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Monday, 6 June 2016

Princess Health and WellCare provides twist-on naloxone nasal atomizers for free, encourages those who know addicts to have naloxone on hand. Princessiccia

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WellCare of Kentucky and the Kentucky Pharmacists Association have teamed up to provide 1000 twist-on naloxone nasal atomizers for free, in hopes of making it easier for people to administer the drug.

Dr. Paul Kensicki
"We believe this will make it easier, and less intimidating, for people with no medical background to administer it in an emergency situation," Paul Kensicki, medical director of behavioral health at WellCare of Kentucky, said in op-ed released by Wellcare.

WellCare will provide the atomizers to pharmacists, who will then distribute them to Medicaid recipients and individuals with no insurance coverage.

Kentucky's 2015 anti-heroin law allows pharmacists to dispense naloxone (brand name Narcan), a drug that can reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, without a prescription.Traditionally, the drug has been given as an injection, but the atomizer transforms the syringe to allow it to be administered as a nasal spray.

Naloxone immediately reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by physiologically blocking the effects of the drug. It has no side effects and cannot be abused. "It�s nothing short of a miracle drug," Kensicki writes. "It can absolutely save a life."

More than 1,000 Kentuckians die each year from drug overdoses, with more than 200 of these deaths from heroin. It has become a more common cause of death than car accidents in Kentucky.

"People who know someone who is using opioids, such as a spouse, parent or a roommate, should have naloxone readily available in case they discover an overdose in progress," Kensicki writes.

He notes that patients may be at the most risk of an overdose during recovery, because if they relapse their bodies aren't able to process the same amount of the drug they had been accustomed to before trying to quit.

"Making naloxone available does not mean it is �okay� to use heroin, and we are certainly not removing all the risks of addiction," Kensicki writes. "But we are giving friends and families a tool they can use to help save their loved ones in emergency situations � buying people the time they need to fight their addiction."

Princess Health and Kentucky's life expectancy, a basic measure of health status, is 76; it fluctuates as many as 9 years from county to county. Princessiccia

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By Danielle Ray
Kentucky Health News

A life lived in Kentucky is expected to vary up to nine years in length depending on the county in which it's spent.

Life expectancy is perhaps the most basic measure of a community's overall health. Health researchers say life expectancy is driven by a complex web of factors that influence health: opportunities for education and jobs, safe and affordable housing, availability of nutritious food and places for physical activity, and access to health care, child care and social services.

The state average is 76 years. Twenty-four of 120 Kentucky counties exceed that figure, mostly in the counties near Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, Bardstown, Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Bowling Green, with a few exceptions. Oldham County has the state's highest life expectancy, 79 years. Nine counties (Fayette, Jessamine, Scott, Garrard, Shelby, Bullitt, Meade, Boone, and Calloway) share a life expectancy of 78.

Differences become more apparent moving east along the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway and down its KY 15 extension. In general, the starkest comparisons in the state exist between the metropolitan areas of Louisville and Lexington versus southeastern Kentucky counties. Only one Eastern Kentucky county, Morgan, has a life expectancy equal to the state�s. Others range from 70 (Perry, Breathitt and Wolfe counties) to 75, mostly found in counties in northeastern Kentucky.

Eastern Kentucky counties are not the only ones with below-average numbers. Other counties ouitside that region with life expectancies of 74 or below are Fulton, Webster, Muhlenberg, Gallatin, Carroll, Casey, Monroe, Metcalfe, Cumberland and Clinton.

The numbers are on a Kentucky life expectancy map released Monday by researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Society and Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It shows that chances to lead a long and healthy life can vary dramatically by county.

�Health differences between communities are rarely due to a single cause,� the researchers said in a press release. �The health differences shown in these maps aren�t unique to one area. We see them in big cities, small towns, and rural areas across America,� said Derek Chapman, the VCU center�s associate director for research.

The map is the latest effort by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to raise public awareness of the many factors that shape health, particularly social and economic factors.

Another is the County Health Rankings, done annually by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The rankings don�t provide a comprehensive explanation for life expectancy, but they provide helpful correlations.

For example, Harlan County, with a life expectancy five years below the average, ranks 117thin overall health outcomes and last in health factors. The county has rates of smoking, obesity and teen births that are higher than statewide. It also has less access to exercise opportunities. The rankings show that the county's unemployment rate is nearly 14 percent, more than double the state's. In addition, 43 percent of Harlan County children live in poverty, compared to the statewide figure, 26 percent.

The complete rankings are available at the County Health Rankings web site.

