A lot research has focused on omega-3 fats as good for body and brain function. Scientists have scrutinized these fats in everything from heart disease and diabetes to depression, bipolar illness, schizophrenia, ADHD and Alzheimer's. The latest papers to add to the experimental pile come from a recent edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The new studies evaluate omega-3s in people in their 70s and 80s and relate to cognitive function, mood and mental well-being. The bottom line to the new findings is that having higher levels of omega-3s in your blood protects you from many cognitive problems of old age. The downside is that you can't just start taking them in your 70s and expect quick results. However, longer use may still be beneficial.

So what's the best way to boost omega-3 levels in your blood. First, you have to understand that there are different kinds of omega-3s that come from different sources. The kind of omega-3s that are good for your brain are called 'long-chain' omega-3s, most commonly DHA and EPA, and fish is the best source for these.

You may have heard that things like flaxseed oil and walnuts are high in omega-3s as well. Although this is true, these foods are only high in 'short-chain' omega-3s, which are not the kind that appear to have the most brain benefit.

To complicate things even further, most animals can convert the short-chain to long chain forms, but humans are not very good at this. If we want to increase long-chain omega-3s in our blood and increase our odds of aging with a healthy brain, eating sources of long-chain omega-3s is our best bet. Fish is the #1 source.

If you don't eat about 3 servings of fish per week, you should really consider taking a fish oil supplement on a regular basis. If you are a vegetarian who does not eat fish at all, don't fret, there are also algal oil supplements out there that have the long-chain omega-3s. After all, fish can't make omega-3s either. They get them by eating marine plants (or eating other fish that eat marine plants). Fish are just good at concentrating omega-3s in their meat, so are a great source for us folks that don't like chewing on seaweed.

Fish has been considered brain food for the better part of a couple of centuries. Whether you like it or not, our bodies are designed to run best on a diet high in marine sources. If you look at the cultures around the world who enjoy longevity and vibrant health into their old age, you will find fish as a staple in all of them.

There is nothing new to this advice. Only that we are now beginning to understand why fish and the omega-3s they give us, are important for many aspects of our mood and metabolism. Once again, science finally catches up to age-old wisdom to support what we have known all along - Fish is brain food, eat it and prosper.


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When you (or a loved one) are scheduled to be released from the hospital, you may make a detour to a rehabilitation hospital before you get to go home. You may need to get stronger, and the rehab hospital will provide an intensive therapy program. Here are seven questions for you to ask first.

1. How much therapy is planned?


At a rehab hospital, each patient is placed in an intensive therapy program, based on individual needs. A patient will often receive several hours of therapy per day to aid in recovery, which may be a combination of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

2. Why is a rehab hospital being recommended for me?

In most cases, you are sent to a rehab hospital when you are too "well" for the acute care hospital but not yet strong enough to return home. Usually, you will receive more therapy in a rehab hospital than you would receive in a skilled nursing facility. (You will also receive more therapy in a skilled nursing facility than in an assisted living facility.)

3. How many days of insurance coverage you will have at the rehab hospital?

Do not assume that because you have Medicare and supplemental insurance that all of your days of admission will be covered. And, on the flip side, the rehab hospital may be motivated to try to use all of your days (to maximize their insurance payments) even if you do not need them. It is astounding, but sometimes family members have to argue to get a patient discharged before all of the days are used up.It is often a delicate balance to determine how much time in a rehab hospital is "enough." If you leave the hospital before staff recommends it, you may have to sign documents acknowledging that you are signing out "AMA" or "against medical advice." If you do leave "AMA," you will have to do extra planning to return safely to your home.

4. How much therapy does my insurance cover? How many visits? How much per visit?

You cannot assume that all of your therapy charges will be coveredask this before you get transferred there. See if your insurance requires therapy preapproval, and if so, how many visits will be covered. In some cases, you may end up with a bill for the unpaid therapy services. You will want to confirm whether you will be required to pay any residual balance after your insurance(s) have paid.

5. Which rehab hospital is being recommended?

You may have a choice on which rehab hospital to choose, depending on where you live. There could be a rehab hospital that specializes in brain injuries, for example. If you had head trauma, it might make more sense to reside there and get the utmost benefit available, and maybe have a shorter stay than one at a rehab hospital that does not have the same experience and expertise. If you have a choice to make about which rehab hospital to choose, you will want to gather some information about each. You will want to get the name, address, phone number, and name of the contact person for each facility. See if the facility specializes in treating people with your particular diagnosis. You will need to know what therapy services are being recommended for you, and if they are available at each facility.

