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Why would you eat something called "Veggie Booty" anyway?

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Veggie Booty snack food because of possible contamination with Salmonella, bacterium that causes gastrointestinal illness.

I'm reading that a lot of children eat this Veggie Booty snack. Booty makes them happy. Cheesy Pirate's Booty, Fruity Booty, too, but always first and foremost Veggie Booty. Oh dear, oh dear.

Who cares if they say the green coloring is from kale!? Let me tell something to you, if you don't stop eating this bootylicious snack due to the recall then maybe you stop eating it due to the fact that a 1 ounce bag consists of 560 calories and 24 grams of fat!

Labels: food, health

The site, www.fleascontrol.com, is a guide to dealing with flea problems. It also has FAQ's for a number of pet health related questions for dogs and cats.

From wanting information on what kind of pet you should adopt to liver disease in cats, this website has become a forum with a wealth of information. You can read about whether or not dogs should onions or chocolate and maybe you are interesting in knowing why your dog chases his tail.

Plus, you can read everything you ever wanted to know about flea control which is why this website was originally started. There are valuable fact sheets to peruse and information on types of medicines. So if you find yourself with fleas in the house because there are fleas out in your lawn, well now you have a resource to find out how to get rid of those nasty things. =o)

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: pets

ES cells are pluripotent. This means they are able to differentiate into all derivatives of the three primary germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.

"Scientists have discovered a new type of mouse embryonic stem cell that is the closest counterpart yet to human embryonic stem (ES) cells, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today. The cells are expected to serve as an improved model for human ES cells in studies of regeneration, disease pathology and basic stem cell biology."

On August 23, 2006, the online edition of Nature scientific journal published a letter by Dr. Robert Lanza stating that his team had found a way to extract embryonic stem cells without destroying the actual embryo.

Perhaps now, June 28, 2007, doctors will be able to make use of the stem cells from mice to do their research. I don't like the thought of cruelty towards animals, but if it gets more people open to this research since a human embryo won't be used...well. I can understand concerns, but I am one of the people that stem cell research could help. I have Multiple Sclerosis and there is so little none about this disease.

Stem cells may be able to repair or replace damaged tissue, thereby reversing disease and injury. According to the scientists studying these diseases, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autoimmune disease, burn victims, blood diseases, leukemia, and spinal injuries could all benefit from stem cell research.

Labels: stem cells

There are so many kids and teenagers I know who are unable to cope with their emotions whether it is love, anger, depression and sometimes even happiness. They react dramatically or without much reason and it is because they just don't know how else to release the feelings.

Kick Out Stress provides teens with ways to relieve their stress and/or depression. When it comes to treating teenage depression I really believe you need to try whatever it takes until you are able to reach the person and help them to overcome the darkness. I have been struggling with depression since I was a teenager. So I struggled with anxiety, eating disorders, depression and the feeling of loneliness. Unfortunately, no one really helped me until I decided to go see a therapist when I was in college.

It's not easy to face children and teenagers when they are at their lowest. You feel helpless, they feel helpless and the situation can spiral quickly.

No one is immune to feeling stress; no matter their age. A lot of what has gone wrong in their lives wasn't in either your or their control. Kick Out Stress can give your teen a stronger sense of control.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: depression, stress, teens

No longer looming in my deep, dark thoughts...it is now the time to wear a swim suit in public. I can't get around it anymore. I love to swim and my little boy is enjoying the water as well.

Eeek.

So what I'm trying to do is eat healthier. Less ice cream and chocolate bars, which is hard for me since I essentially eat like a hummingbird.

Here are dietitian's picks for some of the best foods to help with weight loss during the summer.

So here is 1-4 of the 6 best summer foods according to WebMD.com:

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups
Moores loves all kind of produce but says cold soups are among her favorite low-calorie dishes. Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.

"Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal," says Moores, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon
Who doesn't love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it's hot outside?

