HealthCare Tips-During Most Important Pregnancy Period

Pregnancy Periods Tips :-

Pregnancy- It is very important period for women.During this time each and every moments one should take care for her health and also her child health.Because both are in very important stage of life.

Here is some information which is very common,but I am trying to remember it again all my blog readers.I hope it will be helpful healthy tips for preganancy.

Hormones, anxiety, emotions and all the changes that come along with pregnancy and expectant parenthood can make any mother-to-be experience mood swings.

The American Pregnancy Association offers these suggestions to help keep mood swings under control:

Get enough quality sleep.

Take a few quick breaks each day to just relax and unwind, or sneak in a quick nap.

Get daily exercise and eat a healthy, balanced diet. Talk to your doctor about what's appropriate.

Spend time relaxing with your partner.

Do something fun with a friend.

Get a massage, or take a pregnancy yoga class.

Take it easy. Try not to get too stressed or overwhelmed with worry.

Source Link:- http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/bhvr/616902.html

HealthCare Tips-How to Face Pain Of Fibromyalgia

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 10 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia. Sadly, many go through months and years of pain, frustration and confusion before receiving treatment because there is no diagnostic for this chronic illness.

Medical tests such as x-rays, blood tests and muscle biopsies can rule out other medical conditions (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease) but can't confirm fibromyalgia. Meanwhile, fibromyalgia sufferers endure multiple symptoms including global aching pain, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep disturbances, heightened sensitivity to any sensation and depression.

The intensity of the symptoms can vary based on a variety of factors, including stress, weather, physical activity and time of the day.

Even with all these symptoms, it can take up to five years for a fibromyalgia patient to get an accurate diagnosis. The rigors of the process weigh heavily on anyone with the disease. According to the American College of Rheumatology classification guidelines, for a patient to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia they must have widespread pain for at least three months and have a minimum of 11 specific locations on their body where they are experiencing pain.

Meanwhile, patients face a depressing and frightening time while waiting for their primary care physician to rule out other diseases. Family and friends sometimes think they are hypochondriacs and tell them to just "toughen up" or have a more positive attitude. This external pressure or lack of support can actually increase the severity of symptoms. The downward plunge in functionality can be dramatic, too, where activities of daily living, including shopping, exercising, and other pursuits become nearly impossible.

seven positive steps to manage Pain Of Fibromyalgia :-

Work with your physician to try different medications that are approved by the FDA for treating fibromyalgia and also to ease the physical pain and other symptoms, such as anxiety and insomnia.

Understand your symptoms. Analyze when they occur, the intensity, duration, extenuating circumstances and other factors as well as when the symptoms seem to diminish. From this foundation, you can become more proactive in establishing a program to manage your pain.

Develop an exercise regimen, physical therapy program or both. This is counterintuitive. When something hurts, the tendency is to avoid movement. But better muscle conditioning can help manage pain. With fibromyalgia, everything may hurt but there is no actual tissue damage (the cause is largely believed to be linked to the central nervous system). Set a schedule of daily exercise and stick to it. Better yet, if you enjoy the water, pool therapy in warm water, such as pool aerobics and swimming, will reduce the impact of gravity on joints while allowing for a good cardiovascular and muscular workout.

Adjust your diet if your analysis indicates any pattern based on food and beverage consumption.

Try acupuncture and holistic approaches.

Join a support group: National Fibromyalgia Association (www.fmaware.org)

American Chronic Pain Association: www.theacpa.org

Beyond the basic guidance offered here, the support groups have created large communities of fibromyalgia sufferers who are quick to share their personal experiences, frustrations, success stories and helpful hints.

Establish a routine and stick to it, adjusting as you learn more about your body and analyze the results of your pain management program.

Since no cure exists, management is key. Know that pain is a part of your life and focus on something other than your physical complaints. Celebrate the success you have in reducing discomfort and you can enjoy a better quality of life.

Source Link:- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113146.php

HealthCare Tips-Care for Your Lungs

LUNGS Care :-

The American Lung Association of California offers the following lung health tips and information about clean-up protection to residents affected by current fires throughout the state. People with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis should monitor their breathing and exposure to airborne matter and consult with a physician immediately, should problems develop.

Health Care Tips for Lungs:-
People living in fire-stricken areas should remain indoors and avoid inhalation of smoke, ashes and particulate matter in the air.

It is recommended that people in the immediate and surrounding areas of the fires refrain from exercising outdoors; particularly if they smell smoke or notice eye or throat irritation.

When driving your car through smoky areas, keep your windows and air vents closed. Air conditioning should only be operated in the "recirculate" setting.

People with respiratory problems, including asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, who live in immediate and surrounding areas of fires should:

Stay indoors as much as possible, with doors, windows and fireplace dampers shut and preferably with clean air circulating through air conditioners and/or air cleaners and purifiers.

Use air conditioners on the recirculation setting so outside air will not be moved into the room.

If outdoor trips in smoky areas are necessary, breathe through a damp cloth to help filter out particles in the air.

People with asthma should optimize their use of medication during this time and be sure to have medication(s) (pills, inhalers) available in case of asthma attacks, and should consult with their physicians regarding appropriate dosages for asthma prevention.

People using oxygen should not adjust their level of intake before consulting their physicians.

If pulmonary symptoms are not relieved by usual medicines, seek medical attention. Symptoms to watch for are: wheezing; shortness of breath; difficulty taking a full breath; chest heaviness; light headedness and dizziness.

If you develop a persistent cough, or difficult or painful breathing, contact your physician. It is important to be aware that the onset of symptoms can appear as late as 24 to 48 hours after exposure and that smoke can remain in areas for many days after the fires have ended.

In relation to clean up, residents and volunteers should keep the following in mind, as the clean-up process involves ashes and other particulates:

People with lung or heart problems should avoid clean-up activities and areas where dust or soot is present.

Thoroughly wet dusty and sooty areas prior to clean-up. This will help to reduce the amount of particles becoming airborne.

Wear an appropriate dust mask during clean-up.

