person and their ancestry on a genetic level, and grossly simplified, it tells us which gene changes are causing what expressions in the phenotype (body) or other areas of interest such as the biomolecular pathways.Sequencing identifies problems related to gene coding such as cancers, a myriad of genetic disorders, susceptibilities, and other unobvious interactions at the biomolecular level. The list is literally almost endless. The good news is that it is also getting cheaper to do it... exponentially cheaper. It is calculated that in the next few years, you will be able to have your complete genome sequenced for around a hundred dollars. The magic money goal for quite a few years has been a complete genome sequence for $1000 and we have now achieved that goal. There are some companies doing very tiny parts now for somewhere under $400. However, there are 6 billion bases to the complete genome, so it is a tiny part. There are markers called SNP's (single nucleotide polymorphisms) these companies use to tell you if you have a genetic predisposition for a certain health issue, such as heart disease, prostate cancer and many others. The bit they examine does not take into account psyche, lifestyle, pollution or external factors because we do not know in most cases, exactly how these factors affect our genes, we know only that they do. This approach then gives a percentage of risk for certain diseases.We know that pollution damages the vascular endothelium and this damage causes an inflammation that is the precursor to inflammatory atherosclerosis. Demonstrating of course that we do know quite a bit from our current research, but it is so minuscule in comparison to the numbers of genes that it is essentially nothing numerically speaking. This type of information was not on the gene level of investigation until recently and we are not sure what it means on a gene level but we are getting there.However, what we currently know, along with the information we are gleaning from genomics, can make a huge difference in someone's quality of life with the appropriate intervention. It will be immeasurably better as the science of genomics continues to improve.Will we be able to alter the gene, or gene plate, or some other factor in the process to make us more resistant to pollution, or rather the damage it causes on the endothelial level? Yes, we will... and soon.What These Pursuits Mean - An OverviewOn a grand scale, the ability to understand our genome tells us who we are and where we came from. I mean, who we really are. We all carry all our collective human history from the beginning of humankind in our DNA. In addition, we have established that scientific Eve began in East Central Africa approximately 100,000 to 200,000 years ago. She is Humanity's genetic mother. We have even sequenced the DNA of the Neanderthals and found that a small percentage of the current population carries their genes. Just imagine, not only are we about to change all of medicine and pharmacology and many other sciences, but we will truly know ourselves, for the first time.At present, we are beginning to be able to find the gene or gene sequence (plate), isolate the coding problem, and understand to some degree how that change in coding has expressed as a disease. It is an intensive and complex process to identify an anomaly after the sequencing has been completed.You might remember that there are just four nucleobases... guanine (G), adenine (A), thymine (T), and cytosine (C) (see Fig1 above). Ninety Eight percent of your DNA does not code for active proteins. This leaves two percent holding sequenced information from the nucleobases that produce proteins. These proteins manage essentially everything in the body. If the nucleobase is damaged, mutates, was never present, or was wrong in the first place for whatever reason, there can be disease expression because of a malfunctioning protein the gene processes produced, or did not produce when they should have. At this point, we are very limited in what we can do to adjust or repair one of the nucleobases, but that knowledge foundation is growing exponentially as well. In designer pharmacology at present, the focus is trending toward fixing the malfunctioning protein or process that the damaged sequence has created rather than fixing the nucleobase or even the gene plate specifically. Fixing the nucleobase, at the root level, is the ultimate goal however. Some of this is now being done at the embryonic level for the more known or devastating genetic diseases such as Huntington's Chorea, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia and a long list of others.
