Health


November 3, 2009: 1:11 pm: CraigHealth, Home & Garden

Aunt Viva had decided that she was going to install a hot tub in the backyard of her comfortable town home. She was a relatively modest woman and has continually made improvements and upgrades to her home since she purchased it six years ago. After reading some literature about the potential health benefits of hot tubs and their stress relieving potentials she decided that having one at her home would be perfect for her. Aunt Viva works as an emergency room nurse and her job can be extremely chaotic and stressful and she always has long hours and unpredictable schedules.

She loves her job and would not dream of quitting or changing careers. However, due to the demanding nature of it, she has always considered her home to be her personal sanctuary and she decorates it using peaceful and harmonizing colors and themes. When she decided to purchase a hot tub she contacted choosehottubsdirect.com and received quality information on models and accessories that may be suitable for her space and her needs.

After further investigation into all the features and additional options that are available for most hot tub models Aunt Viva decided that she would redesign her small backyard and turn it into a variation of a Japanese tea garden. She would then have the hot tub enclosed by bamboo in one corner area. She also wanted a little pond installed and a space for mediation and yoga. She chose lighting features that would enhance a meditative atmosphere and will play soothing sounds and music on the stereo system. In addition she found aromatherapy scents that are designed for hot tub use and will have those available as well. Aunt Viva could not be happier or more excited about her intentions and hardly wait to have her tub installed and her yard overhauled. She is sure that this will be the perfect answer to stress relief and relaxation after a crazy sixteen hour shift in the emergency room.

October 27, 2009: 1:26 pm: CraigHealth, Home & Garden

It’s a great pleasure to have a hot tub at your own disposal.  There is a kind of guilty pleasure about being able to sneak out into your own back yard at 3 in the morning, and enjoy your spa, just because you’re awake and thinking about it.  It doesn’t get old, either, the sense of comfort that can come from just having a fantastic source of relaxation always close by.  You’ll love the way it changes how you do things, too.  It’s much easier to entertain, and it’s quite simple to throw together a party in no time, and everyone’s happy.  It also makes conversations flow easier, because people just seem to feel more comfortable speaking freely when there are
hot tubs and spas involved.  You’ll find yourself having more conversations with family, too, because it’s a great way to relax together.

There are lots of memories in potential when you have a hot tub, and it makes splendid moments happen more easily.  Perhaps one of the best parts of a hot tub, however, doesn’t lie in the future or that past, but in the present.  Being able to live in the moment is a difficult thing, and one that many mystical spiritual traditions try to teach to their followers.  It’s something that we talk about every day, being present, in the here and now, but it’s not something we take much time to reach for.

The rewards, however, for taking time to be present are great.  There is a spiritual side to it that’s rather complicated and fascinating, but practically, it also has great benefits.  Being able to pay attention in the day to day means being ready for any kind of stress or emergency, and respond with grace and effective behaviors.  It also helps remove anxieties, since there’s rarely anything worth worrying about in the present, and all that’s usually necessary is for you to be awake and alive to whatever happens.  The hot tub experience seems built for the present.  The hot water and massaging jets puts you in a place where there’s no other place you’d rather be.  This is a fantastic time to let your mind unwind with your muscles, and concentrate on the sensations of relaxation.  With friends and family around, it can be even more meaningful, and you won’t regret having a hot tub for a moment.

July 23, 2009: 4:21 pm: CraigHealth

It used to be that parents only had to worry about their kids experimenting with cigarettes or alcohol. The worst thing to think about was if your children were using marijuana. These days, you have to worry about things that children can easily buy and get a hold of.  Street drugs, the hallucination drugs that came out of the 1960s, such as LSD or cocaine are expensive and a little more difficult for adolescents can get their hands on.  Why would they, when they can easily get a high of things they can buy at their local Walgreens?

Adolescents are now experimenting with over the counter cough medicine and taking it when they are not sick to get a high off of it. This is becoming an increasingly more popular way for adolescents to get high. And the addictions can get bad enough to land them in an addiction treatment center.

