Childhood Obesity: Physical Effects

Obesity can be a problem as early as kindergarten for some
children. Children who suffer from obesity will most
likely endure a lifelong struggle with physical and
emotional consequences.

Physical effects of obesity in children include difficulty
keeping up with physical activities, problems sleeping, and
trouble with breathing. Not only are obese children more
often affected by asthma, they also have problems with
sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is being recognized with more
frequency as the incidence of pediatric obesity rises.
Clinically significant effects on learning and memory
function have been documented in children with obstructive
sleep apnea as a consequence of obesity. (Must, Aviva,
Ph.D., ET AL, 2003 "Effects of Obesity on Morbidity in
Children and Adolescents" Nutrition in Clinical Care, p. 8).

Childhood obesity clearly impacts the health of the growing
child. Furthermore, it is considered an important disease
because of its link to long-term health problems including
type II diabetes, hypertension, some forms of cancer, lack
of energy and asthma. The incidence of type II diabetes
in children is expected to grow in parallel with the rise
in obesity. Onset diabetes in childhood is a predictor of
early onset of diabetes complications including
cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and amputations
(Must, p. 131). Approximately 60% of overweight five to
ten year old children experience at least one associated
biochemical or clinical cardiovascular risk factor, such as
hyperlipidemia, elevated blood pressure, or increased
insulin levels, and 25% have two or more (Koplan, JP, Deitz
WH., "Calorie Imbalance and Public Health Policy" The
Journal of the American Medical Association, 1999. p 1579).

Children from lower income families are at a greater
disadvantage because the majority of this population
resides in neighborhoods with intimidating playgrounds.
Concerned with street safety, children are often kept
inside by parents and they tend to spend more time in front
of the television or playing video games.

Playgrounds in lower income neighborhoods tend to be
filthy, with broken bottles, trash and graffiti covering
the park. Although the playground has basketball courts,
swings and jungle gyms, they are generally not child
friendly. The parks are usually populated with young
adults hanging out, intimidating the younger children.
This is not a safe environment for children to play in and
not one in which children could safely play unsupervised.

Schools are contributing to childhood obesity by failing to
make physical education an important part of the
curriculum. Children don't get enough exercise at school.
Time allotted for gym is inadequate and infrequent.
Teachers can try to compensate by providing their classes
with additional outside play time. The physical education
program is extremely vital and deserving of more attention.

Implementation of after school programs that emphasize
physical activities such as kickball and basketball should
be a priority. There is a need for an after school
athletic program at the elementary level to augment the
physical education program and provide a safe, healthy
environment for lower income children as well. This would
be a benefit for children as well as parents, and an
important factor in reducing obesity in children.

----------------------------------------------------
Gurion Blattman is a lifelong athlete and fitness expert
with over 20 years experience in the health and fitness
industry. A graduate of Northeastern University, he is a
Certified Professional Trainer by the National Academy of
Sports Medicine and is based in Darien, Connecticut. For
more information or for a complimentary consultation
contact info@gurionblattman.com.

http://www.gurionblattman.com

Hypnosis Scripts Help People Modify Behavior

A hypnosis script can put you into an altered and controlled state of awareness. When you are in this state of awareness, suggestions can be made to you, and your mind accepts these suggestions without questions or argument, your mind just says 'ok'. So with a hypnosis script, we can change our behaviors quite quickly and effectively, if not in one session, it will generally not take more than six.

For example, hypnosis can help a passive smoker to quit smoking. This hypnosis script can put the patient into a state of awareness whereby he/she will accept anything that is suggested. So the person reading the hypnosis script could say "you will have no desire to smoke, smoking will feel dirty and un-natural" and when the person awakens from this level of consciousness he/she will indeed have no desire to smoke, and in some instances, wont even know why.

There is a hypnosis script for just about anything you can think of that people might want a little extra help with. There is a hypnosis script for weight loss, quitting smoke, confidence for an exam, confidence in social situations, extra motivation to get in shape, motivation to make a lot of money, the list goes on.

There are many products out there that can give you a hypnosis script, but I have found several of them to be real lemons. Some hypnosis scripts are a total waste of money, not to mention time.

