A simple definition of this exciting scientific arena is the study of biological mechanisms that will switch genes “on” and “off.” A recent web-based explanation of this emerging medical field takes a walk through the complicated steps to simplify the complicated knowledge. Cells are our basic working units and these energetic cacoons contain the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which are the chemical directors of activities. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is composed of nucleotide bases which we all know as the recognizable “double…..
How do we define disease? How do we define health? These seem like easy questions to answer. We know when someone is sick or when they’re without illness; it’s obvious. We can tell when our body isn’t working “up to par.” CLUES are interesting little bits of information that swirl around our everyday lives guiding us through the intricate maze of evidence that can lead us to a solution to our problems. Often these little, sometimes annoying, indicators lead us…..
You form antibodies or lymphocytes that attack your tissues; you destroy yourselves. LUPUS, a family of autoimmune conditions, ravages your body, especially systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Your immune system, which normally works to protect you from illness, mutates into a devouring, cannibalistic animal intent on destroying your body. The potential for this destruction hides in your deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA contains the molecular basis of your heredity and is localized in your cell nuclei. LUPUS can attack any system of…..
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), according to an article in WebMD (5/2018), isn’t our grandparents’ arthritis. This form of arthritis is based in our autoimmune system. Inflammation is the driving force behind many major disorders and rheumatoid arthritis is only one of them. In a publication by the Arthritis Foundation (Vol.10, Issue 2), RA Today – The theory is that when a person is genetically predisposed to develop RA, and when the inflammation from that disease flares, the increased inflammation is equivalent…..
You pick up your car keys, open the car door, put your coffee into the cup holder and start the ignition after checking your mirrors and securing the seat belt. According to an article in WebMD (June 2017), when you text while driving, your eyes are off of the road for 5 seconds. Since 97.5 % of drivers don’t drive well when they’re on the phone, these statistics indicate that anyone who is texting while driving a car is…..
“Doctors who partner with (AI) artificial intelligence as a decision-making aid will see their healing powers expand more than they have in the past 100 years” (Men’s Health, p. 42, May 2018). Mr. Greg Corrado, Ph.D. was making a TedMed presentation about artificial intelligence this past year when he stunned his audience of medical professionals. Well, Dr. Corrado should know the field well since he is a principal scientist at Google AI and an expert in machine learning. He went…..
Like Social Security, Social Health affects everyone in some way. According to Michael Jones, PhD, RN, MSN, MBA, “social health is expressed when each individual is able to put into practice the information he or she has been provided by their healthcare provider.” This idea is burdened when 9 out of 10 of us struggle with understanding our health information, (The Mississippi RN – Summer 2018). Within this context, the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control) definition of social determinates of…..
Our human brains are a centralized mass of nerve tissue and supporting structures used as the center for thoughts and nervous system control. (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2007). It is an incredible piece of living machinery. According to an article in WebMD (June 2018), our brains can store more information than the Library of Congress and process it faster than a computer. Believe this truth – the better you treat your brain, the harder it will work for you. So,…..
A recent report issued from DW – a News and Current Affairs source from Germany, indicates that there is truth in the statement that your lifestyle can influence your cancer risk. The number of cancers related to lifestyles has multiplied in the past 10 years. The Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaboration states that lung cancer leads the way in this trend. Bowel cancer brings up a close second with 1.7 million being diagnosed in 2016. There is also an…..
Located inside the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the Office of Women’s Health (OWH). This agency recommends that everyone check out the Surgeon General’s Office (SGO) to examine the Family Health Portrait. This program was established in 2016 and is successful in developing individual, web-based programs for generational families who want to track and predict their health risk and assist them in making screening and treatment decisions about their health and the future conditions of their yet-unborn…..
A recent article by Michelle Crouch (Reader’s Digest – May ’18) indicates that over 440,000 American die every year from medical errors and infections contracted in area hospitals. So, how do we as patients head off this statistic? Take charge of your care: ask questions, take notes and have someone be a health advocate on your behalf. As Peter Pronovost, M.D., Ph.D., former senior vice president for patient safety and quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore states: you are…..
I heard this phrase the other day – “selling our attention.” Initially, I dismissed it as just another generic part of a conversation. Then I realized that the term was being repeated in my mind. One of those annoying things that unconsciously repeat and repeat in your brain for no apparent reason. Well, since I’m a medical person and tend to look at most issues from a health point of view, I decided to follow the workings of my brain…..
I was overly hungry this particular afternoon. The busy day offering little opportunity for normal meal times. My blood sugar level must have been low because not only was I dreaming of something hot and steamy but also quick and juicy. The vision of a popular food chain that specializes in cooking chicken to perfection immediately popped into my brain. Having previously eaten at this restaurant, I knew that there was one item on the menu which stood out as…..
