Who Else Wants the Perfect Abs Diet?

Who Else Wants the Perfect Abs Diet?
To have the perfect "Abs Diet" you need to need eat the
proper foods. Eat the wrong foods or worse yet eat them at
the absolute worst time and you could destroy the workout
you just completed or behave like a turtle at your next
workout.

If you want to perform at your best stock your cupboards
with these powerfoods to perform at your best and slim down
if you are a women or get ripped if you are a man.

1. Avocados: This is a healthy fat food that will help
you keep your muscles and joints strong. If you follow a
very low fat diet you are more prone to injury. If you are
injured you can't exercise and also tend to overeat. Not
the ideal abs diet you want to be following. Eat this
healthy fat which by the way also helps lower cholesterol
to keep your body strong.

2. Berries: Do you want to fight off disease and repair
your body at an very fast rate? Then include berries into
your abs diet. The USDA recently placed berries as one of
the top 20 foods richest in antioxidants. Antioxidants
help protect muscles from free radical damage and
inflammation, which are both believed to contribute to
disease and a unhealthy body. Choose berries with a deep
color for the highest potency of antioxidants.

3. Low Fat Cottage Cheese: This powerfood packs 14gms of
protein per half a cup. Protein not only helps repair your
muscles, but it releases a hormone called leptin which
helps control hunger. It also increases your metabolism
because your body requires more calories to be used in the
digestion of protein than it does other nutrients.

4. Salmon: New studies are showing that Omega 3 fatty
acids might help lessen abdominal fat as well as block
pre-fat cells from becoming permanent fat cells. Guess
what is a great source of Omega 3 fat? Salmon of course.
Eating a cold water fish 2 times a week such as salmon is
great for helping you lose fat and obtain the perfect abs
diet.

5. Yogurt: Need a perfect late night snack? Have you
thought about yogurt? Yogurt is a great immune system
strengthening food, but more importantly for your abs diet
it is an ideal slow digesting protein food to provide you
with nutrients all night long while you sleep. Your body
does most of its recovery at night while you are a sleep.
Although you don't need a lot of calories at night you do
need certain nutrients to help you with recovery. Yogurt
is idea because of its casein based protein.

If you are serious about slimming down and creating that
six-pack you have always wanted then incorporate these
foods into your abs diet to power up your diet and lose
belly fat fast.

----------------------------------------------------
If you're interested in taking your fat-loss efforts to an
entirely new level, go to the following site and grab a
free fat loss report which details 36 potent foods for
boosting your metabolism and losing belly fat -
http://thecarbrotationdiet.com

Botox, Injectable Fillers, and MedSpas

Botox, Injectable Fillers, and MedSpas
In the past 6 months, I have been contacted numerous times
by nurses, aestheticians, and non-plastic surgeon
physicians for cosmetic injector training. Some of these
folks I have known or interacted with in the past through
our local hospitals and other medical facilities, but most
of them I have no idea who they are. This represents a
disturbing trend that has developed over the past few
years, with the burgeoning medspa concept (and decreasing
medical insurance reimbursements), which has been largely
made possible by the number of injectable cosmetic
treatments which have become available in the past five
years. Since treatments such as Botox, injectable fillers,
lipodissolve and laser hair and anti-aging skin treatments
are fairly 'easy' to do (compared to real surgery), many
medical and allied health personnel as well as day spas and
hair salons want to jump on the bandwagon. They see these
treatments as cash up front, fun and interesting to do, and
part of the expanding public's desire for beauty and
anti-aging treatments.

While there are some concerning and adverse statements that
could be made as a plastic surgeon about this trend, our
commentaries are usually viewed as self-serving,
territorial, and economically repressive. Personally, I
don't care what others do, inside or outside of medicine. I
have enough to worry about in my plastic surgery and spa
practice and I prefer to focus on honing my own skills and
providing the best possible cosmetic care that I can. The
cosmetic marketplace is not like traditional medicine...it
is really let the buyer beware. There are few regulatory
agencies or guidelines for a burgeoning field that is not
behest to federal and private insurance rules of
reimbursement. In this market, only the attorneys and the
threat of malpractice and liability issues (and perhaps
one's good conscience ??) keep it from spinning completely
out of control.

What I find most troubling, however, is the complete
disregard or lack of concern about patient safety.....all
in the pursuit of the almighty dollar. Here in
Indianapolis, I know of aestheticians who regularly perform
Botox in their own home, cosmetologists doing injectable
fillers in hair salons, nurse assistants doing lipodissolve
injections, Internists performing threadlifts and ENT
surgeons doing breast augmentations in their own surgery
centers. Providers performing procedures for which they
have little training and and no formal background, not to
mention being well outside what their licenses and
certificates would permit, treating patients as study
subjects. (when you are training on someone without
supervision by a qualified provider in an educational
setting....you are a study subject!) And I wouldn't call
visiting someone for a few hours in their office or
watching a DVD by a manufacturer bona fide training either!
The providers aside, I am not sure exactly what some
patients are thinking.....is it the allure of a more
convenient or cheaper service.....or is it the appeal of a
well-crafted advertisement or website?

