Category: Resources (Page 12 of 32)

      Probiotics Defined

      March 12, 2012 /

      For centuries cultures all over the world have known of the health benefits of probiotics.

      Fermented foods have been apart of many cuisines and they are recognized for the curative and healthy properties.

      In addition to yogurt and kefir, probiotics can be found in pickled cabbage like kimchi or sauerkraut, fermented beans like tempeh and miso, soy sauce and buttermilk. Probiotics are a benign product, meaning there is very little documentation of harm from consuming them in foods or supplements.

      Read more to see what probiotics can do for you.

      Nutrition, Research, Resources, Wellness

      The Real Cost Of Birth Control

      March 9, 2012 /

      The birth control debate wages on and the issues are just starting to come to the surface.

      One of the concerns at the center of this discussion is the overall cost of birth control and who should pay?

      According to the Guttmacher Institute, the average woman who has two children will spend three decades trying to avoid an unintended pregnancy. The Institute of Medicine says that’s one reason that women tend to incur higher out-of-pocket costs for preventive care than men.
      Yes, there already are some options for more affordable contraception, such as public clinics or Planned Parenthood.
      About 55 percent of local health departments offer some family planning services, according to the National Association of County & City Health Officials. Many of those receive federal Title X funding, which means they can offer contraception on a sliding fee scale. The poorest women may get it free, while others may pay full price or somewhere in between.

      Availability, cost and education need to be considered in this debate, also, identifying where the real need lies.

      Health Care Policy, Health Insurance, Resources, Wellness

      The Financial Toll Of Caring For Those With Alzheimer’s

      March 5, 2012 /

      Although no one wants to look at caring for an ill loved one as a burden, however, there is no denying the overwhelming financial cost involved.

      Unpaid caregivers are a huge part of the economy which is growing every year with the increase in Alzheimer’s and dementia cases as baby boomers age.

      There is an urgent need to address this national emergency.

      Caring for a family member with the personality-draining disease can take a hefty financial and emotional toll. Nearly 15 million people fall into the role of unpaid caregiver for those sick with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Add it all up, and it comes to about 17 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $202 billion in 2010 alone.

      So to help with the staggering cost of care, the Obama Administration has included $26 million in the proposed 2013 budget. That money will go to education, outreach and support for families affected by the disease.

      Health Care Policy, Medicare, Quality Control, Resources, Wellness

      Melanoma Risk Reduced With Vitamin A

      March 5, 2012 /

      Vitamin A may guard against melanoma, especially in women.

      This is great news for those who at risk to skin cancer due to genetics or lifestyle, offering another tool in the arsenal against cancer.

      There are many great food sources from which to get vitamin A including but, not limited to, sweet potatoes, carrots, beef liver, and more.

      Supplements can be effective, as well

      Melanoma is the sixth leading cause of cancer in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. About 76,000 cases of melanomas will be diagnosed this year, based on recent estimates.
      In the study, researchers examined about 69,000 men and women, and after about six years, 566 had developed melanoma.
      Among the 59,000 people in the study who had never taken vitamin A supplements, there were 506 cases of melanoma, while among the 5,800 people who were currently taking it and had used it regularly over the past 10 years, there were 28 cases.

      Research, Resources, Wellness

      Judge Mandates FDA Against Non-Therapeutic Use Of Antibiotics in Livestock

      March 2, 2012 /

      U.S. Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin proceedings to withdraw approval of non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock unless makers of the drugs can produce evidence that their use is safe.

      The FDA had started such proceedings in 1977, prompted by its concerns the widespread use in livestock feed of certain antibiotics – particularly tetracyclines and penicillin, the most common. But the proceedings were never completed and the approval remained in place.
      “In the intervening years, the scientific evidence of the risks to human health from the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock has grown, and there is no evidence that the FDA has changed its position that such uses are not shown to be safe,” Katz wrote.

      The facts are hard to ignore.

      Using common antibiotics in livestock feed has contributed to the rapid growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in both animals and humans and contributes to $20 billion in health care costs annually.

      Quality Control, Research, Resources

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