"Half of the watermelon comes from water. It's a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet," says Moores.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies
For registered dietitian Dawn Jackson, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge. You can use them to make dishes like:

Grilled vegetable and goat cheese salads
Grilled vegetable pitas
Grilled vegetable, ricotta, and fresh herb pasta and frittatas
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads
Salads make for quick, healthy meals -- with no recipes required.

"Just give the produce a quick rinse; slice, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, a handful of toasted nuts with some salad greens and a light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette, along with a whole-grain roll, and you have a meal in minutes," says Moores.

Or try bean or whole-grain salads, such as wheatberry and tabouli.

Moore suggests flavoring your salads with herbs from the garden so you can go light on the dressing. And when adding meats or fish to your salad, she says, "think of them as an accessory to the greens, vegetables, and grains."

Please click on to read the rest of the suggestions.

Labels: food, health

There seems to be a growing need for better Drug Rehabilitation centers. The statistics of young adults using drugs is alarming. In fact, according to Teen Help, in the next twenty four hours, 15,006 teens will use drugs for the first time.

Drug addictions turns addicts into shells of their former selves, strips them of all the hope and joy that make human existence such a vital thing in the first place. So it is no wonder that the suicidal rates of drug users is so high. It's sad to think there are that many teens in such a short time who are making a decision that could negatively effect their lives forever.

The Drug Rehabilitation Network is drug rehabilitation referral site, full of information and guidance on seeking help for substance abuse. They not only have articles about drug treatment centers and programs, but they also have a place where you can write in your own journal. More importantly, they do not ask any of their advertisers for money which aides them in giving a fair and honest assessment about each place they discuss.

Over half (51%) of America's teenagers have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school. For the second year in a row inhalant use has increased in 8th graders with 17.3% reporting use at least once in their lifetime. These drugs are particularly dangerous because they can damage the nervous system even after a single use, and they can be fatal. (According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse)

If you or someone you knows has an addiction, perhaps you can refer them to this network. Or print out some of the contact information available on their site. Standing by and being witness to someone who is harming themselves with drugs is just as much of a choice as is trying to help them.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: drug abuse, drug rehab

Labels: skincare, sunblock

There have been studies done recently (spanning 8 years) to show that two different types of cholestrol drugs may lower the risk of nerve damage in the hands and feet of people with diabetes.

The drug classes are statins (Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol, Crestor, and Zocor) and fibrates (Lopid, Gemcor, and Tricor). Statin drugs reduced the risk of developing peripheral neuropathy by 35%, and fibrates cut the risk by 48%.

"The global impact of diabetic neuropathy is that there is an amputation about every 50 seconds," Dr. Aaron Vinik, director of the Streliz Diabetes Center at Eastern Virginia Medical School, said at the American Diabetes Association's scientific meeting in Chicago.

Of course I am not a doctor and I don't know the negatives and positives, but if a specialist feels that either of these two types of drugs could help someone they treat I hope that it works out well. And statin type drugs also show a strong evidence of cardiovascular disease prevention. So perhaps that will be the route diabetic patients decide to take.

Labels: diabetes

I took the Personal DNA test...my results:


My personalDNA Report

The test was long, but the report it gave back to me was very interesting. Some of the things it said I predicted, other things surprised me. If you have the time you should check it out. It's really snifty!

Labels: personal dna test

Since better healthcare has been a topic recently, it's interesting to know everything that is going on to improve certain aspects of the medical world. As mentioned in another post, emergency room waiting times can last insanely long and there is now a new effort to cut the times down drastically.

The same will be happening with emergency services outside of the hospital. In addition to have ambulances on the road, there is now a new air ambulance service. AeroCare's airline medivac transport service offers 24 hour emergency and non-emergency ambulance services throughout the world. Flying of course will cut down on a lot of time if you or your loved ones live out in the country or far from a hospital. Many insurance plans cover air ambulance services now, if another form of transportation would be considered life threatening. If you don't think your insurance will cover something like this, AeroCare has teamed up with the Travel Assist Network to offer their own insurance via The Air Rescue Card.

