Princess Health and Big papers' Page 1 stories spotlight recovery center for pill addicts, lack of state program for problem gamblers.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Big papers' Page 1 stories spotlight recovery center for pill addicts, lack of state program for problem gamblers.Princessiccia

addiction drug abuse drugs gambling recovery

Gusty 13:01 Add Comment

Gripping stories from recovering addicts, on the front pages of Kentucky's two largest newspapers this morning, highlight Kentuckians' fights against all types of addiction, from gambling to drugs.

Hope of recovery emerges from Laura Ungar's story in The Courier-Journal that focuses on the Isaiah House recovery center in Willisburg. A gymnasium at the site has been transformed into a factory of sorts, where a pill addict who has been clean three weeks polishes car parts, while a morphine addict with 103 days� sobriety hammers nails into wood to make pallets, Ungar reports.

Work is an essential part of recovery at the Isaiah House, giving structure to chaotic lives, teaching job skills and building confidence. �It gives them a sense of purpose, of accomplishment,� Executive Director Mark LaPalme told Ungar. �They get their dignity back � that�s what work does.�

LaPalme, a Connecticut native and recovering cocaine addict, said he started Isaiah House in his basement in 1999, after a spiritual experience moved him to set aside seven bedrooms for other addicts. Today, the house helps to rebuild the lives of drug and alcohol addicts, while promoting worth ethic and responsibility throughout the recovery process (Read more).

Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes about Kentucky's lack of a state program to treat problem gamblers. It is one of 13 states without such a program.

Billy Stephens, 66, Hawesville Mayor Rita Stephens' husband, said he lived a "a life of lies" with his gambling addiction, but with professional treatment, has not gambled since 2010. When he finally sought treatment, he could find no affordable treatment in Kentucky. The family had to borrow money to pay for his $6,000 treatment in a 36-day program in Louisiana, which is free to residents of the Bayou State.

"My addiction almost destroyed me," he told Brammer. "My insurance in Kentucky would have helped with my treatment if it were alcohol. But it was gambling." (Read more)

Princess Health and Report says veteran suicide rate is up from 2007.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Report says veteran suicide rate is up from 2007.Princessiccia

Army mental mental health mental illness military health rural health rural-urban disparities suicide women

Gusty 13:01 Add Comment

Almost every hour in this country, on average, a veteran commits suicide. The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 22 veterans per day took their own lives in 2010, up four a day from the 2007 rate. Perhaps contrary to public perception, the report said most suicides occurred among veterans over 50. It recognized Vietnam-era veterans as a risk group, as well as female veterans.

Military service members come disproportionately from rural areas. Kentucky has two army posts, Fort Knox and Fort Campbell.

(Among active service members in 2012, more died from suicide than in combat, we reported here. The Army said Friday that 325 soldiers committed suicides last year; if the tentative number is confirmed, it would be a historical high. "If that bleak total remains at 325, the toll in 2012 would have risen by 15 percent over 2011 when the Army sustained 283 suicides," NBC News reported.)

Reactions to the VA report ranged from encouragement to outrage. The VA pointed out that the daily veteran suicide rate has "remained relatively stable over the past 12 years," but the percentage of the overall national suicide rate accounted for by veteran suicide has actually decreased.  Veteran suicides accounted for about one-fifth of American suicides in 2010, down from one-fourth of suicides in 1999.

The VA said that showed its programs are working, but promised to take "immediate actions." NBC reported that "the top strategy" on the VA's agenda was an already-established task force that could help suicide screening identify warning signs earlier.

Some groups were dismayed by the VA report and demanded more action. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America called for more research and collaboration. "The country should be outraged that we are allowing this tragedy to continue," IAVA found and CEO Paul Rieckhoff told NBC.

On Feb. 13, the U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs will hold a hearing on veterans and mental health care. The Veterans Crisis Line -- 800-273-TALK -- is available for veterans who are concerned about their mental health. (Read more)

Princess Health and Invisible health panel could help Ky., if it had money and met.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Invisible health panel could help Ky., if it had money and met.Princessiccia

Affordable Care Act Barack Obama Congress health care health care access health care law primary care rural health

Gusty 11:32 Add Comment

A panel charged with helping devise solutions to the nation�s health-care workforce crisis, which includes ensuring rural areas have enough health-care providers, is having a workforce crisis of its own: It hasn�t been funded, and it�s never met, writesKyle Cheney of Politico. 