Young adults are using things like NyQuil, Robitussin and Coricidin, which they can easily pick up at the supermarket because they contain DXM. DXM, also called dextrometorphan is a key ingredient in about 140 cold medicines that can be purchased over the counter.  The effects of DXM can be similar to the effect of taking the drug PCP or Ketamin.  And DXM can be overdosed on as well. It can cause muscle spasms and increased heart rate and even death.

Dual diagnosis can help alleviate the need for DXM and over the counter cold medicine addiction.

It’s just one more thing that parents have to watch out for when it comes to taking care of their children. Since getting high this way is so accessible, it is even more dangerous. Keep a tab on what is in your medicine cabinet and what your kids take from it. That little supervision could go a long way in preventing over the counter drug abuse.

June 29, 2009: 6:58 pm: CraigEntertainment, Health, Home & Garden

Water has been used and recognized for many years for its properties that induce the healing of the human body.  Hydrotherapy is quickly becoming an accepted form of physical therapy in the scientific world.  Be in in the form of heat, such as the hot tubs found at choosehottubsdirect.com, or in the form of ice.  One of the more popular forms of this is known as ‘contrast baths’.  This involves patients being completely immersed in a hot tub for just one to two minutes, then transferred directly into a tub fill with cold water for thirty seconds.  This back and forth between the hot and the cold happens anywhere from five to ten times in a single therapy session.  The final soak will be in the cold tub.  This form of treatment is not used on those that are elderly, or on small children.  Just as well, those with particular dispositions that would lead them towards nervousness are often not treated in this manner either.

This form of therapy results in the a heighten pumping of the heart and of the blood, forcing more blood through to the vital organs or to the areas that are in need of healing and attention.  The back and forth causes the dilation and the constriction of the blood vessels at a rapid rate.  Any areas of the body that are swollen will benefit from this procedure greatly.  The rapid pumping of blood ensures that fresh blood is pass through the vessels, veins and arteries transporting the agents necessary for the healing process.  This is also great for the reduction of pain, and is used on specific body parts as well, such as sprained ankles or sore shoulders.  One specific disease that is often treated in this manner is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Tendinitis.  Following a break in a bone, this procedure is often performed on the patient prior to the application of the cast, to ensure that the swelling is at the lowest rate possible before the plaster is applied, thus securing a firm cast.  Contrast baths also serve to relax one as well, and are often used for simply the reason of the reduction of stress.

June 15, 2009: 3:19 pm: CraigArts & Culture, Automotive, Economy, Employment, Finance, Food, Health, Sport, Travel

The various neighborhoods of Singapore, are one of the unique aspects of the culture on the island.  There is rich heritage and a great diversity in that heritage.  While there is this contrast, there is also a blend that is harmonious, be it in the variety of the Singapore restaurants, the architecture, and the arts.  This little island offers the of the Eastern cultures and traditions and the best of the Western as well.  In one tour, one will go from the future, to the past in a single day, from conservative business centers to exotic market places.  One may pass a Hindu or a Chinese Temple, a Muslim Mosque, or a Catholic church all side by side on the same city street.  One may start the day with breakfast as the Singapore Zoo with the orangutans, have afternoon tea at one of the traditional tea houses, and then dress up for a night at the Opera or with the Symphony.  Every day brings something new and different in the city. In the Little India neighborhood, one will feel as though they are truly walking through a smaller version of Goa or Kerela.  The streets are filled with spice shops, palm readers, and the incredible scents flowing out of the kitchens and the restaurants.  Many of the Indians that have immigrated throughout the years live in this enchanting sector.  Little Arabia, (http://www.the-inncrowd.com/littleindiawalk.htm)is filled with mosques, notable the Sultan Mosque which is an architectural wonder.  There are many market places selling everything from vintage Arabic clothing to scarves and jewelry.  This, as in all of the neighborhoods of Singapore, is filled with a variety of options for delicious meals.  The architecture of the Mosque varies incredibly from the style of the Saint Andrew’s Cathedral.  Colonial style is indicative in the spire and the grand white columns.  Then, just down the way is the Renaissance building, the Church of the Good Shepherd, with is the oldest Catholic church throughout Singapore.  All three of these buildings are among those that are most photographed and most admired.