Airline medivac transport services are useful to have and to know about on an international scope, because they can provide international evacuation services. I'm sure you can think of cases in which that would be necessary. When roads are flooded or storms hit and an ambulance on the road may not be the most effective way to help people than AeroCare steps in and takes over.

I think any steps that can be taken to provide more efficient services to people in need is a wonderful thing.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: emergency, healthcare

If you've ever had to take a trip to your local hospital's emergency room you might share a complaint with countless other Americans who have had to visit their local ERs, too. The wait time.

You know how it goes. You walk in to the ER with a broken something and you sit and wait. And wait. And wait some more. Finally you get called back to one of the rooms, the nurse pulls the curtain back and says someone will be in to see you shortly. And you wait some more... waiting...tick..tick..tick. You're getting frustrated with the longer you sit there and I wouldn't blame you. Consider, though, that hospital ERs around the country are the doctor's offices for those Americans who have no health insurance. Those without insurance will go to ERs to receive medical treatment that the hospital must provide even though the patient cannot pay for it.

Anyway, my point is hospitals around the country are starting to DO something to bring down the waiting time in their ER's or if they can't reduce the waiting time, you get a consolation prize. That might sound silly but consider you went in with a badly sprained ankle, you weren't seen for over 5 hours and so when you do leave you have a gift card for a free dinner at Olive Garden or two tickets to major league baseball game because you had to wait so long. Remember the old Dominos Pizza "30 Minutes or Your Pizza's Free" campaign?

Hospital administrators realize that the more negative experiences you have at their facility (e.g. waiting, lack of concern by staff, etc) the less likely you are to come back to their hospital and quite frankly, a hospital is a business and they cannot afford to lose their customers with the costs of health care continually rising. To combat the seemingly endless waiting time in busy ERs around the country, adaptations are being made to streamline the processes of registration, information flow (your medical records, charts and such), treatment and ultimately discharge.

The days of handwritten charts and doctors orders are quickly dwindling as more and more hospitals are moving to electronic records systems where physicians enter their orders directly into a database that is instantly retrievable to other hospital staff who may need to see the orders. For example, a patient seen by a doctor for a broken leg. The doctor pulls up the patient's records electronically at the bedside (no waiting for the patients chart to be pulled from the medical records department), then orders an x-ray electronically which the Radiology department has available instantly even before the patient arrives in the X-Ray room. The X-Ray is readable to the doctor from this same database where he/she can then order a casting of the bone, plus look up the patient's medical history, prescribe medication for pain/inflammation, and enter discharge orders all without ever touching a pen or having to wait for a chart to be given to him/her.

Some hospitals are moving to eliminate waits altogether. The Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Illinois promises no waits at all. As of last week, patients could skip the waiting room and go directly to a private room where treatment starts as registration is done bedside.

You can read more about this "culture change" in U.S. hospitals try to pick up the ER pace from Reuters. This is a MUCH needed change for our country's ailing health care system. As hospitals streamline their services we will begin to see decreased waiting times for emergency treatment and hospital admissions in even the busiest ERs around the country.

Labels: emergency, hospitals, technology

My Mom has a Jack Russel Terrier and she is getting older now. She has been having a lot of health problems and my Mom is driving back and forth to the vet either to have her checked out or to pick up her medications.

Apparently, my Mom is not the only pet owner struggling to keep up with her companion's medical needs and the bills that follow. PetCare now has their own pet insurance plan for such people. PetCare Pet Insurance is available to pet owners in the US and in Canada.

The trend for pet insurance is growing in light of recent events involving pet food. Fortunately, there have been so many advancements in the veterinarian field that many pets are living longer lives. The current downside to that is the cost of everything, because advancements are expensive and someone has to pay for the new technologies. That someone is the pet's owner...and they'll pay, because many pets become a big part of their families' lives.

