The United States has a free market healthcare system that some people would like to change to a universal healthcare system. Most other industrialized nations use a universal healthcare system and there are similar debates in those countries about switching to ours. Both have advantages and disadvantages but when it comes to cancer treatment, our healthcare system has a higher survival rate than any other. We have a middle of the road ranking for the amount of people who get cancer here, and some people would like to argue that cancer occurrence can be linked to healthcare. Getting cancer can be caused by lifestyle, working environment or just bad luck, but treating cancer has everything to do with the quality of the healthcare system.

• In our free market system, new technology is developed along with new treatments at great expense to the researchers. In most cases this is done with the understanding that the new treatments will be very expensive to help return the cost of development and fund new research. As time goes on, this technology becomes more common and the price drops to an adjusted rate to fit the market. Without this cycle, new healthcare advances wouldn’t come about and we wouldn’t move forward with extensive new ways of treating patients. For a time after they are introduced, not everyone can afford these new methods; which is why some people believe our system to be unfair.
• In a universal healthcare system, new technology and treatments are rarely developed. There is very little return on investment because the fees that doctors charge and what they can do to treat you is all regulated by the government that is paying for it. Expensive advances aren’t cost effective, so until they become affordable and common they aren’t offered to anyone. The system is fair for everyone because everyone gets low quality healthcare evenly. As a person ages they become more expensive to treat, until eventually the government has to decide if an expensive cancer treatment is worth a few extra years for an old patient.

Aggressive diseases like cancer, HIV and many others will always be better treated by a free market healthcare system. Treatments are expensive and aren’t guaranteed, so government run healthcare plans will only pay the bare minimum. People who have universal healthcare go to the doctor twice as often, because it’s free; so they learn earlier that they have cancer, but can’t do anything about it. Many people from around the world come to the United States for treatment of these diseases if they can afford it. Without developing new technologies, they would never become common for everyone to have access to them.

With universal healthcare everyone gets the same kind of coverage, but with our system we need to have a health insurance policy. Not everyone can afford to purchase a regular insurance policy if they don’t get it from their employer, but there are alternatives to traditional insurance. Discount fee for service plans like Ameriplan, and catastrophic plans are all viable ways to get to a doctor. Without insurance or something like it, one big expense can bankrupt almost anyone; so getting a plan before a tragedy happens is a must. The debate between the two systems will continue for a long time, but the need for quality healthcare will remain the same.

Many people have suffered trying to control panic attacks even after they have experienced many times having this problem of anxiety disorder. They suffered and struggled many times because they never learn from the bad experiences they go through. This attacks are quite abrupt and you will never know when will it attack you, its effect are also so intense that its difficult for you to react immediately. Your mind and body doesn’t respond that well when you are being attack by this problem. It will give you a kind of life that is a nightmare. You will always have a fear to experience another attack again. This is true to those who have experienced panic attacks over and over again.

Finding cure for panic attacks is a must. There are no second thoughts about this. According to different research and studies there are various treatment preferences to choose from whether people are suffering from moderate to severe anxiety. If you are tired and you want to have a normal life without having to live with fear of anxiety attacks, then you have to know the best ways to treat this problem.

It is proven that the best way to start curing the problem is at home. There are actually a lot of home remedies that are found to be effective in curing this problem. The most common cause of these attacks is being worried all the time. Try to calm yourself every time a problem is approaching. You can do this by trying to relax yourself by listening to relaxation music or even mediation. In short, apply practicing different kinds of relaxation techniques.

Another cure is to avoid foods that causes to start anxiety attacks. Foods that are known to trigger this attacks are coffee and alcohol. If you really want to drink and cannot avoid it especially when having an occasion, then limit your consumption and drink moderately.

The third advice to cure this problem is to do some physical exercise. It is considered a good option to do this because exercising helps control the level of your adrenaline.

Last but not the least way is to make sure that you have a proper diet by eating the right kinds of food like fruits, vegetables, proteins and vitamins.

Choose any of these available treatments that are known to really have worked and by doing so, you will be able to find the treatment which suit you the most.
Using natural treatments is indeed a good way to start curing your anxiety attacks.