6. What should I bring?

The rehab hospital will provide the medical equipment and other adaptive devices to aid in your recovery. You may want to bring other items to add to your comfort and ease. If you brought clothing and toiletries with you to the acute care hospital, you may want to bring them to the rehab hospital. Things you might consider bringing include the following: robe, socks, sweater, scarf, headband, slippers, pillow, blanket, sleep mask, ear plugs, earphones, razor, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, books, magazines, DVDs, DVD player, radio, and basic toiletries. Bring several sets of loose and comfortable clothes, and don't forget sturdy walking shoes. You have to get dressed every day, and the staff will not allow you to stay in your robe and slippers.

7. Should I bring my prescription medicines?

It is also a good idea to have a 2- to 3-day supply of your medications to bring with you to the rehab hospital. In this way, in case there is a mix-up of some kind, you are assured that you will not miss any doses of medicine.

In conclusion, a stay at a rehab hospital will give you the chance to recover from your illness to the greatest extent possible. The therapy program is designed to meet your specialized needs so that you can get as strong as possible to return to your home.



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More and more people are identifying a number of benefits of the doctors excuse that they can get online instead of the ones they get from their doctor. Many consider the printable fake doctors excuses instead of getting a real one from the doctor for a number of reasons which we will discuss below. Although the reasons listed below are discussed in this article, they are not the only reasons that people are turning to fake sick doctors notes. These reasons can be as varied as the people who use them.

Although there are some who are a bit uncertain about utilizing this concept, there are actually quite a few people who find them a better solution than what they've had in the past. Review the upsides below that have been reported by people who have used printable fake doctors excuses.

The First Upside - For those with no medical insurance, they are saving money on a needless visit to the doctor - whose bill can range anywhere from $55.00 to $145.00. It is a strong reason why the fake sick doctors notes becomes a solution.

Also, maybe you have insurance, but your policy is very restrictive and/or has lots of different types of things that you have to pay for. All this adds up for the worker. He needs to keep his poor insurance plan available for when he really does need to go to the doctor. So, if you use an excuse that is fake, you'll save on what you'd have to pay at the doctor, and also save your insurance for when you really need it.

The Second Upside - Don't worry about losing your job because you couldn't afford to go to the doctor. You may just find it helps you to keep your job secure when you use fake sick doctors notes.

In today's stringent workplace, there are more and more employers who fire their employees if they do not have an excuse from a doctor. The last thing you want to do is to lose your job because you had a cold, but people stopped going to the doctor every time they got a cold long ago! So, if you need to keep your job, these excuses can offer another option.

The Third Upside - Don't Get Your Pay Docked Because You Needed a Doctors Excuse - There are many companies today that seem to think you can only take sick pay if you are sick and it has been proven by the doctor. It is just getting more and more for the company and less and less about what the worker can afford. These companies demand that for you to receive the pay you produce a doctors note. So, in order to collect your sick pay, you have to spend money to go to a doctor to get your money, which just shows the company is making it easy for them to keep your wages and for you to have to spend, spend, spend to prove that they shouldn't.

When you come in with a doctors' note, you'll be able to make sure that you don't miss any pay.

The Fourth Upside: Your Time Is Valuable Too - How long does it take you to go to the doctor? If you are only out for a day and it takes you half a day at the doctor's office - especially when you really didn't feel well enough to be going out! Of course the fake sick doctors notes really solve that problem for many of us. Think too when you don't feel well enough to drive yourself to the doctor's office, then you have to take the bus and be sick around others who object.

Just make sure to avoid the far out printable fake doctors excuses as they are not really great if you need doctors excuse to get out of work or school, they may be a great way to play a prank and get a good laugh. So ensure you have quality excuses from a quality site!

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Wheelchair stair lifts ensure increased mobility and independence to physically disabled and aged people. These lifts are also referred to as vertical platform lifts, wheelchair lifts, or vertical lifts. They are more cost-effective than elevators and offer speedier movement from one floor to another.