If exposure to asbestos or other hazardous materials are suspected, do not disturb the area. Dust masks do not protect against asbestos.

About the American Lung Association:-
Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is “Improving life, one breath at a time.” For more information about the American Lung Association log on to www.lungusa.org or www.californialung.org.

Source Link:- http://gridleyherald.com/articles/2008/06/27/news/news05.txt

Health News- Health Privacy Standards Agreement by Google & Microsoft

Google, Microsoft and a bunch of other organizations said yesterday they have agreed to a set of privacy standards for online health records. You can read all about the framework here.

It’s pretty clear that there’s a lot of upside from having peoples’ health records online — less redundancy, fewer missing tests, no more faxing records from one doctor to another. But privacy is a big concern; a recent article in the NEJM pointed out that tech shops such as Google and Microsoft don’t have to abide by HIPAA, the federal law that covers patient privacy.

The new guidelines aim to give online records “at least the same level of protection already governing medical records on paper,” the AP reports.

The AARP, the American Academy of Family Physicians and Consumers Union also endorsed the framework yesterday, along with companies such as Aetna, Cisco and Intuit. A complete list of endorsements is here.

Link:- http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/06/26/google-microsoft-agree-to-health-privacy-standards/?mod=googlenews_wsj

HealthCare Tips-About Tickborne Illness

How to Prevent TickBorne Illness:-

Each year, Oklahoma consistently ranks among those states with the highest numbers of tickborne illnesses, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia.

The Tulsa Health Department advises persons who participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, bicycle trail riding, horseback riding, yard work or gardening, etc., to follow tick bite prevention precautions.

Ticks are widespread throughout the state, but they are especially prevalent in the wooded eastern half of Oklahoma. Most tickborne infections in Oklahoma are the result of a bite from the American dog tick or the Lone star tick.

Symptoms :-
Tickborne illness may include fever, headache (often severe), muscle aches, skin rash, vomiting, abdominal pain, and in the case of tularemia, swelling of the lymph node in the area of the tick bite. Tickborne diseases can be treated with appropriate antibiotics.

When participating in outdoor activities this summer, the Tulsa Health Department recommends following these simple personal tick bite prevention precautions:

* Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to see.Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks to deprive ticks of attachment sites.

* Wear closed-toe shoes, not sandals.

* Hikers and bikers should stay in the center of trails to avoid grass and brush.

* Check for ticks at least once per day, particularly along waistbands, in the armpits and groin area.

* Use a tick repellent with DEET on skin and clothing according to directions.

* Use a tick repellent with permethrin on clothing only and according to directions.

If you do find a tick attached, remove as outlined below. Use the same procedure when removing ticks from your animals.

* Use tweezers, or fingers wrapped in tissue, to grasp the tick as close to the surface of the skin as possible. Try not to twist or jerk the tick as you pull.

* Use gentle, steady pressure to pull the tick from the skin.

* Do not squeeze the body of the tick at any time while it is attached – you can release disease-causing organisms into the bite wound.

* Do not squeeze the body of the tick to kill it after it has been removed – you can force disease-causing organisms out of the tick and onto/into your skin.

* Do not use matches, gasoline or nail polish remover as methods of tick removal.

* Note the date of tick removal on your calendar.

* Wash clothing and inspect your body for additional ticks – don't forget the back and the scalp.

Link:- http://www.emaxhealth.com/39/23271.html

Health Care Facts- Cryptosporidium(diarrhoeal disease of humans and animals)

Cryptosporidium tends to be passed on into water through animal manure.

The parasite is present in low levels throughout the year, but higher levels are observed in the spring when heavy rain washes the bug into the ground and into rivers and lakes.

Water companies treat drinking water to remove the bug and tests are carried out routinely to make sure that it is absent from the supply.

In this case, cryptosporidium was detected in one such test leading to Anglian Water to issue a "precautionary boil notice".

Cryptosporidiosis has an incubation of around five days before symptoms emerge. They are commonly diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

Fever, vomiting, and nausea may occur. Some infected people have no symptoms. People with normal immune systems usually have symptoms for one to two weeks and then recover fully.

As with all tummy bugs, people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, and HIV-infected patients, may have more severe diarrhoea that can persist long enough to become life-threatening.

A cure is provided by rest and rehydration. Good personal hygiene plays a major role in preventing infection, particularly if farm animals or sick pets have been handled.

Link:- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2192590/Cyrptosporidium-the-facts.html

HealthCare News-Increase Safety of Surgeries with New Guidelines

A new study for the first time puts the number of surgeries performed globally each year at just over 234 million, with an increasing number of procedures now being performed in the developing world. As the number of operations goes up, experts say so do the number of surgical complications, which the World Health Organization hopes to reduce with a checklist for operating room personnel. VOA's Jessica Berman explains.

International public health experts estimate at least one million patients die each year as a result of surgical complications, deaths that might be avoided through proper procedures.

Atul Gawande is a surgeon at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts and lead author of the first international study of surgery and surgical practices:

"People are living longer," said Atul Gawande. "And so you see in the parts of the world like Asia, the Middle East, South America that they are all places where now cancers are in the top 10 as killers, road traffic accidents in the top five. And so what we've seen around the world is an explosion in the use of surgical care."

Gawande led a study in which investigators analyzed the surgical data of 56 countries.

According to 2004 records, the greatest number of surgical procedures,172 million, were performed in wealthy countries, while eight million operations were performed in the poorest.

In the United States and other developed countries, surgical complications led to death in less than one percent of cases. In developing countries, the number of deaths following surgery ranged between five and 10 percent.

Gawande heads the WHO's Surgery Saves initiative, an effort to reduce the number of surgical complications worldwide. The centerpiece of the initiative is a checklist for operating room personnel.

Gawande says the checklist is intended for doctors and nurses in all countries to make sure they follow all of the necessary steps in the operating room to ensure patient health.

For example, Gawande says infection following surgery is a leading cause of death that can be prevented by giving a patient an antibiotic an hour before an operation.

