Category: Health

Alcohol Rehab Facilities

Alcohol detoxification programs must be uniquely planned taking into consideration the individual’s age, severity of the problem and the duration of time needed. Extra care and attention is required to be provided to patients. The severity and intensity of the withdrawal symptoms due to the discontinuation of alcohol depends on the usage history of the patient. The physical and emotional symptoms may be extremely severe depending on the patient’s alcohol abuse history. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include sweating, rapid pulse, increased hand tremors, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, physical agitation, anxiety, auditory hallucinations, and the possibility of grand mal seizures. Hallucinations are a very disturbing symptom of alcohol detoxification. However, it is seizures that put patients at the greatest risk of injury or death and require admission to drug rehabilitation.

Alcohol abuse is usually treated in specialized rehab facilities and mental health clinics. Among the various alcohol rehab programs are a wide range of financial variables including levels of care and philosophical differences. Economic impacts for alcohol abuse are costing billions each year in America. The cost and the problem are dramatically reduced through alcohol rehabilitation. Alcohol rehab levels of care include inpatient (detox), partial hospitalization, short-term residential, long-term residential and intensive outpatient (IOP) or outpatient. Partial hospitalization or PHP is also known as partial alcohol rehab programs. Partial alcohol rehab programs usually consist of half days of rehabilitation. Short-term can be anywhere from one to four weeks of full time treatment, while living in a freestanding facility. Long-term care can last from one to three month or more. Wide varieties of programs are also available for outpatient treatment from a few hours to several times per week.

Medications are prescribed for alcohol detoxification. Medical monitoring is very important. Persons with daily alcohol use are physically dependent on alcohol and may sometimes need to have a monitored daily intake of alcohol in order to ward off withdrawal symptoms.

When it comes to entering long-term recovery from an addiction, choosing the right alcohol or drug rehab facility can make all the difference.

Alcohol Detox

Alcohol detox implies the removal of alcohol from the body of an alcoholic. Alcohol detox is brought about by abstinence from alcohol, medication, and altering the diet of the patient. Detox is not possible without support from friends and family and a commitment on the part of the patient.

The liver and kidneys normally carry out detoxification in the body. However in hardened alcoholics, alternative detoxification processes become necessary. There are several general practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who volunteer in detox centers for alcoholics.

In most cases, detoxification can be done at home. This is when the alcohol consumption is moderate, but in complicated cases that involve symptoms such as hallucinations, severe withdrawal symptoms, and multi-substance misuse, inpatient detoxification becomes necessary. Volunteers even conduct community detox programs, usually in compliance with the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Alcoholics attending AA meetings are stressed upon the need to be determined to give up alcohol.

In extreme cases, medication is used to detoxify heavy drinkers. This is also termed pharmacological detoxification. Here, the patients are forewarned that they may suffer anxiety and insomnia for a couple of days. The most common drugs used for alcohol detoxification are benzodiazepines, with Chlordiazepoxide being the most preferred benzodiazepine used. Diazepam is also widely used, but fatal effects may occur if it is mixed with huge doses of alcohol. Hence, supervision is necessary for use of diazepam as a detoxifier.

A detoxification session usually lasts 5 to 6 weeks. The diet is to be protein-rich and with a generous amount of fiber and fluids, and the person should consume water throughout the day. Since most alcoholics have sugar problems, hypoglycemic substances should be consumed. Parsley and chamomile teas are effective alkaloids which stimulate kidney elimination processes.

Inpatient detox is carried out in rehabilitation centers, but there is a social stigma attached to being admitted in such rehab centers. Usually, such centers are located in the lesser-developed areas of the country, causing people from affluent classes to be reluctant to be admitted in them. Also, the ratio of workers to patients is generally 1:4, meaning that there is an emphasis on self-care.

Alcohol Abuse In The Army

Alcohol abuse has reached an all time high in the US military. For almost twenty years now, the army has been unable to lower the figures of military personnel who are alcohol abusive drinkers. Findings show that military people between 18 to 25 years of age tend to drink more than their civilian counterparts.

As is the case for most abusive drinkers, stress and tension are the primary forces behind such excesses. The military personnel however, face an altogether different kind of stress. Their training programs are not only physically demanding, but also mentally challenging. To make them tougher and ready to deal with any kind of situation, they are deliberately put through strenuous training. Many try to look for solace in alcohol to deal with so much exertion. Many even find it difficult to strike a comfortable balance between their family and military responsibilities. At times of war or conflict, pressure and expectations increase.

Things are especially tough for women military personnel. They need to establish themselves and prove their worth in what is traditionally defined as a x91manx92sx92 arena. With an extra burden of this kind, tensions reach sky high. Sexual harassment at work is another issue, which women have to tackle with.

The army recognizes the need to control this rise in the number of abusive drinkers. Such activities affect the over all performance of the army, as it reduces efficiency. An ill and hurt soldier is of absolutely no asset to the army during war. Studies show that soldiers who drink heavily are more likely to abuse their spouses and are also involved in all kinds of personal clashes with each other, creating bitterness in the working arena.