A hypnosis script would commonly be used to aid in training those wanting to learn hypnosis or hypnotists who want to advance their skills to the next level.

There is only so far you can go with hypnosis when your learning alone, but a hypnosis script can help to cross the threshold from a mediocre hypnotist to an amazing one!

From trying several different products and figuring out which ones actually work. Try some hypnosis scripts that you think may help you.

There is a hypnosis script you could use in any area of your life to create profound change and lasting success. Try a hypnosis script and see how they can benefit you personally. I am confident that you won't be disappointed.

Utilize hypnosis scripts to their fullest and take control of your hypnotic abilities. Using a script can help a regular person in aid of being able to actually hypnotize other people. It has happened on many occasions that a person with no prior experience has been able to hypnotize a subject with little effort at all! Don't be left behind!

Author Resource:- For more in-depth information about Hypnotism or more specifically about Hypnosis Script please visit http://www.hypnotismsecrets.com

Details of the Advanced Medical Optics Moisture Plus Contact Lens Solution Recall

One of the largest American manufacturers of contact lens
cleaning solution, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) announced
in May 2007 that it would voluntarily remove all bottles of
its Complete Moisture Plus Contact Lens Solution from store
shelves in what would amount to a massive contact lens
solution recall. AMO decided to recall the unsafe contact
lens solution after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
reported a number of cases of a rare but serious and
potentially blinding eye disease associated with the
contact lens solution. Users of the contact lens solution
are advised to contact a doctor if they experience any of
the following symptoms: eye pain or redness, blurred
vision, sensitivity to light, the feeling of something in
the eye, or excessive tearing.

The disease, Acanthamoeba Keratitis, has been confirmed in
138 patients since the beginning of the outbreak in January
2005, according to the CDC. Of these 138, epidemiologists
have been able to interview 46, 21 of whom claimed to have
used the AMO Moisture Plus contact lens solution. The
disease itself is a keratitis, or an inflammation of the
cornea, caused by the presence of the Acanthamoeba
parasite. This corneal disease is both serious and
difficult to treat, as it is resistant to medication and
can lead to loss of sight in the patient. While the agency
has been quick to point out the preliminary nature of the
link between the corneal disease and the contact lens
solution, AMO did not hesitate in instituting the contact
lens solution recall, and has advised anyone using the
unsafe lens solution to discard all bottles, as well as any
lenses or lens cases that may have come in contact with the
Moisture Plus lens solution.

The Moisture Plus recall is not the first recall conducted
by AMO, as the company has had previous issues with
contamination of its contact lens solution products. In
November 2006, AMO instituted a lens solution recall of 2.9
million units of the same Moisture Plus contact lens
solution, after contamination was detected within the
production line at a Chinese factory. Though the two lens
solutions recalls do not appear related, the repeated
contamination concerns related to the company have lead
many to wonder about AMO's safety record and their
liability in any possible Moisture Plus lawsuit. Though at
present no such lawsuit has been announced, anyone with
questions should contact an experienced Moisture Plus
attorney or a contact lens solution law firm, in order to
determine AMO's liability in possible damages resulting
from the Moisture Plus recall.

----------------------------------------------------
LegalView.com is your source for everything legal on the
web, and represents a comprehensive legal database for all
of your legal needs. Visit us at http://www.legalview.com/
for information on the AMO Complete Moisture Plus recall,
as well as a host of other legal issues. These issues
include topics as diverse as brain injury litigation, auto
accident lawsuits, and many more.

Are You Aware of the Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes?

Do you know what common symptoms may be warnings that you
are developing diabetes?

Diabetes is a very common metabolic disease brought about
by deficient insulin in the body. This disrupts normal
blood glucose level in the body and requires medical
treatment and a change in lifestyle. A glucose test is
often the best method of identifying the levels of sugar in
the blood. A blood glucose monitor is also a useful device
for determining the normal blood glucose level and the
deviations from the norm.

The three most common symptoms of increase in the blood
glucose level in the body are polyuria or frequent
urination, polydipsia or the increased fluid intake due to
thirst, and blurred vision. Thirst occurs due to the effect
of osmosis. The kidneys here generate a rather high amount
of glucose and since water needs to carry it, there is a
fluid loss. The body cells replace the water that is now
needed to make up the decreased blood volume and this
results in dehydration. Thus the body craves water and the
patient is thirsty.