"What's the likelihood that we will give the antibiotic on time? Globally, it is a less than one third chance," said Gawande. "And even in the best countries, it is missed about one third of the time."

Gawande says he's been using the checklist in the operating room and has caught some missed steps.

Link:- http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-06-24-voa69.cfm

HealthCare Facts-About Iced Coffee & Kids Health

Iced Coffee & Your Health

The seemingly innocuous Coffee Flavored milk, a favorite among children and adults alike is found to contain harmful caffeine levels, double the amount found in energy drinks.

Some of the iced coffee varieties have three times the caffeine found in a normal Cup of coffee, researchers from Griffith University said after conducting tests on more than 20 varieties of iced coffee-flavored milk.

The National Health and Medical Research Council has issued a warning to parents against allowing children to consume caffeinated drinks, known to cause a host of problems such as sleep disturbances, bedwetting, and anxiety.

Researcher Ben Desbrow said, "A lot of people think it is better for you because it is milk-based. But actually it is worse. Caffeine in iced coffee is considered a natural ingredient.

Link:- http://www.medindia.net/news/Bitter-Facts-About-Iced-Coffee-38361-1.htm

HealthCare Facts-Your Healthy Kids Drinks

Research shows that sugar-laden sweetened drinks are linked to children's weight issues.

It's no secret that fruit juice, sodas, and other sugar-sweetened beverages are loaded with empty calories. But how much is too much, and what role should these drinks play in a child's diet?

Two new studies, initially reported WebMD, shows that children and adolescents are drinking more juice and sugary drinks and that children who drink 100 percent fruit juice are not more likely to be overweight than those who do not drink 100 percent fruit juice.

The first study, published in the June edition of "Pediatrics," looks at trends - what children drink, how much, and how it's changing. Data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected from 1988 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2004.

The study shows that the number of calories children and adolescents (aged 2 to 19) get from sugar-sweetened drinks and 100 percent fruit juices is on the rise:

• Children and adolescents get 10 percent to 15 percent of total calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100 percent fruit juice.

• Children aged 6 to 11 saw a 20 percent increase in caloric intake from sugar-sweetened drinks.

Soda contributed 67 percent of all sugar-sweetened drink calories among adolescents, according to the study

During that same time periods, sports drink consumption tripled among adolescents, according to the study.

Additionally, the study shows that many of these drinks are consumed at home. Here's a closer look:

• On a typical weekday, 55 percent to 70 percent of sugar-sweetened drinks were guzzled at home.

• Seven percent to 15 percent of sugar-sweetened drinks were sipped at schools.

Medical professionals recommend for parents to limit sodas, sports drinks, and other drinks with added sugar.

As a healthy alternative, try water and milk. Not only is water calorie-free, but drinking it teaches kids to accept a low-flavor, no-sugar beverage as a thirst-quencher. Meanwhile, a cup of milk has 300 milligrams of calcium, and can be a much-needed boost to your child's daily needs.

HealthCare News- National HIV Testing Day at Friday

HIV Testing Day on Friday

The Ottawa County Health Department is urging residents to get tested for HIV on Friday, which is National HIV Testing Day.

The local Health Department will be offering free oral HIV testing that day by appointment at its Grand Haven and Holland offices. To schedule an appointment, call the Health Department at 846-8360 in Grand Haven or 396-5266 in Holland.

Last year, the Ottawa County Health Department tested 1,378 people for HIV, including 68 of who were tested on National HIV Testing Day.

Link:- http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/294359713970597.bsp

HealthCare Information-About West Nile Virus

The Montgomery County Health Department wants to remind all residents to take precautions against West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

While Montgomery County didn't report any virus-positive mosquitoes in 2007, a resident was infected with the West Nile Virus in 2004. County Sanitarian Shari Harrington said residents should always be on guard.

"Marion County found its first mosquito with West Nile Virus this week," she said. "That's only two counties away. People need to just make sure that they're acting like it's here."

Most people who become infected with West Nile Virus experience mild illness such as fever, headache, and body aches before recovering fully. However, in some individuals, especially the elderly and immune-compromised individuals, the virus can cause serious illness and even death.

The most effective way to prevent the virus's spread is by eliminating mosquito breeding sites. The following tips can limit the mosquito population :-

• Be proactive and eliminate any standing water that collects on your property.

• Remove all discarded tires from your property.

• Empty standing water from water-holding containers like buckets and flower pots.

• Make sure roof gutters drain properly.

• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools and hot tubs. If not in use, keep empty and covered. This point is usually overlooked.

• Change the water in bird baths at least once a week.

• Turn over plastic wading pools, and wheelbarrows, etc. when not in use.

• If you own a pond, consider some type of fountain to move water constantly. Adding fish to a small yard pond helps, because fish eat the larva.

• If you have equine, please consult a veterinarian for vaccines.

In addition to limiting the mosquito population, you should always wear insect repellent containing DEET when you are outside between dusk and dawn. For adults, use an insect spray that contains 10 percent to 30 percent DEET. Read the label to ensure that the spray is EPA approved.

If applying to a young child, read label directions and/or call your doctor for advice on how much DEET you should use. Be careful not to apply the repellent to your child's hands or close to the mouth or eyes. Another alternative would be to cover playpens and carriages with mosquito netting when outside. Always cover the arms and legs of your children if they will be playing near swampy areas.

To further reduce your risk, wear long sleeves and pants treated with insect repellant during mosquito feeding hours.

Link:- http://www.thepaper24-7.com/main.asp?SectionID=23&SubSectionID=22&ArticleID=16429

HealthCare Tips & Information Heart Disease Risks

Something about Your Heart For your Healthy Life.




Some risk factors for Heart Disease, and how to work to prevent

SMOKING :-
Don't smoke, because it increases blood pressure, increases the tendency for blood to clot and decreases HDL (good) cholesterol. It also is a major cause of atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries.

BLOOD PRESSURE :-
High blood pressure is a major risk factor. A level of 120/80 or lower is normal. Lifestyle changes or medication adjustments may help you lower your risk.