Equally disturbing....and the genesis of this rant
is......that physician (and yes some dentists too) and
other allied health and beauty care providers will contact
me in the hope of providing them with some training. The
very fact that this is done is highly reflective of some
deeper problematic issues........and not just that they
obviously don't respect my time and plastic surgery
experience. (I got my training the old-fashioned way...
what would be my motivation to give that knowledge away for
free for their benefit?) Such requests for quick and easy
on-site training indicate that they have no appreciation
for the subtle nuances and complexities of aesthetic
medicine. Just because you can take a needle and inject
something doesn't mean you know whether this is the
appropriate treatment for the patient's problem and whether
an injection or other more sophisticated form of treatment
might not be better. The simplicity of a treatment doesn't
always equate with overall effectiveness. Fortunately, most
of these aesthetic treatments don't carry high risks of
medical complications but they do carry significant risks
of poor 'value'. The concept of value is a very valuable
one in aesthetic medicine which is often unappreciated,
although it will ultimately be perceived by the patient.
What do you get...for what you are paying for? For example,
the use of injectable fillers, may not be so inexpensive if
poor results are obtained...and the patient later learns
that they would have been better off with a facelift from
the beginning. Several thousands dollars of lipodissolve
treatments for a 10% improvement in a body area is very
disappointing when twice that amount of money for
liposuction would have produced a much better result a lot
faster.

The point is.....aesthetic treatments, like traditional
medical therapies, require a diagnosis, treatment planning,
and a review of treatment options. That is not something
you can learn in a few hours of observation, reading a
manual, or watching a DVD.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr Barry Eppley runs a private plastic surgery practice
through his hospital-based medspa locations at Clarian
Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest
trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go
to his daily blog, http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .

How To Care For Your Child's Teeth

How To Care For Your Child's Teeth
Fluoride has been shown to have definite beneficial effects
on the growth of strong teeth, as it hardens tooth enamel.
Fluoride in higher doses has also been shown to be
detrimental to health in other ways. The controversy over
fluoride rages on today. You will have to make your own
decisions about the use of supplemental fluoride, as there
are compelling arguments on both sides of the controversy.

Normally, tap water in most cities contains some fluoride
supplementation. Otherwise, you could ask your doctor to
prescribe fluoride tablets for regular and daily use.
However, to avoid possibility of harmful effects do not
exceed recommended doses of fluoride.

Cavities are the most common dental problem among children.
If you allow your infant to sleep with a bottle of milk or
juice, sugar present in milk or juice can remain on the
gums and teeth for a prolonged period. This leads to
cavities. Don't allow your child to walk around all waking
hours with a bottle. Instead, teach your child to start
drinking from a cup as soon as they are able.

Additionally, if your child consumes lots of sugary foods
like candy, cookies, raisins, and many sweetened fruit
juices, there is a high risk of developing cavities. If
most of your family members suffer from cavities, your
child could also develop cavities early in life. The
tendency towards tooth decay may be hereditary, but the
actual development of cavities requires bacteria. The best
way to take good care of your child's teeth is to feed them
good nutritious non-sweetened foods and brush regularly
twice everyday, in the morning and at bedtime. Flossing
once a day is equally essential.

Caring for Your Child's Teeth - Before Birth to 6 Months

A healthy pregnancy contributes to healthy formation of
teeth in your baby. A woman should eat a nutritious and
balanced diet with lots of vitamins and minerals during her
pregnancy. She should also, undergo a thorough dental
examination and have any decayed teeth filled or oral
infections resolved. Your baby's teeth start forming from
the second trimester of pregnancy. A baby at birth has all
twenty teeth, although within the jaws beneath the gums.

After the birth of your child, in addition to a good
nutritious diet, follow simple dental habits. As mentioned
previously if bottle-feeding your child, do not put your
child to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice. Sugars from
juice and milk stay for prolonged periods and cause
bacteria to develop. Remove bottle soon after feeding.
Breast-feeding to sleep does not cause any problems.

Clean your child's mouth and gums with a wet gauze after
feedings and at bedtime. If anyone in the household smokes,
you will want to keep your child away from the tobacco and
cigarette smoke. Aside from the obvious harmful medical
effects, this could cause gum inflammation.

Caring for Your Child's Teeth - 6 Months to 3 Years

Infants start the eruption of their first teeth from the
age of six months. They normally have six teeth around
their first birthday. Use a wet cloth or sponge to wipe
their gums after feedings. After the first few teeth
appear, use a soft brush and water to clean your infant's
teeth. Develop the habit of drinking from a cup around nine
months of age to discourage bottle-feeds.

Put a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush to
brush your child's teeth after your child is a year-old.
Until the age of three, you should brush your child's teeth
both in the morning and at night. Teach your child not to
swallow toothpaste.

Develop good eating habits in your child by giving foods
that help in growth and development of strong gums and
teeth like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Do not
give sugary or high-carbohydrate foods like pastries,
pasta, and processed carbohydrates.

Caring for Your Child's Teeth - 3 Years to 6 Years

At three years of age, your child may be learning to talk
and starting to understand a few things. This is a good
time to teach your child good dental habits.

Teach your child to brush their teeth on their own with
your supervision. You can encourage your child to watch
other elder siblings and elders brushing their teeth to
learn the correct techniques.

Flossing is essential as soon as teeth start touching each
other. Use plastic flossing tools available in the market
to teach proper flossing habits to your child.

Infants and small children often suck their thumbs. A
four-year old normally stops thumb sucking on their own. If
not, you can take necessary guidance from your dentist to
stop this habit and avoid unnecessary orthodontic
complications.