The genome is sequenced from cells taken from the embryo and examined for known adverse phenotype expression, or in other words, known genetic disease and its bodily expression.It is being observed, though not clinically proven that treatments for these diseases, based on genomic medicines are far more effective, in some cases even "curative" in the younger patient. This means that being genomically sequenced and treated after the disease has advanced may improve some aspect or quality of life, but in all likelihood will not save you once the damage is done. This is why there are so many advocates for early sequencing in the scientific and medical community. However, as this science advances age may no longer be a factor.In 2013, the cost for a genome sequence was about $8,000. We have now achieved complete genome sequencing for $1000. The current cost has now become less expensive than many treatments currently in use. In only a few years (approximately 3-5), the cost will be about $100. As the cost falls exponentially and the information grows exponentially this will become the preferred treatment of the very near future, where almost all types of health issues are addressed at the genomic level, with lifestyle and environment not left out, but their effects on the genome much more understood genomically and maybe even more amenable to change or correction.Though genomics are essential in many diverse fields, the medical field has been given a significant focus because it means curing or controlling the worst diseases that have plagued us for centuries, not to mention changing aging, selecting optimal traits for our children, and even improving the ones in those of us already here. There will come a future time with the use of this science that we will have to ask ourselves "Are we still H. Sapiens Sapiens, or have we become something else?"CardiologyThe way we view the practice of medicine, diagnostics, and treatment at the present time, is about to change, drastically, and it is already happening. Instead of just treating the disease symptoms, in its outward expression or "phenotype," we will be treating and curing diseases at the genomic and biomolecular level. We will change the genes themselves and/or their pathways. This has produced a new limb of the medical science tree populated by "omics." DNA and RNA and the Messenger RNA use many processes to get the coded information from the gene or gene plate to the RNA that can make the protein, which is active in the person or "phenotype." Examples of these include transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. These are all representative of accessible pathways of intervention and are becoming or have become specialty medical and scientific fields of their own.Alterations in these various genomic pathways are being identified as areas of interest or intervention to change the outcome of disease manifestation in the body.Chemical modifications in these numerous pathways or proteins can be made pharmacologically. Epigenetics studies the effects of environmental factors on the DNA. DNA changes its coding if influenced by outside factors. This means our DNA changes over time for better or worse depending on innumerable internal and external variables.Thomas P. Cappola, MD, ScM, and Kenneth B. Margulies, MD put it this way:"For example, emerging data indicate that in-utero exposure to stresses such as starvation can alter DNA methylation patterns of genes involved in growth and metabolism to affect organ development and future cardiovascular risk. Exposures such as tobacco smoke and air pollution may modulate cardiovascular risk in part by inducing epigenetic changes. Animal models have also demonstrated a substantial role for histone modification in cardiac hypertrophy, and drugs that target histone-deacetylases (HDACs) have been considered as a therapeutic strategy for heart failure." NIH public access document.What they are saying is that the histone pathway is a target area for use of a designer drug that would be a treatment for heart failure. Think of the number of pathways at the gene level that regulate our bodies and then picture the applications of targeted pharmacotherapy on the outcome of the diseases whose pathways we understand. We will create drugs whose role is so specific that there are not even side effects with which to contend. We also have to consider the amount of drug necessary, which would be minuscule compared to the amounts we currently use. At present, we are essentially treating the whole body, with large doses of chemicals, to control a symptom or symptoms, and our numerous other systems and organs become treated as well with this shotgun approach. This approach opens the door for countless side effects and the need for endless clinical trials for safety, and we know little about the effects of all these chemicals on the DNA. That is all about to change as you can see if you are able to grasp the potential for a new dawn in the age of medicine and pharmacology.We will be able to identify gene markers that represent Mendelian or "familial" potential for all diseases, including cardiac disease. Heart disease is still the number one killer in the world.We will also understand the anomalies of rare genetic diseases that affect the cardiopulmonary system, and what will stop their expression through repairing the DNA or one of the pathways at the embryonic level before damage ever appears. Imagine all of the invasive testing this will also eliminate.Whole branches of medicine such as the Cardiac Cath lab, Surgery, and all manner of invasive techniques, will be relegated to trauma assessment and repair, or be eliminated because they will no longer be needed for diseases. Branches of genomics are already arising for regrowing limbs, organs, and spinal cord repair. The list of pathways and interventions is almost endless as you can see.The most common areas of