The National Health Care Workforce Commission was created by Congress nearly three years ago under the Affordable Care Act, the panelists were appointed, but that�s about it. The lack of action was noted at a hearing Tuesday of a subcommittee of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, convened by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging.

Sanders issued a report estimating that 57 million Americans lack ready access to primary care. Since  millions are expected to gain coverage when the reform law goes into full effect next year, there is a looming concern over whether there are enough doctors, physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and so on. Most of the worry relates to the lack of primary-care providers in underserved areas, which could be a huge problem for Kentucky.

In addition to exploring the health workforce needs in rural and �medically underserved� settings, the commission was supposed to address the capacity of the nursing workforce, graduate medical education policies, education and loan programs for health-care professionals and the �mental and behavioral health care workforce capacity,� writes Cheney.

Since the 15-member panel was appointed in September 2010 by the U.S. comptroller general, 10 members� terms have expired, and they�ve been reappointed for another three years each, Cheney reports. No funding has been approved, although both Senate Democrats and President Barack Obama have proposed $3 million funding packages.

�In order for the promise of expanded coverage passed into law by ACA to become a reality, the provisions designed to reach those goals must be fully funded and implemented,� Sanders said. �We need to make sure that our health care system has the infrastructure in place to provide the care necessary to prevent diseases and improve the health of all Americans.� (Read more)

Princess Health and Not the Story of CPRIT - Part 3: A Tangentially-Related Detour .Princessiccia

Princess Health and Not the Story of CPRIT - Part 3: A Tangentially-Related Detour .Princessiccia

Celltex CPRIT stem cells

Gusty 15:45 Add Comment

I take a brief hiatus from relating the story of CPRIT to tell another story. This one is about a company that � please note � has no connection to CPRIT: Celltex Therapeutics. The tangential connection is that they are both in Texas and both are related to the mindset of some business folk and of our governor, Rick Perry, the man who recently stated that

[CPRIT was] . . . intended . . . to get cures into the public's arena as soon as possible and at the same time create economic avenues (from) which wealth can be created. Basic research takes a long time and may or may not ever create wealth.

A recent and excellent article in Bloomberg Businessweek discusses the Houston company and its founders, investor/businessman David Eller and orthopedic surgeon Stanley Jones, one of whose patients is Governor Perry. Celltex reached agreement with a South Korean company active in stem cell production and for a while, with the permission of the Texas Medical Board, charged a number of people large sums of money for treatment with stem cells produced in a lab from adult stem cells earlier removed from their bodies. These treatments were supposedly part of a clinical trial, but one without a placebo arm. Governor Perry himself received the treatment after his back operation, done by Dr. Jones, in summer 2011.

A leader of the South Korean company stated:

The reason we started in this way is that adult stem cells are not considered a drug in Texas. We had the expectation that treatment in Texas was possible without FDA approval.

However, Celltex ran into objections from the FDA to this. The FDA holds that the cultured and expanded cells are indeed a drug. As well, the FDA has had objections to the way both the IRB (for the clinical trial Celltex was supposed to be conducting) and the lab (to produce the cells) were operating. Last fall, treatment shut down for now. Governor Perry strongly disagrees with this shutdown:

Hopefully, the FDA will realize that what�s going on in Texas is good medicine and good economics.

Although this intermission is not technically related to CPRIT, I think it is nonetheless illuminating. We need to understand the mental model of people who want to rush stuff to patients. In this mental model, companies like Celltex are wonderful, inspiring examples. Like it or not, this is the brave new world of rapid commercialization Perry visualizes and advocates � and understanding that vision does have relevance to the CPRIT controversies.

