Alternative Medical Treatments: Five Steps to Assure a Wise Decision

By Tim Anderson 

It's well after midnight and you can't sleep. The little Mariachi men running around inside your brain continue to taunt you with shouts of glee and rapid-fire strums of guitars. You numbly flick through television channels and a vision of beauty appears. An infomercial for an alternative insomnia treatment beckons you. Stunned, you let the remote fall from your hand and rush to grab the phone. Unfortunately, you trip over the remote control and take a headlong dive to the floor, severely spraining your wrist in the fall. Not to worry. Your toe clicked the TV station and a new, late night infomercial slowly drifts along your auditory pathways. It promises relief from sprains virtually overnight. You reach for the phone...

Is this the best way to select alternative medical treatments? Though the infomercial producers, and possibly your credit card company, will love you, there is a much better way. Alternative medical care is chosen for many reasons, including cost, the desire to avoid medication side effects and, at times, simple lack of success with traditional treatments. While we are fortunate to have access to a wide array of alternative treatments, it's critical that we choose wisely. Follow these five steps to assure you make a well-founded, thoughtful selection of alternative medical treatment.

1. Be Specific. When you begin your search for alternative treatment you should attempt to be as specific about your symptoms as possible. A "stomach ache" is going to be virtually impossible to treat. But, a sharp pain in the lower abdomen, just to the left of the centerline will help you begin your search. When you take your car to the shop you anticipate the car mechanic is likely to ask, "What's the problem?" You're ready to answer because you've thought about it and rehearsed your explanation. Give the same care and forethought to your physical symptoms before you begin your research.

2. Study Symptoms First. Before you race headlong in pursuit of a cure for what ails you, pay attention to your symptoms. Yes, the selfsame symptoms you so succinctly identified in the first step. This step serves two important purposes in your pursuit. First, this serves to confirm you are on the right track. While a tingling sensation in your toes may be your starting point, further investigation may cause you to select the neurologist over the podiatrist. It's an important distinction.

The second purpose, once you've confirmed you are correct in your assessment, is to provide an overview of current treatments. Pay particular attention to emerging treatment trends and research at this step. Knowing where the mainline medical community is moving on the treatment front gives you insight as you search for a reasonable alternative.

3. Peruse Traditional Treatments Next. Apply the knowledge you gained in the above step to fine tune your search at this stage. Above, you paid attention to traditional treatment trends and research. Narrow your focus in this step to the traditional treatments that seemed most reasonable and appealing. If you spotted research that pointed to a fresh approach, visit the providers website and track down more information.

At this step you are still laying the groundwork. Don't yield to temptation and begin your search for alternative treatments quite yet. A little time spent here offers a great deal of protection when making your final treatment choice.

4. Dive In. OK - you've been appropriately patient. You've studied your symptoms, confirmed you are correct in the specific area of your concern and educated yourself, at least on a cursory level, about the traditional medical approaches. Now, you are ready to assess the alternatives with a reasonable degree of proficiency. As an added benefit of your study, you've already begun to weed out the alternatives that are simply too far afield for your liking. All the while you studied the traditional symptom analyses and treatment options, your subconscious was hard at work storing valuable bite of medical information. Think of it as a built in quality assurance assessment tool - it will come in handy.

A special word of, not caution exactly, but due care certainly, is in order concerning personal testimonials. You've studied and, thankfully, will spot outright charlatans in a flash. However, the well intentioned but mistaken are much more difficult to identify. These are people who may have begun their search for a remedy in much the same fashion as have you. While their claims should not be summarily discarded, they should be used as starting points only. If what they claim intrigues you, terrific! Subject their claims to each step in the above process and confirm the information for yourself.

5. Ask "What If?" This is a sober question, and it applies to both traditional and alternative treatments. Once you have selected a treatment, you must ask, "What if I'm wrong?" What if the research you did online was erroneous, or the sites you relied upon less than trustworthy. What are the potential complications you face from selecting this path of treatment. For alternative methods, this may include progression of a disease that is curable by traditional means. For traditional medicine this may mean a lifetime of unwanted side effects from toxic medications.

When faced with difficult treatment choices, there is no guarantee you will make the correct decision. But, by investing some time in study and preparation, you increase your odds of success tremendously.

Now that you've done the hard work, sit back and relax. Close your eyes and let your mind wander - the Mariachis are ready to take the stage.

Tim Anderson is a freelance writer who has a special interest in medical topics. Visit his blog at http://medicalmigrant.blogspot.com/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Anderson/51108

Guided Meditation Can Help Fight Depression

By George N Anderson 

Depression can prove fatal at times. People feel depressed for various reasons, and if not treated immediately, the condition can have a permanent or at least a lasting effect on their lives.