CHOLESTEROL:-
Less than a total of than 200 milligrams per deciliter with an HDL (good) cholesterol of at least 40 mg/dL is desirable. You should work with your doctor to reach your cholesterol target, and test it regularly.

DIABETES:-
Exercise and weight control can help prevent adult-onset diabetes. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease and stroke.

OBESITY:-

Lose weight if you are overweight or obese. An adult who has a body mass index of 30 or higher is considered obese. Overweight is a BMI between 25 and 29.9. Normal weight is a BMI of 18 to 24.9.The CDC(Center of Disease Control & Prevention) recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week to cut the risk of heart disease.

FOODS: -
Eat a healthy diet low in sodium and saturated fat and high in fruits and vegetables.

ALCOHOL: -
Drink alcohol moderately, no more than two drinks per day on average for men and no more than one drink per day on average for women.

Calculate your risk You can test your risk of heart attack by calculating factors such as age, weight, and eating habits.

Heart attack warning signs :-

Chest pain or discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to have other symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Stroke warning signs :-

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Sudden,severe headache with no known cause.

Source:- http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-litips0623,0,1432476.story

Dental Care News-about Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentists are heading to Brussels in a bid to get the law on whitening treatments changed.

A whiter-than-white smile has become increasingly popular, with procedures costing almost half what they did ten years ago.

Many treatments use hyrdrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent dentists say is safe and efficient.

But a law from 1976 makes it illegal to use products that contain more than 0.1 per cent of the chemical.

Many dentists say a solution of that strength would have no effect on teeth and they are openly offering teeth whitening with peroxide levels at up to 20 per cent.

Members of the European Parliament are being lobbied by key players in the £60 million-a-year industry to update the law.

source link:-http://itn.co.uk/news/ff25904a1ea02d9f07fd520d9779f812.html

Health Tips-To Control Asthma

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NEIHS) reports that almost 31 million Americans have asthma, with 1.3 million sufferers under the age of five, making it the most common chronic disease among children. With the number of asthmatics increasing by 50% each decade, can anything be done to help?

The NIEHS defines asthma as “an inflammatory disease of the lung.” The inflammation can occur along the entire airway from the nose to the lung. The airway swells, becomes narrower, and less air gets to the lung tissue. This produces the commonly known asthma symptoms: chest tightness, wheezing, breathlessness, and coughing. In acute episodes, or “attacks,” these air passages become dangerously narrow, and the symptoms worsen, potentially becoming life threatening.

The cause of asthma continues to evade doctors, although there is some genetic susceptibility to the disease. However, several factors contribute to the continual rise in asthma patients, and managing these environmental triggers (or allergens) can help decrease the prevalence of the disease.

• Eliminate smoking and second hand smoke. Pregnant women who smoke are much more likely to have asthmatic children.

• Reduce exposure to indoor allergens such as mold, fungi, dust mites, cockroaches, dogs, cats, and rodents. Use professional pest control, air purifiers, allergen-impermeable covers on mattress, box spring and pillows, vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters.

• Avoid outdoor asthma triggers such as pollen, dust, ozone, and motor vehicle exhaust. Research shows that children living near a freeway, with higher levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air around their homes, were more likely to develop symptoms.

Aside from environmental control, doctors often treat asthma with bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and anti-allergy medication, depending on the severity and frequency of a patient’s symptoms.

Some people are turning to alternative therapies for help. Steven Verona, a steroid dependent asthmatic for eight years, found his answer in a raw foods diet. “I took two pills and three inhalers on schedule, daily, or I ended up in the hospital. Soon after making two dramatic changes to my diet – cutting out all chemicals and following a raw food diet for 80% of my consumption – the miraculous day arrived when I no longer needed medication."

Studies published in both the British Medical Journal and in the Journal of Asthma reveal that yoga and breathing exercises showed significant improvement and movement of patients toward normalcy. In fact 66-72% of the patients studied stopped or reduced medication.

Source Link:- http://www.newsmax.com/health/tips_controlling_asthma/2008/06/19/105820.html

Health News-Microsoft Launches New Version of CERA for Health Plans

New Version of Consumer Engagement Reference Architecture for Health Plans :-

Spurring health plans to proactively engage consumers, Microsoft Corp. announced the release of its Consumer Engagement Reference Architecture (CERA) version 4, providing guidance for the first time to help payers connect to "in the cloud" platforms and services such as Health Vault, Windows Live and more.

Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO

As a stand-alone module under the Connected Health Framework for Health Plans -- launched in 2007 -- CERA v4 is composed of a working demo and documentation, as well as soon-to-be released guidance, architectural blueprints and freely available code. CERA v4 builds upon prior releases of CERA by adding guidance for health plans to connect with HealthVault -- Microsoft’s consumer health platform -- Windows Live and other online services.

"Health plans face a challenge in engaging consumers in their health, as evidenced by low member portal traffic and adoption rates," said Dennis Schmuland, U.S. health plans industry solutions director at Microsoft. "The Consumer Engagement Reference Architecture provides guidance to health plans and solution partners on effective ways to accelerate consumer adoption by placing them in control of their health and health information - and keeping them engaged over the course of their lifetimes."

The interaction of CERA v4 with HealthVault, a technology platform that helps consumers collect, store, use and share their personal health information in a security-enhanced environment, is critical to keeping consumers engaged, as it puts them at the center of their health decisions and information, while enabling the exchange of information among different health services and devices at their discretion. It is designed to help members store an array of health records in their HealthVault accounts, including continuity of care documents, prescription medication lists, health histories, hospital discharge summaries, lab test results, fitness data and Web search results.

CERA v4 also features authenticated sign-on via Microsoft’s LiveID technology, and software-generated "moments of participation," which are meaningful interactions with people, software agents, natural interfaces and devices that make positive health changes more natural for the consumer. These "moments" are enabled by extending health plan information and interactivity to multiple channels and are powered by Web 2.0 technology such as Microsoft Silverlight 2.0. In fact, CERA v4 provides guidance to health plans on how to use Silverlight Mobile to extend their experiences to mobile devices, allowing it to meet consumers within the context of their digital lifestyles. Mashup technology utilizes the Microsoft platform to bring data from different sources together in one display, so that health plans can manipulate provider data to be mapped to geographical and cost treatment information, for example.