Princess Health and Reducing The Risk Of Breast Cancer With ZUMBA�. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Reducing The Risk Of Breast Cancer With ZUMBA�. Princessiccia

Gusty 11:06 Add Comment

ZUMBA Fitness is a type of aerobic exercise, and as such, it can contribute significantly in reducing the risk of breast cancer, as well reducing the risk of death from all causes

Scientists have long known there is a link between exercise and health. Even the connection between exercise and breast cancer has been well established. Early studies showed that women who exercised like mad were able to reduce their risk of breast cancer. This was because they exercised to the point where their estrogen production was slowed or stopped, reducing the possibility of estrogen imbalance in the body. This information was not too useful for most women who had neither time nor inclination to exercise like professional athletes. But now there is good news for everyone. Recent studies have shown that even moderate exercise has a profound effect on breast cancer prevention and prognosis, and a positive effect against death for all causes.

Moderate exercise has a dramatic impact on breast cancer development

A group from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina confirmed results from their previous study that even moderate exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer. They examined the association between cardio-respiratory fitness and risk of death from breast cancer in women who participated in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study from 1970 to 2001. Over 14,000 women aged 20 to 83 with no prior history of breast cancer were classified according to their performance on treadmill tests and other exams as low, moderate or highly fit depending on their results. The findings showed that women in poor physical condition were three times more likely to die from breast cancer than those who exercised regularly.

One half hour of daily aerobic exercise can make a person highly fit

It does not require hours of grueling daily workout on a treadmill to get into the highly fit category. This study measured fitness through aerobic exercise, a type of workout that aims for a sustained increase in heart and lung activity that allows for the burning of fat. When exercise becomes so grueling that muscle is burned, it is no longer considered to be aerobic. Any activity that gets a person moving for a sustained period with increased heart and lung action, such as walking, jogging, cleaning, gardening, dancing, or doing calisthenics will qualify as aerobic. Jogging in front of the TV set will even get the job done.

Aerobic exercise can actually be very enjoyable and invigorating. It promotes the circulation of oxygen in the blood and floods cells with enough oxygen to chase cancer away. Aerobics helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Mood and outlook are uplifted with this form of exercise, and sense of well being and feelings of empowerment are heightened. The mind is cleared and the ability to concentrate is restored.

A half hour a day of aerobic exercise can result in a person being classified as highly fit. Fifteen minutes a day is all it takes to achieve moderate fitness. Just waving the arms about in imitation of an orchestra leader while listening to music for fifteen minutes a day can even make a person moderately fit. Aerobic exercise has the added benefits of easy weight loss and a price tag of zero.

Exercise is associated with positive outcome from hormone sensitive breast cancer

In another study from the University of South Carolina, scientists examined the association between physical activity and hormone receptor-defined breast cancers in a population of Asian women. Participants, ages 25 to 64 years, were recruited into the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study, a population-based study conducted in China. Women with confirmed breast cancer and available receptor status information, and matched controls completed in-person interviews. Regression measures were used to model the association between measures of physical activity with each breast cancer subtype, (ER/PR positive, ER/PR negative, ER positive and PR negative, and ER negative and PR positive) using the control population as the reference group.

Results showed that exercise during adolescence and also during the most recent 10 years was associated with a decreased risk of both receptor-positive and receptor-negative breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women (odds ratios were 0.44, 0.51, 0.43, and 0.21 respectively). Sweating during exercise within the most recent 10 years was also associated with decreased risk for receptor-positive and receptor-negative breast cancers among postmenopausal women (odds ratios 0.58 and 0.28 respectively). These findings suggest that exercise can reduce breast cancer risk through both hormonal and non-hormonal pathways.

Exercise reduces risk of death from all causes

A study from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark studied inflammation as a key player in the development of degenerative diseases such as breast cancer, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Given that regular exercise offers protection against all causes of mortality through its ability to protect against insulin resistance, the scientists suggested that exercise may exert some of its beneficial effects by inducing anti-inflammatory cytokines, which they have labeled myokines. Interleukin-6 is the first identified myokine. It is produced and released by skeletal muscle fibers when they contract with exercise, and exerts its beneficial effects on other organs of the body. These scientists suggest that skeletal muscle qualifies to be an endocrine organ, and myokines may be involved in promoting beneficial effects against all degenerative diseases associated with inflammation, including cancer.