To worry less and to have the assurance that your pet will get the very best; look into PetCare's pet insurance programs. You might find it very helpful.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: pet insurance

I just read a fascinating article about a new software program that could help match patients to kidney donors.

The algorithm improves on previous ones by not only factoring in altruistic donors but also calculating the most efficient way to handle three-, and four-way exchanges.

With a development such as this there is now a need for a national database of kidney donors and patients needing a kidney. Without a national database the number of matches will always be smaller than it should be. The technology now exists to make this process easier; we just need to begin compiling the data.

Labels: organ donor, technology

My cousin's wife piqued my interest in Reiki several months ago. There are classes you can take to get a certificate in practicing Reiki and there are a plethora of books you can read to better understand it.

According to the About.com Holistic Healing section, Reiki is a natural healing system designed to assist in healing and help achieve balance. I know a lot of people who are too skeptical to ever believe in Reiki and for them I feel sorry. Statistics state we use a very low percentage of our brain. I believe some people can tap into other facets of their brain and thereby do extraordinary things. I do believe in natural healing and I do believe there are people who can assist you in achieving a better balance of energy in your body.

Reiki energy transfers from one person to another; the practitioner, also known as the healer, sends the energy through themselves into the person they are helping. If you have ever seen or read about the Celestine Prophecies than you will understand this concept. The entire physical world is permeated by an energy field and we can give it and take it. Tapping into that energy field helps to improve your quality of life. Practicing Reiki helps you to improve the quality of other people's lives.

It's all quite fascinating to me.

If you are interested in learning more, I recommend these sites and books:

A History and Understanding of Reiki
Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art
Reiki Healing
The International Center for Reiki Training

Labels: Holistic Healing, Reiki

A topic I don't know much about is drug addiction. I have never tried drugs and don't intend to, it's not something that ever intrigued me. But I know a lot of people who have gotten involved with drugs; of all kinds. It is sad to see what someone can go through when they are trying to quit something that their body is addicted to.

There are a group of people who once went through an addiction and they came together and started a place called "Stone Hawk" located in Battle Creek, Michigan. At one point or another they were the person in need of help with their problem and someone cared enough to be there for them. Now they are returning the favor.

Narconon is a type of program that doesn't adhere to the typical 12-step guidelines, it is an in-patient rehabilitation program. Patients normally stay 3 to 4 months in Narconon facilities. "Stone Hawk" follows this type of methodology.

It sounds like a place that compassionately promotes healing and I think for anyone who may be involved in drugs, or knows someone who needs help, they should look into this program.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: drug rehab

...in 2009. For those who suffer from migraines, you know just how disabling one can be. The searing pain caused by the dimmest light or the reverberating jet engine in your head caused by a sound as faint as a pin drop.

The current prescription remedy for migraines is a class of drug called "Triptans" which primarily work on seretonin levels in the brain and act to constrict blood vessels to help reduce migraine associated symptoms. However, the experts at Merck Research Laboratories. have uncovered a potential new class of migraine drug called a "oral calcitonin-gene-related peptide receptor antagonist" or CGRP receptor antagonist for short. Researchers have found that CGRP levels in the brain are elevated during migraines and the current theory is that these elevated levels are related to the severity and duration of the migraine. The higher the CGRP level the more severe the migraine pain. What this new experimental drug class is designed to do is block CGRP and in doing so alleviate the pain of a migraine.

So far the study statistics are promising. Doses of 300-600mg of MK-0974(the trial name for the drug) are shown to be most effective thus far. Two-thirds of those patients who took MK-0974 or Maxalt (a Triptan class drug) reported a reduction in pain in about 2 hours. That's typical for someone who is going to experience pain relief from a migraine medication. However, 50% of the patients who took MK-0974 reported being pain FREE in 2 hours as compared to to 33% taking Maxalt and 14% with placebo. Also, 40% of those who took MK-0974 reported being pain-free 24 hours after their dose. That's the most impressive statistic to me. A long acting migraine medication with potential to eliminate pain completely in about 50% of those who take it in as little as 2 hours. Fascinating!