In a publication of Web MD (Nov/Dec 2017), a review of facts indicate healthy choices made during our regular daily routine help us to remain more vigorous and tend to assist us in aging more gracefully. Your odds of living longer are increased by 50% if you have a strong social network. Volunteering decreases your blood pressure by 40%. Students who spend more than 5 hours a day using their smartphones have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Swapping saturated fats…..
The cycle flows just like the Colorado. A google search (12-2017) of the term circadian reveals a definition of: a cycle 24 hours long with fluctuations in biological and psychological processes. This cycle systematically varies over the course of each day. Research by Frank A.J.L. Scheer, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Medical Chronobiology Program at Brigham & Woman’s Hospital in Boston suggests that metabolism is based on this cycle. The process of…..
Walking through the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is a wonderland this holiday season. The botanical garden offers a stunning array of holiday designs to fill both your eyes and heart with imagination. Playful childhood memories flow easily and swirl around the festive chamber evoking feelings of joy and happiness. Passing through the garden I fine myself breathing easily and walking slowly – I am relaxed. The visual scene that awaits me is unexpected. Ceilings are not…..
This cartoon appears in a recent 2017 edition of Reader’s Digest. Obviously, it offers a relaxed slat on life. This viewpoint is reinforced in a recent interview with Art Garfunkel (11/4/2017) when he states that he has reached a period in his life when he is “comfortable with life.” Certainly, this is a broad term cultivated after weathering life’s many trials and challenges. Often we wonder: “why am I enduring this horrible situation?” There seems no rhyme or reason for…..
Fatigue is not part of this flower. It takes work, energy, timing, systemic nutrition, scheduled strategies, clean gardening devices and focused problem solving to bring this rose from its’ basic root system to a full, healthy, vibrant bloom. Its’ blood red color and sturdy stems are supported by a responsive root system that draws nutrition from a fertile soil enriched with vital nutrients. We are like the vibrant flower. There are tools and strategies which we use to maintain and…..
A basic definition of the blood system is a red liquid that circulates in the heart, veins and arteries of man and animals. It’s also a portal system that stabilizes our body functions – nutrition, hydration, elimination, circulation. Each of these systems functions in a balanced manner. When this balance is disrupted the system breaks down. Healthy blood coagulates, or clots. In a recent article (published by Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada) this process is…..
This festive door is decorated for a Mardi Gras celebration. The wreath is a collection of bright colors and varied textures. Visitors would immediately know that the people in this home are in a festive mood and ready for a holiday party. When people walk by you on a public street can they immediately sense what is going on inside? Are you healthy? Do you exercise on a regular basis? Have you taken time to reflect on your personal needs? …..
We all have routines that we practice when the warm weather engulfs us. Beach visits, holidays at the theme park, playing at the community park, checking out books on the library summer reading list, enjoying outdoor sports, spending time with our family pets, enjoying more time in the sun and just relaxing in the lazy days of summer – all of these activities offer enjoyment. Some people pick a more sedentary list such as bird watching, gardening or feeding multi-colored humming birds. On a recent…..
Children and animals seem to innately understand that exercise and moving their bodies are automatic – part of life. If they want to get from one place to another, they simply move their legs and feet in that direction and go. When they see something good and happy they join the activity. Their brain tells them to use their bodies to go to the happy thing. Medscape (June09,2017) states that “senior citizens who enjoy dog ownership increase their physical activity…..
” Summer time and the livin’ is easy…the frogs are jumpin’ and the cotton is high.” Well, as we all know, the lyrics from this song in “Porgy and Bess” is introducing the audience to not only a new way of life but a change in the seasons. The axis has turned and we are in the throws of summer time. It’s time to consider that during this time of year, we are all prone to the health issues that come…..
Today’s environment is stressful. The pace of life is fast, multiple options compete for our precious time, our attention span seems to be shortened as we age, and instant gratification is expected. We are even told how to manage our sleep – dark, quiet room with no electronic distractions. Often we feel as though someone has set us down in the middle of a raging tornado and said: “Now function at your peak, have a positive outlook and soothe your…..
When we use the power of our mind to perform an action or deliver a response we are making sense. This may seem like an obvious statement but in reality a cascade of reactions occur before a visual action is observed. Most of these reactions are invisible to the “naked” eye. They occur within our brain. A stimulus initiates a response which triggers a cascade – much like a line of positioned dominoes. When the first one tips over, it…..
As we enter the holiday season I am reminded of not only the emotional but also the physical feeling of being full. There is a certain contentment that comes over a person when their needs are met. Not so much a reference to “Maslow’s ” hierarchy of needs but just the ordinary daily living kind of needs. The response that tends to answer the questions – Is my tummy full? Do I feel warm? Am I safe in my home? Are…..
Women tend to experience low vitamin D levels as they age. If they are dealing with chronic diseases it is even more probable that that level will show signs of deficit. Therefore, it is important to have your level checked on a regular basis. Your medical provider may recommend a supplement. Rest and restful nighttime sleep is also important and beneficial for all people but especially women. There is a health term which recently has appeared in the literature, “sleep…..