A recent article published by HealthDay details a study on the use of specially tinted glasses for those who frequently suffer from severe migraines.
The study is based on the premise that ÔÇ£up to 42 percent of people who have migraines accompanied by visual “aura,” such as flashes of light, may benefit.ÔÇØ The tints are believed to prevent certain patterns of light that stimulate migraines.
Although this form of treatment is still in the research phase, I personally think these doctors are onto something. Two years ago I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and three months ago she recently recommended tented glasses as a form of relief.
Coincidence or not, I am happy to say that the frequency of my migraines have dropped significantly. Sure, the super cool shades took a bit of getting used to but for anyone who suffers from constant headaches or migraines- you might consider talking to your doctor about this option of treament.
Thirty years ago today, Bob Marley died from a melanoma that metastasized and spread from his toe to his brain, liver, and lungs. Despite projects like Melanoma Monday and the National Melanoma Awareness Project, mortality from Melanoma is on the increase. And judging by the number of BAD sunburns I saw out at Jazz Fest, people are still not being careful about sun exposure.
Make sure to access the CDC TravelerÔÇÖs Heath site at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx where you will find health information and useful links for travel to over 200 international destinations.
Healthy voyage!
In the world of Medical Observances, the month of March is considered National Kidney Month. But did you know that March 10th is sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) as World Kidney Day?
On this day the NKF encourages you to ÔÇ£love your kidneys!ÔÇØ
According to resources provided by http://www.kidney.org/news/wkd/index.cfm your kidneys perform the following vital functions:
1. Filter 200 liters of blood a day, removing two liters of toxins, wastes and water
2. Regulate the bodyÔÇÖs water balance
3. Regulate blood pressure by controlling fluid levels and making the hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict
4. Support healthy bones and tissues by producing the active form of vitamin D
5. Produce the hormone that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells
6. Keep blood minerals in balance
7. Keep electrolytes in balance
8. Regulate blood acid levels
9. Remove drugs from the blood
10. Retrieve essential nutrients so that the body can reabsorb them
Learn more about your kidneys and what you can do to take care of them by visiting http://www.kidney.org/news/wkd/index.cfm
Taking socioeconomic and personal factors into consideration seem to be the more practical approach in preventing heart disease in women, according to the updated 2011 guidelines. More women outside clinical research studies often have varying backgrounds such as: older patients, bad vision, psychiatric illness, communication and receptive barriers, and poverty.
In clinical research, volunteers are recruited but often have to meet certain criteria in order to participate. Generally, real patients with different mental, physical and social backgrounds might have adverse outcomes or experience more side effects in comparison to the participants in the studies.
In patient risk evaluation, the guidelines include illnesses linked to higher risk of heart disease such as:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Pregnancy complications
- Racial and ethical diversity
Bottom Line- clinical research is a good baseline but now that the new guidelines are taking ÔÇ£real-worldÔÇØ issues into consideration, hopefully heart disease will decline.
For more information, please visit:
http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/1239.aspx
Last week, the US Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin released a Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. This call to action was aimed at families, communities, employers and health care professionals to improve breastfeeding rates and increase support for breastfeeding. Download the complete report and the fact sheet.
On January 11, 2011, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) released a new design and organization for its Main Web site. Added features are navigation to popular links, social sharing functionality so users can share content to people through Facebook, Twitter, and social bookmarking services.
In honor of National Hand Washing Week, December 5-11, remember that washing your hands is one of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of disease and infection. Wash up for 20 seconds every time you sneeze, cough, blow your nose, and after you use the restroom. People notice when you don’t. And we talk. Check out the Center for Disease Control’s site for more information.
Today, December 1st, is the date globally recognized as World Aids Day. This annual observance was designated in 1988 as a way to bring attention to the AIDS/HIV epidemic.
According to the Louisiana Third Quarter 2010 HIV/Aids Report published by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals 17,944 persons is currently living with HIV/AIDS in Louisiana. Between the months of January- December 2009 1,220 persons were newly diagnosed with HIV in Louisiana. These are only some of surprising statistics.
