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Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Princess Health and Deadly, drug-resistant bacteria are becoming more common in Kentucky hospitals; key lawmaker wants to require public reporting.Princessiccia

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Nightmarish, drug-resistant bacteria that cause deadly infections are becoming more common in Kentucky hospitals, and a leading legislator on health issues says they should be required to report each case.

The state Department for Public Health and hospital officials are investigating the presence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, at Kindred Hospital Louisville, right, a long-term and transitional care facility.

�Since July, we have identified about 40 patients in whom we have cultured the organisms from one or more body fluids,� Dr. Sean Muldoon, chief medical officer for Kindred, told Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal.

These superbugs kill about half of the patients who get infected. They have become resistant to nearly all the antibiotics available today, including drugs of last resort. CRE infections are caused by a family of germs that are a normal part of a person's healthy digestive system but can cause infections when they get into the bladder, blood or other areas where they don't belong, says the federal Centers for Disease Control. The presence of CRE in bodily fluids doesn�t mean someone is infected by the bacteria, because the patient could also be �colonized� by the bacteria without developing an infection, said Muldoon. CRE may be present in a patient before he or she is admitted to the hospital, or it can be transmitted from patient to patient at the hospital, Ungar notes.

Officials at several Louisville-area hospitals told The Courier-Journal last month that they have seen a growing number of CRE cases in recent years, reports Ungar. The CDC issued a warning report about the bacteria last month, but there has only been one "outbreak" of CRE listed for Kentucky. (Read more)

Given the threat of this bacteria, the CDC has called for quick action to stop these deadly infections, and the chairman of the House Health and Welfare Committee wants to tighten up CRE reporting requirements.

Rep. Tom Burch, D-Louisville, sent a letter to Gov. Steve Beshear proposing a new regulation that would mandate immediate reporting of CRE infection or colonization to the state. Burch said he plans to introduce a bill that would require such reporting by health-care facilities, and he is working with Dr. Kevin Kavanagh of the Somerset, Ky.-based watchdog group Health Watch USA, reports Ungar.

�If it gets in the community and spreads, we�re in trouble,� Kavanagh told Ungar. Burch emphasized this level of risk in his letter to the governor, saying that health-department involvement is crucial to preventing this deadly bacteria from "developing a foothold in Kentucky."
Princess Health and Health departments raise, or try to raise, tax rates to offset state cuts, higher benefit costs and Medicaid payment problems.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Health departments raise, or try to raise, tax rates to offset state cuts, higher benefit costs and Medicaid payment problems.Princessiccia

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Some county health departments are trying, and others may try, to increase property-tax rates to make up for Medicaid shortfalls, program cuts and the rising costs of employee benefits so they can continue providing essential public health services for their communities.

Anderson County Health Department Director Tim Wright has proposed a 33 percent rate increase from 3 cents per $100 of assessed property value to 4 cents per $100. The increase would add an estimated $150,000, which Wright says he would use to end employee furloughs and make up for $200,000 that has not been paid by the Kentucky Spirit managed-care company, reports Editor Ben Carlson of The Anderson News.

Many departments have already cut positions and implemented furloughs to compensate for Medicaid shortfalls, state program cuts and employee benefit costs, said Scott Lockard, past president of the Kentucky Public Health Association and director of the Clark County Health Department. Most departments have done everything possible to increase efficiency of the departments' resources, he said.

A recent tax increase in Boyle County will make property owners pay a little more to help fund the county health department. The fiscal court recently voted to raise the county's health tax from 2.4 cents per $100 to 2.5 cents.

As funding streams have changed, departments need additional revenue sources, said Brent Blevins, director of the Boyle County Health Department. Blevins said without the rate increase, the already short-staffed department would have to cut services.

Declining property values during the recession have decreased tax revenue, said Marcia Hodge, director of the Garrard County Health Department. It proposed a tax rate increase from 4 cents to 4.25 cents in September that was estimated to bring in about $21,000, but the fiscal court did not approve it, she said.

Another problem that health departments face, Hodge said, is that they are required to participate in the state's insurance and retirement system. Over the 12 years she has been at the department, retirement contributions have increased from 4 percent to 25 percent, while costs of fringe benefits have more than doubled while salaries have only increased 10 percent, she said.

The Floyd County Health Department increased its tax rate last September for the first time in 20 years, primarily because of increased costs of employee benefits and department funding cuts, said Thursa Sloan, director of the department.

Sloan said she anticipates a big change in the services that health departments provide over the next 10 years.  Primary care will take a much more preventive approach, she said, and health departments will have to pull back in such services and go back to the basics.

Princess Health and New website for after-school programs promotes 'Drink Right, Move More and Snack Smart' to fight childhood obesity.Princessiccia

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To combat the country's childhood obesity epidemic, ChildObesity180, a new initiative from Tufts University, has launched Healthy Kids Hub, a website with resources for out-of-school-time programs, encouraging kids to develop and adopt three universal nutrition and physical activity principles: "Drink Right, Move More and Snack Smart."