interest in cardiology have continued to be researched for the past fifty years because heart disease has been the most common cause of death. Among these are Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, Arrhythmias, and peripheral and cerebral vascular disease. Ongoing, genome wide association studies continue in these primary areas as well and variants in the genes and gene plates identified or implicated for these vascular diseases. Our knowledge is growing as more and more sequencing is done and comparative patterns across the population are seen expressed in the genomes of the individuals who are sequenced. We have a growing body of knowledge of specific gene patterns accumulating daily from 10,000 or so workers in these genetics fields. In complement, because of electronic medical records and the internet, along with the growth of gene sequencing ability and technology, this knowledge is being shared and the areas of association repeatedly compared and confirmed. This is the path to therapeutic intervention and real cure. If one knows they have a mutation in a gene plate that is associated with early MI, then we can assign a percentage of risk based on the clinical picture of how completely or partially this gene pattern is expressed. Alternatively, in the case of early sequencing, we can intervene in the embryo before the disease is even manifested. We are learning how to do these interventions at an ever-accelerating pace, but there are several libraries of research to be done. The good news is the speed with which we can do this and the ability to store and share the information we acquire.In this brief article, I have only been able to lightly touch the surface of the rapidly growing fields in genomics and a minuscule amount of what we are seeing now and will be seeing in the very near future in terms of diagnostics and treatment. I hope it has sparked your interest for this amazing and exploding field. I would humbly recommend accessing all the information you can find on genomics and get your head around it. Not only is it changing the world economy, but also our roles, our jobs, and how we deliver health care. It is also changing the way we diagnose, treat, and care for patients and families. Genomics is happening now.
The genome is sequenced from cells taken from the embryo and examined for known adverse phenotype expression, or in other words, known genetic disease and its bodily expression.It is being observed, though not clinically proven that treatments for these diseases, based on genomic medicines are far more effective, in some cases even "curative" in the younger patient. This means that being genomically sequenced and treated after the disease has advanced may improve some aspect or quality of life, but in all likelihood will not save you once the damage is done. This is why there are so many advocates for early sequencing in the scientific and medical community. However, as this science advances age may no longer be a factor.In 2013, the cost for a genome sequence was about $8,000. We have now achieved complete genome sequencing for $1000. The current cost has now become less expensive than many treatments currently in use. In only a few years (approximately 3-5), the cost will be about $100. As the cost falls exponentially and the information grows exponentially this will become the preferred treatment of the very near future, where almost all types of health issues are addressed at the genomic level, with lifestyle and environment not left out, but their effects on the genome much more understood genomically and maybe even more amenable to change or correction.Though genomics are essential in many diverse fields, the medical field has been given a significant focus because it means curing or controlling the worst diseases that have plagued us for centuries, not to mention changing aging, selecting optimal traits for our children, and even improving the ones in those of us already here. There will come a future time with the use of this science that we will have to ask ourselves "Are we still H. Sapiens Sapiens, or have we become something else?"CardiologyThe way we view the practice of medicine, diagnostics, and treatment at the present time, is about to change, drastically, and it is already happening. Instead of just treating the disease symptoms, in its outward expression or "phenotype," we will be treating and curing diseases at the genomic and biomolecular level. We will change the genes themselves and/or their pathways. This has produced a new limb of the medical science tree populated by "omics." DNA and RNA and the Messenger RNA use many processes to get the coded information from the gene or gene plate to the RNA that can make the protein, which is active in the person or "phenotype." Examples of these include transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. These are all representative of accessible pathways of intervention and are becoming or have become specialty medical and scientific fields of their own.Alterations in these various genomic pathways are being identified as areas of interest or intervention to change the outcome of disease manifestation in the body.Chemical modifications in these numerous pathways or proteins can be made pharmacologically. Epigenetics studies the effects of environmental factors on the DNA. DNA changes its coding if influenced by outside factors. This means our DNA changes over time for better or worse depending on innumerable internal and external variables.Thomas P. Cappola, MD, ScM, and Kenneth B. Margulies, MD put it this way:"For example, emerging data indicate that in-utero exposure to stresses such as starvation can alter DNA methylation patterns of genes involved in growth and metabolism to affect organ development and future cardiovascular risk. Exposures such as tobacco smoke and air pollution may modulate cardiovascular risk in part by