Depression changes a person's personality and behavior in ways they never expect. Therefore, it is important that you fight depression and treat it the right way. While saints and religious people have been practicing different methods for fighting depression, some ways are not bound to any specific religion, cast, and race but are open to all.

Meditation is an extremely helpful tool that should not only be used in times of distress but also on a daily basis. This pathway can help lead towards happiness and personal progression. While meditation helps you feel good and emit a positive vibe, it is also a great solution if you are seeking relief and calmness from emotional and mental problems.

There are different forms of meditations, one of which is Sahaja. Anyone can learn this practice easily and quickly. It harnesses inner energy and improves your mental and emotional condition. Sahaja is not a new or a modern practice. In fact, it is almost a century old and now that its benefits are scientifically proven, it is more commonly used today.

Sahaja meditation originated somewhere in the East. However, its knowledge and techniques are universal so people from all parts of the world can use it for fighting depression. Sahaja offers you an experience that transforms your life for a peaceful and happy future. It helps you get rid of all the negativity. Moreover, it promotes a healthy lifestyle and ensures your wellbeing. Sahaja meditation not only helps you overcome depression but also helps you learn different ways that keep you from falling into depression again.

There are many benefits of Sahaja and zero reasons of not trying this guided meditation technique. It also helps you enhance your personality and build your confidence, allowing you to chase your dreams and goals fearlessly. It gives you a window to escapism so you can connect purely with yourself and the universe.

You can pay undivided attention to just yourself and figure out ways of getting out of various difficult situations. The great thing about Sahaja is that you don't have to break the bank for it. You don't have to spend an exorbitant sum of money on receiving treatments for your condition, and at the same time, can improve your life in ways you might not have thought possible. There are many websites that offer Sahaja guided meditations at no charge.

If you think you are mentally stressed or are struggling emotionally, you should try Sahaja meditation as an alternative option than visiting a psychiatrist or taking medications. Many people from different parts of the world with the same issues as yours are trying to seek peace and happiness through this method. This would help you connect with them, share your experiences and learn from them. In the process, you can make new friends who have been through the same situations as you and can connect with them.

George N Anderson is a blogger and online business consultant. He loves traveling, exercising, staying fit and healthy and sharing useful sites like Sahaja Online, that brings the unique experience of Sahaja meditation to people by the collective energy of thousands of meditators world-wide

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/George_N_Anderson/1746991

Working With a Mental Health Problem: Knowing One's Rights

By Barbara Odozi 

"The bravest thing I ever did was continuing my life when I wanted to die."• Juliette Lewis

The American actress's above admission aptly highlights the tussle she faced like several other people suffering from mental disorders. People with a mental health condition are often wary of disclosing their condition to the employers fearing discrimination and stereotyping. While there are laws in place for preventing biases from creeping in with regard to race, gender and disabilities, there is an implicit bias existing to this day in respect to the people with a mental health condition.

Apart from this, many employers go out of their way to ensure a suitable working environment for the people with a disability, particularly physical disabilities. However, they have not succeeded much in creating similar opportunities for mental patients. The need of the hour is to support the mentally ill join the workforce and other aspects of life.

It has been widely accepted that a steady employment is a kind of treatment in the case of people with a range of mental illnesses. Since mental patients often exhibit a range of talents and abilities, it is essential to make adequate investment in the vocational strategies particularly targeting them. This will also be in the line of the defined rights of the mentally ill patients.

With the growth in awareness about mental illnesses, many offices nowadays staff full-time counselors and offer online chat services to address common mental health related problems, such as stress, anxiety and depression, all the while maintaining the privacy of the employee. Some of the legal rights safeguarding the rights of the people with mental illnesses have been discussed in this article.

Legal rights to protect from discrimination

Whether it is with regard to the right of being treated with respect and dignity or the right to receive remuneration and services as per one's entitlement, there are laws to ensure that any employee with a mental illness is not discriminated on any of these levels because of their condition.

• Workplace privacy rights: This set of rights disbars an employer from enquiring about a person's medical condition, including mental health. One is entitled to reveal his or her condition only when he or she wants to access the benefits as defined by the law.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Though certain antisocial tendencies, such as kleptomania, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, etc., have been excluded from the ambit of this law, most mental health conditions, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia, have been included. The Act was passed in 1990 and has injunctions against any kind of discrimination based on physical and mental disability in workplace, government services, etc.
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): As per this Act, certain employees can take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid but job-protected leave during a 12-month period for a host of conditions, including for taking care of a child or spouse with a serious health condition that can either be a physical or mental illness.
• Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA): This Act provides tooth to the government-based bodies, jails, prisons, state- or locally-run mental health facilities or developmental disability and mental retardation facilities, etc. to arrest problems related to abuse, neglect, and rehabilitation.