Caring for Your Child's Teeth - 6 Years to 16 Years

From the age of six, your child starts losing all primary
teeth and permanent teeth start growing in their place. By
now, your child should be able to brush their own teeth
independently. Make your child realize importance of
brushing regularly in the morning and evening. Teach your
child to floss regularly. You can ask your dentist to guide
your child on correct technique of flossing.

Take your child to the dentist regularly. If your child
develops cavities, the dentist will suggest proper
treatment remedies. Give chewable disclosing tablets to
your child regularly to detect any plaque left on your
child's teeth after brushing. These are available at local
drugstores. They cause the plaque on the teeth to stain red
so that it can be seen.

You can discuss with your dentist if it is essential to put
dental sealants on the molar teeth of your child. Sealants
are of hard plastic. They protect chewing surfaces of your
child's teeth from decay.

Teach your child to eat nutritious food like fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains. Educate your child about ill
effects of highly processed carbohydrates and sugary foods.
This paves the way for healthy dental care in your
youngster.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr. Steven J. Brazis is a practicing dentist in Sacramento,
CA. He has practiced family and cosmetic dentistry for 35
years. For more information on children's dental health get
his book at
http://www.yourchildrensteeth.com
Contact him at
http://www.toothhaven.com

How to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance in 5 Simple Steps

How to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance in 5 Simple Steps
In my last article about diabetes, I explained which tests
you need to determine whether you've got diabetes or
pre-diabetes.

Now I'm going to share with you my top advice for
preventing -- and reversing -- these conditions.

Eating Well

The foods you eat can have huge effects on your health.
Eating the right foods will balance your blood sugar,
reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and improve liver
detoxification -- all of which help prevent and reverse
insulin resistance and diabetes.

In general, you should follow a whole-foods diet that
contains plenty of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and
detoxifying foods.

Here are more details.

When to Eat:

* Eat protein for breakfast every day

* Eat something every 4 hours to balance blood sugar

* Eat small protein snacks in the morning and afternoon

* Finish eating at least 2 to 3 hours before bed

How to Eat:

* Control the glycemic load of your meals by combining
protein, fats, and whole-food carbohydrates at every meal
or snack

What to Eat:

* Organic produce and animal products

* High-quality protein, such as fish and shellfish

* Cold-water fish such as salmon, halibut, and sable, which
contain omega-3 oils that reduce inflammation

* Up to eight omega-3 eggs a week

* Low-glycemic legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and
soybeans

* Fresh fruits (berries, cherries, peaches, plums, rhubarb,
pears, and apples are optimal) and vegetables (including
low-glycemic vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, kale,
spinach, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts)

* Detoxifying foods such as cruciferous vegetables, green
tea, watercress, dandelion greens, cilantro, artichokes,
garlic, citrus peels, pomegranate, and even cocoa

* Herbs such as rosemary, ginger, and turmeric

* Garlic and onions

* 30 to 50 grams of fiber a day, especially soluble or
viscous fiber (legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains,
vegetables, and fruit)

* Extra-virgin olive oil

* Soy products such as soymilk, soybeans, and tofu

* Nuts and seeds, including raw walnuts, almonds, macadamia
nuts, and pumpkin and flax seeds

* Chocolate that contains 70 percent cocoa (up to 2 to 3
ounces a day)

What Not to Eat:

* All processed or junk foods

* Foods containing refined white flour and sugar, such as
breads, cereals (cornflakes, Frosted Flakes, puffed wheat,
and sweetened granola), flour-based pastas, bagels, and
pastries

* All foods containing high-fructose corn syrup

* All artificial sweeteners and caffeine

* Starchy, high-glycemic cooked vegetables, such as
potatoes, corn, and root vegetables such as rutabagas,
parsnips, and turnips

* Processed fruit juices

* Processed canned vegetables

* Foods containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated
oils

* Processed oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower,
peanut, and canola

* Red meats (unless organic or grass-fed) and organ meats

* Large predatory fish and river fish, which contain
mercury and other contaminants in unacceptable amounts

* Dairy

* No more than 3 glasses of red wine per week

Keep Moving

By targeting belly fat, regular exercise can improve
insulin sensitivity, prevent and even reverse diabetes, and
reduce the risk of complications.

Start with 30 minutes of walking every day. You may need to
do sustained aerobic exercise for up to an hour 5 to 6
times a week to control full-blown diabetes. Add interval
training (described in UltraMetabolism) and strength
training to improve metabolism even more.

Supplements

I recommend a number of different supplements for insulin
resistance and diabetes, depending on the severity of the
problem:

1. A multivitamin and mineral.
2. Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D.
3. Fish oil (1,000 to 4,000 mg)
4. Chromium (500 to 1,000 mcg day)
5. Antioxidants (such as vitamins C and E)
6. Extra vitamin B6 (50 to 150 mg a day) and B12 (1,000 to
3,000 mcg) to protect against diabetic neuropathy or nerve
damage.
7. Biotin (2,000 to 4,000 mcg a day)
8. Alpha-lipoic acid (300 mg twice a day)
9. Evening primrose oil (500 to 1,000 mg twice a day)
10. One to two 500 mg tablets of cinnamon twice a day
11. Other herbs and supplements that can be helpful include
green tea, ginseng, bitter melon, gymnema, bilberry,
ginkgo, onions, and garlic
12. Banaba leaf (Lagerstroemia speciosa); 24 mg twice a day
13. Konjac fiber, four capsules 10 minutes before meals
with a glass of water

Stress Management

Stress triggers insulin resistance, promotes belly fat,
increases inflammation, and can cause diabetes. Practice
relaxation techniques, like yoga, breathing, and
meditation, regularly.

