There are a lot of people walking around that are not conscious of their blood pressure problem. You can be having a high blood problem without any symptoms. Sometimes, people complains of some headache usually at the back of the upper neck. Most of the time it manifests as carrying that extra excessive weight.

That’s one of the most important reason why you should have a regular check up with your family doctor. He will be able to detect if you have any high blood pressure problem. Is is easy to do, but it is often neglected by so many people.

You have heard the saying, ” An ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure”. So how can you prevent high blood pressure problem? And if you have it, how will you cure it?

We shall address the first question. How should you prevent high blood pressure problem or hypertension? Well sometimes, you can’t if it runs as hereditary in your family genes. So the best way is to consult your family doctor and try to control it with proper diet, exercises and medications. Now , if it does not run in your family, you have a lot of ways to prevent hypertension.

Proper eating habits, controlling your weight, taking the necessary minerals, multivitamins, antioxidants, plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet are good ways to stay healthy in general and prevent hypertension.

As we age through the years,, our arteries harden especially with a lot of cholesterol in our diet. As our arteries harden, then we develop high blood pressure problem. You cannot prevent aging, so you have to know how to control your high blood pressure.

Is there a cure for hypertension? I do not know of a complete cure. You can have it under control with proper diet, exercises, prescription drugs, proper supplements with minerals and multivitamins and proper control of your weight problem.

Yes, you have to be aware of your blood pressure problem. Why? Because the consequences of uncontrolled hypertension is not only disabling but it can be fatal. There are three (3) most common complications of uncontrolled high blood pressure problem:

1. Stroke or Cerebro-vascular accidents. It can affect your brain arteries, so you see people with paralysis of one side of the body., but if the brain damage is massive, this can be fatal.

2. Heart Attack or Myocardial Infarcion. If the heart damage is massive, this can be fatal. If the damage is moderate or minimal, this can be disabling.

3. The Third Complication which is not usually noticed by people is Kidney Failure. Uncontrolled hypertension damages the small arteries in our kidneys resulting to kidney failure. That’s why you see people being wheeled into Dialysis Centers in cities and they have to be dialyzed every three days or so. Without the dialysis they die, usually because of accumulation of potassium in their blood and other toxic products of metabolism.

So the purpose of this short presentation is to make you aware of your high blood pressure problem, prevent it if you can, control it with proper diet, exercises prescription drugs, control or prevention of overweight problem which usually lead to hypertension, take proper supplements with minerals, multivitamins and antioxidants, because ” an ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure.”

1. Drugs offer relief of symptoms that gives an illusion of being okay. You don’t have to be as careful about what you eat, your blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol will be okay.

2. Drugs do not cure disease. If they did, you wouldn’t have to keep going back to the doctor.

3. Drugs usually have a long list of adverse effects that John Public would never guess possible. A purple pill (heal the damage) has 120 side effects listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference.

4. Our bodies don’t have a deficiency supplied by aspirin or some other drug, and they become toxic in time to the chemical. People often go to their doctor for the "headache, diarrhea, or abdominal pain" caused by a prescription and get an additional Rx instead of quitting the cause. This puts them on a slippery slope that can take them down fast.

5. Adverse drug reactions have become the leading cause of illness, disability and death, but most people don’t know it–the media don’t report it. Their sponsors are the drug companies. Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine said, "Far too large a section of the treatment of disease is today controlled by the big manufacturing pharmacists, who have enslaved us in a plausible pseudo-science… We take into our bodies which we know little about, drugs that we know less about, to treat diseases that we know nothing about."

6. Osler echoes what Hippocrates said, "Nature cures, not the physician…Let your food be your medicine." Pritikin showed it works by reversing heart disease, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes in about 85% of cases 30 years ago, but medical greed prevented wide acceptance.

90% of drug prescriptions are unnecessary if people would be wise in what they put in their mouths. If we were normal at birth (6 or 8 pounds), and we have problems after 30 years or more, we did it to ourselves, and we can reverse it if we choose to quit the abuses of eating, drinking, smoking, stressing and sexing as underlying causes, but it takes time and we are impatient patients.