If the FDA grants approval to Merck to market this new type of drug, the approximately 30% of migraine sufferers who cannot take Triptans because of cardiovascular conditions or because Triptans do not provide them any relief will be presented with a new prescription treatment for their migraines.

Exciting stuff don't you think? As stated, don't expect this drug (if it clears clinical trials) to win FDA approval until at least 2009.

To find out more check out the full article on WebMD here:

New Migraine Drug Promising

Also: Merck Research Labs

Labels: migraines, new drugs, research

The relaxation response is a state that is opposite to the stress response.

Learning what to do to make your body trigger relaxation could improve your overall health. It is possible to be taught how to better manage the negative effects of stress and reduce stress-related symptoms.

Technique for meditation:

How to Do It

1. Find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position. Try to relax your muscles.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Choose a focus word, phrase, or prayer that has special meaning to you, is firmly rooted in your belief system, or makes you feel peaceful. Some examples are "one", "peace", "The Lord is my shepherd", "Hail Mary full of grace", or "shalom".

4. Breathe slowly and naturally. Inhale through your nose and pause for a few seconds. Exhale through your mouth, again pausing for a few seconds. Silently say your focus word, phrase, or prayer as you exhale.

5. Don't worry about how well you are doing and don't feel bad if thoughts or feelings intrude. Simply say to yourself "Oh well" and return to your repetition.

6. As the time comes to a close, continue to be aware of your breathing but sit quietly. Becoming aware of where you are, slowly open your eyes and get up gradually.

There are classes you can take in Massachusetts at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. You can also learn more about the relaxation response at their website.

Labels: Emotional, Meditation, Mental

You may or may not know me, but I think a higher being intended for me to be a nurse. I'd love to be, truly, but I'm far too emotional for such a job. I would befriend every patient and carry all of their pains with me. I would bring it home. Not the job for me.

However, I am always sick and so I have learned what it is like to be a frustrated patient. But thanks to my son, Braeden, I have also learned a great deal about our immune systems.

Braeden has an IgA Immune Deficiency. Basically, this means that his IgA immunoglobulins are lacking and his mucous membranes are far more susceptible to picking up a cold or a virus or really anything he could touch and breathe. The annoying things like colds, stomach bugs, sinus infections, ear infections, bronchitis, etc. He has asthma, he has had tubes in his ears, he has had several x-rays and cat scans. He sees doctors all the time and has made good friends with most of them. Braeden is three years old, he will be four in October of this year.

In the past 12 days, Brae and I have been to a doctor's office or lab a total of seven times. This is more than usual, but not necessarily atypical. We are currently waiting for blood work results and a TB reading and those tests are stemming from having found a lump on the left side of Braeden's head.

Me. I get sick a lot, too. Because my son is sick a lot. You see how that works. I have Multiple Sclerosis and was diagnosed when I was 21 years old. I am currently in remission. I also suffer from a chemical imbalance which causes severe depression. Thanks to great people in my life, talk sessions and medicine I have been able to regulate that and am moody still...but definitely far more balanced.

Why am I telling you all of this?

I wanted to create a Wellness section for BRING ME UP and I wasn't sure how to explain why. But those are the reasons why. I am faced with new health issues constantly and am always looking to learn more about them.

In this section I hope to post news on all realms of wellness whether it be physical, mental or emotional. It's important for people to realize that you are allowed and encouraged to talk about your health. There is no reason to feel any sort of embarrassment or shame. We all have bodies that run on chemical reactions and none of us are built perfectly.

And so without further adieu.

Welcome to Bring Me Up: Wellness.

Labels: Braeden, Emotional, IgA, Immune System, Mental, Physical