Wheelchair stair lifts are conceptualized to suit your budget and needs. Earlier, the wheelchairs had to be moved or lifted manually. With the arrival of wheelchair platform lifts, the uncomfortable process of lifting a wheel chair can now be avoided. Nowadays, wheelchair lifts are available in different sizes and designs for both commercial and residential applications.

Wheelchair stair lifts are available in two specifications, AC and DC types. A DC operated electric wheelchair stair lift can work even during power failures. Electric wheelchair lifts can be connected to telephone jacks or automatic (mechanical) door openers. The smooth operation of the motor ensures a comfortable ride. Wheel chair stair lifts are ideal for individuals with limited mobility caused by old age, diseases or accidents.

Wheelchair stair lifts find use in:

• Schools
• Hospitals
• Shops
• Offices

Wheelchair stair lifts feature:

• Optional remote controls with key lock to prevent unauthorized access
• Rated load - 340 kg (750lbs)
• 3 Drive systems: A/C powered belt driven ballscrew, battery powered belt driven ballscrew, battery powered hydraulic
• 90° and 180° entry/exit configurations
• Emergency stop button

Highly sensitive sensors are unique features in these equipments, which will automatically detect when an object is blocking the lift's path and stops, thus preventing damage to the lift. Once the path is cleared, the wheelchair stair lift continues its operation. In addition to this, there are multiple safety features and user friendly features, which make wheelchair stair lifts immensely popular products.

The customer can see the working of the lift in the demonstration centers and can even test the operation of the device themselves. These lifts can be quickly installed and are comfortable to use. Most of the wheelchair stair lift providers offer regular maintenance services; moreover, spare parts are also easily available. After ascertaining the kind of wheelchair lift you require, purchase one that suits your budget and needs from a reputable manufacturer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Robbins

Wheelchair lifts are largely used by physically handicapped individuals and old people. As wheel chair lifts are used in homes, offices, and a variety of public buildings, commercial as well as residential models are available in the market. Most of the branded wheel chair stair lift manufacturers have attractive and high utility lift models for commercial and residential purposes. Since the usage of wheelchair lifts in houses and commercial buildings varies and the way in which the lift is handled differs with different users, residential and commercial vertical platform lifts differ in their features so as to match different situations.

In some countries, there are laws that insist on providing facility for handicapped and physically weak people to access places of worship, airports, railway stations, schools, hospitals and more. Commercial wheelchair stair lifts available in vertical lift models are for this purpose. A commercial wheelchair lift has a motor driven platform that can move through different floor levels. These lifts are provided with internal switches which provide the facility for the rider to control the lift. Call-send controls and other necessary safety measures are provided in these lifts. Commercial stair lifts are not accessible to people who cannot bend their knee because these lifts are not provided with swivel seats.

Stair lifts having platforms can accommodate habitual wheelchair users, cane-users, and other physically challenged people who are unable to climb stairs. The mechanism and technology used in residential and commercial stair lifts are almost the same. Wheelchair lifts feature a heavy duty mechanism for withstanding wear and tear due to constant use of the public. Commercial wheelchair stair lifts are flexible to install in varying building architectures. As a precaution against the misuse of the lift by children, the controls are provided high enough so that children cannot reach them.

For residential use, straight and curved stair lifts in different models and brands are available in the market. When deciding to purchase stair lifts for your house, you can request for the assistance of a technician from the lift manufacturing company who can advise you on selecting the stair lift suitable for your home interior. For home use, luxurious cushioned lifts are available in the market. As wheelchair lifts are usually meant for individual purposes, the users are free to buy models of their choice. Thyssenkrupp Access, Savaria Concord, and Bruno are some of the world class wheel chair lift manufacturers.

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Surgical loupes are an essential tool for any physician that has to perform surgical procedures. Surgeons use loupes when it is necessary for them to see a magnified version of what they are working on. They allow doctors to view a small area up close in case they need to see a detailed view of the working area. Many surgeons have come to rely on loupes because they improve their vision so well, that performing without them would actually be a disservice to their patient.

Surgery can be risky for the patient but what many do not realize is that each and every surgery procedure that a doctor does is also a risk to them. Liability insurance is the largest overhead that most physicians face. This insurance protects them from being sued in the case they are found to be negligent. Surgical loupes are just one more tool that doctors can arm themselves with to make sure that their procedures are done with accuracy and precision.

While most people may not be familiar with loupes surgeons are becoming more and more reliant on them. They know that they are becoming more of a necessity becuase the procedures they are performing today are far more intricate.