7. The choices are clear. Self-control and self-government results in freedom, health and happiness, while exercising our freedoms to eat, drink and take drugs as we please brings bondage to illness, pain, medical care, big government "healthcare" with drugs and vaccinations for all, maybe even euthanasia by the time we get ready for it? If we don’t express ourselves soon, it will be too late.

It was nice and calm at the pharmacy last night (for once) to the point where I had a good 10 minutes of downtime to help a patient out.

The purpose of the patient’s call was to figure out if her medication had expired. She had some Valtrex she wanted to take, but she was worried it may have gone bad. I could see from her profile that she had picked it up 2 months ago. There are two reasons why I was certain her medication was still okay to take:

1. When a drug is dispensed at a retail pharmacy, the medication is given a 1 year expiration date unless the manufacturer’s bottle it came from says a date sooner than that. In the case where the manufacturer’s expiration date comes first (before the 1 year mark), that is the date that is put on the bottle. (this is a general rule - some states have different laws so be aware!) The expiration date can be found on the label that is on your medication bottle.

2. Retail pharmacy staff will go through all of the drug bottles on the shelves and send back any of them that are going to expire within at least the next few months (within 3 months of the expiration date is the usual guideline).

So, since the patient had picked up her medication only 2 months ago, I had a good idea the medication was at least good for another month (based on reason #2 from above).

Just to make sure I was right, I had her find the expiration date on the label that was put on her drug bottle - the date was indeed 1 year from the day it was filled so her drugs will be good until next May (2010).

When drugs expire, they start to breakdown into chemicals that could be very bad for your health. Therefore, it is important to know whether your medication has expired. The expiration date marks the point in time where the drug is no longer effective so there is no sense in taking it. The expiration dates are not just made-up, but rather found from doing scientific experiments to see when the drug does not work any more.

I know you may like to hold on to those medications in case something comes up, but it really can be harmful to your health if you take an expired drug. The medication becomes more dangerous for you the longer it sits around after its expiration date.

I urge you to toss that medication bottle in the garbage (or maybe first you should flush the drugs down the toilet) once that expiration date has arrived.

The nature of emergency medicine inherently presents with multiple challenges - from making diagnosis, treatment and appropriate referral. For this reason, emergency medicine locums are widely sought out by many physicians in all disciplines of medicines and surgery. The work of emergency medicine is abundant in scope, erratic and potentially unlimited in demands.

Emergency medicines locums for all types of physicians are readily available in most hospitals all over the country. Because many patients do not have a primary physician, thousands of patients seek the emergency room as their primary care facility. All over the country, emergency rooms are packed with patients. Almost every emergency room today caters every type of patient - from routine colds, trauma, acute surgical problems, heart attacks, children’s disease and the elderly.

The typical emergency medicine patient is usually unknown to the physician. He or she did not anticipate the illness and the visits are almost never scheduled unless it is for a wound change. In almost all cases, patients arrive to the emergency room because of the chance encounter with an acute illness or trauma. In many cases, patients do not arrive in the emergency room prepared, many do not have the list of their medications or know the exact details about their illness, some are not able to give a history, and others need emergency life support.

Emergency rooms today have become a lifeline for many patients who have no medical insurance and no one wants to care for them. Even insured patients now find solace in emergency rooms when their own physicians cannot schedule them on time or when they have any acute illness. The majority of the people who come to the ER have already reached a point where there needs are urgent in the face of a downward spiraling illness and there is a little margin of errors. The majority of people living in North America will visit the ER at some point in their lives. In almost all cases, the visit will be unplanned, undesired and stressful. The ability of emergency room physician is to anticipate the needs of patients facing an acute illness or injury may determine the success in providing rapid, appropriate and safe treatment.

