Higher Drug Usage Among Obese in the US

Obese adults in the United States use different types of prescription drugs more frequently than adults of norma weight, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found in the study.

Medication to treat high blood pressure and high colesterol topped the list. Roughly a third of obese adults over the age of 20 used at least one drug to lower blood prssure and one in five used a cholesterol-lowering drug. That compares to about 17 per cent of adults of normal weight on blood pressure medications and one in 10 on chloesterol drugs.

"Given the health risks of obesity, these results aren't terribly surprising-they put numbers to a trend we already suspected was taking place," said Dr. G. Caleb Alexander, a general internist (specialist in internal medicine) at the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study. Researchers. led by Dr. Brian Kit at the CDC's Narional Center for Health Statistics, analysed prescription medication use among adults in a nationally representative  sample of 10,000 Americans. The team defined obesity as habing a body mass index ( BMI ) of 30 or higher.  BMI is a measure of weight relative to height. When they looked at the use of 10 different drug classes between the years 2005 and 2008, the researchers found higher numbers of obese Americans were taking eight of the 10 medication types. In addition to blood pressure and cholesterol drugs, medication for treating diabetes, asthma and thyroid problems, as well as antidepressant drugs and painkillers, were taken by a higher proportion of obese people in some or all age groups. 

Sex hormones were the only class of drugs used less by obese people. Sedatives use was about the same. The obese participants were also more likely to be on multiple drugs  at once, althought the researchers saw a similiar pattern among adults aged over 65, regardless of weight. Among all women aged over 65, more than 90 per cent were taking one medication, 66 per cent were taking three or more drugs and 39 per cent were taking five or more drugs. Men in the same age group had roughly the same usage. While obesity is one factor that may contribute to a person's  pattern of prescription drug use, the study found that regardless of weight status, prescription medication use is  hight among all groups, especially older adults. More than 50 per cent of adults of normal weight aged over 20 per cent used one or more prescriotion drugs. The findings, the researchers wrote in Annals of Epidemiology, could just reflect doctors folowing current treatment guidelines for risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Still all drugs come with side effects and using more  than one at once only raises the risk of adverse events.

Nearly Paralysed at the Pool

A freak accident dislocated Mr. Ong Chiaw Hock's neck, but his extra-wide spinal canal saved him from disability.

Bartender Ong Chiaw Hock's, 60 , used to visit the Jurong East Swimming Complex every few months for a dip in the pool. The water park has a lazy river water ride, a wave pool, a jacuzzi, water slides and a 50 m competition pool. When Mr Ong was there, hee would always rent a float to go on the lazy river and in the wave pool and enjoy bobbing on the simulated waves in the shallow pools. But the father of two grown-up children has not stepped into any pool since a mishap occured to him there a year ago. He fracture his neck and came within millimetres of being paralysed. Had it not been for his larger than usual spinal canal, his spinal cord would have been crushed in the accident. Seven in 10 patients who suffered a traumatic neck injury like Mr Ong's woul have been paralysed, observe  his doctor, Associate Professor Joseph Thambiah, head and senior consultant at the division of orthopaedic trauma of National University Hospital ( NUH). Prof Thambiah said: " He was extremely fortunate. God must have been smiling on him that day." 

Mr Ong recalled the events leading to the freak accident on Dec. 9  last year as clearly as if it were only yesterday. On that fateful day, he made his way to the wave pool. He would usually get on his rented float at the shallow end of the pool as a safety precaution. That day was no different. At the entrance of the wave pool, where the water was ankle-deep. Mr Ong put the float behind him and attempted to sit on it. The waves hit his float and made him lose his balance, he recalled.  He toppled over backwards and hit his  head on the floor of the pool. "Before I could do anything a second round of waves came and turned may legs up in the air. I was flipped 180 degrees. I heard a crack from my neck and felt severe pain there." Mr Ong landed on his stomach and managed to sit up, but his neck felt so stiff he did not dare move his body after that. When he attempted to move his neck , there was unbearable pain emanating from it, he said.  Mr Ong knew he needed help fast, so he called out to a swimmer near him to alert the lifeguards. When the lifeguards came to his side and wanted to lay him flat on the ground, he refused to let them do so.