ALA Products

Alpha Lipoic Acid, or ALA, can be obtained from the therapeutic market either as a single supplement or in combination products with antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E. Pharmanex and LifePak are dietary supplements used as anti-aging therapeutic options. It contains ALA, vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, etc as dietary supplements.

Other brands include Puritan’s Pride (300mg ALA), Rexall Super (200 mg ALA), Solgar (60mg ALA), Spring Valley (100mg ALA), Sundown Alpha (50mg ALA), and Vitamin World (three options breathe with the user 100mg ALA, 200mg ALA, 300mg ALA).

For topical application, Reviva Alpha Lipoic Acid Lotion is available as an anti-aging product. Its other potential ingredients include vitamin C, vitamin E, and DMAE bitartrate. The topical product of Dr. Perricone, based on Alpha Lipoic Acid and vitamin C, include: N.V. Perricone ALA Nutritive Cleanser (to tone the skin), N.V. Perricone Vitamin C Ester Amine Complex Face Lift (lifts the skin and helps treat underlying causes of inelastic skin), N.V. Perricone ALA Eye Area Therapy (to nourish, restore, and protect eye), N.V. Perricone ALA Lip Plumper (enhances fullness, contour and color of lips), N.V. Perricone ALA Evening Facial Emollient (to smooth, renew, and refine the skin overnight), and N.V. Perricone Face Finishing Moisturizer (to soothe, hydrate, and protect skin).

It is clear that, because ALA has so many positive health applications, it is probably one of the most natural ways to go about improving health and physical aesthetic. Always consult your doctor before embarking on a new anti-oxidant regimen.

Air Cleaners

As the environment gets more polluted in the name of modernization, it has become more and more necessary to use air cleaners to give us much-needed clean air to breathe. Air cleaners are commonly used in industrial and commercial areas where the nature of business is more likely to be hazardous or harmful to the air, and also in the hospitality and healthcare industries where clean air is essential.

Air cleaners used in the automobile, farm equipment, aircraft and heavy machinery industries play a vital role in protecting the health of millions of workers who are exposed to machining fluids at their jobs. Machining fluids can cause respiratory problems, various types of cancer, skin problems and other health problems. Air cleaners have helped improve these workers’ quality of life, and decreased their occupational hazards.

It is also becoming increasingly common for air cleaners to be fitted into homes, especially those located near industrial areas, or where air quality is compromised by other factors. They have also become a source of relief for those who suffer from asthma or airborne allergies (like dust) as they effectively clear the air and improve the quality of life.

There are 2 types of air cleaners. One is the portable or table-top model, which is used to clean air in smaller areas. The second type is installed with an existing furnace or air-conditioner filter. These types are used in larger areas. The portable air cleaners normally use filters, electrical attraction or ozone filters to remove small particles from the air.

Air Cleaners FAQs

People are often very skeptical about investing in an air purifier. Thoughts like, ‘Is indoor air really unhealthy?’ are common questions. When in doubt, it is best to turn to the experts. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] suggests that indoor air is one of the worst environmental health problems today. Close to 50% of all illnesses are either caused or aggravated by indoor air.

Why is indoor air proving to be such a hazard? The answer lies in the ventilation of your apartment. In order to conserve energy avoid exorbitant electricity bills, most indoor spaces are tightly insulated and have poor ventilation. This means that a large volume of air present in the room is stale and burgeoning with aerial bacteria that multiply over time.

This is when the next question pops up, ‘how to avoid this problem?’ The solution is the use of air purifiers that ensure that a variety of pollutants like smoke, dust, pollen, animal dander and odors are removed. Fixtures like filters and ozone emitters in the air purifiers are meant for this purpose.

Are they effective? Yes and no. That is, air purifiers are material specific, which makes them effective against some allergens and ineffective towards others. In order to get rid of odors, a unit that uses an activated carbon filter can be used. Air cleaners without these special features do not remove gaseous pollutants, and they do not reduce their harmful effects. Electronic air purifiers reduce cigarette smoke, but they do not eliminate the odor. To get rid of dust and pollen, a mechanical filtration system that traps large particles, like a HEPA filter, can be installed. These filters are effective only against airborne particles, so allergens that settle on surfaces remain neglected.

What things should one consider while choosing one unit over another? With the overwhelming variety of units available, the best advice would be to pick a hybrid unit that targets several pollutants at the same time. You must match the purifier to the size of the room. The Clean Air Delivery Rate ((CADR) shows how many cubic feet of air the unit can clean per minute. The replacement parts should not be very expensive and the noise level of the unit must also be taken into account.

One must remember that no gadget is foolproof and each has its own limitations and drawbacks. In this light, it’s equally important to control the source of pollution too.

Air Cleaner Filters

Air filters trap small particles from the air, thus providing cleaner air. There are various types of air filters. The finer the filters, the better the filter system works, since it thus captures a larger percentage of airborne particles. There are three types of air filters.

HEPA Filters (high efficiency particulate arresting filters) are said to be the best because of their ability to trap up to 99% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size. However, very minute molecules, such as gas and tobacco smoke, are still able to pass through these filters. Pleated filters (also known as ‘media filters’) use the same materials as the HEPA filter, but are less effective because they are less tightly packed. Gas Phase Filters are less popular, since they only remove odors and fumes, but not any particulate matters.