Acne is the most common of all the skin problems. Eighty percent of the population, men and women suffer from this problem. In many cases the acne might break out and then disappear on its own but in other cases it might need some special treatment. You might have seen people avoiding parties or social hangouts when they have acne. They actually shy away from facing colleagues and friends.

Physiology:

The skin pores which have a sebaceous gland at their roots act as triggers for breakouts. The number of these pores is maximum around the nose, neck, cheeks and chin. Thus, these areas are more prone to breakouts. These sebaceous glands in their normal functioning have a role in secreting some amount of sebum. Due to some factors ( puberty, hormonal imbalance, improper diet etc) the secretion from these glands might get increased and attract microbes causing infections which generally take form of redness followed by pimples or breakouts.

Causes of acne:

There is no specific reason and no specific age for the occurrence of this skin problem but the young adults during their puberty are said to get affected the most. During this phase the secretion of androgen increases which enhances the secretion of sebum and thus leads to frequent breakouts. Adults who have crossed this age might also complaint of this problem at some time. Acne results from some kind of imbalance in the normal skin physiology. This imbalance might result from lifestyle changes, improper eating habits, stress, unhygienic surroundings, etc. Thus, there is no one single reason for these break outs. Despite of the cause these acne need to be treated on time and in a proper manner or else they would result into scars which might be difficult to cure.

Some tips to keep avoid the break outs:

• Maintain good hygiene – washing the prone or affected area with lukewarm water and gentle face wash, several times a day is suggested.

• Some people are said to have acne with the consumption of certain kinds of food (allergic reaction). Such food items must be noted and henceforth avoided.

• Apart from the daily routine of cleaning your skin properly one must also make a point to exercise daily. This helps boost the body’s immunity and self cleansing system.

• Special attention must be paid to avoid infections in rainy seasons and in summers when bacteria are maximum in number in the atmosphere and their chances of clinging on to the skin are also maximum due to sweat and humidity.

• You should include loads of water and fresh fruit juices in your diet as they help flush out toxins from the body.

• Emotional stress has been found to be a major cause of acne. Thus one must always try to live a stress free life. Enjoy and make the most of your life.

• Once a break out has occurred never scratch the area with nails or scrub. It must be washed with some anti-acneic gel or soap, and the area must be kept dry and clean. The acne will subside on its own within 2 or 3 days.

• If you have a sensitive skin, avoid using harsh chemical based products as they can worsen the condition.

• Acne is generally associated with oily skin, thus prefer using water based cosmetic and skin care products.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition which causes the skin to become greasy, scaly, and flaky. The most affected area of seborrheic dermatitis is the scalp. In adults, it is commonly called as “dandruff” while in babies, it is known as “cradle cap”. Other than the scalp, it also affects other parts of the body including the skin on the face, arms, legs, chest, as well as groin. Specialists do not know the exact cause of this skin condition. They believe that it runs in the family and it is hereditary. Some says that it has something to do with the hormones since the dermatitis disappears during the adolescence stage.

There are several factors to be considered for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis. The treatment will depend on the causes of dermatitis, its location on the body, and the age of the sufferer. Like eczema in babies, to effectively treat Seborrheic dermatitis, it is important to determine its causes. There are different methods of treating seborrheic dermatitis. The modern way is to use shampoos designed to eliminate the dandruff. If there are natural cures for eczema, there is also natural seborrheic dermatitis treatment.

Here are some facts and tips that you can follow in order to prevent and treat seborrheic dermatitis naturally:

Many people who are suffering from this kind of skin disorder are those who are consuming too much acid. You must control your diet and avoid eating foods with high acid content. High acidity contributes in the flare ups of this skin disease. You may also want to consult your dietitian if you are having hard time in determining what kind of foods to eat.

Nevertheless, there are some people who do not drink enough water everyday. We have learned that we should at least drink eight glass of water daily. Water prevents our body from being dehydrated and it keeps our skin moisturized. So if you want a good – looking skin, drink more water to replenish your skin and to make it look better.