Somehow, he knew he had to stay in the position he was in to avoid further pain and injury. The lifeguards eventually moved him to the first aid room by carriying him in his seated positions on a stretcher. All this time Mr Ong used his left hand to cluch his neck to support it. The 10 minute wait for the ambulance felt like en eternity, he recalled. At the hosital, it dawned on him that the accident could leave him immobile forever-a thought so frightening that he felt he would be better off dead than be paralysed for the rest of his life," he said. His wife, Mrs. Jeannie Ong, a 53 year old hairdresser, rushed to NUH from her workplace in Simei upon receiving news of his accident.  She said in Mandarin:"When I was told that  he needed immediate surgery, I was shocked that his injury could be so serious. My first thought was ,"While he be paralysed?" An X-ray and a computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed that he had dislocated two of seven cervical vertebrae, which are spinal bones in the neck. The misaligned bones changed the contour of his spinal cord, streching it  and making it susceptible to injury, explaine Prof. Thambiah. The spinal cord is nestled in the spinal canal, which is usually between 11 and 13 mm wide. Prof Thambiah, pointed out that this wider canal was the reason his spinal cord was not crushed by the dislocated cervical vertebrae.If that had happened, Mr Ong would have been totally paralysed below his neck. He would have lost the use of his hands, legs and trunk and would have been unable to control his bladder and bowels.  During the operation, Prof. Thambiah carefully moved the dislocate vertebrae back into position. He also inserted two 10 cm permanent titanium implants behind the spinal bones to stabilise the dislocate vertebrae and the ones immediately above and below. The surgery was made more challenging because Prof. Thambiah had to avoid touching the spinal cord, which was extemely sensitive and could be damage resulting in paralyses. A neurophysiologist, who does research on the nervous system , was also on hand to monitor the function of the nerve paths that might be at risk during surgery. It was such a delicate operation that putting Mr Ong under general anaesthesia and adjusting his head to insert a breathing tube down his air way took  1,30 hours when it would take between 15 and 20 minutes in most operations. The operation to insert the implants took another four hours. Mr Ong stayed in hospital for 10 days. For the next two monts, he underwent physiotherapy sessions at Khoo Teck Puat Hospita, which was nearer to his Yishun home than NUH, and wore a neck brace to supoort his neck. A month after the accident, he was back at work. Prof Thambiah said the insertion of the implat stiffened a portion of Mr. Ongs neck. When Mr.Ongs need to ceck his blind spot when driving or when someone taps him on the shoulder now,  he can not turn his back to look over his shoulder. Instead, he needs to turn his entire upper body to look behind. But this is a minor inconvenience compare to being paralysed, he said. He has also been issued a medical card stating  that  he has a metal implant in his body which may activate a metal detection  divice.  He has traveled after the accident but has not had the need to flash this card at the airport.  "May be someday," he said softly.

TCM Helps for Erectile Dysfunction

A erectile dysfunction is charccterised by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance.Premature ejaculation is a condition  in which a man ejaculates earlier than he or his partner would like him to.For the elderly, both conditions often come together. Erectile dysfunction can also be caused by chronic diseases such as hearth disease, diabetes and high blood presssure; neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer 's disease  and stroke; and psychological causes such as stress, depression aand anxiety disorders. An TCM, good circulation of qi ( energy) and blood and a balance of the opposing aspects of coolness-linked yin and heat-linked yang are required for good health. Erectile dysfunction is due to the dysfunction of the kidneys, which govern the reproductive system. The essence of the kidneys is produced from food digested by the stomach and the speen and a type of qi produced by the lungs. If the spleen and stomach are weakened by poor diet or the lungs are weakened due to crhonic respiratory disease, the essence of kidneys will not be replenished and erectile function will be affected. Problems with the liver and the hearth can also lead to erectile dysfunction. The liver regulates emotions and qi circulation and stores blood. When the liver is weakened due to feelings such as anxiety, anger or depression, qi and blood will be blocked, resulting in erectile dysfunction.
The hearth control the mind and promotes blood circulation. If the hearth is weakened due to stress or insomnia," fire" can be created in it weakening the kidney's yin and triggering erectile dysfunction.
Ageing can weaken the kidneys and liver too. Chinese medicine, acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and tuina can stengthen  your organs. Cupping refers to the use of fire and cups to create a vacuum on the skin to enhance qi and blood circulation, while moxibustion refers to the burning of a small herb on top of a slice of ginger above one's acupuncture points to facilitate healing. Chinese medicine such as Chinese thorowax root (chaihu), nutgrass galingale rhizome ( xiangfu), immature orange fruit (zhisi), albizia flower ( hehuanhua ) and Sichuan chinaberry fruit ( chuanlianzi) enhance qi circulation  in the liver.

Sichuan lovage rhizome ( chuanxiong), white peony root ( baishao), Chinese angelica ( danggui), peach seed (taoren), safflower ( honghua), red peony root (chishao), common burreed tuber (sanleng), and zedoray rhizome (e'zhu) are used to produce more blood to nourish the liver and improve the qi and blood circulation. Milkvetch root (huangqi) ginseng (renshen), largehead atractylodes rhizome ( baizhu) and indian bread ( fuling) are used to strengthen the lungs, spleen and stomach.
Spine date seed ( suanzaoren), longan aril (longyanrou) and Chinese arborvitac kemel (baiziren) are used to strengthen the heart. Pilose antler (lurong), desertliving cistanche (roucongrong), malaytea scurfpea fruit (buguzhi) and epimedium herb (yinyanghuo) increase the kidney's yang.
Chinese gentian (longdancao), coix seed (yiyiren) oriental waterplantain rhizome (zexie), cape jasmne fruit (zhizi) and lalang grass rhizome (baimaogen)  are used to dispel the heat and dampness, which can weaken qi.
You should relax and exercise regularly to reduce your stress levels and enhance qi circulation. Sleep early, abstain from alcohol and smoking and avoid having heavy meals to strengthen your digestive system. Those with insufficient yin should avoid spicy and oily food.