Medications

A number of medications may be helpful for diabetes. The
main classes include:

* Biguanides, especially metformin (Glucophage). They can
help improve insulin sensitivity.

* Thiazolidinediones, including rosiglutazone (Avandia) and
pioglitazone (Actos). They can help increase insulin
sensitivity but can cause weight gain and liver damage.

* Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, which include acarbose and
miglitol, can help lower the absorption of sugar and
carbohydrates in the intestines.

Older medications include sulfonylureas include glipizide,
glyburide, and glimepiride. I don't recommend them: They
only reduce your sugar temporarily and actually worsen
diabetes over time. Plus, they increase the risk of heart
attacks.

Insulin is your last resort and can cause weight gain and
increased cholesterol and blood pressure. Many patients
can get off insulin entirely if they are treated early and
aggressively with lifestyle changes.

Remember, diabetes is completely preventable and often
reversible.

And you don't need to limit your efforts to medication or
insulin. Start making the lifestyle changes I've described
here, and you should see quick and dramatic results.

----------------------------------------------------
Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional medicine,
practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available.
See The UltraWellness Blog for more on Testing for Insulin
Resistance:
http://www.ultrawellness.com/blog/insulin-resistance

5 Energy Secrets That Women Need To Know To Keep Their Energy Levels Soaring Throughout Their Day

5 Energy Secrets That Women Need To Know To Keep Their Energy Levels Soaring Throughout Their Day
This is a question that I get asked often from women who
are busy either with their work or family. There are so
many things that you can do to keep your energy levels up
throughout the day so you will feel energized and inspired.
Here are my top 6 secrets that will help you:

1. Staying hydrated- First off, I would recommend drinking
lots of water. Water is so important for the body and most
people are, on a daily basis dehydrated. This leads to
feeling very tired.

I remember speaking to one woman as she complained about
being very tired all the time and I asked her how much
water she was drinking during the day and she said 1 glass!

I told her if she were to drink more water she would have
more energy but she simply just didn't want to. Also, by
not drinking enough water you aren't able to think as
clearly.

I suggest drinking at least 8 glasses a day and more, if
you are working out alot. When you drink coffee, that
doesn't count since it's a diuretic. This takes me to my
next point.

Too much caffeine coming from energy drinks, diet sodas and
coffee will tax your adrenals which of course will make
your energy levels crash and as a result harder to lose
unwanted fat.

I know many women that will wake up and drink a diet soda
in the morning, then coffee, then a few energy drinks just
to make it through the day. If you are one of those women
know that this is not an effective or a healthy way to get
more energy.

I love my morning coffee, and it's actually been proven to
be a thermogenic (fat burning) but of course in moderation.
I myself have cut way back on the caffeine and have noticed
an increase in energy levels.

2. Sleep- If you aren't getting enough each night this will
affect your energy levels.

The amount will vary for each person. If you can, I find
doing an afternoon nap or even better, a meditation will
refresh you. Meditation actually gives you 2x the boost as
you go into an alpha state which relaxes your body and
mind, as well as relieves stress or any tension you may
have.

Every woman will vary with how much sleep they need. I
feel that at 8 hours is sufficient. How you sleep is also
important.

Your bedroom should only be used for sleep. Watching TV,
eating, or reading in bed is not a good idea and can affect
the quality of your sleep.

It's also a good idea to take a shower or bath before you
sleep as they will help you relax both your mind and
muscles.

3. Exercise- When you exercise it gives you energy. If you
feel too tired to exercise but you decide to go ahead and
do it anyway you will find that you have even more energy.

The body is meant to be exercised so the more you don't use
it the more tired you will be. Weight training is the best
type of exercise.

Many women still tend to think that cardio is the best way
to be healthy, in fact it's not.

Too much steady state cardio, will actually be
counterproductive and affect your hormonal balance,
particularly producing cortisol which adds belly fat.

When you weight train your metabolic rate increases and
stays elevated throughout the whole day and you increase
your lean muscle. It also is an boost to your immune system
and releases endorphins in your body that make you feel
good.

4. Nutrition- Nutrition is crucial to having more energy.
Simply, eating smaller meals throughout the day is a highly
effective way to keep blood sugar stabilized. Staying away
from sugary foods like candy and large amounts of foods at
one time like pasta will make you feel very tired.

Sticking to natural unprocessed foods such as nuts, seeds,
lean proteins are great energy boosters and will give you
more energy. Also, you want to make sure you are eating
enough calories for increased energy. Many women fail to
even eat enough calories to support their lean muscle as
well.

Additionally, make sure you get enough fiber which
regulates your system (eating foods like broccoli and
greens beans). It's important to know the way you fuel your
body will either make you feel like a slug or feel like you
are soaring.

Eating fat burning foods will help your body burn fat and
keep you awake as well. Natural supplements that work are
B-12, especially right before a workout. This is a nice
change from drinking energy drinks, diet sodas, or coffee.

If your energy levels aren't between an 8-10 (on a scale of
1-10 with 10 being the highest) on a consistent basis then
you want to go back to the points I mentioned earlier. And,
age has nothing to do with it, as I have known many women
well into their 70's that have an abundance of energy
because they practice these guidelines.

Keep in mind that you need high energy levels to get a
great workout, lose fat, and feel great throughout your day.