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Maintaining and improving the health of individuals is key to a healthy society. Health is connected to every aspect of people's lives and affects their capacity to work, live, and play. The health of Americans is intrinsically tied to the American health care system and is influenced by the way social and economic resources have been organized. The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee health care for its citizens. As the divide between the "haves" and the "have-nots" grows wider in this society, everyone suffers as a result of the strain that is put on the health care system by those who do not have health care coverage.

Health insurance is the gateway to the US health care system. Without it, even routine health care services can be too expensive for many Americans, resulting in delayed care, prolonged illnesses, and poorer health outcomes. Uninsured patients are more likely than their insured counterparts to

* forego or delay treatment for acute illnesses or injuries,

* go without needed treatment for chronic conditions or illnesses, and

* die prematurely. (1)

Nearly 45 million Americans were uninsured for all of 2005. (2) Many of the uninsured are working but are not able to afford health insurance. This is not only a burden for uninsured individuals, but it also affects private health insurance premiums.

Prices in the private health insurance market are spiraling upward, leading employers to raise the share paid by workers, cut back on benefits, or drop health insurance coverage altogether. As more people lose coverage and the cost of their care is added to premiums for the insured, still more employers will drop coverage. This is a vicious cycle, and the underlying issues contributing to this problem must be addressed. This nation cannot prosper without addressing health disparities and ensuring access to high-quality and affordable health care for its citizens.

HEALTH DISPARITIES

Health disparities have been defined in a number of ways. (3) This article uses the National Institutes of Health definition of disparity, which states that disparities are

differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of
diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among
specific population groups in the United States. (4)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Nationally, the commitment to understanding and eliminating health disparities is strong. The Healthy People 2010 initiative, (5) a set of health-promotion and disease-prevention objectives for the nation, aims to eliminate health disparities by the year 2010. This initiative has led to the development of a number of federal programs designed to support this goal through data collection and research. The US Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies spearhead these efforts.

Health disparities analyses typically compare groups and differences in their rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other health conditions. (6) The most common type of disparity analysis makes comparisons among racial or ethnic groups. (6-9) It is well documented that minority populations--generally classified as African Americans, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics--have more chronic diseases, higher mortality, and poorer health outcomes than individuals classified as Caucasian." (10) Race or ethnicity, though important, is not the only characteristic for which disparities can be assessed, however; health disparities can be examined by additional variables such as

* gender;

* income, education level, and other socioeconomic indicators;

* geographic area of residence;

* insurance status;

* primary language; and

* level of acculturation. (11)

The purpose of this article is to examine disparities in health insurance coverage and access to health care services, specifically in the Houston, Texas, area, and the effect these disparities have on the health care system.

THE NATIONAL LEVEL

With an increasingly diverse population, the health of the United States depends on the ability to keep minority populations healthy. According to Census 2000 results, minorities represent approximately 25% of the nation's population. (12) Hispanics, now the nation's largest minority group, represent 13% of the total population, with 12% of the US population citing Spanish as their primary language. (13) Hispanics and Asians account for more an 50% of the nation's population growth; between 2000 and 2050, it is projected that the Hispanic and Asian populations will more than triple, with Hispanics representing nearly a quarter of the total population and Asians representing 8%. (14)

The US Census Bureau estimates that nearly 45 million Americans (ie, 15.3% of the population) are living without health insurance. (2) Levels of health insurance coverage are lower among minority populations, and minority Americans account for half of the uninsured population. (2) Approximately 17% of Asians and Pacific Islanders, 19% of African Americans, and 32% of Hispanics are without health insurance coverage at any given time compared with the national average of 15% and the average for Caucasians of 11%.

Americans, from the young and invincible to the old and frail, need access to health care for reasons much broader than their actual physical well-being, a local health policy expert said Friday.

"Insurance protects your wealth. It does not protect your health," said Roberta Herzberg, a Utah State University associate professor of political science who specializes in public policy.

An insured population protects the government's wealth, as well. The cost shifts of the uninsured, such as those who seek trauma care at emergency rooms, have a growing impact on state budget, she said.

For too long, policymakers have emphasized the "health" in health insurance, equating having insurance with purchasing health care. For instance, a middle-class woman whose insurance policy doesn't cover regular mammograms simply will not get the potentially life- saving test rather than pay for it herself.

