I ran into an acquaintance at a conference the other day. We got to talking about vitamins. (Somehow I always end up talking about vitamins; I could bore a stone.)

Doctors recently installed her second pacemaker. She said her ejection fraction-the force with which her heart pumps blood-was ten. Normal is fifty and north; zero is dead.

Lunch came with the conference, and she wondered if she dared eat anything since the doctor told her to avoid salt.

During lunch she mentioned the doctor wanted her cholesterol to go lower. What was it? 170. Containing myself in the face of outrage took more than I had that day. I blurted out that her cholesterol was already too low, and she'd be better off at 200 or so. I started talking about the problems of low cholesterol, but, though I spoke in a low-key, casual way, the conversation seemed to make her tense. I backed off.

So I'll tell you what I wanted to tell her.

First of all, sodium, salt, is an electrolyte. If you noticed a similarity to electricity in that word, you got it right. Electrolytes work like spark plugs to keep things going. The heart being one of those things.

But medical schools teach doctors to hate salt. Blood pressure a notch above medicine's preferred, artificially low standard results in orders to avoid salt. Which is bunk.

High blood pressure comes from a lack of potassium, another electrolyte, not an overabundance of salt. Potassium and sodium play off each other, and balancing them is critical. Back in the day, doctors used potassium to lower blood pressure. Worked great!

Potassium supplements are a joke, though. Your government in action read somebody's tea leaves years ago and set a maximum of 99mg per potassium pill. Since our bodies need something like 3000mg just to maintain the status quo, and more if there's a problem, it is to laugh. While crying.

However, salt substitutes contain potassium chloride, and your local grocery store will be more than happy to sell you some. Don't, however, use energy drinks for their potassium; in addition to potassium they have high fructose corn syrup and bromine, two very bad actors.

The beauty of getting extra potassium while not reducing salt is the support you give to your electrolytes which, as I said, keep things going.

Do switch to sea salt, though. Unlike processed-to-death table salt, it's loaded with the trace minerals we need.

Secondly, the doctor had the lady on a statin drug to lower her already-too-low cholesterol. Many, many problems with this scenario.

The pharmaceutical companies never tested statin drugs on women, but the FDA approved them anyway. Women got to be guinea pigs-even without signing informed consent papers.

Statin drugs do more harm than good even to men, and they don't do any good at all to women. Women get all side effects, but no benefits. Lots of studies say so, but the statin bandwagon only picks up steam.

Statin drugs damage your liver. You could protect your liver by taking CoQ10, but doctors rarely mention nutritional supplements. Statins can also destroy your muscles. Read the paper that comes with the prescription. It says statins can do a very big and serious number on you.

And the paper doesn't even mention that statins contradict our body's need for cholesterol. The brain relies on healthy cholesterol levels, as does the endocrine system-thyroid, adrenals, etc. We can't produce sex hormones without cholesterol. To sum up then, we can't think, our metabolism slows down, we have no energy and our libido dies without cholesterol. Could doctors scare anybody into taking statins if patients knew about that scenario?

There's more. Cholesterol below 150 writes an engraved invitation to cancer, but doesn't possess any way to fight it.

My friend believes in her doctor, but he's killing her. By following medical guidelines. And these guidelines will be come law if socialized medicine wins the day. We live in perilous times.




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

Imaging is one of the most important aspects of medical diagnosis today. Consequently, it is no wonder that this field, among the many in the field of medicine and surgery, has benefited immensely from the latest developments in the world of technology-more specifically, digital technology. At the same time, medical imaging equipment is a very expensive proposition, which is nonetheless necessary to run a good medical practice. For many practitioners, imaging equipment financing and leasing are increasingly becoming attractive options, as the best way to stay ahead of the market without having to buy all the equipment.

In this day of high technology, has moved far beyond the good old x-ray and CT scan. It is now possible to procure many kinds of equipment on a lease basis-from endoscopes to sonograms, to ultrasound equipment and x-ray film processing. And what's even better, there are a number of renowned finance companies that make medical imaging equipment financing their core business.

Four Things to Consider

Purchasing medical imaging equipment supplies can be a tricky task. Since these materials are very expensive, one needs to be pretty clear about specific needs so that they don't end up ordering more than what you need. For a pro, this will obviously feel like an easy job, but for someone who is just starting off, there will be a number of things that he must be careful about.

For a start, find out about prices for the supplies in the market. There are a number of suppliers that can cater to your needs, and you will need to carry out a thorough market survey regarding prices. Many suppliers also provide attractive discounts, so keep your eyes open.

After price one must look at the criterion of quality. While getting a good deal is important, it will all be quite worthless if you were landed with a load of sub-standard supplies. So, before you make your own purchases, it would b advisable to ask around a little regarding the quality of the material of different suppliers. Since you are in the medical business, quality is all-important.

The next issue is to ensure the credibility of your prospective supplier. There are a number of vendors who provide poor quality equipment and supplies, and you need to be wary of them. When evaluating a supplier, also take into account other factors like the kind of service he will provide, and the general spread of his catalog. Also, keep an eye on your future requirements, since you would like to develop a long-term relationship with your supplier.

Finally, look at finance options available in the market. There are a number of credit and finance companies that deal specifically with the requirements of the medical imaging industry, and are willing to provide finance options on soft terms. Given the price of imaging equipment today, it is best to lease and finance, rather than buy equipment. Most of the reputed healthcare clinics around the country look at finance as their best option.




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

Because Chiropractors and Physiotherapists both work with patients to improve the patient's ability to move and function many people get the two professionals confused. The truth is that the two fields are not the same at all. The skill set a Chiropractor must develop is not the same skill set that a Physiotherapist must have though there are a few similarities. Here are some of the differences between Chiropractors and Physiotherapists.

Educational Requirements

Physiotherapists are required to complete at least four years of undergraduate school as well as a two year masters program. Physiotherapists must also be trained in quite a few different types of physical therapy in order to obtain a license and practice professionally. A Physiotherapists license is required to be renewed regularly for as long as they want to continue practicing. This renewal requirement ensures that Physiotherapists keep their techniques and research up to date.

Chiropractors are required to complete at least four years of school though schooling usually involves five to seven years of class and field work in the United Kingdom before a professional license can be obtained. Chiropractors, like Physiologists are also required to keep their licenses current in order legally practice chiropractics without supervision.

Relieving Pain

Chiropractors work to relieve their patients' pain by using a number of pain relief therapies. These techniques can either be taught to the patient to do at home or therapies that will require the patient to continue visiting the Chiropractor in order to maintain his alignment and stay pain free.

A Physiotherapist offers his patients through a variety of methods. These methods aim to increase the patient's range of motion. Treatment offered by a Physiotherapist can involve teaching the patient how to do a variety of exercises and stretches so that the patient can continue his or her treatment at home. As the patient's pain subsides and his or her range of motion improves, the visits required become fewer and farther between until the patient is pronounced healthy enough to no longer need physiotherapy.

System of Beliefs

A Chiropractor believes that everything can be related to the spine. Problems with the respitory system or endocrine system, in a Chiropractor's mind, are problems that can be corrected with proper alignment of the spine.

Physiologists do not centre their beliefs on a single part of the body though they do spend quite a bit of time focusing on the spine. Physiologists devote their time to treating a specific injury and helping a patient heal while doing their best to reduce the patient's pain.

The truth is that there are quite a few similarities between the two. Both work with the spine. The differences lie in how an illness is addressed. Physiotherapy ends at some point. Chiropractic care is ongoing.




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