For more information about this observance and AIDS Awareness in general visit aids.gov.
Looking for a simple way to keep your weight in-check this Holiday Season? Look no further!
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has come up with great downloads that provide consumers with healthy holiday recipes and a quick way to keep track of daily activities and calories.
Happy (and healthy) Eating!
Flu shots will be offered to LSUHSC New Orleans faculty, staff and students during the first week of October, brought to you by the School of Nursing. This year the flu shot will be administered in one dose and will help protect you and others against H3N2, influenza B, and the H1N1 viruses.
Those who should avoid vaccinations are:
- Infants under 6 months of age
- People with egg allergies
- People who have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccine in the past
- People with a mild to severe illness
- People who have developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of getting the flu vaccine
What: Flu Shots
When: October 6th, 7th & 8th b/w 9am ÔÇô 2:30pm
Where: School of Nursing ÔÇô Room 5B12 (5th floor)
Cost: $15.00 for faculty & staff; payable to LSUHSC-NO by check or money order (Cost is free for students)
Bed bugs have been all over the National news and now they are making their way to Louisiana. The LSU Ag Center has published information on bed bugs; the Louisiana State Epidemiologist office has created a 12 page document on the “Control and Prevention of Bed Bugs.”
Got a cabinet full of unused prescription drugs? Well the National Takeback Initiative is going on this Saturday September 25th in hopes to safely dispose of unused and expired prescriptions and over the counter solid dosage medicines. The effort is to bring forth awareness of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use and an unacceptable risk to public health and safety.
A few recommended disposal options include:
- Mixing the medicine with coffee grounds or cat liter
- Placing the unwanted meds in a sealed container or a plastic bag
For more information, please visit:
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/takeback/
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/EnsuringSafeUseofMedicine/SafeDisposalofMedicines/ucm186187.htm
Have you ever wondered about the potential health effects of chemicals used in common household products? Or possibly been curious what chemicals have tested positive as cancer-causing agents?
If so, The National Library of Medicine provides TOXNET (TOXicology Data NETwork) as a product of their Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program.
This ÔÇ£FREE web-based integrated system of databasesÔÇØ is ideal for Health Care Professionals or health-conscious consumers searching for reliable information on ÔÇ£environmental health, hazardous chemicals, toxic releases, chemical nomenclature, and specialty areas such as occupational health and consumer products.ÔÇØ
The five types of informative databases are as follows:
1) Chemical Information- ChemIDPlus
2) Toxicology Data Files
a. HSDB (Hazardous Substance Data Bank)
b. CCRIS (Chemical Carcinogenesis Research Information)
c. GENE-TOX (Genetic Toxicology)
d. IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System)
e. ITER (International Toxicology Estimates for Risk Assessment)
f. LactMED (Database of drugs and other chemical and the possible effects in nursing infants)
3) Toxicology Literature Files (bibliographic references)
a. TOXLINE (TOXicology Literature onLINE)
b. DART (Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
4) Toxic Releases
a. TRI (Toxic Release Inventory)
b. TOXMAP (Environmental Health e-Maps)
5) ÔÇ£Other DatabasesÔÇØ
a. Haz-Map (Occupational Health Database)
b. Household Products (Information on potential health effects of more than 2,000 ingredients found in common household products)
Today is the release of the new MedlinePlus!
In addition to the new logo, new features include:
- Frequently used content is easier to find like Health Topics, Drugs & Supplements and Videos & Cool Tools
- Spotlighting popular features such as the Medical Dictionary, Popular Searches and useful NIH databases
- Web 2.0 technologies that help users share content
- Emphasizes search and makes navigation more intuitive
- Rotating image feature at the top of the page displays current interest topics and new MedlinePlus features
- Distinctive color schemes for English and Spanish pages
- Quick links to mobile version and updates via email, RSS, and Twitter on every page
For a closer look visit: http://medlineplus.gov
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