inducing epigenetic changes. Animal models have also demonstrated a substantial role for histone modification in cardiac hypertrophy, and drugs that target histone-deacetylases (HDACs) have been considered as a therapeutic strategy for heart failure." NIH public access document.What they are saying is that the histone pathway is a target area for use of a designer drug that would be a treatment for heart failure. Think of the number of pathways at the gene level that regulate our bodies and then picture the applications of targeted pharmacotherapy on the outcome of the diseases whose pathways we understand. We will create drugs whose role is so specific that there are not even side effects with which to contend. We also have to consider the amount of drug necessary, which would be minuscule compared to the amounts we currently use. At present, we are essentially treating the whole body, with large doses of chemicals, to control a symptom or symptoms, and our numerous other systems and organs become treated as well with this shotgun approach. This approach opens the door for countless side effects and the need for endless clinical trials for safety, and we know little about the effects of all these chemicals on the DNA. That is all about to change as you can see if you are able to grasp the potential for a new dawn in the age of medicine and pharmacology.We will be able to identify gene markers that represent Mendelian or "familial" potential for all diseases, including cardiac disease. Heart disease is still the number one killer in the world.We will also understand the anomalies of rare genetic diseases that affect the cardiopulmonary system, and what will stop their expression through repairing the DNA or one of the pathways at the embryonic level before damage ever appears. Imagine all of the invasive testing this will also eliminate.Whole branches of medicine such as the Cardiac Cath lab, Surgery, and all manner of invasive techniques, will be relegated to trauma assessment and repair, or be eliminated because they will no longer be needed for diseases. Branches of genomics are already arising for regrowing limbs, organs, and spinal cord repair. The list of pathways and interventions is almost endless as you can see.The most common areas of interest in cardiology have continued to be researched for the past fifty years because heart disease has been the most common cause of death. Among these are Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, Arrhythmias, and peripheral and cerebral vascular disease. Ongoing, genome wide association studies continue in these primary areas as well and variants in the genes and gene plates identified or implicated for these vascular diseases. Our knowledge is growing as more and more sequencing is done and comparative patterns across the population are seen expressed in the genomes of the individuals who are sequenced. We have a growing body of knowledge of specific gene patterns accumulating daily from 10,000 or so workers in these genetics fields. In complement, because of electronic medical records and the internet, along with the growth of gene sequencing ability and technology, this knowledge is being shared and the areas of association repeatedly compared and confirmed. This is the path to therapeutic intervention and real cure. If one knows they have a mutation in a gene plate that is associated with early MI, then we can assign a percentage of risk based on the clinical picture of how completely or partially this gene pattern is expressed. Alternatively, in the case of early sequencing, we can intervene in the embryo before the disease is even manifested. We are learning how to do these interventions at an ever-accelerating pace, but there are several libraries of research to be done. The good news is the speed with which we can do this and the ability to store and share the information we acquire.In this brief article, I have only been able to lightly touch the surface of the rapidly growing fields in genomics and a minuscule amount of what we are seeing now and will be seeing in the very near future in terms of diagnostics and treatment. I hope it has sparked your interest for this amazing and exploding field. I would humbly recommend accessing all the information you can find on genomics and get your head around it. Not only is it changing the world economy, but also our roles, our jobs, and how we deliver health care. It is also changing the way we diagnose, treat, and care for patients and families. Genomics is happening now.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Stomach Medicines Side Effects - Complete Information To Know
Misoprostol is a famous drug which is used for preventing stomach ulcers for those consuming anti - inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or aspirin. It even helps to prevent such complications as bleeding by safeguarding the stomach lining against all types of acids. This medicine is even utilized with mifepristone in order to terminate a pregnancy. There are several side effects of this medication and you should know about them before you consume this drug. This article will offer you some essential information in regard to this topic.Allergic ReactionAllergic reaction can easily occur if you consume misoprostol. It can be very severe as well depending upon the dosage. Some of the symptoms are hives, rashes, chest pain, difficulty in breathing and severe vomiting. You need to seek immediate help from a doctor when you experience any such allergic reaction.Gastrointestinal Side EffectsThe gastrointestinal side effects are normally related to the dosage. Therefore, you need to adjust your dose accordingly from time to time in order to avoid any kind of problem. Diarrhea is a common symptom here and it can become worse if not taken care of properly. Vomiting and abdominal pain can also be caused if you don't pay attention to your dosage.