The state Department for Public Health says it and partners have several efforts underway to tackle the many factors that shape health:

�          Promotion of farmers� markets and their acceptance of federal food assistance benefits such as SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers� Market Nutrition Program Vouchers, incentive programs to help with affordability and community outreach.
�          Promotion of walking and walkability by providing communities with targeted training and technical assistance to develop pedestrian plans.
�          Protecting youth from tobacco exposure through the �100 percent Tobacco Free Schools� program, which provides guidance to districts that wish to reduce tobacco use by students and staff.

Experts say local efforts are needed, too. �We must build a society where everyone, no matter where they live, the color of their skin, their financial or family situation, has the opportunity to lead a productive, healthy life,� said RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey.  �There�s no one-size-fits-all solution. Each community must chart its own course, and every person has a role to play in achieving better health in their homes, their communities, their schools and their workplaces.�

Sunday, 5 June 2016

Princess Health and June 5th, 2016 I Needed A Day. Princessiccia

Princess Health and June 5th, 2016 I Needed A Day. Princessiccia

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June 5th, 2016 I Needed A Day

I slept a solid seven hours last night. Oh wow, needed it. I tried to do more, but couldn't seem to will it any longer. I've accomplished a lot today in the rest and relaxation department! I needed a day like today.

Irene and Allen brought Noah by for a short visit this afternoon. That little guy lights me up with so much joy. He radiates joy. Unless he's throwing a fit about something--then he radiates something different--but still, he's an absolute joy!

I'm having dinner with mom and Amber this evening. We always enjoy the opportunity to get together, share a great meal, conversation and plenty of laughs! We look forward to these opportunities!

I prepared an awesome breakfast this morning and as I started to weigh the ingredients, I thought--hey, why not a Tweet of these? You'll see it below. Accuracy like that gives me a nice measure of certainty in my calorie counts. And trust me, it's great practice for when I'm not at home or work, away from the scale--like tonight's dinner out.

I'm leaving a little later than I planned. But I'm not cancelling on mom and Amber. My planned bedtime is 10pm and I'll reset my alarm for 5am instead of 4:30am. As long as I still have time for my morning non-negotiable daily practices, and I will--I'll be fine.

By the way, the next 8 week support group session starts tomorrow and Tuesday! I just posted on Facebook about this--so allow me to share it, here:

What does $2.14 a day buy? A cup of coffee? A gallon of gas? A couple of items from a fast food value menu? 

What if I told you $2.14 a day could enter you into a private-exclusive weight loss support group facilitated by two certified Life Coaches and me?

What if that support group was much more than a weekly Live-conference call? What if it was also 24/7 spot support via text and direct communications with fellow group members and facilitators...and the opportunity to take advantage of daily accountability and support measures on the "secret" Facebook group page?

Could this make the difference you've been searching for, for so long? 

Is it worth an average of $2.14 a day?

If you're tired of doing the same thing and getting the same outcomes, perhaps it's time to try something different.

Our 8 week support group is small, exclusive and personal. It's powerful support. It's different. And it's available to you from wherever you are located. Currently, we have members from Canada, all over the United States and as far away as Australia. Let's put a pin in our map where you are, with support designed to meet you, right where you are--no matter how much you have to lose. 

The Monday night conference call 8 week session starts tomorrow night at 7pm Eastern, 6pm Central, 5pm Mountain and 4pm Pacific.

The Tuesday night conference call 8 week session starts Tuesday night at 8pm Eastern, 7pm Central, 6pm Mountain and 5pm Pacific.

Members from both nights are combined into the same "secret" Facebook page and we all have access to the call recordings of both groups.

Are you ready to experience the powerful difference solid accountability and support can make for you?

Each session is $120 for 8 weeks, payable upon registration. A limited number of spaces are available.

If you have any questions, feel free to Facebook message me or send an email to transformation.road@gmail.com

Register by clicking your preferred night's link:

Monday night only has a space or two available. Tuesday night has a few spaces remaining.

Monday night registration - http://lifecoachgerri.com/events/june-6-group/
Tuesday night registration - http://lifecoachgerri.com/events/june-7-group/

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Today, I'm maintaining the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I'm remaining abstinent from refined sugar, I'm getting a minimum 64oz water (and poised to easily exceed) and I'll be working later, right before bed. I've also experienced some wonderful support connections today. I needed a day like today.

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Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
Princess Health and KET programs focus on oral health, 'just as critical to the well-being of Kentuckians' as problems that have a higher profile. Princessiccia

Princess Health and KET programs focus on oral health, 'just as critical to the well-being of Kentuckians' as problems that have a higher profile. Princessiccia

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Kentucky Educational Television has turned its attention to oral health, which it says is "just as critical to the well-being of Kentuckians" as the state's "alarmingly high rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity."

