General Health Resources

Do your kidneys ever die, independently of the rest of your body? Yes, and it happens frequently. It is estimated that 26 million people in America have kidneys which are dying (or chronic kidney failure). This is almost 13% of all Americans. This number represents a significant increase over the past 10 years. It is anticipated that the number of people with diseased kidneys will continue to rise in the future: The data system predicts that by 2020 nearly 785,000 people will be receiving treatment for kidney failure, costing $53.6 billion.

Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body, and the largest in your abdomen. Its reddish color is due to its ability to contain a pint of blood at any one time. Every time we eat, breathe, drink or absorb anything, the liver is responsible for detoxifying, integrating, secreting, storing, digesting and many other processes to provide a homeostasis or balance to the rest of your body.

In our mind, we see our parents as not only surviving, but thriving. They will always be there to look over us. Yet, the facts belie our imagination: currently 1.6 million Americans reside in Nursing Homes (this excludes Assisted living and other caretaker arrangements). Statistics indicate that in the future, 1 out of 4 Americans will require Nursing Home Care.

Most of don’t plan for the inevitable outcome, until our parents are in a crises state, precipitated by a fall, a minor car accident, a financial scam, a visit to the emergency room, a potential suicide (yes, it’s true; older Americans are more likely to attempt suicide than anyone else). Wouldn’t it have been better to have planned ahead? And, for those readers who are unable to envision their parents in a debilitated state, or requiring additional assistance; they too can plan for the inevitable, knowing of course, it won’t happen to their parents.

Cancer. The very word strikes dread in our hearts. When the word comes from our doctors vis a vis a diagnosis; most of us accept it as an automatic death sentence. So, news that there are several things we can do to prevent cancer, aside from smoking, should motivate all of us to ‘sign-on’.

Following the steps below may prevent 30% of cancers. Additionally, the actions identified are good for anyone who would like to adapt a healthy lifestyle.

Parents have a critical role as teachers for their children learning healthy habits. This particular extends to nutrition. What foods are good? What snacks are healthy? What are Oral Hygiene skills and how to brush their teeth? Not only do parents teach their children through instruction, but even more importantly, as role models. An old adage wrongfully advices to "Do As I Say; Not As I Do". This has never worked well in the past, and still doesn't today.

How can you snack smart? Be choosy! This will help with weight control, and promote healthy bones and teeth. The list below identifies several choices for healthy snacks.

Pick a variety of foods from these groups:
• Fresh fruits and raw vegetables
(1) berries
(2) oranges or grapefruit
(3) melons
(4) pineapple
(5) pears
(6) tangerines
(7) broccoli
(8) celery

Even after years of being a couch potato, senior citizens can improve their health and longevity with a few simple exercises.

Whatever exercise program a senior chooses, it should comprise 3 main components:

• Aerobic exercise: Aerobic exercise is meant to improve your cardiovascular system. Thirty minutes every day of moderate exercise are encouraged. This can be as simple as walking, to as expensive as joining a gym and swimming, running treadmills, or jazzercise. As long as you are at a level of exercise which allows you to not have major symptoms, but yet does not allow you to talk in long paragraphs, you are probably at the correct intensity. However, if you are just starting off, or are overweight, perhaps even obese, even moderate walking, or a daily stroll will be of value. Researchers have shown that aerobic exercise decreases blood pressure, improves or even prevents Diabetes Type II, reduces certain types of cancer, and just makes you feel better all around.

Give me one for my baby, and one more for the road………..Although, having one more drink for the road used to be a commonplace ideology, things have changed. Drinking and driving don’t mix. So why do we continue to do it? Surprisingly, almost 13% of high school seniors said they drove after smoking pot, and 10% stated they drove after 5 drinks or more. The leading cause of deaths from driving under the influence; are teenagers. A governmental sponsored study indicated that drinking and driving (or smoking pot and driving) remained as a significant problem among teenagers, despite efforts from educators, the media and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Shockingly, almost 9.5 million teenagers admitted to driving under the influence of either drugs or alcohol during the past 2 weeks. Teenagers, when questioned, acknowledge that one should not drive while under the influence, yet they still engage in this high risk behavior. Why?

Cottage cheese thighs: everyone knows what cellulite looks like. Dimpling is only cute on a baby. Cellulite is the bane of many women. No matter how much weight they lose, or how much exercise they do, the cellulite is still present.

So what is cellulite? Cellulite is fat that is deposited in pockets just below the surface of the skin. It occurs around the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Because it is very close to the surface of the skin, cellulite leads to a dimpled appearance. It is estimated that 89% of women have cellulite to one degree or another. See the insert below to look at a picture of mild cellulite.

It’s always interesting to note what the health trends are in America. For the most part, most of us feel only good trends will be seen, as don’t we live in the richest nation on Earth? But that is not true, especially for the poor, ethnic groups, or the young. Witness the statistics from a very recent report from the CDC cited below .

FETAL AND PERINATAL MORTALITY