5. Your daily thoughts- Lastly, one of the most important
things is what you tell yourself.

If you say "I am always tried" that sends a message to your
brain that forms what it's called a neuronet (I liken this
to a network of chemicals that are running a software
program in your mind).

Many women have the desire to lose the fat, however the
most important thing is your mind and having the right set
of programs to get you the results you want.

Follow these 5 steps and watch your energy levels soar, as
well as feeling inspired in your everyday life.

----------------------------------------------------
Heather Picken, Female Fat Loss Expert, & Mind Body Coach
Learn how you can change your body, change your mind,
change your life by visiting:http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com
check out the online community at
http://www.fatlossforwomen.com

Assessing Traumatic Brain Injury - The Glasgow and Rancho Los Amigos Scales

Assessing Traumatic Brain Injury - The Glasgow and Rancho Los Amigos Scales
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in a number of
differing effects in victims, including loss of
consciousness and even coma. Published in 1974 by
neurosurgeons Bryan J. Jennett and Graham Teasdale of the
University of Glasgow, the Glasgow Coma Scale is a tool
doctors use to assess a patient's consciousness. When
doctors wish to assess a brain injury patient's recovery,
they turn to the Rancho Los Amigos Scale, which was
developed by head injury treatment specialists at a
California hospital in order to assess a patient's
progression during the traumatic brain injury
rehabilitation process.

The Glasgow Coma Scale

The Glasgow Coma Scale allows doctors to place a numerical
value on the amount of consciousness they perceive in a
brain-injured patient. It is essentially a mathematical
formulation in which motor response, verbal response and
eye opening are added together to create a numeric value
that stands for the degree to which the TBI patient is in a
coma state (in which "coma" is defined as unable to obey
commands, speak coherently or open the eyes).

The Glasgow scale is as follows:

Eye Response (E):

. Eyes open spontaneously (4);

. Eyes open to speech [not to be confused with a sleeping
person awakening, which rates a 4 on the scale] (3);

. Eyes open to pain [pain is administered by applying
pressure to the fingernail of the victim, with other
measures implemented if there is no response] (2);

. Eyes do not open (1).

Verbal Response (V):

. Oriented - patient is able to respond to queries about
date, time, place, and his name and age (5);

. Confused - patient is somewhat disoriented, though he or
she can respond coherently when questioned (4);

. Inappropriate words - patient cannot engage in
conversation and forms sentences of random words or utters
individual words at random (3);

. Incomprehensible sounds - patient makes moaning sounds or
other verbalizations, but does not form words (2);

. No verbal response (1).

Motor Response (M):

. Obeys commands - patient can complete simple tasks when
asked (6);

. Localizes to pain - patient can try to prevent or change
pain administered by a doctor (5);

. Withdraws from pain - patient flexes, flinches or pulls
the body away when pain is administered (4);

. Flexion to pain (3);

. Extension to pain (2);

. No motor response (1).

After assessing numbers for each area, the practitioner
adds them together for a final score. A score of eight or
under indicates that the patient is in a coma; at least 50
percent of patients at an eight score or lower more than
six hours after TBI will die. A score of 9 to 11 indicates
a moderate coma or injury, while a score of 12 or higher
means a moderate injury.

The Rancho Los Amigos Scale

The Rancho Los Amigos Scale was developed to help
practitioners, families and therapists to understand a
brain injury victim's progression through the
rehabilitation process. Though it stipulates "levels" of
recovery, it is possible for patients to exhibit
characteristics of different levels simultaneously, and
plateaus are common in recovery. The scale is not intended
to predict outcomes of traumatic brain injury.

The Rancho Los Amigos Scale is as follows:

. Level I - No Response - Patient cannot respond to
external stimuli including sound, touch, or speech;

. Level II - Generalized Response - Patient can respond to
stimuli only inconsistently and may open the eyes without
appearing to see or focus;

. Level III - Localized Response - Patient may respond to
simple commands; patient responds inconsistently to
external stimuli;

. Level IV - Confused, Agitated - Patient is in a state of
agitation and exhibits excitable behaviors that may range
to the abusive or aggressive;

. Level V - Confused, Inappropriate, Non-Agitated - Patient
is unable to process new information and may display
verbally inappropriate behavior; patient can follow
commands and appears alert;

. Level VI - Confused Appropriate - Patient has some
self-awareness and can be taught simple tasks; patient's
attention and memory span are improving;

. Level VII - Automatic Appropriate - Patient no longer
seems confused, but carries out tasks in a "robotic"
fashion; patient appears normal but has poor judgment and
needs guidance;

. Level VIII - Purposeful Appropriate - Patient is oriented
as to time and place and exhibits alertness and
functionality.

If You've Been Affected By Traumatic Brain Injury

If you or a loved one has been in a coma or has experienced
the effects of TBI, consider contacting an experienced
brain injury attorney. Your traumatic brain injury lawyer
may be able to obtain compensation for your injury
including paying for medical bills, surgeries and
therapies, covering the costs of lost wages and future
medical care.

----------------------------------------------------
By using http://www.LegalView.com , users will find
information ranging from medical conditions to the latest
news on drug recalls and drug side effects, such as
Avandia. Avandia is a type 2 diabetes drug that was
discovered in a study to increase the risk of osteoporosis
in users. For those who have taken Avandia and would like
information on Avandia litigation or an out of court
Avandia settlement, visit http://avandia.legalview.com/ .