Even though it may sound like emergency rooms are stressful, congested and demanding, the discipline is one of the most gratifying in all of medicine. It is not often that one gets a chance to save a life of a patient. Emergency medicine locums are also well reimbursed. The opportunities in emergency medicine locums are vast and due to being attached to emergency services, one can get good experience that could benefit their life and career. As a medical aspirant, one can opt for Anesthesiology, Radiology, Emergency Medicine, CRNA, Psychiatry and many more. You can provide a quality services in different medical facilities of the United States.

There comes a time whenever there’s a need for us to take antibiotics, but unfortunately for us, it’s usually when we get very sick (as prescribed by our doctors). Now, why is it unfortunate for us? Here’s why. Antibiotics don’t choose the bacteria when it comes to killing them, so this means that the good bacteria are being included in the “hit list”. These good bacteria are the ones that fight off the yeast present in our environment… so what happens is that as the antibiotic has already killed the good bacteria in our body, we are now prone to the the infection that the yeast brings. This is why antibiotics are considered as one of the causes of yeast infection.

With antibiotics, our immune system is being reduced to the point where we are no longer able to fight off the yeast that’s always there in our bodies. Now, once the yeast starts to grow, it has now its foothold, making it difficult to be removed. Then the notion that people have is to buy those pharmaceutical cure (such as those creams), but little do they know that this will do them no good at all! So with each successive infection, the strain is now stronger, and it is also now more difficult for it to be removed by any kind of means. And this in turn will evolve to what we call a “super infection” that will not be cured anymore by anything that the drugstore will offer you.

So, what you should do is avoid taking antibiotics as much as possible, due to the fact that you’re most likely to suffer yeast infections through these. If you’re currently taking prescribed antibiotics, you may have to stop it, and instead go for the natural cure. However, there are times when people have to continuously take in antibiotics, such as those in life-threatening situations. What should be done then in this case?

If one is to take antibiotics on a regular basis, it has to be made sure that the body is kept in good condition as much as possible. Even though we are unable to build up the good bacteria when taking in antibiotics, we can fight it off by eating the right kinds of food (like raw food, all-natural yogurt and garlic), having a regular exercise and drinking lots of water for hydration. Doing so will help us get far from the causes of yeast infection, as well as aiding us in reducing our dependency on antibiotics!

Fewer new drugs are being discovered now than ever before. Pharmaceutical companies have shifted their focus from new drug development to reformulation so that more patent drugs can be introduced into the market. It seems like a good idea. But what are they really creating? New and better drugs? Or are they creating drugs that are different enough from the originals that they can make more money?

Most of the drugs that are used in the pharmaceutical market were discovered between 1935 and 1975. The core drugs have been reformulated into thousands of different combinations and strengths over and over again since then. When a drug patent expires and is available to become generic it is no longer a major money maker for the drug company. These companies seem to follow the modern tactic of reformulating that drug and issuing an additional patent to cover the new form. Drug representative then take the new formulation out to the medical community and offer incentives for the switch to the new formula. In this way, the drug companies make more money off the new higher price patented drug then they would if every took the same drug as before but paid the generic price.

Another troubling trend is mass market advertising of new drugs. Major pharmaceutical companies advertise their drugs in magazines, on the internet and even on TV. For example, a drug used for menopause symptoms is often advertised in women’s magazines with a market age of 35 to 65. The women reading those magazines are more than likely thinking about menopause and the advertiser’s bank on this and often include cards or discount forms for the reader to take to her doctor. Do you see a problem with this trend? Would you rather take medical suggestions from a magazine ad or from your physician? Which is the higher authority?

New drugs are supposed to be better, and have fewer side effects, but often they are not. Scientific evidence is often biased to show positive results for the pharmaceutical companies who are funding the research. Listen closely to the next advertisement you hear for the next great on the market, and pay attention toward the end when they are almost whispering and talking fast about all the possible side effects. Some of the side effects are worse than the disorder they are attempting to treat. Buyer beware!