Additional guidance within CERA v4 includes how to use voice-recognition technology from Tellme Networks Inc., a Microsoft subsidiary, as well as natural-language technology powered by Microsoft Automated Service Agents, which helps health plan organizations extend the impact of human coaches, care managers and providers by engaging consumers in conversations and allowing them to ask for help in their own words. Consumers can report daily or weekly progress on key health measures, and receive reminders for key events such as taking medications and getting preventative tests.

Those interested in more information or in viewing a demo of CERA v4 should contact hlthplan@microsoft.com. The CERA v4 code and design blueprint will be available by July 2008 at no cost (connect-time charges may apply) for download from the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Healthcare Industry Center at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/architecture/bb231558.aspx.

About the Connected Health Framework for Health Plans

The Connected Health Framework for Health Plans is a free, open and extensible reference architecture designed to help health plans drive out the costs and complexities of interconnecting core systems, service channels, new applications, consumers, devices and business partners and rapidly seize new business opportunities. The blueprint is a "real-world" service-oriented reference architecture that enables health plans and industry solution partners to focus on immediate business problems and apply IT solutions in incremental steps to deliver near-term business results -- regardless of platform or original programming language. For more information on the CHF for Health Plans, visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/architecture/bb530213.aspx.

About Microsoft in Health and Life Sciences

Microsoft provides standards-based products and technology to help the health and life sciences industries break down information barriers between the disparate IT environments across pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, physicians and health professionals, provider organizations, government and private-sector employers, health insurers, and consumers. Microsoft’s vision for knowledge-driven health utilizes the company’s market-leading technology to help people in the healthcare provider, payer and life sciences organizations integrate their systems, dramatically enhance collaboration and increase information sharing and learning -- ultimately resulting in the ability to deliver high-quality products and services to patients and consumers worldwide. More information about Microsoft in health plans industry can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/healthplans.

Source link :-http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/200806180900PR_NEWS_USPR_____AQW059.htm

Health Tips for Healthy Men

There are some useful for Men’s Health and for his healthy Future.
Drink in moderation:-
South African men are notorious for enjoying a beer (or five) with their mates - there is nothing wrong with drinking in moderation but this must be coupled with healthy eating and exercise. If the drinking is reaching excessive proportions, especially for men over 40, seriously consider making a lifestyle change this Fathers' Day.

Never skip breakfast :-
It is the most important meal of your day and also a great way to start the day especially if you can combine it with some quality time with loved ones.

Eat healthily :-
This goes hand in hand with the previous tip, and is as important. Try to steer clear of too much sugar and refined foods and always include fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet.

Take a good multivitamin :-

Ask your Clicks pharmacist to recommend one that will work best for you and take one each day at the same time (preferably in the morning with breakfast).

Make sure you do regular exercise :-
Aim for at least four x 45-minute cardio sessions per week. This can take the form of a team sport with your mates if the thought of slogging it out in the gym doesn't appeal. As long as you are elevating your heart rate and working up a sweat its giving you the same stress busting and fat burning benefits.

Stop smoking If its possible.If u try to stop,It will possible.

Get checked:-
Get all the necessary routine exams and screenings - i.e. prostate exams, blood pressure, BMI (body mass index), cholesterol etc. The sooner a problem is diagnosed the easier it is to start dealing with it.

Laugh:-
Laughter is the most effective stress buster that doesn't cost a cent and the best part is that it is infectious so you could be helping another person's stress levels whilst dealing with your own!

Get enough sleep:-
Our bodies are their own best medicine and when at rest their recuperative and restorative powers are amazing.

Be good to yourself:-
Balance work, rest, play and family. Make sure you are the judge of how happy and healthy you are and if something is out of balance rectify it. Life is short and we only live once. Make the most of it - in moderation.

Source Link:- http://iafrica.com/health/features/745585.htm

Healthcare News-Improved Health, Longer Life by drinking coffee

To Extend Life & for Good Health,drinking Coffee :-

There is one good news for all COFFE-LOVERS that coffee may also be extending your life.

Whether you are on a first-name basis with your barista or simply refueling from the office coffee pot during the day, new research suggests that drinking coffee, even in large amounts, might help you live longer.

Coffee drinkers in the study had slightly lower death rates than non-coffee drinkers over time, whether their drink of choice had caffeine or not.

The findings do not prove that coffee is protective, but they strongly suggest that drinking coffee in large amounts is not harmful if you are healthy, researcher Esther Lopez-Garcia, Ph.D., of the University of Madrid, tells WebMD.

Among women, drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was associated with an 18 percent reduction in death from all causes, while drinking four to five cups was associated with a 26 percent reduction in risk.

The risk reduction in men was smaller and could have been due to chance.

"We can't say from this one study that coffee extends your life, but it does appear that it doesn't increase the risk for death for people who are healthy," she says.

Coffee, Caffeine, and Health

The evidence pointing to health benefits for coffee continue to grow, with studies linking regular consumption to a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even health conditions like Parkinson's disease and colon cancer.

But some studies also suggest that drinking caffeinated coffee is associated with an increased risk for heart attack and stroke in people who already have heart disease.

The American Heart Association concludes that the research linking caffeine to health risks is conflicting. The group concludes that moderate coffee consumption, defined as one or two cups a day, "doesn't seem to be harmful."

The few previous studies that have examined the impact of regular coffee drinking on mortality have also been conflicting, Lopez-Garcia says.

In an effort to clarify the issue, Lopez-Garcia and colleagues from the
University of Madrid and Harvard University analyzed data from 84,214 women who participated in Harvard's Nurse's Health Study and 41,736 men who participated in the companion study involving male health professionals.

None of the participants had cancer or heart disease at enrollment, and all completed dietary and health questionnaires every two to four years that included questions about coffee consumption, other dietary habits, and smoking status.