Blurred vision is usually caused due to change in the shape
of the lens in the eye. The change occurs if the normal
blood glucose level is high for a long period of time. It
is important to undertake a glucose test and to continue
monitoring with a blood glucose monitor if all or any of
the above symptoms occur.

There are several minor symptoms that also need to be
watched for. Sudden weight loss and excessive hunger are
two such symptoms that can occur when the blood glucose
level increases. Sometimes, diabetes leads to disturbance
of immune system. This can lead to the slow healing of
wounds and even minor bruises. Diabetes can also cause
peripheral damage of nerves and this is typified by
numbness or tingling in the feet and hands. This damage can
cause dry and itchy skin as the nerves get damaged.

However, the symptoms also vary from type to type and need
to be watched for. In Type 1, for example, the symptoms
develop very fast whereas in Type 2 the symptoms are slow,
subtle and mild.

In type 1 diabetes mellitus, weight loss is a major symptom
even though the patient may be eating normally or even
eating more than usual. There may also be irreducible and
persistent fatigue and overeating. There may also be
development of diabetic ketoacidosis. Acetone on the
patient's breath, polyuria, vomiting, abdominal pain, deep
and rapid breathing as well as an altered state of
consciousness characterize ketoacidosis. Hostility, mania,
confusion or lethargy are some of the symptoms of the
altered state of consciousness. Diabetes ketoacidosis can
lead to coma and if untreated can even cause death.

Blurred vision is also a common symptom in type 1.
Hyperosmolar non-ketotic state or Hyperglycemia is a rare
symptom, which develops in Type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is
usually fatal and accounts for a high mortality rate. It is
a diabetic coma and is usually preceded by an acute
illness. Gestational diabetes occurs in the 24th to 28th
week of pregnancy but usually disappears after childbirth.

Diabetes can be prevented if the patient follows a healthy
diet and exercises regularly. The blood sugar level can be
monitored with glucose test and if carefully watched, one
can maintain a normal blood glucose level. This can be
monitored even at home with the help of a blood glucose
monitor. The blood glucose monitor, with the help of a
specially coated strip containing a drop of blood will
measure the amount of sugar in the blood stream and its
deviation from the normal blood glucose level. However, it
is best to solicit the advice of the doctor since the
diabetes care varies from person to person.

Diabetes is sometimes a slow acting and extremely subtle
disease. If any of the above symptoms are recurrent, then
it will be wise to consult a doctor or have a glucose test
conducted. It is best to treat the disease early on before
it worsens and enters a more critical stage. It may take
time, but if it is regularly treated, monitored with
repeated glucose tests, the use of the glucose monitor and
proper care is taken, then it is possible to lead a normal
and healthy life.

----------------------------------------------------
Michael Jennings has a special interest in diabetes and
supplies up-to-date information on blood glucose monitors
and diabetes to help you in the management of your
condition. ==> http://www.meters-blood-glucose.com/

Statin Drugs (Cholesterol Fighters) and New Side Effects Revealed?

More than 40 million people in the United States take
Statin Drugs every day. The purpose is to lower your LDL
(BAD) Cholesterol. Statin drugs along with penicillin, and
aspirin, may well be the three greatest drugs ever
developed. These cholesterol fighting drugs have been known
to lower your bad cholesterol by as much as 25% to 40%
depending upon your unique body chemistry, and the actual
dosage that you take.

Statin drugs are the most profitable drugs manufactured by
the major drug firms. The five principal drug companies and
their respective statin drugs are:

Name of Drug Company: Merck
Generic Name: Zocor
Brand Name: Simvastatin

Name of Drug Company: Merck
Generic Name: Mevacor
Brand Name: Lovastatin

Name of Drug Company: Pfizer
Generic Name: Lipitor
Brand Name: Atorvastatin

Name of Drug Company: AstraZeneca
Generic Name: Crestor
Brand Name: Rosuvstatin

Name of Drug Company: Kos Pharaceuticals
Generic Name: Advicor
Brand Name: Lovastatin

Research has shown that half the people in this country who
suffer heart attacks have NORMAL Cholesterol levels at the
time of their attack. That's right; half the heart attack
victims are NORMAL. This implies that your Total
Cholesterol level is not the MAGIC KEY that doctors are
looking for. We also know that if you drive your LDL (BAD)
Cholesterol level down to 60, heart disease seems to stop
dead in its tracks. LDL Cholesterol is a subset of your
Total Cholesterol. It is just one component of your
Cholesterol, but obviously a very important one.