The Hub offers free activity, nutrition and equipment support to volunteers, coaches and leaders in out-of-school-time programs, which serve tens of millions of children and have been identified as a promising area for obesity prevention efforts, the site says.

In Kentucky, almost 18 percent of middle-school-age children and 16 percent of elementary-age kids are obese, says a recent report from the University of Kentucky's College of Public Health.

Research shows that foods and beverages, as well as opportunities for physical activity, vary greatly in out-of-school programs, so the Hub promotes greater consistency in such programs and provides resources to help children follow healthy habits while out of school.

The website was launched at the National Afterschool Association convention in Indianapolis last week, according to a release. Visitors to the website can complete a brief survey to get resources tailored to their specific needs. Click here for the website.

Princess Health and National Rx Drug Abuse Summit, a Kentucky product, seeks to make the nation face up to its problem.Princessiccia

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The second annual National Rx Drug Abuse Summit, organized by Eastern Kentucky's Operation UNITE, called for a national commitment to combating the country's drug-abuse problem

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-5th District
"People of great passion and perspective are here wanting to make an impact in their communities," said U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, who first funded Operation UNITE. "The first step is we have to admit there is a problem. I don't think the country is there yet. We've got to face up to it. We've got to make this known ... and that we're not going to hide from it." Rogers was quoted in a news release.

UNITE (Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education) serves 32 counties in Eastern Kentucky. It was created to fight illegal drug use through a comprehensive approach that includes educating youth and the public and coordinating substance abuse treatment while providing support for families affected by abuse.


In Kentucky, drug overdose is the leading cause of death and is more fatal than motor vehicle accidents, and the number of Kentucky drug-overdose deaths nearly quadrupling from 2000 to 2010. The nation has seen a similar trend, with the number of overdose deaths more than tripling over the decade.

�We can stop this epidemic,� Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at the summit. �But we need everyone working together in an all-hands-on-deck approach.�

Themes highlighted at the summit included the need to provide better education about drug abuse, the need for greater use and seamless integration of state prescription-monitoring programs, the need to facilitate effective treatment and recovery programs, and the need for abuse-deterrent narcotic formulations.

�We were extremely pleased that so many individuals representing such a broad cross-section of interests shared their knowledge and expertise,� said Karen Kelly, who is leaving Operation UNITE to become district director on the Rogers congressional staff. To read more about the summit, click here.

Monday, 15 April 2013

Princess Health and Beshear says he will decide in four to five weeks, or July 1 at the latest, whether or not to expand Medicaid.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Beshear says he will decide in four to five weeks, or July 1 at the latest, whether or not to expand Medicaid.Princessiccia

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By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News
This story has been updated.

Gov. Steve Beshear said Monday that he will decide within the next four to five weeks, or maybe by July 1, whether to expand the Medicaid program under federal health-care reform.

Beshear, who has said he would expand Medicaid if the state can afford it, told reporters that he is considering other factors, which he did not name. He said his administration has not calculated the cost of expansion, which the state would not pay immediately.

The federal government pays about 71 percent of Medicaid's cost in Kentucky, and would pay the full cost of covering those newly eligible in 2014-16. The state would have to pay 3 percent in 2017, rising to 10 percent by 2020.

About 830,000 Kentuckians are covered by Medicaid, and at least 400,000 more could be added if Beshear expanded it to include households earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, as required by the reform law.

Another possibility is that Beshear would seek approval from the federal government to use federal money to subsidize purchase of private health insurance by the poor, which has been approved in Arkansas but not in Tennessee.

The governor's office, asked if the administration was considering that option and what other factors Beshear is considering, has not responded had this response: "The governor is considering multiple issues as he determines whether Kentucky will expand Medicaid eligibility.  Along with affordability for the state, he is also looking at potential economic impact through jobs and investment created by possible expansion, as well anticipated changes in health outcomes for newly-eligible Kentuckians."

That is also the case with There has still been no response from Humana Inc., which does much of its business through government-financed health plans. The Louisville-based insurance company was asked if it has had discussions with the Beshear administration about the idea of a Medicaid expansion that would use federal money to buy, or subsidize the purchase of, private health insurance.

"Beshear said Monday that he is getting a lot of pressure from the medical field � particularly hospitals � to green-light the expansion," Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes. "Hospitals will lose additional money they receive through Medicaid on Jan. 1 as part of the Affordable Care Act. Hospitals in Ohio and other states have also put pressure on state governments to expand Medicaid rolls."

Beshear said, �I think they look at the expansion as a means to at least replace some of that (money) that they are going to lose.�

Many Republicans have opposed expansion, "saying that the state could not afford it," Musgrave writes. "The Republican-led state Senate passed a bill during the legislative session that would have required that the two-term Democratic governor get legislative approval before expanding the health care program. But the measure died in the Democratic-controlled House. Beshear could expand the program via executive order."