The 7 Deadly Sins of Running

The 7 Deadly Sins of Running
Are you still getting up early in the pouring rain and
pounding the streets in the hope of losing that excess
belly fat? Well all that hard work could be for nothing
and leave you injured too! Find out why running is one of
the last things you should be doing for your health with my
7 deadly sins of running.

1. Decreases the size of your heart.

Small muscles use less energy and are more efficient.
Consider the difference in energy consumption between a
50cc scooter and a huge V8 4×4 truck. Our heart is a
muscle just like the rest of our muscles, if you force the
heart to keep running for long periods of time it will
naturally shrink to use less energy and become more
efficient. Remember that energy is a valuable commodity and
the body wants to retain as much as possible.

2. Causes injury through repetitive movements.

When you run 2.5-3 times your bodyweight is transmitted
through your joints. Now imagine this type of force being
repeated over and over again for long periods of time,
eventually your weakest joint will give out. Usually the
ankles or the knees are the first to go. Many runners then
opt for some kind of support or brace which only
exacerbates the problem by moving it on to the next weakest
joint whist keeping the old injury still weak.

3. Slows down your metabolism.

The more muscle tone you can maintain, generally the higher
your metabolism. Muscle is highly metabolically active and
requires constant energy to survive, so the more muscle
tone you have the more calories you will be burning at
rest. Long distance running will often deplete your energy
stores and then start breaking down your muscle tissue to
use as energy. If you want some serious muscle wastage and
to reduce your metabolic rate then keep running.

4. Produces more body fat.

Fat is one of our body's favourite sources of energy. The
more you run the more your body prepares itself for your
next run. You will actually start to hold on to more fat so
you can run for longer next time.

5. Boring and time consuming.

Some people run for fun, but lets face it most of us run to
get in shape and lose that excess belly fat. The truth is
running is very time consuming and there are better ways to
get great results in a lot lot less time.

6. Cardiac distress and heart attacks.

Evolving from our hunter gatherer days we had no real
necessity to run long distances, in fact the only running
we ever did was in short bursts to avoid predators or to
catch food. Our body simply isn't designed to run long
distances and the stresses you put your heart under during
this time can set you up for a heart attack. It's a fact
that many long distance runners do die of heart attacks.

7. Fat burning slows right down.

The body is an amazing machine and will adapt to anything
over time. The more time you spend running the better you
become at running and the more efficient you get at using
less energy. So what starts off as a great calorie burner
quite quickly becomes almost useless at burning excess
calories. Ultimately runners then have to run further and
further to get the same calorie expenditure that they
acheived when they first started.

If you have read all this and are thinking "OK, so what is
the answer - what should I be doing?". The answer is
simple, high intensity training. Intensity training is like
strength training but for your heart and lungs. It burns
far more calories, strengthens your heart & joints and
increases your metabolism - the best thing is it only takes
10 - 20 minutes max.

----------------------------------------------------
Greg is a leading health and fitness professional and
author of "The No Gear Workout" based in Hampstead, North
London. He achieves fantastic results for his clients by
using his indepth knowledge and the most up to date
techniques.
For free high intensity workouts visit the website and
enter your details in the "Send me the Secrets" box.
http://www.gbpersonaltraining.com

Why Do You Want To Use Discount Dental Plans?

Why Do You Want To Use Discount Dental Plans?
Do you know what discount dental plans are? It is just as
the name suggests, it is a plan where a member to the plan
can get dental services from a group of dentists for a rate
that is discounted.

Basically, a group of dentists form a discount dental plan
club. You can get a membership by paying a small monthly
fee. Then once you are a member you will be able to get
dental services for a discounted price.

There are advantages for the customer and the dentist. The
dentist will be assured of a steady income and of having
more patients.

The patients who are happy with their club membership will
recommend it to their friends and family. Plus the patient
will save money on dental costs.

Some of the dental procedures that you may need such as
root canal, tooth extraction and even plaque removal have
become very expensive.

By joining one of the discount dental plans, usually for
less than 10 dollars a month, you will get dental treatment
at a great discount from the market rate.

Market studies that have been done, show that you can save
around 60% on discount dental plans.

There are other things that you need to consider such as
whether your current dentist is a member of the discount
dental plans that you are interested in joining. You also
need to figure out if you are willing to become a part of a
discount plan that your dentist is not a part of.

One other thing is whether a dental provider of the
discount dental plan is available in your local area.

One thing that you need to remember is that dental
insurance plans are different than discount dental plans.
With the insurance plans you will claim the dental costs
with the dental insurance company and you pay a monthly
premium.

With the discount plans you pay the bill at the discounted
rate and you pay a monthly fee for membership.

If you want to join one of the discount dental plans then
you need to make sure that you take some time to check out
more than one. You don't want to join the first one that
you find because you may not be getting what you need.

It is important that you make sure the discount plan is
exactly what you want before you join. This way you will
save money and be happy with the dental service you are
getting.

----------------------------------------------------
Joe Stewart invites you to visit his discount dental
website today. If you know that your family will require
some dental work this year, or you know that your employees
would appreciate this type of benefit, then find out what
your options are. For more information, or to find a
participating dentist near you please click here now:===>
http://www.Discount-Dental.com

Bitter Medicine: Pills, Profit and the Public Health

Bitter Medicine: Pills, Profit and the Public Health
ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT With Peter Jennings

Peter Jennings - ...Dr. Drummond Rennie is an editor at The
Journal of the American Medical Association. He says
researchers who are critical get attacked all the time. Do
you actually believe, Dr. Rennie, that drug companies are
intent on keeping the consumer on drugs, which are not as
good as older drugs, for the simple requirement of profit?