It was a headline that caught the attention of both plastic surgeons and those interested in plastic surgery: In June, the California State Legislature began work on a bill which would require that patients get a physical before they’re eligible for elective cosmetic surgery. The first senate committee has already passed the bill; next, it has to pass the full senate.

The measure was introduced by Wilmer Amina Carter, a Democratic Assemblywoman from Rialto. She named the bill after Donda West, mother of popular rap singer Kanye West. Donda West received cosmetic surgery in 2007 and passed away soon after.

According to authorities, it was coronary heart disease which caused Mrs. West’s death–and the weakened heart was probably not strong enough for the surgery. These same authorities said that the heart disease should have been detected.

Assemblywoman Carter, in crafting the bill, said it was targeting so-called “fly-by-night” doctors who are out to make a quick profit and consequently don’t screen their patients adequately for pre-existing health conditions.

Fifteen of the 17 members of the California Medical Board are backing the legislation. However, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration opposes it. His Department of consumer Affairs says that there are adequate rules already in place.

The Assembly passed the legislation last month in a bipartisan vote. If the bill makes it all the way through, it still faces the possibility of a Schwarzenegger veto (He vetoed a similar one last year).

Meanwhile, plastic surgeons throughout the nation, and others interested in the practice, are watching this with keen interest, since medical and health issues begun in California have a tendency to spread.

So what of this bill–and this idea that plastic surgeons cannot perform a procedure unless there has been a physical done before hand? Is this a good idea or bad one? As with many issues, the answer is not so clear-cut.

First, it is absolutely true that those within this practice should take extreme measures to screen their patients. They must make sure that each patient is a suitable candidate for the procedure he or she is undergoing. This means not just a physical screening, but a psychological one as well. There are probably more people who would be disqualified on psychological grounds than physical ones.

However, adding a layer of bureaucracy onto this profession, making it our responsibility to check into the patient’s current affairs, making sure they’re getting proper medical attention seems beyond the scope of what we ought to be required to do. Yes, we should ask patients about their history, but I don’t know if we should become government enforcers.

A better solution would be for the relevant associations, such as the ABPS, to pass guidelines requiring that plastic surgeons properly screen patients or risk losing their affiliation. This would motivate surgeons to do their job right, without forcing us into the role of government watchdogs.

I wish I could be paid a dime for every time I am asked the following question:

I have a hard time swallowing pills and I need to take some Benadryl - where is the Benadryl (diphenhydramine) liquid for adults? The truth is it doesn’t exist…sorry dudes!?However, there is a way to get around this problem by taking more of the Children’s Benadryl Liquid than what is listed in the directions on the box.??

The Benadryl tablet for adults contains 25mg of diphenhydramine per tablet while Children’s Benadryl Liquid contains 12.5mg for every teaspoon (5mL) of liquid (12.5mg/5mL).

To get a normal adult dose of Benadryl you should take 1 to 2 tablets every time you take it (25 to 50mg) and if you are going to take it more than once, you would repeat the dose every 4 to 6 hours.?In order to get the same amount of Benadryl from the children’s liquid you would have to take 2 to 4 teaspoonfuls (10 to 20mL) per dose.

The moral of the story here is that even if you are past your younger years, you can still get the adult dose from taking the Children’s Benadryl Liquid.?You may have to buy extra bottles of the liquid, but at least the option is out there!

One other thing worth mentioning while we’re on the topic of Benadryl - if you are having an allergic reaction to a substance and you are told to take Benadryl, you are still going to be taking the stuff that is in the pink box.?You know, the pink box that says the medication can be used for sneezing, watery/itchy eyes, and runny nose.?Benadryl does not come in a box with a claim on the front that says it’s used for allergic reactions - just thought I’d clear-up the confusion as people often approach me about this issue!

Of late, probiotics have become very popular. Almost everyone talks about the criticality of the probiotic supplements in our daily diet. What was taboo a few years back has become very important today. You should know how to take probiotic supplements to experience the benefits of the probiotic capsulesoffered in the market today.