On the ground of the existing bias, implicit or explicit, and stereotypes with regard to mental health conditions, an employer cannot decide whether a person can perform a task as per the requirement. Moreover, the employer on the basis of the laws mentioned above cannot claim that the employee concerned is a safety risk to others.

It is necessary for the employer to provide substantial evidence for any kind of changes in the work and role of the employee suffering from mental illness. The evidence should be led by reason and objective in nature and not be hearsay. An employee with a mental health condition is well within his or her rights when he or she refuses to divulge information about his or her condition.

There are few instances when he or she would be required to provide information about his or her mental condition:

• The grant of a reasonable accommodation to enable a person with mental illness to do his or her job in the best possible manner, including work from home possibilities.
• Mandatory for all employees to share information related to mental health.
• Reliable evidence to corroborate that the employee concerned poses a security risk because of his or her condition.

For most conditions that are "substantially limiting," or wherein a person is incapacitated because of his or her disorder from fulfilling his or her work to his or her optimum capacity, a reasonable accommodation can be sought. Most mental health conditions, such as major depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and OCD, come under the category of "substantially limiting." Therefore, depending on the nature of employment, one could either work from home or seek flexible work environment and timings.

Dealing with mental illness

With proper medication, counseling and therapy, it is possible to keep at bay some of the far-reaching and life-disruptive symptoms of a mental health condition that could interfere with the rigors of employment.

The Colorado Mental Health Help is a useful online resource to assist people with disorders like anxiety, depression find the right residential mental health treatment centers. You can call us at 24/7 helpline 866-899-5063 for information on the inpatient mental health treatment centers.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Barbara_Odozi/2218626

Tips For Purchasing Diabetes Medical Supplies Online

By Blake Quintero

Generally, diabetes is considered as a lifelong affliction. To optimally manage this medical condition, you would be required to do certain changes in your lifestyle. If you are one of the millions of people suffering from diabetes, then it is mandatory to monitor your blood sugar regularly and be on proper diet. Diabetes medical supplies are essential to treat your diabetes. But, getting all your necessary diabetes medical supplies to keep your diabetes in control is not an easy job. The emergence of online medical supply stores has the made the task a breeze. Now, you can buy all your diabetic medical supplies simply by sitting at your home. There is no need to run from one drug store to another for the purpose.

Buying diabetes medical supplies online is the best way, not only to shop at irresistible prices, but it also keeps you abreast of the latest and the most technologically advanced diabetes medical products available in the market. It would be amazing to buy all advanced diabetes medical products online, even before your local pharmacies have them in stock. In addition to this, the prices of your diabetes medical supplies are more competitive in online stores, when compared to the local drug stores, even due consideration is given to shipping and processing charges.

Continue reading to know some useful tips on how to buy your diabetes medicines online.

Before purchasing diabetes supplies online, you need to determine a diabetes treatment plan with the consultation of your doctor. The doctor would clearly prescribe the diabetes supplies you need. Prepare a list of the required supplies and know how often you use them. There are a wide variety of medical supply stores online. Not every web store is safe and secure. Choose the reliable medical supplier for a hassle-free shopping experience.

Check out whether the website has the third party SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate. This is to ensure all the data communications between you and the online medical supply company is securely encrypted before your personal information gets sent through cyberspace in between. Do not reveal all your personal information to the website.

Check for "https" in the address field of your internet browser. This is yet another way to assure that you are dealing with a secure server. Find out that the diabetes online supplier company give you different payment options. They should not only accept major credit cards, but also entertain the use of online banking systems, such as Paypal or Google checkout.

Purchase diabetes medical supplies from online companies that maintain 24/7 customer service center. You should be able to reach them in case of any clarifications. They should have help desk personnel, so that they can be easily reached through email, chat, or phone. Check the shipping policies of the particular medical supplier. Read the customer reviews of the online supplier as well as the diabetic medical product you have decided to purchase.

Author resource Text: Hope, these tips would be of great use while you are planning to shop for the quality diabetic supplies. Pay proper attention in choosing a medical supply store, after all it is a matter of your life.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Blake_Quintero/385958

Medical Assistant Online - Another Way to Start a Medical Career

By Tony Tevo 

A medical assistant aids physicians in the care and treatment of their patients. Many of these professionals choose this job because they love working with and helping people, and want a career that allows them to apply a personal approach. Given the fact that the need for medical assistants is expected to grow significantly over the next ten years, individuals who pursue a career in this field are likely to benefit from a good deal of job security.