Here's the Potential PROBLEM???

We know that all drugs have side effects. Manufacturers
attempt to measure and quantify these side effects during
the FDA approved clinical trials. These trials take place
prior to a drug's mass distribution to the public.
Sometimes, certain side effects do not become apparent
until years after the drug's release.

Dr. Ralph Edwards is the director of the drug-monitoring
center of the World Health Organization (WHO). He possesses
a data base containing 4 million people, the drugs they
take, and the side effects they report. He has found 172
people in that data base who developed Lou Gehrig's disease
or something similar. All 172 had been taking prescription
drugs. Of these, 40 had been taking statin drugs, which is
the subject of our discussion.

Statistically, no more than ten patients should have been
taking statin drugs and reported this type of result. It is
a statistically unexplainable event. In other words too
many people taking statin drugs are reporting the
development of Lou Gehrig's disease, or similar type
illnesses. We are not saying there is a direct correlation
between the use of the statin drug and the onset of these
crippling diseases. There is without question, cause for
immediate and further study.

In addition, if you are taking any of the statin drugs
listed in this article, and you are experiencing any type
of side effects at all, INFORM YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY.
Call him TODAY, not TOMMORROW.

Throughout the decades the major drug companies have
attempted to downplay drug side effects. This explains the
FDA's policy for decades of keeping drug side effects
quiet. They were not published in the media. The World
Health Organization is under no such requirement. Over the
last couple of years, the FDA in response to public demand
has published their drug findings on the Internet on a
quarterly basis.

PATIENT BEWARE

Most of us were taught the term caveat emptor, which means
BUYER BEWARE. We now must use the term PATIENT BEWARE. We
have a responsibility to our loved ones, and ourselves to
be aware of the adverse effects of the drugs we are using.
In the 21st century, we are in a period of information
overload. There is simply too much information coming at
all of us to digest. This includes doctors. We as patients
can not be completely reliant on our doctors being 100%
knowledgeable about the adverse events that can be produced
by the drugs their patients are taking. You must be
informed yourself. For a more elaborate version of this
article, please see our website.

Goodbye and Good Luck

----------------------------------------------------
Richard Stoyeck's background includes being a limited
partner at Bear Stearns, Senior VP at Lehman Brothers, Kuhn
Loeb, Arthur Andersen, and KPMG. Educated at Pace
University, NYU, and Harvard University, today he runs
Rockefeller Capital Partners and StocksAtBottom.com
http://www.stocksatbottom.com/ez.html

Six Ways to Control Eating Disorders

Ideally, eating disorders should be treated by a trained health professional as soon as the problem is detected. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Many patients resist professional help, or are in denial about their condition.

An eating disorder is a serious condition that rarely improves on its own, and these conditions can pose serious permanent health risks, even death. If professional help is not sought out immediately, there are certain things a patient can do while arranging for medical and psychological help. If you suffer from an eating disorder, here are six things you can do to help prevent serious and permanent health damage.

1. Spend time with friends, family members, and loved ones every day. If you suffer from an eating disorder, spending time with those you love and trust can do much for your physical, spiritual and psychological health. Make it a point to spend time with those you love every single day, even if it's only to go to a movie or to run errands. Spending time with those you love can not only help lift your spirits, it can help distract you from potential triggers that can lead to emotional eating, excessive exercising, or stringent dieting and eating habits.

2. Get busy. Fill your schedule with things you love to do. If you have a lot of time on your own, sign up for a class you think you will enjoy or consider doing volunteer work. Filling all the holes in your schedule with work and fun can help keep you healthy.