KET's John Gregory, in a story about three recent programs, notes that two in five Kentucky children have never been to a dentist and "Poor oral health can contribute to other physical problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and possibly even Alzheimer�s. It can impact how students learn."

�There�s thousands of children on a daily basis attending school with pain that is totally preventable,� Louisville health-care consutant Lacey McNary said on KET's "Connections" with Renee Shaw. �It is really hurting them with their success rates in school and otherwise overall well-being.�

McNary and Dr. Laura Hancock Jones, a dentist with the University of Kentucky's Western Kentucky Dental Outreach Program, blamed the lack of dentists in rural Kentucky and the refusal of many dentists to accept Medicaid, which covers 1.3 million Kentuckians.

But there are more longstanding factors, such as smoking, which makes periodontal disease six times more likely, and eating habits. "Jones says foods rich in carbohydrates and beverages that are high in sugar create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria that feed tooth-eating acids," Gregory reports.

And Jones says we have other bad habits, too: "She says studies show that almost a third of the population never flosses, and brushing and flossing twice a day is recommended. She adds that fear also contributes to bad oral health outcomes."

Other recent reports from KET have reported on a study of the state's oral health, the importance of good oral-health practices to seniors, and how the use of dental sealants in schools with high-risk populations has helped improve oral health.

The latter program featured Dr. M. Raynor Mullins, professor emeritus at UK's College of Dentistry, who "was instrumental in getting dental sealants added to Kentucky�s Medicaid program as a preventive service in the 1990s and has been involved with numerous oral health outreach initiatives across the state during the past 40 years," Gregory reports.

�A tooth has multiple surfaces � smooth surfaces and pit-and-fissure surfaces,� Mullins explains. �Smooth surfaces are the sides of the teeth, and fluorides are very effective about strengthening them. On the other hand, you have these pits, crannies, and fissures on the tops of the teeth and in certain locations on the sides of the teeth, where they are very susceptible to the infection of tooth decay. Sealants are very effective in preventing pit-and-fissure decay.�

Saturday, 4 June 2016

Princess Health and June 4th, 2016 Busiest Weekend of The Year. Princessiccia

Princess Health and June 4th, 2016 Busiest Weekend of The Year. Princessiccia

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June 4th, 2016 Busiest Weekend of The Year

The last two days have been insanely busy. And not just for me. It's easily the busiest weekend of the entire year in this area. Anchored by a nationally recognized Herb Festival, car shows, Relay For Life and several other big events. Naturally, this translates to my busiest weekend of the year.

I finished my downtown broadcast last night then headed uptown to the big Battle of The Burger cook-off to emcee the final part of the event--the announcements of the winners! By the time I got back home it had been a fifteen and a half hour day.

I managed almost seven hours sleep last night before getting up early in order to be ready for my first of two location broadcasts from different events. As soon as my broadcast commitments were complete, I ran into the store--grabbed a coffee and a few grocery items, and headed home to prepare lunch and finish preparing for my evening gig as the dj for a wedding reception.

The time between my last broadcast and when I needed to start setting up for the reception was too short. I stopped by Irene and Allen's place on the way to the gig. It was a fast visit with them and my youngest daughter--and my grandson, Noah. I also had a thirty minute window to get this blog written and posted. I started the blog and quickly realized it wasn't going to happen like I envisioned. Noah wanted my attention, of course! And he gets it! When the power dropped for ten seconds, resetting the computer, I decided this circumstance was beyond my control.

Tonight's reception went well. It's a major workout, too. Loading the sound equipment into the vehicle, loading in, setting up, tearing down, loading out and then delivering it back where it's stored (and it's big and heavy) is a bigger workout than any intentional workout I've experienced.

The blog and my dinner (super late--see Tweet below) required a much later time than I prefer.

I will be getting at least eight hours sleep tonight, maybe more.

I'm just glad I made it through the schedule.

I can rest now!

Today, like yesterday, I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained abstinent from refined sugar, I exceeded my #watergoal and I certainly had a workout. I'll be sore tomorrow, for sure!

Are you ready to discover the difference 8 weeks can make? Join us for the next session of weight loss group accountability and support and find out! I co-facilitate this exclusive support group with two Life Coaches, Gerri Helms and Kathleen Lynn Miles. This is something different. Different makes a BIG difference. You don't need to go it alone. There's an amazing team waiting for you to join. Space is limited, so don't wait! We keep the group size limited for maximum effectiveness, hence "exclusive." If you have any questions-- send me a Facebook message or email: transformation.road@gmail.com

Both groups are combined into the same "secret" Facebook group-The consideration to make when deciding on Monday or Tuesday is simply your schedule. The weekly one hour Monday call is 7pm Eastern-6pm Central-5pm Mountain and 4pm Pacific. The Tuesday night call is an hour later at 8pm Eastern-7pm Central-6pm Mountain and 5pm Pacific. I hope you'll join us!!