Include vegetables in your meal because they are rich in vitamins and minerals. They help in enhancing your immune system. Moreover, it provides extra protection to the skin. You can eat vegetable salad, not the salad found in a fast food chain. Raw foods are easily digested and it is recommended to have sixty – five percent raw foods in your diet everyday. If you prefer cooked foods, you can use natural oils in cooking.

Eating nutritious foods is essential in fighting different kinds of diseases. Food preparation is something that you should consider when eating. Make sure that there are no preservatives added because these are ingredients which can weaken the immune system. Keep your body healthy and you will be able to stop seborrheic dermatitis from occurring.

If you’re suffering from hives then you need to find the best treatment for hives. To make this possible then you need to understand more about this skin condition.

The Signs And Symptoms Of Hives

Hives or urticaria appears as red, bumpy welts or rashes on your skin. They are itchy and very discomforting. Usually they are triggered due to foods and drugs your body is allergic to. There are also other causative factors.

A hives outbreak can occur on your lips, face, arms or anywhere on your body. Due to the burning sensation caused by this skin condition a lot of people are looking for the best treatment for hives.

These people are searching not just for the right treatment to relieve the itching, but also to completely get rid of this really infuriating and for many embarrassing condition.

The Causes Of Hives

As mentioned earlier there are a lot of factors that cause hives. These include allergic reactions to certain foods and/or medications, insect bites, animal dander, extreme hot or cold temperature, pollen, certain infections and diseases, and even perspiration and emotional stress.

Hives – Treatments And Relief

The best treatment for hives is to identify the triggers and then avoid them if possible. As for the symptoms there are several ways to ease the itchy sensation. You can find various types of treatments for hives out there.

The most common method to deal with cases of hives is to take antihistamines. They can help stop the itching as you wait for the hives to disappear on their own.

However antihistamines can cause drowsiness. This is a common side effect associated with them. They can cause you to become very drowsy making it difficult for you to go through your everyday routines. You simply want to lie down and take a nap.

Other Treatment Options Available

Another treatment for hives is applying ointments or creams on the affected area. They are effective in eliminating the itchy symptoms, but the downside is that they can cause a mess on your clothes. In addition some of them can cause side effects after prolonged usage.

Well the good news is that there are a few all natural hives treatments available in the market today. Not only are they free from side effects but they have also been proven very effective in getting rid of hives.

Furthermore they are safe to use. You can search the internet for a natural treatment for hives. Just make sure to go with a product that has a proven track record in providing effective relief and cure for this skin condition.

Proteins that unlock the mystery of over 100 brain diseases

By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD

An Anglo-American team of researchers have made a medical breakthrough after identifying a large collection of nerve proteins that are involved in around 130 brain diseases including Alzheimer’s and autism.

The team isolated the 1,461 proteins after investigating synapses, neural connection points, in patients undergoing brain surgery. Each of these proteins is encoded by a different gene they found. They coalesce to form a molecular machine known as the postsynaptic density, or PSD. They found that proteins in the PSD are especially important for cognitive behaviours such as learning and memory, emotion and mood, as well as social behaviours and addiction or drug abuse. This could mean new drugs that can target more than one brain disease they speculate.

Professor Seth Grant, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire said, “We found that over 130 brain diseases involve the PSD – far more than expected… These diseases include common debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, as well as epilepsies and childhood developmental diseases including forms of autism and learning disability… Our findings have shown that the human PSD is at centre stage of a large range of human diseases affecting many millions of people.” The study is reported in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Co-author Professor Jeffrey Noebels, from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas added, “We now have a comprehensive molecular list of more than 1,000 suspects…Every seventh protein in this line-up is involved in a known clinical disorder and over half of them are repeat offenders.”

Professor Jonathan Seckl, of the Queen’s Medical Research Institute in Edinburgh added, “This splendid collaborative study is a major step forward which will illuminate the causes of many of the major mental health and neurological disorders as well as indicating new ways to develop treatments.” Professor Grant said, “There is a potential gold-rush, a whole new frontier for drug discovery.”