3. Keep close track of your feelings. Emotional eating, dieting, and excessive exercising are often triggered by strong feelings, such as frustration, depression, loneliness, sadness, and anger. One way to keep track of how you feel is to practice a routine of daily journal writing. Writing down your feelings, no matter how negative, can greatly help relieve the stress and anxiety that often accompany them.

4. Also keep track of "self-talk." Self-talk refers to the little voice in your head that is often critical and negative. Becoming conscious of negative self-talk can help the eating disorder patient diffuse the power of such an internal dialogue.

5. Strive for a healthy well balanced diet, and avoid dieting at all costs. Dieting relies on deprivation, and deprivation often leads to frustration and other negative emotions. Instead of thinking of food in terms of dieting, consider adopting an overall healthy diet that strives for moderation. Eat a variety of fresh foods, and try to eat your meals in the company of others rather than eating alone.

6. Limit your exercise to three to five times a day, and try to limit the exercise times to thirty minutes or less. You should seek out activities that they will enjoy, rather than engage in strenuous or competitive activities. Non-competitive sports activities and other fun activities like dancing and walking can be beneficial and restore the patient's understanding of movement as something joyous. Author Resource:- Scott Meyers is a staff writer for Its Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Eating Disorders.

America's Healthcare System Ranks The Lowest Among Industrialized Nations

The U.S. doesn't get its money's worth when it comes to health care, according to recent statistics. The Commonwealth Fund released a report earlier this month on America's ranking in the world health care system -- and it wasn't good.

According to the report, residents of the United States receive the poorest quality of care, yet pay the most for it, among six of the top industrialized nations, including Germany, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The findings were based on measures including quality, access, efficiency, equity, and outcomes of health care. Germany took the overall first place ranking, followed by Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

While the other five nations on the list provide universal health care, the U.S., with its unorganized mixture of employer-funded care, private insurance, and government programs, leaves nearly 48 million throughout the country with no insurance whatsoever. Ominously, the Fund also linked lack of insurance with poorer quality of care in another report released this month.

Texas ranks at the very bottom of the nation in numbers of people left uninsured, at just over 25%. With high incidences of poverty, unemployment, and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, the state stands to gain more than most by measures to update the health care and/or to make insurance available to more of the population. Most of those lacking insurance do not receive pertinent preventative care, resulting in increased long-term costs to health, as well as to the state and federal governments.

Particularly in the larger cities of Dallas, Houston, and Austin -- where many from rural areas of the state come seeking care, overburdening the system further -- change would be welcomed.

Activists and members of Congress are calling for an overhaul of the overburdened and outdated system, with suggestions ranging from instituting America's own universal health care, to subsidizing private insurance companies in order to make health care coverage available to all, regardless of income.

Obviously, it's an issue that needs to be closely analyzed, as it is "pretty undisputable that we spend twice what other countries spend on average," as reported by The Commonwealth Fund. While, in comparison to other industrialized nations, the U.S. has the fewest patients seeing a regular doctor (16%), is the least wired (working with the fewest electronic records, and receiving the fewest electronic updates on disease treatment options), and has one of the highest infant mortality rates, we are actually spending twice as much per capita on health care as Germany, at $6,102. Canada spends $3,165 per capita, Australia $2,876, Britain $2,546, and New Zealand $2,083.

The U.S. also has one of the longest emergency room waiting times, takes an average of four months to deliver elective surgery, and is considered one of the less "convenient" nations when it comes to general health care. Sixty-one percent of Americans surveyed found it "somewhat" or "very difficult" to receive care on nights or weekends.

What is most shocking perhaps, is the relatively high infant mortality rate, at 5 in every 1,000. The U.S. is tied with Poland, Hungary, Malta, and Slovakia for this statistic, and, among the 32 industrialized nations surveyed, ranked only above Latvia, at 6 in every 1,000 births. Japan, the Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, and Norway beat the U.S. by a landslide, at approximately one-third the death rate. Every year, 16,000 newborn deaths occur in this country, mostly linked with low birth weights and premature delivery. This suggests a surprising lack of prenatal care and, indeed, measures of mothers' well-being ranks extremely low in comparison to other industrialized nations.