Genitourinary EffectsGenitourinary side effects usually take place in this regard and can prove to be very severe sometimes. Several female patients have experienced cramping and spotting. Severe uterine pain is also experienced sometimes and so a doctor should be seen immediately.Additional EffectsSome of the other major side effects include lethargy, dizziness, headache, increased body temperature and delusions. These kinds of symptoms are really rare however if they occur they can be grave. Talk to your doctor as quickly as possible in case you are experiencing any such problem.WarningIt is quite essential to note that women should never take this medicine in case they are pregnant. It can cause miscarriage or premature birth. If they are going for abortion then they might take it but that too after consulting a health physician.So, this was all about misoprostol side effects in detail. You got to remember that you opt for this medication only after you consult a doctor and go through its side effects. Taking precautions is always better than cure. This is why you need to seek suggestions from a doctor beforehand. He would definitely offer you some great help in this regard.
Genitourinary EffectsGenitourinary side effects usually take place in this regard and can prove to be very severe sometimes. Several female patients have experienced cramping and spotting. Severe uterine pain is also experienced sometimes and so a doctor should be seen immediately.Additional EffectsSome of the other major side effects include lethargy, dizziness, headache, increased body temperature and delusions. These kinds of symptoms are really rare however if they occur they can be grave. Talk to your doctor as quickly as possible in case you are experiencing any such problem.WarningIt is quite essential to note that women should never take this medicine in case they are pregnant. It can cause miscarriage or premature birth. If they are going for abortion then they might take it but that too after consulting a health physician.So, this was all about misoprostol side effects in detail. You got to remember that you opt for this medication only after you consult a doctor and go through its side effects. Taking precautions is always better than cure. This is why you need to seek suggestions from a doctor beforehand. He would definitely offer you some great help in this regard.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Overbearing Family Members
I was a medical student on rotation in the medical ICU. There was a commotion in one of the rooms and all of the residents and students rushed to see what was going on. As expected, it was a code, and I dutifully joined in, taking my turn bagging the patient and doing chest compressions. I was taking advice from the other doctors and working on my technique. It was difficult to tell the age of the patient as all unit patients seemed to appear older than their actual age. This was especially true for a patient in full arrest, as in this case, but I just assumed she was middle aged.After about 30 minutes the code was called and time of death given. While there was a certain thrill and excitement in the action surrounding the resuscitation effort, I always experienced an empty feeling after an unsuccessful code. This time was no different, but the emptiness was greater because it was not an octogenarian who had lived a full life. Still, it was part of the job, and I needed to get used to it. Time and experience would render this aspect of medicine easier for me, and like everything else, I had to get through it.At that moment, my resident collected our team and said we needed to join the attending to tell the family. We entered the consult room to find a very calm looking man and woman, aged roughly in their mid forties. The attending began telling them, in a solemn voice, that we had tried everything we could, but there was nothing we could do. He said he was very sorry. It was a standard speech to tell someone that a loved one had passed on, and I had heard it a few times before.It was quiet for a moment until the silence was broken by the girl's father. "I don't understand, doctor. What is going on? What is the prognosis?"
The attending was at a slight loss for words, but he managed to answer the question, "Well, um, she's... she's dead."The father fell to his knees in despair, his wife beginning to sob uncontrollably. It struck me that they couldn't even fathom their daughter dying at the age of twenty four. It didn't even compute.Thankfully, my resident dragged me and the two other students on our team away from the horrific scene. We went to the residents' lounge and tried to gather ourselves so we could get back to work. I could barely contain the tears that threatened to overtake me, and my resident did his best to comfort me. It was one of the most awful scenes I have ever experienced.While I was able to put the episode behind me that day so that I could continue helping the living, it has stuck with me through the years. It happened 15 years ago, but it still affects me to this day. That day was a turning point in my medical career. While I still wanted to help people and make them well, I did not want to experience that type of scene again as part of my work duties. I realized that it would tear me apart over time, and that I would end up hating coming to work. This a was a very big learning experience which taught me more about what type of person I was, what I could handle and what would damage me. It is one of many experiences that we have in the "House of God" that helps shape us as people and guides us to career choices. This is one of the reasons, of many, that I chose to ultimately pursue radiology instead of primary care.