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How to Cure Premature Ejaculation

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Source : Ms Lim Lay Beng, YS  Healthcare TCM Clinic

Green Tea Prevents Dementia

Alzheimer's disease, a disorder resulting neurodeneratif intellectual decline and also a variety of neuropsychiatric behavioral disorders. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease increases exponentially in older than 1% at age 65 to about 40% -50% at age 95 years. Both men and women are susceptible to this disease, although women are at slightly higher risk. Neuropsychological changes that are seen in patients with this disease include impaired short-and long-term memory, deficits in arithmetic, praxis, abstraction and judgement. Neuropsychiatric disorders include personality changes, mood disorders, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and changes in sexual function. Changes in Alzheimer's is a multifactorial disease that can be caused by genetic factors, as well as risk factors such as hypertension and inflammatory reactions diabetes. Those factor is also a major contributing factor in the pathogenesis of the disease. Inflammatory reaction initiated from the invasion of pathogens that activate microglia cells and astrocytes in the brain to secrete neurotoxins and cytokines. Secretions-discharge will cause the deposit arniloid. In the brain cells that triggers neuronal degeneration and cell death. Cells that undergo death will trigger an inflammatory reaction in the area arniloid and neuritic plaque formation. This will further lead to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is divided into three stages, based on the severity of intellectual deterioration, namely:

The first stage, is the stage amnesia. At this stage there in a prominent amnesia lasts for 2 to 4 years. Short-term memory disturbances. Patients may often repeated question: "What's the date today? '. They may also no longer able to remember phone numbers, when dialed numbers being forgotten again.

The second stage is the stage confused. At this stage is characterized by a decline konsisi involving many aspects of the progressive noble function. Patients easily become confused and may exhibit psychotic episodes and behaviorial problems such as aggressive and want to release. Defisit memory can be so severe that patients are not able to complete one activity to end. Patients  can one recognize family members. Stage 2 can be last for 2 to 10 years.

The third stage is the final stage. After 6 to 12 years of illness, intellect and memory berdeteriorasi continued, until the patient becomes akinetic and silent. He became dependent on others, the basic things, the basic necessities of life. Hygiene and nutritional needs are not considered again. Death occurs by non-specific causes, such as pneumonia or sepsis.

Healing

One of the principles of treatment are to slow the deterioration of Alzheimer's disease. And existing solutions is to provide anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). But recently it is known that drugs such toksitisasnya quite heavy.

Another alternative in preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's) is one of them by regularly consume green tea. Green tea is derived from natural ingredients are safer than drugs made from chemicals. Based on the Chinese Medical Journal, contained in green tea Epigalocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG), which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliteratiff, and allergy. Moreover the compound EGCG in green tea prevents cancer has the ability to and has the ability inhibitor for HIV.

Prolifenol as useful activity antioxidants to prevent free radicals, may reduce cell damage and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. In addition, many other health benefits that can be felt as help burn fat, prevent heart disease, help lower blood pressure, help reduce diabetes, prevent food poisoning, prevent bad breath, protect from hepatitis, and improve immunity.

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The truth with Dementia

Memory booster

Dementia/Alzheimer disease

The Alzheimer recovering breakthrough

So it is recommended to consume green tea on a regular basis from now on. It is better to prevent than to cure it?

Source: Chinese medical journal

Water Safety Tips

When getting on and off a float, such as that used in wave pools :

1. Position yourself in knee-deep water before the waves are activated. 

2. Use both hand to get a good grip of the handles at the back of the float, before sitting on it. 

3. While maintaining your a balance, slowly ease yourself into  centre of  the float.

4. After you are seated on the float, slowly paddles to an area where you are comfortable with the
    depth of the water strength of the waves.

5. Always get off the float with your feet first.

When using water slides, which may or may not require the use of a float :

1. Go down the slide in a sitting position or on your back.

2. Do not enter the slide head first.

3. Wait until the person in front of you is halfway down the slide before you enter it or wait  for
    instructions from the lifeguard.

4. Do not stand or play in the area where people exit the slide as they     may crash into you. 

When taking children to the pool :

1. Keep them under close supervision at all times while they are in and  around the pool.

2. If they cannot swim, ensure that they wear personal floatation devices   when in and around water.

3. Inculcate in them the need to follow the rules and regulations stated at the pool.

4. Teach them to obey the instruction of the lifeguard on duty at all times.

First Aid for neck injuries : 

1. When a person complains of pain in the neck, weakness or numbness   in the limbs, assume that he
   has suferred a neck injury. Do not attempt     to change his position, especially that o the head or
   neck, as doing so     may create or worsen the injury.

2. If you have to move the person, keep the head and neck immobile and  move the entire body in the
    existing position.