This project was conducted as part of the Genes to Cognition Program, which is a research program aimed at understanding the molecular basis of behaviour and brain disease.

Biogen Idec Licenses Neurimmune Nerve-Disorder Drugs

Drugmaker Biogen Idec Inc. has purchased the rights to three neurodegenerative disease programs from Neurimmune Holding AG, which it had been partnering with to develop the drugs, the companies said in a statement today.

Biogen, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will pay Schlieren, Switzerland-based Neurimmune $32.5 million, and up to $395 million more in contingent payments, for three research programs focused on Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“The unmet medical need among patients suffering from devastating neurodegenerative diseases is high,” said Alfred Sandrock, senior vice president of neurology research and development at Biogen. As many as 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The two companies partnered in 2007 to work on Alzheimer’s disease treatments, according to the statement. Biogen will be responsible for commercializing the products and will own the worldwide rights to the drugs, which have not yet entered clinical testing. Neurimmune, a closely held Swiss drug developer, will continue to research other potential treatments.

Diseases that pet dogs can transmit

Q: My six-year-old son is very fond of dogs that is why I am thinking of gifting him with one, but I am wary of possible diseases that a dog can transmit to him. Are there diseases that dogs can transmit to humans?
–Liza B., Manila

A: Animals, like humans, are susceptible to a multitude of infectious and parasitic illnesses. Fortunately, most infections are species specific, which means the majority of microorganisms that cause disease in lower animals do not affect people. Thus, illnesses that are common and highly fatal among pet dogs such as distemper, canine parvovirus, and heartworms cannot be transmitted by dogs to humans.

However, and this should answer your question, there are infectious diseases, called zoonoses, that animals can transmit to humans. In fact, there are more than 200 of these zoonoses that are caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that animals harbor, but only a few can be passed on by dogs.

The most dreadful disease that pet dogs can transmit to humans is, without doubt, rabies. Rabies is caused by a virus that resides in the saliva of infected animals and is transmitted to a human through a bite, or rarely, when the animal’s saliva gets in contact with a scratch or fresh break in the skin. Incidentally, humans cannot get infected with the rabies virus by eating the meat of a rabid animal, provided the meat is cooked. Signs of rabies include personality and behavioral changes, incoordination, hydrophobia, muscle spasms, and seizures. There is no cure for rabies and it is always fatal.

Another common infection that can be passed on by dogs is campylobacter infection, which causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever in people. This illness is brought about by campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium that inhabits the intestinal tract of dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, and some other domestic animals. The bacteria can infect a person by direct contact or by intake of contaminated water or undercooked meat (of fowls).

Skin disorders that can be acquired from pet dogs include ringworm and scabies (galis aso, in Filipino). Ringworm is caused by several types of fungi that humans can get by touching infected pets. Typically, the lesions of ringworm consist of itchy ring-shaped skin patches. Scabies, on the other hand, is caused by mites that burrow under the skin. It is characterized by an itchy pinpoint red rash, scaly skin, and hair loss.

Ectoparasites that infest pets such as fleas and ticks can turn on, and bite, humans and give rise to itchy lesions that are prone to secondary bacterial infection. Ectoparasites are also vectors for a number of infectious diseases, which happily rarely occur nowadays.

Parasites that plague dogs such as the round worm Toxocara canis can also affect humans. Toxocara worms reside in the intestines of infected dogs. When their eggs pass in the stools, they contaminate the soil. If ingested by humans, the eggs hatch in the intestines and the larvae migrate all over the body. Often, toxocara infestation is mild and causes no symptoms but sometimes it can give rise to fever, cough, skin rashes, and swollen lymph nodes (kulani, in Filipino). Migrating larvae can also damage various organs especially the liver and the eyes.

Thus, a pet dog can really transmit infections to your kid, but this should not prevent you from buying him one and making him miss out on the companionship and affection that a pet can offer. In the first place, the chance that a dog can make your son sick is small. You can even reduce this risk further by practicing these measures: keep you and your dog’s house clean and free of fleas and other ectoparasites; have your dog completely and regularly immunized and dewormed; and, teach your son good personal hygiene.