During 18 years of follow-up in the men and 24 years of follow-up in the women, roughly 4,500 deaths due to heart disease and 7,500 cancer deaths occurred. An additional 6,000 deaths were due to other causes.

After controlling for other risk factors such as weight, diet, smoking status, and disease status, the researchers concluded that people who drank coffee were less likely to die than those who didn't during the follow-up, and that the risk reduction was attributable to a lower risk for death from heart disease.

No association was seen between coffee drinking and cancer deaths.

The researchers conclude that the finding of a "modest" all-cause and heart disease death benefit for coffee consumption deserves further
study.

The research appears in the June 17 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Coffee Benefits Explored
It has been suggested that coffee may protect against heart disease by reducing inflammation. Coffee has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels, which could have a beneficial effect on diabetes risk.

For many people, coffee is the main dietary source of beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants, says coffee researcher and chemistry professor Joe Vinson, Ph.D.

"The antioxidant properties may or may not be the mechanism at work here. We can't really say," he tells WebMD.

Vinson says the newly reported study offers the best evidence yet linking coffee with a lower risk of death.

"This was a very rigorously designed study, and the findings are very intriguing," he says.

Source link:- http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/17/health/webmd/main4186005.shtml

Health News-Spreading of West Nile Disease

California health officials are concerned about the discovery of 133 birds in 18 counties this year that have died of West Nile virus.

At this time last year, they had found only 33 West Nile-infected dead birds in 12 counties.

While there have been no human cases reported so far, Department of Health spokeswoman Suanne Buggy says officials are closely monitoring the virus' spread. Humans contract the virus through mosquito bites.

A spokeswoman for the Sacramento-Yolo monitoring region, Luz Maria Rodriguez, says she was surprised when a dead bird with the virus was found so early in the season—in March.

The mosquito season is temperature-dependent, but usually lasts from about April to September.

Health News-Health Related Social Networking Site Launched

Trusera is newly launched one site which brings the power of social networking to health support groups.

Trusera, a new social-networking website centered on health, officially launched. The site, which features online communities and personalized health information, allows members to endorse one another's contributions, as a way to identify reliable sources of information.

In the past few months, high-profile sites like Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault, which allow patients to collect and share digital copies of their health records, have drawn a lot of attention.

But Trusera is doing something different. Rather than deal with health records or data, it focuses on social networking and storytelling, hoping to foster communities in which users can learn from one another's experiences and seek out knowledgeable advice.

"'The power of been there'"--the site's motto--"is a real rallying cry for us," says founder Keith Schorsch, a former senior executive at Amazon. "Everyone has a health story. What we want to do is combine the power of those stories in an individual, and also collectively powerful, way."

In that respect, Trusera resembles a number of other innovative new health sites on the Web. PatientsLikeMe, a site launched in 2006, allows chronic-disease sufferers to share stories and health data, with one another and with medical researchers. DailyStrength, also launched in 2006, is a central hub for hundreds of health support groups. And Caring.com, which went online last year, offers discussion groups and information about elder care.

In contrast to most other "consumer-to-consumer" sites, Trusera doesn't seek to organize its users according to the health conditions they have in common. While users can look up information on specific diseases in Trusera's keyword-based search engine, Schorsch says that the idea is to connect health consumers with one another based on not just common diagnoses but also a variety of common interests related to health. The site, which has been in beta testing since December, is free to users and collects revenue from advertising.

Like just about everything else on the Web, online health information suffers from a signal-to-noise problem. There are vast, deep reservoirs of health expertise on the Web, buried in health discussion forums and personal blogs, but to find them, consumers often have to wade through an ocean of irrelevant--and even dangerously wrong--information.

At the same time, more Americans than ever are going online for a second opinion--or even a first one. A January 2008 report by iCrossing, a market research firm, found that more Americans had gotten health information off the Internet in the past year than from their doctors. And that information is coming not just from health-information portals, government agencies, and other "official" channels, but also from consumers, in the form of blogs, support groups, and other informal networks of fellow disease sufferers.

Source Link:- http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/20908/

Healthcare Information-Vitamins Importance for Healthy Life

For our Healthy Life,we have to build up our life out of various illness.To make it possibe then we have to know what types of elements are needed to build up healthy life.

Here I point out one of the importat element for out healthy body which called Vitamins.

Check this videoes about all various vitamins.

KIDS HEALTH CARE & HEALTH INFORMATION

Scarlet Fever in Kids:-

What is it?

A bacterial infection that causes a bright red rash all over the body.

What are the symptoms?

Typical things to watch out for are:
- Sore throat
- Fever
- Scarlet rash on the neck and then the body

What should I do? Penicillin or other antibiotics will work on scarlet fever, although many children recover quickly, without the need for any medicine. As with any fever, give lots of drinks and try paracetamol or ibuprofen liquid to reduce the temperature. It's infectious, too, so keep your child off school.

When will they get it?

Children of any age can come down with this, although it's far less common than it used to be.

What if my child doesn't get it?

Scarlet fever is rare in adults, so if your child avoids it, they're unlikely to get it when they're older.

Scarlet fever used to be a much more common and potentially serious illness but now it's mild thanks to a change in the bug that causes it. It's mainly children who get it. It starts with a fever and a sore throat caused by the streptococcus bacteria. Your child will get a bright red, scarlet rash on their chest and neck, which then spreads to the rest of their body. Scarlet fever is very infectious. Antibiotics such as penicillin work well, but many children recover without any treatment within a week or so. The rash lasts about six days.

Scarlet fever causes a sore throat, high temperature and a rash. It usually only occurs in children. It has become much less common and less serious than it once was. Full recovery is usual.

What causes ?
It is due to throat infection caused by a bacterium(germ) called streptococcus.There are various strains(types) strains(types) of streptococcus.They cause various infections,and one strain causes
Scarlet fever.

Source Link:- http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/health/133316/Scarlet-fever-in-children

Salmonella Diseases-Health Facts & News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported 167 cases since mid-April of salmonella poisoning that it believes are related to certain types of tomatoes.