"That's just stupid," Herzberg said. "We need to make people less stupid about health insurance. And that's my goal."

Herzberg spoke over breakfast Friday at the Little America Hotel at part of USU's Sunrise Series. Sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, the series attempts to expose Utah community and business leaders to university research on current issues, USU President Stan Albrecht said.

The health care discussion was particularly timely, he said, given the ongoing push by state and federal lawmakers to address the rising number of the uninsured. In Utah, some 12 to 16 percent of the population is without health insurance. Nationally, some 46 million Americans are uninsured.

"I think we all recognize it is a broken system," Albrecht said of the health care system. "And to find a way to fix the broken system, we're going to have to engage everyone."

Scott Ideson, president of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, agreed. "It is our belief that the system is broken. Too many people lack health care."

The answer is not an easy one, or one that can be fixed with a one-size-fits-all solution, Herzberg said. A single-payer system, for instance, with its mandated coverage and government-defined benefits will bring many people in from the uninsured population, but may result in less comprehensive coverage for those already insured in the private market.

"So just getting people into the system isn't a silver bullet," she said.

Regence has identified two particular pieces of legislation passed this year as improvements to the state's health care system. The first allows for increased transparency of cost and quality data and the second allows Utah insurers to offer increased incentives for participation in things such as wellness programs.

At least 18 and perhaps as many as 66 California prison inmate deaths in 2006 were preventable, according to a report released Wednesday by the receiver put in charge of the state's prison health care system by a federal judge.

The data is a "sobering reminder" of the deep disarray in which the prison health care system exists now after decades of disarray, said receiver Robert Sillen on Wednesday.

"When six inmates die of asthma in one year, we all know something is terribly wrong," Sillen said in a letter accompanying the report. "No one should die of asthma in California in 2006, and yet, in its prisons, that is the No. 1 cause of preventable death."

And none of this is new, he said.

"These tragic deaths depict the very problem that the court ordered the state to solve years ago, and that the receiver must now take on," Sillen wrote.

An analysis of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's death review reports dated Aug. 20 found that of 381 inmate deaths -- not counting 43 suicides, one execution and one death review that was unavailable -- 18 were deemed preventable. Among them were:

-A two-year delay in diagnosis of testicular cancer in a 30-year- old patient with chronic pain; medical information was lost as this inmate was transferred between prisons, and by the time the cancer was diagnosed, it had spread beyond the point at which it could've been treated.

-A five-week delay in referral to a specialist for a patient with recurrent, severe abdominal pain, vomiting and known hernias; he died of an incarcerated hernia, in which the intestines became trapped outside the abdomen's muscular wall.

-Failure to diagnose a patient who complained nine times in three days of severe abdominal pain; he died of acute pancreatitis.

Another 48 deaths were deemed "possibly preventable," including deaths from heart attacks, AIDS, bowel perforations, drug overdoses, cancer and other causes. The most common lapses in these cases, the analysis found, were errors by individual caregivers -- failures to adequately evaluate "red flag" symptoms, to follow up on abnormal test results, to keep tabs on already-known medical problems and so forth. Next most common were delayed referrals for specialty care or special tests, followed by delayed responses to inmates' requests for care and poor communications including medical information being lost during inmates' transfers between prisons.

And even among the 315 deaths deemed non-preventable, more than half had lapses in care that may have contributed to earlier death or suffering.

Sillen wrote that his team of health care and corrections experts has developed a plan to address the shortcomings.

"It is clear that every aspect of the system contributes to its current problems and each area must be addressed," he wrote.

Senior U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson of San Francisco tapped Sillen, formerly the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System's executive director, in February 2006 to seize prison health care's reins after finding the state failed to fix it even since a class-action lawsuit's settlement in 2002.

Sillen answers only to the judge, has a free hand and a blank check -- on California taxpayers' dime -- to enact reform.

He has estimated it will take him five to 10 years to bring the system up to constitutional snuff, and perhaps that long again to transition its control back to the state.

The data in this new report reflects deaths that occurred during Sillen's first year on the job as he began overhauling the prison pharmacy system, raising medical staff salaries to market levels, reworking contracting and personnel practices, building an adequate emergency room at San Quentin State Prison, launching a project to build 5,000 new medical beds and 5,000 mental health beds in prisons across the state and more.