Monday night registration - http://lifecoachgerri.com/events/june-6-group/

Tuesday night registration - http://lifecoachgerri.com/events/june-7-group/

 Continuous Live-Tweet Stream:




















































Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean

Princess Health and Bacteria that can't be treated by any antibiotic now in U.S.; Kentucky ranks first in one type of antibiotic-resistant infection. Princessiccia

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A colorized scanning  of E.Coli
Credit: CDC/Jancie Haney Carr
For the first time, researchers have found a person in the United States carrying bacteria that can't be treated by "last resort" antibiotics.

The antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in the 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman's urine was from a strain of E.coli bacteria that is resistant to an antibiotic called colistin, a last-resort drug with serious side effects that is used only when other antibiotics don't work.

For example, colistin is used to treat the superbug carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, commonly called CRE, which health officials call a "nightmare bacteria."

Nearly half of patients who become infected with CRE die from it, Lena H. Sun and Brady Dennis report for The Washington Post.

The Pennsylvania woman was able to be treated with other antibiotics, but the discovery of the colistin-resistant strain has placed health officials on alert.

Health officials say it's not time to panic, but there is great concern that this colistin-resistance gene could spread to other bacteria that are also antibiotic-resistant creating many more bacteria strains that are untreatable, reports the Post.

The colistin-resistant strain was first found in pigs, raw pork and a few people in China in November. It has also been found in Europe.

�It basically shows us that the end of the road isn�t very far away for antibiotics � that we may be in a situation where we have patients in our intensive care units, or patients getting urinary-tract infections for which we do not have antibiotics,� CDC Director Tom Frieden told the Post.

Separate research found that the same colistin-resistant strain was found in a sample from one pig intestine in the United States. Colistin is widely used in Chinese livestock, but is not used in the United States, though plenty other antibiotics are, Tom Philpott reports for Mother Jones.

"Around 80 percent of the antibiotics sold in the United States go to livestock farms, and of that, 60 percent are considered crucial to human medicine," Philpott writes. Farmers mostly use antibiotics to help their livestock grow faster.

Yohei Doi, an infectious-disease doctor at the University of Pittsburgh, told the Post that he thought the widespread use of the antibiotic in Chinese livestock is likely what has led to the bacteria evolving and gaining resistance to the drug, and then leaping from livestock to humans through food.

Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired physician and chairman of HealthWatch USA, said he isn't convinced that the U.S. pig was infected by livestock from China. He noted that colistin is commonly used to treat CRE, cystic fibrosis and that a form of colistin can be found in many over-the-counter topical antibiotics.

"It's probably more likely that the pig in the U.S. obtained this from the farmer's medicine cabinet than from another pig in China," Kavanagh said.

Experts in infectious diseases have called for action to curb the overuse of antibiotics in livestock worldwide. They have also warned that if these antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to spread, treatment options could be severely limited.

Kavanagh  recognized the importance of research around the overuse of antibiotics in livestock but said that he thought more emphasis should be placed on the human side of healthcare related to antibiotic-resistance bacteria than the agriculture side of it.

 "The foremost emphasis should be placed on controlling antibiotic usage, controlling the spread of these organisms and surveillance of these organisms. ... We don't really know how many infections exist because we have a fragmented reporting system, but you know how many cows there are in each county," he said.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 2 million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, and 23,000 die.

Kentucky ranked first in MRSA cases, July 2014 - June 2015.
HealthWatchUSA
Kentucky has one of the highest prescribing rates of antibiotics in the nation and also leads the nation in another antibiotic resistant infection called MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus areus).

"Overuse of antibiotics has got to stop," says Kavanagh said. "The use of antibiotics needs to be curtailed to only when it is necessary. ... Every time you take an antibiotic you remove your good bacteria and run a real risk of activating a superbug in your body which can cause you extreme harm and even death. You should only take antibiotics when you have to take them."

Pharmaceutical companies have stepped away from developing new antibiotics because they aren't very profitable. But William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told WebMD, "The Infectious Diseases Society of America has been working with Congress and with industry to create incentives for the pharmaceutical industry to reopen its antibiotic research laboratories."

In addition, "Late last year, as part of a broader budget deal, Congress agreed to give hundreds of millions of dollars to the federal agencies engaged in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria," reports the Post.