The FDA said it has not yet identified the source of the salmonella, which has caused 23 people to be hospitalized. A rare strain of salmonella, called Salmonella Saintpaul, is said to be causing the current outbreak.

Here are some facts about salmonella:

* People infected with salmonella usually have symptoms that include diarrhea, fever, nausea and stomach cramps that generally start within about 12-72 hours after eating infected food. The sickness usually lasts four to seven days.

* Severe infections are possible if salmonella spreads from the intestines to the bloodstream. Infants, the elderly and people with weaker immune systems are more susceptible, and antibiotics may be needed. The infection can cause death unless a person is treated with antibiotics.

* Raw or undercooked meat, poultry and eggs should not be eaten. Fruits, such as tomatoes, should be washed thoroughly.

* Keep meat and other foods separate to avoid cross contamination.

Main link:- http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Agflation/idUSN1037370320080610

Google Health Records

Google Health Records Signs Up Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts :-

Another Hub health care worthy has signed up with Google Health - today's Boston Globe reports that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts joins Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - see John Halamka's GeekDoctor post - in facilitating the download of patient data to Google Health PHRs.

Per the Globe, BCBS says that "Google wants to attract as many users as possible to its site, while Blue Cross-Blue Shield seeks to offer members an online tool."

Regarding attracting users to Google's site -- Google says it isn't serving ads on Google Health, but presumably that won't last for long, because that's how the Googleplex keeps humming. The value of the online tool for BCBS members is limited so long as the data is limited to insurance company data. If local provider networks -- beyond the BI Deac -- were to sign up, the value to individuals would be greater. John Halamka (BI Deac CIO) also notes in a response to a comment on the blog post linked to above, that "the interesting advantage over Patientsite (the BI Deaconess PHR portal) that Google Health may develop is that it is a development platform which thousands of programmers can extend. I expect hundreds of new applications over the next 6 months that will enable patients to get decision support, graph/chart their data, and connect to home health devices like blood pressure cuffs/exercise machines. The utility of Google Health will be measured by the number [of] the patients who decide to use it based on the value add of these new applications."

The other elephant in the room is the question of privacy protection and the lack of HIPAA coverage for Google Health and its ilk. There is, of course, a Google Health privacy policy, but that can be changed at any time in the future. As an aside, not even full HIPAA protections would satisfy all of the privacy advocates out there -- some of whom suggest that patients add an addendum to any HIPAA form they sign (nice idea, but impractical and unadministrable).

There are legislative initiatives afoot in Washington that might address the PHR privacy issues from a legal perspective, though nothing is likely to pass this year.

I'm not running out to put my own BCBS records on Google Health just yet.

Source Link:- http://www.emaxhealth.com/34/23041.html

PROSTATE CANCER

Something about Prostate Cancer

What is the prostate?

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that only men have. It is part of the productive system that makes the fluid that carries sperm. As you can see in the picture below, the prostate is located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder. The urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) runs through the center of the prostate. As men age, the prostate tends to increase in size. This can cause the urethra to narrow and decrease urine flow.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is made up of cells that do not grow normally. The cells divide and create new cells that the body does not need, forming a mass of tissue called a tumor. These abnormal cells sometimes spread to other parts of the body, multiply, and cause death. What causes prostate cancer? As with many types of cancers, medical experts do not know what causes prostate cancer. They are studying several possible causes

Can prostate cancer be prevented?

Medical experts do not know how to prevent prostate cancer. But they are studying many factors. They do know that not smoking, eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, and seeing your doctor regularly contribute to overall good health.

How common is prostate cancer?

For the general population, a man in his lifetime has about a:-

• 16 percent chance (1 in 6) of being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

• 3 percent chance (1 in 33) of dying from prostate cancer. The older you are, the greater the risk for getting and being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Who is at increased risk for prostate cancer?

While all men are at risk for prostate cancer, some factors increase risk:-

• Family history - Men with a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer are at greater risk for developing it themselves.

• Race - Prostate cancer is more common in some racial and ethnic groups than in others, but medical experts do not know why. Prostate cancer is more common in African men than in white men.

Is prostate cancer serious?

Some prostate cancers become a serious threat to health by growing quickly, spreading beyond the prostate gland to other parts of the body, and causing death. Yet other prostate cancers grow slowly and never become a serious threat to health or affect how long a man lives. Doctors can't always be sure what type of cancer is present in your particular case.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

• Many men with prostate cancer often have no symptoms. If symptoms appear, they can include:

• blood in the urine; the need to urinate frequently, especially at night; weak or interrupted urine flow; pain or burning feeling while urinating;

• The inability to urinate; constant pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. Keep in mind that these symptoms are also caused by other prostate problems that are not cancer, such as an infection or an enlarged prostate.

What does "screening" mean?

Screening means looking for signs of disease in people who have no symptoms. So screening for prostate cancer is looking for early-stage disease when treatment may be more effective. The main screening tools for prostate cancer are the digital rectal examination (DRE) and the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. The DRE and PSA test cannot tell if you have cancer; they can only suggest the need for further tests.

What is the DRE?

The DRE or digital (finger) rectal examination is a quick exam for checking the health of the prostate. For this test, the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum. This allows the doctor to feel the back portion of the prostate for size and any irregular or abnormally firm areas.

What is the PSA test?
PSA stands for "prostate specific antigen." PSA is a substance produced by cells from the prostate gland and released into the blood. The PSA test measures the PSA level in the blood. A small amount of blood is drawn from the arm. The doctor checks the blood to see if the PSA level is normal. The doctor may also use this test to check for any change in your PSA level compared to your last PSA test. As a rule, the higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present. But many factors, such as age and race, can affect PSA levels. Some prostate glands produce more PSA than others. PSA levels can also be affected by: certain medical procedures; an enlarged prostate; a prostate infection. Since many factors can affect PSA levels, your doctor is the best person to interpret your PSA test results.