But often, we are confronted with the question ‘What form of probiotics is really good for the body?’ This question still remains moot.

But just read ahead and get to know the different forms of probiotics available. Choose the one that best suits your needs to get the full benefits of probiotics.

Probiotics have been made available in innumerous forms as on date. Whatever be the form the probiotic available, it solely depends on the individual to opt for the form that best suits him. The innumerous forms and brands of probiotics available in the market today induce a lot of confusion in the minds of the buyers. You can consult your medical practitioner to decide the form of probiotics that best suits you. You can also ask your friends as to what is the form of probiotic that they use. A quick research on the Internet can get you the benefits and the disadvantages of the different forms of probiotics. Based on these, you can choose the form that would best suit your taste and needs perfectly.

The best form of probiotics has been proven to be the dried frozen form. This form of probiotic supplements are often mixed with ordinary water and then taken in. When consuming the supplement in this form, make sure that you do not use warm or cool water since the coolness or the heat can kill the beneficial bacteria contained in the probiotic. When you opt to take the dried frozen form of probiotics, make sure that you choose the supplement that contains only one single strain of bacteria for this is very effective and powerful. This form of the supplement has a very quick reach within the human body. It reaches the gut faster and renders quick cure.

Since it is easy to take this form of probiotics, this is very widely used among many. This form is very useful in case of children/infants and kids who find it tough to take the capsule form of probiotics.

The second best form of probiotics intake is the capsule form. The benefit of this form of probiotics intake is the easiness with which they can be taken in. the ease of handling is yet another big advantage that is associated with this form of probiotics. You can take it with ordinary water. Again, ensure that this is not taken with chilled or hot water for that may deactivate the bacteria contained in the probiotics. When compared to the dried frozen form that has to be mixed and steered well before intake, the capsule form is simple to manage and easy to consume. The concentration of the probiotic content present in capsule form is much more than the dried frozen form. Being tightly pressed together, the capsule form of probiotics has been proven to be very highly concentrated than thee frozen dried form.

Probiotics are also available in the form of liquids. The main disadvantage that is associated with this form is that they loose their power after 14 days since manufacture. This can be used within a week of manufacture and is very helpful incase of people who cannot digest or take the capsule or the frozen dried form.

Resistance to medication is an all too common theme in today’s medicinally inclined society. Many people take medications for a variety of reasons or illnesses. Here are some explanations for resistance in both bacterial and viral infections.

1. Medication. People often think that a prescription medication is the way to get better. At the first sign of an infection or illness people visit the doctor to receive a prescription. Not everything has a prescribed medication that will help kill it. People must complete the allotted amount as prescribed by their doctor. Bacteria and viruses replicate at a fast rate and have very little as far as correcting and checking what was replicated. If a medication kills some bacteria, because it is mutating and changing, strains that are not killed are typically stronger and more resistant to the medication. Also, taking the wrong medication for an illness can lead to resistance.

2. Vaccines. These have saved many lives. A small amount of a virus is injected so people develop a natural immunity to the virus. With flu viruses, the shot given is based on probability of what will most likely be the strain. Virus mutation is fast and trying to target the right virus at the right time is a difficult science. The H1N1 virus is a prime example of the unexpected occurring. Vaccines for the H1N1 virus are in development and will be available later. Some people may find that what works one year will not work the next and this is due to mutation and resistance to already existing medications.

3. Anti-bacterial products. These are great for killing bacteria that people come in contact with. The only issue becomes that the ones that survive are stronger and are left to replicate. Selection favors the survivor and so by killing the weaker competition, people are aiding in selecting for stronger more resistant strains of bacteria. Good hygiene is a must and washing your hands regularly will often do as much good as an anti-bacterial product.

Stronger, more resistant strains of viruses and bacteria make treatment important. If you are sick, still see a doctor, but also realize that medication is not always the way that is needed to get better. Understanding what you are up against and taking care of yourself are valuable in a time when illness can occur.