African-Americans suffer almost twice the national average of infant mortality, at 9 in every 1,000 -- which is closer to developing nations' statistics than to industrialized ones. Black babies born in the U.S. are also twice as likely to be premature and have a low birth rate than their white counterparts.

Throw in scandals -- like drug companies enticing doctors with "free" gifts and dinners to sell their medications, or multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company investments in medical schools -- and it looks like a gloomy picture, indeed. Michael Moore's summer release of Sicko, though sure to be controversial, undeniably raises a subject on the national consciousness.

While it is painfully obvious that something must be done -- and quickly -- the next step is not so clear. States such as Hawaii and Massachusetts have taken their own initiatives with state-provided health insurance, resulting in nearly 90% of their residents having insurance, and therefore better access to care. California has debated its own measures, as well as many Midwestern states.

It's not a straight-forward debate, by any means. While nations providing universal health care rank higher in overall standings, the U.S. is still considered a leader when it comes to breakthrough technologies and treatment options. A balance must be struck between revolutionary research and making sure more people actually have access to its results. Reports on new HIV drugs, for instance, hint that turning HIV and AIDS into a chronic, versus fatal, condition is just around the corner...but those medications are expensive, and not everyone in the U.S. has access to them.

Residents of the U.S., however, have done little to push the initiative. The surprising lack of attention on the issue in political debates reflects the fact that voters do not choose their candidate primarily based on his or her plans for future health care reform. And, time and again, it has been proven that the masses' outspoken push for measures is what gets things done on Capitol Hill. In the end, it's really time for us -- the people -- to decide how to dig ourselves out of this one.

Making sure you receive quality health care is important. Taking care of yourself affects your health, and will certainly affect your health as you age -- and eventually your wallet, as well.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author Resource: Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at Precedent.com

What Will Body Toning and Sculpting Do for Me?

What Will Body Toning and Sculpting Do for Me?
Magazines and other fitness sources tout the benefits of
body toning and sculpting for your figure. According to the
headlines, you can shrink your body in a short amount of
time, lose the excess weight that you have, and create a
new figure. But are these promises just too good to be
true? The good news is that body toning and sculpting can
do all of this and more. Here's what you'll want to know in
order to add this exercise to your life.

The first thing that people turn to body toning and
sculpting for is that physical benefits. When you're
performing body sculpting and toning exercises, you can
increase your muscle tone, which looks attractive. When
used in conjunction with an aerobic fitness plan, you will
see these results all the more quickly as you will be
burning more calories in doing so. Body sculpting workouts
can not, however, take the place of a good diet or regular
activity. It takes a comprehensive approach to your health
in order to see the full physical benefits. Performing body
toning and sculpting exercises every other day will provide
the greatest results.

The reason why body toning and sculpting can help you slim
down is its ability to increase your metabolism. When you
add muscle to your body, you add more calorie burning
power. While this can sound like an excuse to eat whatever
you want, that's not the case. You will be able to eat
more, but if you're looking to lose weight, you still need
to create a calorie deficit for each day – meaning you have
to burn off more than you eat. Over time and body sculpting
workouts, you will find that it's easier to keep your lost
weight off, but when you're just beginning to slim down,
you need to remember that your diet does matter, even if
your metabolism is speeding up.

What the magazines don't tell you about body toning and
sculpting is that you're also strengthening your bones as
you gain muscle. As women age, for example, their bones can
become weaker. To help bolster their bones, resistance
training like body sculpting is recommended by many
researchers and other health experts. Men can reap some of
these same benefits, though they're not necessarily
predisposed to bone loss as women are. Other health
benefits include increased energy, increased resistance to
disease, and lowered risk of injury during activity.

While you might start a body toning and sculpting program
to help you slim down or buff up, it's the health benefits
that you gain along the way that should keep you coming
back for more.

----------------------------------------------------
Machelle Lee owns and operates, The Invisible Gym in Santa
Cruz, CA. Her mission is to inspire people to become
physically active and enjoy the benefits of a balanced,
healthy lifestyle. For more information and questions you
can visit her website.

http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/

Welcome to The Health Nut Online's Blog

For those of you who are, like me, health nuts, I will be posting the most up-to-date and relevant info, articles, and news on healthy living that I can find. Welcome aboard, bookmark me and check back!