Dr. Drummond Rennie - Yes. Yes, very much so. Absolutely.
....They've got to be prevented.

Peter Jennings - ... The top 10 drug companies combined
made profits of more than $37 billion in the year 2001.
And you, the taxpayer, are subsidizing research that
benefits the drug industry.

...Nancy Chockley runs an institute funded by managed care
organizations...

Nancy Chockley - What we found is that over the last 12
years, that there's really been a shift in the type of new
drugs being approved by the FDA. And that we found that
most of the growth was really in drugs that did not show
any significant clinical improvement.

Peter Jennings - Eighty percent of the drugs which the FDA
approves are not significantly different from the ones on
the market already, and only 20 percent of the drugs are
significantly new. Do you think the public even knows
that? ...We're spending more on prescription drugs than we
did in 1995. And the majority of the drugs approved by the
FDA are simply modifications of old drugs...Consumers spend
$90 billion more on prescription drugs last year than was
spent just six years ago. And are we $90 billion
healthier? ...But what critics call this 'gaming of the
system' may have a much more damaging result.

Dr. Sharon Levine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Group - If I'm
a manufacturer, and I can change one molecule and get
another 20 years of patent life and convince physicians to
prescribe and consumers to demand ... then why would I be
spending money on a lot less certain endeavor, which is
looking for brand new drugs?

Peter Jennings - The pharmaceutical industry has more
registered lobbyists than the number of senators and
congressmen combined.

Dr. Jerry Avorn, Brigham and Women's Hospital - I think
there's a sense that, for example, when the FDA approves a
drug, everything that needs to be known about it is known.
I think patients believe that. I think doctors sometimes
believe that. And that is not true.

Peter Jennings - How do you explain the overwhelming
success of these drugs in a very short period of time?

Dr. Sharon Levine - I think the only explanation is the
amount of money, the amount of time and energy that was put
into promoting these drugs to doctors and advertising these
drugs to consumers.

Peter Jennings - You see television ads like this all the
time, including many on ABC News programs. They are part
of the drug industry's $15 billion effort to get you to ask
for particular drugs and to get doctors to prescribe those
particular drugs. ...The drug companies spend vast amounts
of money - nearly $3 billion selling to consumers, $5
billion marketing to doctors, $8 billion worth of free
samples. ...Doesn't it make sense for the drug companies to
at least educate the doctors about the prescription drugs
that are available?

Dr. Marcia Angell - Well, that's not their business,
education. Drug companies are not in the education
business. Medical schools and teaching hospitals are.
It's like expecting beer companies to educate people about
alcoholism. It is not what they do.

Dr. Matt Handley, Group Health Cooperative - It's almost
like a trade. You might not have the stomach problem, but
the studies suggest you might, instead, be equally likely
to have a more serious heart problem. ...I would personally
wait years for long-term safety from the FDA's monitoring
program before I'd consider taking them. If they were
free, I would do that same thing.

Peter Jennings - What does this say about the social
responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry? Or is the
pharmaceutical industry supposed to have a social
responsibility?

Dr. Sharon Levine - That's a very good question that the
American people need to answer, do we want to entrust
critical elements of the public health to an industry whose
purpose, whose mission is to earn return for shareholders?

Peter Jennings - Congress has never required the FDA to
routinely compare new drugs with older drugs. This is
costing consumers billions of dollars that we do not need
to spend. And in some cases, it could be costing lives.
...There is no law that says new drugs have to be proven
100 percent safe. ... The government says they must be
relatively safe, which means that every drug comes with
risks. And the result of that is that sometimes new drugs
turn out to be more dangerous than old drugs.

Dr. Jerry Avorn, Harvard Medical School - If patients were
aware of the limitations that all of us physicians have in
terms of what we know and what we wish we know and what we
don't know, they would be more scared than they are at
present. ...The saying that a lot of doctors use sometimes
in jest is, 'Always wait a year before prescribing a new
drug. And if it's for a family member, wait five years.'
And that's an awful thing to say, but it reveals a
perception that we really don't know as much as we would
like to know about a drug until it's been around.

Peter Jennings - The fact is, drugs can be used for years
before we really know how safe they are. ...Dr. Drummond
Rennie is an editor at The Journal of the American Medical
Association. He says researchers who are critical get
attacked all the time. Why do you think the industry is
able to get away with what you have in the past called
'bullying tactics?'

Dr. Drummond Rennie, Journal of the American Medical
Association - Money. Because if the shareholders are
happy, whom else do they have to answer for? These are
multinationals. They have no masters.

Peter Jennings - Can we trust studies funded by companies
that have a vested interest in the results? ...Will the
pharmaceutical industry do whatever it takes to get the
results it wants from research?

Dr. Drummond Rennie - The temptation to spin those results
is always there, and it's frequently used. Frequently.

Peter Jennings - For nearly every drug on the market,
doctors must wrestle with conFL icting and sometimes
inaccurate information.

Dr. Drummond Rennie - If only the good news about a drug is
published, and never the bad news, then a false impression
is given of the quality, effectiveness of that drug. It
may be entirely false.

Peter Jennings - Does the drug industry, on occasion or
regularly, suppress data?