The attending was at a slight loss for words, but he managed to answer the question, "Well, um, she's... she's dead."The father fell to his knees in despair, his wife beginning to sob uncontrollably. It struck me that they couldn't even fathom their daughter dying at the age of twenty four. It didn't even compute.Thankfully, my resident dragged me and the two other students on our team away from the horrific scene. We went to the residents' lounge and tried to gather ourselves so we could get back to work. I could barely contain the tears that threatened to overtake me, and my resident did his best to comfort me. It was one of the most awful scenes I have ever experienced.While I was able to put the episode behind me that day so that I could continue helping the living, it has stuck with me through the years. It happened 15 years ago, but it still affects me to this day. That day was a turning point in my medical career. While I still wanted to help people and make them well, I did not want to experience that type of scene again as part of my work duties. I realized that it would tear me apart over time, and that I would end up hating coming to work. This a was a very big learning experience which taught me more about what type of person I was, what I could handle and what would damage me. It is one of many experiences that we have in the "House of God" that helps shape us as people and guides us to career choices. This is one of the reasons, of many, that I chose to ultimately pursue radiology instead of primary care.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Effective Tips To Help You Fight Cancer
Everyone knows that cancer is dangerous, but not everyone understands the numerous ways in which it can effect your health. As with anything in life, knowing the symptoms and course of cancer will help you fight it more effectively. You will find a variety of practical tips about living with cancer in this article.Avoid eating sugary foods to prevent the growth of cancer cell growth.Cancer cells grow faster when they have a supply of glucose, and eliminating it from the diet can sometimes starve the cancer cells. This alone will not eliminate cancer, but it is a good complement to other types of cancer fighting therapy.Not only will you feel your best each day by keeping a healthy diet along with lots of regular exercise, it also reduces your risk of cancer. Eating enough vegetables and fruit, drinking lots of water, and exercising for 30 minutes every day can help to keep cancer at bay and help you to live a healthy and happy life.Exercise helps your circulation by getting your blood throughout the body. Getting your blood flowing is always sound strategy because it means your cancer treatments can traverse your body easier.Be prepared for physical changes that could occur from the cancer therapy. Your doctor can give you the side effects that your drugs and treatment. If you appearance makes you uncomfortable, you might want to buy a wig or if your complexion gets pale, then consider wigs and makeup.
These people include oncologists, chemo specialists, chemo specialists and anyone who can assist you, empathize and help with what you are going through. You can't do this alone; be ready to allow people into your life so you are not alone.Be conscious of and grateful for the support others are giving you.Do not remove yourself out of the situation. This will not help yourself get well.Whether you have had cancer for a day or a year, a support group can be a huge help. Family members should also attend as well.Open lines of communication can provide a strong bond that are healthy and your loved ones.Prior to undergoing treatment, be sure to ask all questions that you have so you understand what kinds of changes your body will undergo. This information allows you to make an informed decision about your treatments. If you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment, you may want to consider buying a wig or wearing head scarves to cover your treatment-related hair loss.As previously stated, knowing the effects of cancer involves being well-informed. If you work on improving your health, you may decrease your risk of getting cancer. By using the tips contained in this article, you can begin your battle with cancer.
These people include oncologists, chemo specialists, chemo specialists and anyone who can assist you, empathize and help with what you are going through. You can't do this alone; be ready to allow people into your life so you are not alone.Be conscious of and grateful for the support others are giving you.Do not remove yourself out of the situation. This will not help yourself get well.Whether you have had cancer for a day or a year, a support group can be a huge help. Family members should also attend as well.Open lines of communication can provide a strong bond that are healthy and your loved ones.Prior to undergoing treatment, be sure to ask all questions that you have so you understand what kinds of changes your body will undergo. This information allows you to make an informed decision about your treatments. If you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment, you may want to consider buying a wig or wearing head scarves to cover your treatment-related hair loss.As previously stated, knowing the effects of cancer involves being well-informed. If you work on improving your health, you may decrease your risk of getting cancer. By using the tips contained in this article, you can begin your battle with cancer.
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