There are a few guidelines that you need to follow before selecting the right type of air cleaner filters. The most important is to ensure that the filter has UL and Class II FDA approval, which simply means that the product is effective and in good condition. How effective is the filter? What are its capabilities in regards to removing substances and particles? To find out, see if the efficiency rate is in accordance with a ‘True HEPA (high efficiency particulate air)’ or better.

True HEPA means the filter must be able to capture at least 90% of all particles 0.3 microns or more in diameter. Check out the device’s CADR rate (clean air delivery rate). The device should be able to cycle enough air to change every four to six minutes in the particular environment. The filter should be easy to clean and change. Also, compare the rates to replace a worn-out filter A good filter should not be too noisy.

Age Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related Macular Degeneration or AMD is a common eye disease that causes progressive damage to the central part of the retina, also known as the Macula. AMD is the leading cause of visual impairment in the United States, and blindness in senior citizens of America, aged 65 and older.

As people age, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which supplies nutrients from the choroid (layer of blood vessels that nourishes the cones and rods of the retina) to the retina and helps remove waste products, may deteriorate. This results in the formation of waste deposits and the light-sensitive cells of the macula may be damaged due to lack of nutrients. The normal signals sent through the optic nerve to the brain by these cells become disrupted and the vision becomes blurred.

According to the estimate of Archives of Ophthalmology in 2004, approximately 1.75 million U.S. residents have indicative symptoms associated with AMD or age-related macular degeneration. The number is expected to grow to almost 3 million by 2020 according to this estimate.

Age-related Macular Degeneration rarely results in complete blindness but leads to distorted vision and reduces contrast sensitivity and color perception. Peripheral vision may not be affected and victims may be able to see from the corners of their eyes. However, in the worst cases, AMD or Age-related Macular Degeneration may result in a complete loss of vision or lead to blindness.

Although the chances for developing AMD or age-related Macular Degeneration increase radically as people age, researchers suspect an association between development of AMD and occurrence of a variant of a gene known as complement factor H (CFH). The cause of this eye disease may also be related to nutrition, smoking, and sunlight or as a side effect of a particular drug.

Affordable Temporary Health Insurance

An affordable temporary health insurance plan is a perfect solution for a person especially when he/she is in need of a short-term medical insurance policy. As the name implies, these policies are affordable and temporary. Small cost, fast purchase process and high coverage amounts are the merits of this health insurance facility. While some plans now offer coverage for up to 36 months, most temporary health insurance plans offer services for periods as short as 1 month or up to 12 months.

It assures short term medical coverage needed to pay for unforeseen illnesses and injuries. Albeit with sub-limits and special conditions, most affordable health policy services include surgery, hospital care, emergency services, diagnostic tests, prescription drugs, follow-up office visits, and even limited mental health. Since affordable, this plan coverage does not finance preventative care such as physical exams, immunizations, and PAP tests.

An affordable temporary health insurance can meet the requirements of people between jobs, part-time or temporary workers, those who can’t afford COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), dependent child coverage only, new employees in their waiting period, and college students or new graduates.

Challenge in the insurance business field has now driven the cost of temporary health insurance down to much below the cost of a monthly car payment. Most insurance companies and agents provide a 30-day guarantee period of satisfaction. In case clients are not satisfied with this policy, they will refund 100% of the premium within this time frame. The fact is that to get the money back during this period, one should not have charged any claims.

The American Health Shield, the Celtic Insurance Company, the Security Life Insurance Company, and the Assurant Student Health Insurance are some among the accepted insurance industries and agents, who offer affordable temporary health insurance.

Affordable Student Health Insurance

Most educational institutions in the United States require students to have at least minimum Health Insurance. As a student, you probably have access to a number of Health Insurance plans offered by your educational institution. Some of these are essentially group Health Insurance plans that offer services through either a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or a Health Maintenance Organization (PPO). These options are cheaper than if you tried to get individual Student Health Insurance. If your educational institution includes any medical schools or hospitals, plans that use these hospitals may be the cheapest. You may qualify for additional Student Health Insurance discounts if you have an International Student Exchange identity card that you can order online.

For those of you who were covered until going to school under your parents’ Health Insurance, your parents’ employer may continue your benefits for an additional 18 months. Ask your parents to check with their employer about COBRA, as this additional coverage is called. However, this may not be as cheap as campus insurance. Some Student Health Insurance policies cover you during vacations and travel outside the United States, while others do not. Be aware of the conditions not covered under your Student Health Insurance.

Shop around for the best deal, and ask fellow students what type of insurance they have. To help you understand comparisons when you shop for the most affordable Student Health Insurance, you need to understand the basic terminology of Health Insurance. A deductible is how much you pay before your insurance starts paying for your medical care; in general, the higher the deductible, the lower your insurance premium. A co-payment is a fixed amount you pay each time you access services, for example when you get a prescription or have a doctor’s appointment. Coinsurance is the amount you have to pay, after the deductible, for your medical expenses.