Princess Health and Prevention is the key to surviving tick season in Kentucky, which runs through August; here are some tips. Princessiccia

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By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

With outdoor summer activities in full swing, it's important to remember that tick season, which runs from mid-March through August in Kentucky, is upon us.

American dog tick
Ticks hang out in tall grass, woods, low-hanging tree limbs and weeds just waiting to attach themselves to you or your pets to "feed," a polite way to say they want to suck some blood. And while that is reason enough to avoid them, the real problem is that ticks can carry potentially life-threatening infections, like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Erlichiosis.

"The most prevalent tick-borne disease in Kentucky is and has been for a long time Rocky Mountain spotted fever," or RMSF, Grayson Brown, director of the University of Kentucky Public Health Entomology Laboratory, told Kentucky Health News. "We get somewhere between 10 and 30 cases of that a year."

RMSF is transmitted by the American dog tick, which is about the size of a pencil eraser. It is the second most common tick in the state, according to Kentucky Pest News. The greatest risk of getting RMSF in Kentucky is in the western part of the state, near the Land Between the Lakes, said Brown.

RMSF usually begins with a sudden onset of fever and headache that appear from two to 14 days after being bitten by an infected tick. Other symptoms can include nausea, muscle pain, lack of appetite and a rash that occurs two to five days after the fever. RMSF can be fatal in the first eight days of symptoms if not treated correctly, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lone Star Tick, all images Wikipedia

Kentucky's most common tick is an aggressive biter called the lone star tick, which is also about the size of a pencil eraser, says Kentucky Pest News.

The saliva from this tick can produces painful, itchy areas that can become infected from scratching. It can transmit Erlichiosis, a Lyme-like disease that can cause fever, headache, chills, muscle pain and in some cases a rash. These symptoms usually show up one to two weeks after being bitten by an infected tick. It can also transmit RMSF.

And though it is not very common, Kentucky is also home to the blacklegged tick, which is known to transmit Lyme disease. This tick is much smaller than the other two more common ones.

"The number of Lyme disease cases is increasing quite rapidly, with 13 or so last year that were reported," Brown said. "The blacklegged tick is found most commonly around rivers and so the river areas, along the Ohio River, the Kentucky River . . . that is where the biggest risk is going to be.

Black-legged Tick
Symptoms of Lyme disease can range from mild to severe and include fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash that looks like a bull's-eye, although not everyone has this rash, says the CDC. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart or the nervous system. Lyme disease is most prevalent in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Upper Midwestern states, so be mindful if you travel.

Infection from these diseases is unlikely in Kentucky because very few ticks in the state are infected with their respective diseases. And even if the ticks are infected, they must be attached and feeding for at least 12 to 24 hours to transmit its infection, says Kentucky Pest News. This makes self-inspection and prompt removal of ticks an important line of defense against these diseases.

Getting a tick borne disease in Kentucky "is something like the risk of getting struck by lightning," Brown said.

The best way to avoid being bitten by ticks is to use "common sense precautions," Brown said. Here are some tips:
  • Keep grass and shrubs trimmed, and clear away any overgrown vegetation in your yard;
  • Don't walk through uncut fields, brush and overgrown areas;
  • Walk in the center of hiking trails;
  • Wear light-colored clothing, which make it easier to spot ticks;
  • Wear long pants tucked into boots or socks and tuck your shirt into your pants;
  • Place a band of duct tape, sticky side out, around your lower legs to trap ticks;
  • Use tick repellent that has DEET or picaridin in it or use permethrin-based clothing sprays;
  • Do a body and clothing check at the end of each day;
  • Take a warm soapy shower after potential exposure;
  • Check your pets.
It is also important to promptly and properly remove ticks by grasping them as close to the skin as possible with tweezers and then pulling straight out with gentle, even pressure. Multiple sources say to not use petroleum jelly, gasoline, hot matches or other "folk" methods to remove ticks. Once removed, wash the bite area, apply antiseptic and cover with a Band-Aid.

The CDC has recommended washing tick-infested clothes and then drying them for one hour, but new research, published online in the journal Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, says putting dry, tick-infected clothes in a hot dryer and spinning them for six minutes will kill them, Ann Lukits reports for The Wall Street Journal.

Brown said May is the month when you are most likely to encounter "pathogen-bearing ticks," but you can still get infected at other times. Tick season generally runs through August

He also noted that tick-borne diseases primarily occur in rural settings because wildlife, especially deer, often covered in ticks, and field mice, because ticks can transmit diseases to them and then the infected mice can infect other ticks as they feed.

"So if you are really worried about those things," Brown said, "pay attention to the wildlife that you have or that you attract to your property."
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