Why not try a ZUMBA� class, which beside all the health benefits is great fun too!
To see our range of classes, CLICK HERE







Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/026043_exercise_cancer_breast.html#ixzz2JrdebDVV 

Princess Health and Small steps can prevent Kentucky's No. 1 killer, heart disease.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Small steps can prevent Kentucky's No. 1 killer, heart disease.Princessiccia

blood pressure cardiac care cardiovascular disease exercise heart disease sleep smoking

Gusty 21:00 Add Comment

It is now February, which is American Heart Month and a perfect time to remind people that small steps can reduce their risk of heart disease, Kentucky's No. 1 killer.

You may be surprised to hear that almost 80 percent of heart disease is preventable and there are daily things that can be done to keep hearts healthy, according Dr. Martha Grogan, medical editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life.

For example, try to move 10 extra minutes each day, Recent research shows a sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of heart attack almost as much as smoking, said Grogan.

Each day, make an effort to get up from your desk to go talk to a colleague instead of sending an email, or walk around the house as you are talking on the phone, she recommends: �Moving even 10 minutes a day for someone who�s been sedentary may reduce the risk for heart disease by 50 percent.�

Hearts are also hurt when you deprive yourself of sleep, which is a necessity like food and water, said Virend Somers, a Mayo cardiologist and sleep expert. Chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression.

Healthy habits can reduce a majority of risks for heart attack. "A 53-year-old male smoker with high blood pressure has a 20 percent chance of having a heart attack over the next 10 years. If he stops smoking, his risk drops to 10 percent; if he takes high blood pressure medicine, it falls to 5 percent," says preventive cardiologist Randal Thomas, M.D.

These healthy habits and changes like quitting smoking and taking blood pressure medicine can make a difference in life and death. For more from the Mayo Clinic, click here; for a American Heart Month information from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, go here.

Princess Health and Improving Kentucky's mental health calls for the action of schools and doctors to identify children's mental health needs early.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Improving Kentucky's mental health calls for the action of schools and doctors to identify children's mental health needs early.Princessiccia

children children's health doctors mental health school health state government

Gusty 19:30 Add Comment

Many people may think that addressing mental health needs in Kentucky relies mostly on more funding, but its effectiveness hinges more on the ability to identify children who need help and make sure they get it early, two experts said on cn|2's "Pure Politics" Tuesday.

About half of mental illnesses begin to appear before a person turns 14, reports cn|2's Ryan Alessi. Mental-health experts say it�s often more effective and efficient to treat children, and it�s easier for parents to make sure their children get help than it is for someone to convince or coerce an adult exhibiting symptoms that he needs treatment, said Dr. Allen Brenzel, a child psychiatrist.


Encouraging school officials and doctors to identify children with these needs can be a challenge, Brenzel said, because it is difficult for a teacher to have tough conversations with parents about this topic. Also, while doctors may be most important in this process, obstacles exist because our current "system of care doesn't promote the amount of time and effort and importance on these issues," he said.

When a primary-care doctor's offices are jammed with sick patients and a parent comes in to discuss problems their child is having in school, "That�s a challenging environment in primary care,� Brenzel said. �But people trust their primary care providers very often, and that is where they go. So some of what we need to look at is co-location of services.�

Brenzel said we need a system with a single point of access, where a family can be greeted, there is a period of engagement and a reimbursement structure that supports the time and efforts required by behavioral health.

"We need to integrate behavioral health into the overall health care system," he said. "We have a very fragmented and inefficient system that leads to confusion when a family identifies that their child needs help and this isn't going to be fixed by a medical model.  We now know that the kinds of services need to be much more comprehensive and supportive. A system that allows a comprehensive mental and behavioral health assessment of needs will allow us to triage many kids out of the juvenile justice system."

Benzel said this is a societal issue and for every $1 that we spend in supportive services, we can avoid spend $5 later on adult incarcerations and adult prison. On average, it was more than $2,000 cheaper per person to treat a child than an adult. It amounted to $4,328 per child compared to more than $6,500 for each adult treated, Alessi reports.

Families may be fearful of the cost of mental-health services, but there are resources for people without mental-health insurance coverage at the 14 mental health centers in Kentucky, said Steve Shannon, executive director of the Kentucky Association of Mental Health/Mental Retardation Programs.

In terms of resources, Kentucky spent nearly a half billion dollars on mental health for people under 21 in the 2010-11 fiscal year. For adults, the state spent more than $730 million, according to figures from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. (Read more)