June 8, 2009: 1:47 pm: CraigArts & Culture, Health, Sport, Travel

The Singapore Dance company, now under the artistic direction of Janek Schergen, was founded by Goh Soo Khim and Anthony Then.  This is now the premier company of Singapore and one of the most recognized and professional companies throughout all of Southeast Asia.  Comprised of twenty two company members, they perform six different works each year, alternating between the performances in their home at the Esplanade Theater in Singapore, which is conveniently located close to many Singapore hotels, and Fort Canning Green which is the venue for the program Ballet Under the Stars, and the performances around the world.  Their range is vast, performing pieces of traditional ballet, choreographed by some of the most famous choreographers working today, to pieces that are more modern and contemporary.  Throughout the years they have appealed to people of all cultural backgrounds, turning many of those not familiar with the world of dance into true aficionados and supporters.

Through a generous grant from the Government of Singapore, the company is now more than a performing company bringing the finest of work to the audiences of Singapore, they are now conducting an Education program as well as Out Reach programs for those who could otherwise not experience the thrill and excitement of this incredible world of the performing arts.  Many companies throughout the world are taking on Out Reach as more and more arts programs are cut from schools.  SDT regularly travels to schools offering classes to those who are not able to afford to take them otherwise, children as well as adults.  It is an effort to bring dance to as many people as possible in order to spread the discipline, the passion and the beauty of the arts.  They also support a Young Choreographers program, wherein students throughout Singapore and Asia have their talents nurtured and developed.  International travel performances have included Hong Kong, France, the USALondon and the Philippines.  They are quickly becoming well known internationally, as well as being well loved in their home town of Singapore.

May 19, 2009: 5:19 pm: CraigHealth

Scientists have identified a protein that appears not only to be central to the process that causes Parkinson’s disease but could also play a role in muting the high from methamphetamine and other addictive drugs or to treat depression.

In a paper published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Columbia University have shown that oct3, a protein that shepherds molecules into and out of cells, plays a critical role, bringing toxic chemicals to the doorstep of the brain cells that die in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The team found that oct3 is involved in the brain’s response to addictive drugs like methamphetamine as well and it may be a way to treat depression.

The team showed that oct3 plays a role in the brain’s response to methamphetamine. Oct3 is critical for helping astrocytes soak up excess dopamine in the space around neurons. When dopamine isn’t removed as quickly or thoroughly as usual, people can feel euphoric, but they can also experience brain damage. The finding that oct3 may play a role matches other scientists’ observations that people in whom oct3 activity is reduced have a higher potential for addiction and the need for drug treatment.

The molecule might also offer a new target for treating depression. Many anti-depressants work by allowing the brain chemical serotonin to stay available in the brain longer than it otherwise would. Since one of oct3’s functions is to remove serotonin from the brain, blocking it may offer a new avenue to treat depression.

The chemicals that the team used to block oct3 in mice would be toxic in people, and there is no drug available for people now that blocks or boosts oct3, Tieu and Przedborski said. But such a drug might be useful for Parkinson’s, drug addiction, and depression and could play a role in a drug treatment program or drug rehab program in the future.

May 18, 2009: 12:47 pm: CraigHealth

Many people are turning to lap band surgery abroad in Mexico because it’s less expensive (http://www.worldmedassist.com/Lap-Band-Surgery-Mexico.htm) and gastric bypass. With the advent of Medical Tourism, the million dollar business that assists would-be patients in finding the best hospitals and surgeons for their needs along with a relaxing vacation once they are released, it is not difficult to arrange the particulars. Sending your medical information including X-rays and the like, booking your flight and hospital, and arranging for consults with your selected surgeon before you arrive, are just some of the things that your agent will handle. With many Mexican surgeons receiving their post graduate degrees from North American and Canadian hospitals, care is as good as you would expect in your own country. With state-of-the-art hospital cropping up all over Mexico, you will have peace of mind regarding your procedure. In the case of lap band surgery, along with knee replacement surgery and the like, this is one of the most called for procedures in Mexico, especially with the cost being up to 60% lower than costs in the states. Because you can have a friend or loved one stay with you in your hospital room, you will save on a hotel room and at the same time have someone to travel with later should you decide to stay on and enjoy some of the beautiful Mexican beaches and towns.