How accurate are the screening tests?
No test is right all the time and that is true of the PSA test and DRE. The PSA test is better at suggesting that small cancers are present, especially those toward the front or sides of the prostate gland, or deep within it. But the DRE can sometimes help suggest cancers in men with normal PSA levels. That is why both the PSA test and the DRE are usually performed.

What do medical experts say about screening?
They recommend that all men who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years should be offered the PSA test and DRE annually beginning at age 50. They also recommend offering screening tests earlier to African men, and men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer.

What if the results of your screening tests indicate that you might need further testing?
Do not panic. Most men who go for further testing do not have cancer. If your PSA test or DRE suggests a problem, your doctor most likely will refer you to a urologist (a doctor who has special training in prostate-related problems). Additional testing is necessary to determine if the problem is cancer or something else. The urologist may perform a transrectal ultrasound - a small probe inserted into the rectum that bounces sound waves off the prostate, producing video image. Transrectal ultrasound does not provide enough specific information to make it a good screening tool by itself, but some doctors' find it useful as a follow up to a suspicious PSA or DRE test. If the urologist suspects cancer, tiny samples of the prostate may be removed with a needle. This is called a biopsy. A biopsy is usually performed in the urologist's office. The samples are examined under a microscope to determine if cancer cells are present.

What happens if prostate cancer is found?
No two men with prostate cancer are the same. Many factors affect the decision whether or not to treat the disease: the patient's age, whether the cancer has spread, the presence of other medical conditions, and the patient's overall health When prostate cancer has been found in its early stages and has not spread beyond the prostate, a doctor and his patient may decide upon: watchful waiting - monitoring the patient's prostate cancer by performing the PSA test and DRE regularly, and treating it only if and when the prostate cancer causes symptoms or shows signs of growing; treatment can be any of the following:-

• surgery (radical prostatectomy) - removing the prostate ;

• external radiation therapy - destroying cancer cells by directing radiation at the prostate;

• internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) - surgically placing small radioactive pellets inside or near the cancer to destroy cancer cells;

• hormone therapy - giving certain hormones to keep prostate cancer cells from growing;

• Cryotherapy - placing a special probe inside or near the prostate cancer to freeze and destroy the cancer cells. More advanced prostate cancers that have spread beyond the prostate can be complex to treat and may be incurable. Patients should discuss with their doctor the best course of action.

Do these treatments have side effects?
Side effects from prostate cancer treatment depend mainly on the type of treatment, the patient's age, and his overall health. Men can experience pain, discomfort, and other mild to severe side effects that may be temporary or may last a long time. Two important side effects are impotence and incontinence. When a doctor explains the treatment options, he or she can discuss how mild or severe side effects might be, and how long they might last. Also, a doctor may be able to perform surgery or prescribe drugs to relieve some side effects.

Source Link:- http://www.coastweek.com/3124-27.htm

Google Health News

Google Health News :-

Less than a month after Google Inc. launched Google Health, a site where consumers can store medical data online, it nabbed the first insurer to participate in the effort.

Google announced that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has agreed to let its members import personal claims data to their Google Health profiles. The move blunts some of the program's early critics, who had complained about the lack of support from insurance companies. Because insurers have claims data that spans various doctors, hospitals and pharmacies, they are often seen as a key to providing adequate data to populate personal health records (PHR) systems.

"Our members tell us they want easier and more portable access to their health care information," said Steven Fox, the insurer's vice president of provider network management, in a statement. "Having this information in one place can play an important role in managing a member's health and in helping members and their doctors make health care decisions that can improve the quality of care they receive."

Once the integration is complete, Massachusetts Blue Cross members will be able to manage all their health information at Google Health, and share it with any health care provider. Google Health allows users to store data about medical conditions, medications and past treatment online. Each time new data is added to a user's profile, the system checks for potential adverse reactions to a medication or treatment.

At its launch last month, Google Health's list of partners include Cleveland Clinic, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Walgreens, CVS Caremark and Longs Drugs, which are integrating their data with the online storage tool.

The Blue Cross integration is planned to be completed in the fall of 2008. At that time, all members of the Massachusetts insurer can access Google Health for free. To use the service, members will have to start a Google Health account and authorize the import and sharing of the claims data with Google.

source link:- http://www.computerworld.com/action
/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9097418&intsrc=hm_list

Dental News for Teeth Care

About Mercury fillings :-

The US Food and Drug Administration has sounded a warning for the first time about the mercury in amalgam dental fillings.

The FDA now says it may cause health problems for pregnant women, children and foetuses, a move hailed by one lobbyist as the most significant health story in ten years.

Clinical assistant Lynette Gaffany is about to get her amalgam fillings removed.

"Well because the mercury is toxic, it's obviously been leaking into my body," she says.

Gaffany's concern is not shared by many dentists. Amalgam has been used for over a 100 years, and still is, including here in New Zealand.

The FDA is starting to have second thoughts.

It accepted for the first time that amalgams may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of children and foetuses, and is going to review the evidence.

It is a move hailed by lobbyist John Appleton. He says he had his amalgams removed after tests showed high levels of mercury in his body.

"I think what the FDA have done is made a very brave step forward. The information on mercury has been suppressed for quite some time."

Dentist David Zimmerman quit using mercury fillings 10 years ago. He welcomes the re-opening of the debate.

"I think we should be guarded at this stage, but I think it's a substantial change in policy and I think it must be driven by something that's not trivial."

Up till now the New Zealand Dental Association has been saying amalgam fillings have not been shown to be a health threat, although it does say it is prudent for pregnant women to avoid dental surgery involving the placement or removal of fillings.

The Health Ministry is cautious.

"We'll follow the debate with interest, but at the moment we're pretty much in line with what the FDA is saying," says Robin Wyman.

Regardless of the official view, Lynette Gaffany is glad her amalgam fillings have been replaced.

"Oh, I think it's great, it'll be much better for me I think."

But like the rest of us, she will wait a year before the FDA delivers its final word on what has always been a controversial issue.

Link :- http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/HealthNews/Mercuryfillingsapotentialdanger/tabid/420/articleID/58985/cat/59/Default.aspx