How would you know if your child is showing milk allergy symptoms? Milk is especially important to young children because of the calcium, nutrients and vitamins it provides. What do you do if a child develops an allergy? What if your child is born with a milk allergy or shows allergy symptoms? Here are some tips on diagnosing these symptoms and what you should do if your child has a milk allergy.

Milk is important in everybody’s diet especially children. If a child does not receive enough milk there can be serious health problems as a result. The symptoms of an allergic reaction will appear differently in different children, but they will begin to appear as the body reacts to the milk, especially the protein from the milk. When a person is allergic, the body will try to fight off the protein as if it were a foreign substance and try to eliminate it. There is a possibility of adults having milk allergies but the majority of the allergies effect children. Some of the children will grow out of these allergies buy adulthood.

There are 3 basic types of milk allergy symptoms that happen at different times. The first happens immediately upon ingestion and is characterized by hives. The second occurs hours after the milk is consumed and the symptoms are diarrhea or vomiting. The third one takes a few days to appear and the symptoms will be diarrhea.

A list of the most common milk allergy symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, hives, ear infections, bloating, eczema and other skin problems, asthma, dark eyes and even hyperactivity. Often once you know the symptoms and need to solve the problem just stopping the intake of cows milk will not solve the issue. You need to watch your diet completely, checking the foods you eat, what you are buying at the grocery store to ensure that you are ingesting foods made with milk otherwise you’ll continue to have symptoms.

Removing milk and dairy products from you diet will cause you to be lacking certain vitamins and calcium. You can take vitamin and calcium supplements to replenish what you have lost. There are also a lot of other food that are loaded with calcium. Eating leafy green vegetables and almonds are another great way to gain more calcium. You can also try rice milk, almond milk or soy milk.

Are you in the first stage of gout and you are looking for proven acute gout treatment? No need to worry because there are ways how to cure and prevent gout.

In order to neutralize and dissolve the build up of uric acid crystal in your body, you need to change your diet and lifestyle habits. You can also use a variety of remedies that will help flush out gout from your system within hours.

Identifying Symptoms of Acute Gout

Before you try the proven acute gout treatment, it is always best to know the obvious symptoms of gout. Some of the most common symptoms include intense pain, swelling and redness, and heat sensations in the affected joints.

These symptoms are primarily caused by the build up of crystallized uric acid in your body. In most cases, the most affected part is the joint in your big toe.

Attacks of acute gout can be triggered by a number of factors. The aggravating factors include stress, excessive alcohol in the bloodstream, or if you have an underlying medical condition. The painful attacks could last for three to 10 days. Subsequent attacks could be longer and may last for weeks. Remember that the next acute gout attacks will become longer coupled with more intense pains.

The Proven Acute Gout Treatment – Prevention is the Key

Just like any illness, the best treatment for gout is prevention. This is the key to completely eliminate the episodes of painful gout attacks. So the first step to cure gout is to prevent it. Here are a few important tips that could help you greatly.

First of all, you need to change your diet. Avoid eating foods that could trigger a gout attack. As much as possible, you have to maintain a gout-friendly diet during the first weeks of treatment. You have to eat less to lose weight and include an exercise program in your diet program.

Second, avoid drinking alcohol in order to restore the ability of your body to flush uric acid from your system. Then eat lots of fruits. If you have gout, fruits are your best friends because they can neutralize uric acid.

And lastly, try some quick home remedies like the baking soda treatment and parsley treatment. These treatments could dissolve crystalline uric acid and can minimize the acidity of your body. If you follow these tips, then you will be gout-free within a few days.