Beshear said today, �We have a very large uninsured population and we have a very unhealthy population. Anything that we can do � that we can afford � to make our population more healthy, I�m certainly in favor of doing.� He added, �We are looking long-term as well as short-term from a financial standpoint to see if it makes sense for us.�

While he said he would act within four to five weeks, Beshear gave himself some wiggle room, saying also that he would make the decision by July 1, the beginning of the state's fiscal year. (Read more)

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Princess Health and Summer 2013 - Special Offer. Princessiccia

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Summer 2013

Special Offer


You don't want to hide on your holiday and you don't want to wear more cloths than the weather requires, do you?

Having a healthy lifestyle should be part of your daily routine, but I know everyone is in rush to get in shape before summer.

So rather than starting a not too healthy diet which promises fast weight loss, the better choice is to increase your exercise-doze, your ZUMBA-doze! (If you only lose weight without exercising, your skin will be loose and you still wouldn't feel comfortable in your bikini).

If your weight is just right, you can still go for the other benefits of an energetic ZUMBA class! You will feel better, your body will get toned, you will have more energy, and you will have a healthy glow on your face.

So here is the offer:

BUY 1 - GET 1 HALF PRICE!

Valid for all ZUMBA cards!

Offer valid till 21st April 2013




This offer ended, but you are more than welcome to join our ZUMBA classes in Dublin 2, Dublin 6 and Dublin 8. For detailed timetable, prices, locations and maps CLICK HERE

















































































































































Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Princess Health and Weight Loss � How To Choose The Right Approach?. Princessiccia

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This article introduces a series of articles in the health and weight loss topic. Do you want to understand why you don't reach your health goals? Are you fed up with losing weight and then gaining the whole of it back, or even more? Do you want to know why you don't have energy? Do you want to understand why it is so hard to follow healthy eating? The answers are easier than you'd think. 

After a long winter the weather forecast in Ireland now shows that there will be 20 degrees Celsius in two weeks. No doubt everyone is getting ready for summer, for holidays. And no doubt that after the New Year's resolution and people hitting the gym, this is now the second peak time of the year for gyms, nutritionists, weight-loss 'gurus' and so forth. Libraries  are featuring "Fast weight loss diet" type of books, and plenty of online and offline advertisements 'trick' the customer to think there is a fast way to lose weight and get slim.

Well, they are right! There are countless of diets which will bring the result of losing weight fast. I think almost all of them work in the short term.

But...

Is losing weight fast really what you want? And in general: Can weight loss be the overall goal?

You have to ask yourself and visualize yourself after reaching your dream weight. Close your eyes, and get the picture of you the way you want to see yourself.  I'm sure you are seeing a person with a happy smile, with glowing eyes and in general full of energy. Yes, what you see describes a fully healthy person.

Now, let's say you reach your dream-weight, but you don't have energy, have bad mood all the time, feel and look more like a zombie than a human being. Your skin is pale, your hair lacks vitality, and strangely enough you have to visit the doctor more and more often.

Who do you want to become? An energetic person in good shape, or a zombie?

Most of the popular  weight loss diets will get the result what they promised, so even if they offer money back guarantee, they can sit back, as you will lose weight. But are you healthy? Are you fit? Is your body and skin firm, or you lost weight but you're only looking good in cloths?

Be honest now!

The only reason those businesses are able to make big money while you only get temporary result with possible side effects, is your lack of knowledge.

How your lack of knowledge can push you further from your dream-body and dream-health?

If you have no basic knowledge about your body, how it works, what it needs, then you will easily believe everything. Especially when you hear the dream phrase: "Scientists found" or "Scientifically proven fact". Science is good. But when "science" gets above common sense, well, then bad things start to happen.

Nowadays, if I told you a fact (scientifically proven, of course), then you would sure find another study or research which scientifically proves the exact opposite. Does it sound unbelievable? It's true.

How can you make sure you follow the right path when losing weight?

The only way to do that is to start educating yourself. Don't worry, you don't need to go to college and study several years in order to learn a bit about your body.

This doesn't mean that you cannot believe any nutritionist or get any advice. There are many great professionals out there with real knowledge and genuine interest in your health, ready to help. Unfortunately though there are even more businesses looking only at the profit side of the whole thing, and not having your health as a real purpose.

In case you are willing to learn about your body, you will be able to make informed decision on any healthy product, weight-loss diet, healthy living advice and so forth. Just to give you an example: when a product is advertised with the line. �It burns fat�- well, even if it sounds good, it is not really the product that you will spend money on once you get a bit of information about your body.

Get the facts and decide for yourself! 

My aim is to help you with this. In each article I will go through basic things, in an easy-to-understand language, free from foreign words to make sure you get the data and get really healthy.

In the meantime, don't forget that exercising must be a part of your life, so try to find one which you really enjoy each time. If you haven't done so, come along to one of our ZUMBA classes, it is fun and workout at the same time. CLICK HERE


























































































































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