Dr. Drummond Rennie - Oh, we suspect, and rather know, that
this happens all the time.

Peter Jennings - Does the drug industry ever suspend a
trial - a drug trial - because it believes the results will
be different than it wishes?

Dr. Drummond Rennie - Yes, that's happened.

Peter Jennings - Does a drug company ever not publish the
results of a trial because it doesn't like the results?

Dr. Drummond Rennie - Yes.

Peter Jennings - Do you actually believe, Dr. Rennie, that
drug companies are intent on keeping the consumer on drugs,
which are not as good as older drugs, for the simple
requirement of profit?

Dr. Drummond Rennie - Yes. Yes, very much so. Absolutely.
... They've got to be prevented.

Peter Jennings - There is one last thing this evening which
we believe is important for all of us. The questions about
what we are getting for our money cannot and must not be
answered only by the drug companies. Virtually everyone we
talked to for this broadcast agrees on that. The rules by
which this hugely profitable industry operates do not
always serve consumers adequately. And nothing is going to
happen, no matter how angry consumers get, unless the
Congress and the president decide that the time is come.
The country can do better. I'm Peter Jennings. Thank you
for joining us. Good night.

----------------------------------------------------
The subsequent interview segments were taken from the ABC
News Special Report - Bitter Medicine: Pills, Profit and
the Public Health. A video and complete transcript of the
report may be obtained by writing to: ABC News Videos,
55353 Lyon Industrial, New Hudson, MI 48165
http://www.doctorsaloe.com/abc-news.htm

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 7

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 7
Can certain fragrances enhance our sexuality?

Manufacturers and advertisers alike are often accused of
over-exaggerating the effect that fragrances have on our
sexuality, claiming that their fragrances will give its
wearer the power to attract the opposite sex. Yet are
these claims exaggerated?

More often than not, our understanding of the effects that
certain scents have on our sexuality is clouded by
misinterpretations and oversimplifications. Often at the
base of this confusion lies the lack of understanding of
the differences between the male pheromones, androstenol
and androstenone.

Androstenol is the odour produced by fresh male sweat while
androstenone is this same odour after it has been exposed
to air over a short period of time. While women are likely
to be attracted to the scent of fresh male sweat, they are
likely to be repulsed by the smell of sweat that has been
oxygenized—unless women are ovulating, in which case
studies reveal that this scent elicits a neutral response.
So unless a woman is going through ovulation, eventually,
she is likely to find her sweaty male partner's scent
repulsive.

Non-reactive androstenol-based sprays may be less effective
than advertisers have led us to believe. While its scent
(which does not react to oxygen) may attract women, it
cannot be detected by women who are further than eighteen
inches from the scent's source. Moreover, in a room where
there is more than one male, women are unable to
distinguish between the wearer of androstenol-based sprays
and other men who are wearing non-androstenol-based
colognes.

It is likely, then, that a man may benefit from another's
androstenol-scented cologne. To further complicate
matters, studies reveal that androstenol-based sprays also
attract other males!

On the upside, a man would benefit from colognes whose
fragrance has an uplifting effect. Pleasant-smelling
colognes that lift a man's depression and reduce tension,
anger and fatigue are likely to produce a positive effect
on its wearer that, in turn, attracts women. A personal
sense of happiness, confidence and well-being is by far a
more powerful attractant than any androstenol-based spray.

The same can be said for women. Pleasant fragrances on
post-menopausal women have been shown to have a beneficial
effect on their emotional well-being which in turn may make
them more attractive to their partners.

Romance evoking fragrances

With the pressures coming from all directions, from both
public and private life, it's important to set a sensual
and relaxing mood when it is time for romance. Enhancing
a private space for intimacy with fragrance, soft lighting
and sensual music is important, especially for older
couples who want to shut out distractions from the outside
world.

According to a 1995 survey conducted by The New York Times,
approximately one third of adults use fragrances to make
themselves more attractive to others. Recently, scientific
evidence supports what the perfume industry has long
purported: that male fragrances enhance a woman's sexual
arousal. A study conducted by the Olfactory Research Fund
indicates that women who fantasized about a sexual
experience while smelling a popular male fragrance (whether
androstenol-based or not) felt themselves more sexually
aroused than while smelling a female or neutral fragrance.

Fragrances that evoke a sensual atmosphere include Jasmine,
Lavender, Myrrh, Rosa Damascena, Rosa Centifolia,
Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang.

Are there specific stages in our lives that relate to our
use of fragrance? Perhaps. Studies done by Dr. Schiffman on
women ranging from the ages of thirteen to sixty suggest
that there are five age-related stages for a woman's use of
fragrance.

Essentially, young girls begin to use fragrances during
their teenage years for the purpose of self-identity. Then
during their twenties and thirties, women tend to use
fragrances to attract the opposite sex. During their
post-menopausal years, women primarily use fragrances
because it is the socially-appropriate thing to do.

Surprisingly, in her follow-up study, Dr. Schiffman found
that while women's reasons still fell into the same five
age-related stages, their reasons for wearing fragrances
increased and included the need for relaxation and mood
enhancement.

----------------------------------------------------
Luke Vorstermans is the founder of The Sense of Smell Lab,
a world leader in the development of innovative products
that use our sense of smell to influence behavior, trigger
memories, manage cravings, enhance moods and improve sexual
health. To learn more about enhancing your sex drive, go
to http://www.scentuellepatch.com