The most common causes of back pain are injury, being over weight, and having a weak core. If you have a back injury you need to follow what your physiotherapist or doctor prescribes. When you are over weight the back needs to support more of the load and this puts stress on the spine. People tend to put weight on around the hips and stomach and this reduces flexibility of the hips and spine. Tightness is often associated with pain, so try to maintain flexibility by losing weight and by doing back and hip stretches. Weakness of the core muscles is almost always associated with pain. You need to develop the deep muscles that support the spine as well as the visible abdominal muscles that you can see. Do Swiss ball exercises and yoga. Both of these put focus on the deep core muscles. Don’t forget to do back exercises. Most people only focus on the six-pack abs and this creates a muscle imbalance and causes poor posture. Do back extensions to strengthen the back and to reduce pain. To perform back extensions, stand up straight, place your hands on your lower back, and then bend backwards to your point of comfort. Repeat 15 times.

The most common way to cause a back strain is from lifting. Always bend your knees and keep your back straight when attempting to lift a heavy object. Posture is also a cause of back pain. Prolonged periods of sitting causes rounding of the shoulders, extension of the neck, and flattening of the lower back. These positions put a lot of force onto the musculoskeletal systems, which eventually leads to back pain. To maintain a good posture try to keep your shoulders “back and down” and pull your chin “back and in.” Other things that can affect your posture include sitting on your wallet. This tilts your spine and presses on your sciatic nerve. Wearing high heels. This causes tension in the calves and lower back. And do not sleep on your stomach as this causes your neck to be rotated in one direction.

To relieve back pain try putting a heat pack on the affected area to increase blood flow and temporarily improve flexibility and muscle spasms. Heat also is useful in treating inflammation and arthritis. After applying the heat pack massage may be administered to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and help loosen tight muscles. Anti inflammatory cream or gels such as Voltaren or Anti-flam are also effective for increasing flexibly and for temporary relief from pain. Acupuncture is effective for releasing tight trigger points and a chiropractor can help with postural issues.

Vitamins and supplements are effective in relieving pain and providing the body with important nutrients to help support joint and connective tissue health. Vitamin B12, A, C and K play a role in maintaining a healthy back. Vitamin D is important because a deficiency in vitamin D can cause osteoporosis. Calcium is also important for strong healthy bones. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are useful for maintaining joint lubrication and joint strength.

Migraines are thought to be a type of vascular headaches due to the dilation and constrictions of the blood vessels in the head. When the blood vessels in the head swell, it can cause intense pain and other symptoms. The pain is severe as there is an intense pulsing or throbbing pain in the head. This usually occurs together with extreme sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting. In women, this type of headache is often associated with the changes in their hormones.
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There are 2 types of migraines: classic and common. The classic ones have warning signs before the headache occurs while the common ones do not show any signs before they occur. Some people can predict the onset of the pain because it is preceded by an “aura”, visual disturbances, zigzag lines, or temporary loss of vision. People may experience recurring attacks due to a number of contributing factors such as bright lights, insufficient food or sleep, or exposure to light.

Medication is usually the first thing that comes into mind when someone wants to get rid of the pain. However, its effects can only mask the pain and last for only a short period of time. Unlike medication, chiropractic care works in reducing and eliminating the neurological dysfunctions that are causing migraine attacks. Chiropractors believe that partial displacement of the muscles at the base of the skull and the neck are responsible for the onset of these headaches.

Chiropractic care features a holistic approach to migraines by using spinal manipulation, periodic adjustment of joints and soft tissues, and massage therapy. A chiropractor identifies the tensions in the muscles and then gently manipulates the spine and soothes the muscles causing them to relax.

The effectiveness of chiropractic treatment has been supported in studies. In one clinical study, subjects who received chiropractic adjustments reported significant improvement in migraine frequency, duration, disability, and medication use following two months of treatment. One out of five participants reported 90% reduction in migraines, and half reported significant improvement in its severity.

If you are sick of conventional over-the-counter medications that do not work well and often accompanied by harmful side effects, you may want to consider alternative treatment such as chiropractic care. It works for migraines and provides long-term relief in contrast with medical treatment and prescription drugs.

A simple visit to a chiropractor can help you get rid of your migraine headache through natural methods. The results are satisfying because chiropractic treatment offers long-term relief and do not require medications and surgeries. You’ll be able to enjoy life free from headaches without worrying about them coming back in the future.