May 7, 2009: 3:49 pm: CraigHealth

We are all aware of the rising costs of health care. With the economy in crisis, it is more crucial than ever to find alternatives to our conventional thinking. In this regard, medical tourism has become a rising industry, allowing more and more people who are searching for responsible medical care to look beyond the borders of the United States.

There are many countries offering high quality health care at more than reasonable rates. Countries such as India and Mexico offer some of the most excellent medical facilities, often with liaisons to important hospitals in the United States such as Harvard Medical and Johns Hopkins. Procedures such as knee replacement surgery and lap band surgery have become increasingly prominent outside of the United States, where costs can be cut by over 50% in most cases. The cost of knee surgery in Mexico is an attractive incentive to use a doctor in Mexico.

Additionally, traveling to another country to receive medical care yields other benefits, such as the ability to tour the area and learn about another culture. With the money saved on medical care, one can enjoy a small vacation that otherwise might be impossible. Excellent hospitals and clinics abound in India and Mexico, where surrounding areas can provide a glimpse of other customs and delights not necessarily experienced in one’s own land.

January 9, 2009: 5:39 pm: CraigHealth, Real Estate

Anthem is a development to the north of Phoenix in Arizona. It is close to the town of New River. It is a planned suburb that opened in 1998. It presently has an estimated population of around 40,000 people.

Anthem has many attractions including mountain views, and recreational activities such as hiking, water sports, sports leagues, kids and teen camps, golf and community carnivals. Services include a high school, shops, churches, restaurants, doctor Anthem, dentist Anthem, lawyers, guitar instructor, financial services as well as other amenities such as family dentist Anthem and vets, and other local services.

Access to Anthem is via the I-17 freeway. It was developed by the builder Del Webb to provide affordable housing and services in a beautiful setting out with the city. Many families chose to move away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and live in a friendly community located in a peaceful area.

December 23, 2008: 1:57 am: CraigHealth

At Family Dentist Phoenix Arizona, we offer our patients a wide variety of state-of-the art dental procedures and techniques. Our services are performed in a relaxed atmosphere where our dental surgeons allow our patients to feel at ease and comfortable during their dental visits. The aim is to meet all of your dental needs.

We have the finest office staff who’s aim is to build long lasting relationships with our patients. Communication is a big part of this. We are dedicated to providing superior dental care at competitive prices while meeting the goals of our patients. Our goal is to strive for optimal oral health, while creating beautiful smiles!

Finding a doctor can also be difficult, especially if you have no one who can recommend one for you. If this is the case then check out doctor in Phoenix for many suggestions of fine physicians.

September 10, 2008: 5:40 pm: CraigBusiness, Health

Health care institutions are concerned about quality. More and more are concerned with investigating consumer complaints as a way to improve quality assurance. Often these health institutions incorporate a patient / consumer complaint software system to record and evaluate patient complaints. They can use this system to look for associations between complaints and the institutions service levels and quality measures.

Studies have found that there is considerable cross-state variation between health care complaint processes and satisfaction surveys. Surveys and complaints are often used to verify the quality of health care. Information is often stored in a corrective action database and analyzed. Corrective actions are ways in which improvements are made which results in less complaints and better service levels and increased patient satisfaction.

Health care complaints are a real-time indication of quality concerns. The institution can greatly improve quality by implementing a customer complaint management software system.

March 30, 2008: 5:42 pm: CraigHealth

The permanent cosmetics industry is on the rise.  With the demand for services, there has been an increase in the number of certified technicians hitting the market.  Although the technique became fashionable in the 1930s, it has been growing ever since.  Permanent cosmetic supplies have also become more in demand as a result.  As more and more people make their living as technicians, there will likely be more and more of a market for permanent cosmetic supplies.