In order to meet the requirements to become a medical assistant, students typically enroll in an approved and accredited program that prepares them for certification. Enrolling in an accredited medical assistant's school is important for a number of reasons, especially when you consider that many certifying organizations will only grant credentials to individuals who graduate from approved institutions.

Medical assistant schools offer courses on many topics including areas like medical terminology, medical office management, anatomy, and physiology. The goal of these courses is to teach students everything that they will need to know in order to pass their certification exam and perform at an acceptable level when employed. For example, medical terminology courses educate students and prepare them to interpret and apply the medical words, definitions, and abbreviations commonly used in the workplace; while anatomy courses teach the students about the structure of the human body.

In addition to traditional course work, medical assistant students also participate in clinical and laboratory procedures that teach them to read and collect vital signs from patients, measure patient weight and height, administer medications, classify drugs and their side effects, maintain medication/immunization records, and learn to correctly use the Physician's Desk Reference. The curriculum also instructs students on the proper method for describing the functions of common lab tests, how to draw blood from patients for testing, how to identify the parts of a microscope, and the proper way to prepare a culture for testing.

While there are many traditional universities and schools that offer medical assistant programs, often students opt to train for their new career as a medical assistant online. There are numerous online schools with programs that prepare students for the certifications needed to secure sound employment as a medical assistant. Online courses provide students with broader learning opportunities than traditional schools, mostly because students have the flexibility to study and do course work at their convenience. Online learning is typically less expensive than traditional colleges and universities as well. As a result, online courses are an excellent choice for students who have family responsibilities or for those who need to work while continuing their education.

The process of training for a career in medical assisting is much shorter than those of many nursing programs. For someone who wants to work in the medical field but would rather not pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing or a physician's degree, medical assistant schools are an excellent choice. This career choice gives the student the ability to work in a physician's office setting without the years of education that is required for other medical field related careers.

You can learn more about medical assisting and even more about becoming a medical assistant online [http://www.medicalassistantonline.net/] at [http://www.medicalassistantonline.net/].

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tony_Tevo/403421

Ideas for Purchasing Medical Supplies Online

By Blake Quintero 

A medical condition may be temporary or permanent. Depending on the case medical supplies need to be stocked at home to attend to your medical needs. Medical supplies can be as simple as cotton, gauze, plasters, bandage to sophisticated supplies like walkers, chair lifts, bathroom aids, bed railing and so on. Most of the hospitals and health care units stress the need for home care once the primary treatment is done and for this the patient must be equipped with the best of home medical supplies to recover quickly. This is the reason why buying home medical equipment online has become a smarter option. With little effort, all the supplies you need can be ordered from home by using your computer and internet.

While you start the purchase of medical equipment online, it is advised that you consult the doctor about the medical supplies you may need at home for quick recovery. Most of the medical supplies are covered by insurance but it would be a wiser option to consult your insurance provider to clarify the issues before hand. For rehabilitation it is best to call the expert for a home visit and get things organised. Suppose the disability is of temporary in nature it is best to hire the supplies than to invest in equipment that is beyond your reach. Once you have decided on what you need, then it is easy to buy them online.

When it comes to online medical stores the choice is abundant. Sitting at the comforts of your home you can get your supplies delivered at your door step. All you need to do is search for the supplies on their website and if found available check out the terms and complete the transaction. Within no time you will find them shipped to you in perfect condition. During testing time online medical supply vendors are of invaluable help. They have comprehensive range of supplies that too from a wide ambit of brands and excellent quality products that are worth the money spent.

Whether it is an accident or a serious illness one cannot do away with hospitalisation and later home care. In the former all the issues are taken care of by the hospital but in the latter case it is the responsibility of the patient and family to create a post discharge medical care at home. This is when a number of medical supplies will be needed. Without compromising on quality and price all this can be bought from online medical equipment stores.

Online stores offer great discounts that are not available offline. More and more people have turned to online medical supply stores for their range and prompt service.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Blake_Quintero/385958

Patients Increasingly Are Seeking Medical Information Online

By David L Greene 

As of 2011, over 75% of the US population uses the internet. Eighty percent of these internet users are looking up health information online. Almost 20% of internet users have also gone online to look for others with similar medical problems.

Sixty percent of internet users for medical information think the information is either the same or better than the information received from their own doctor. Interesting enough, of those folks using the internet for health information, almost 60% of them did not discuss this information with their doctor.

What are patients looking at exactly? First and foremost they are looking at information related to their own condition around the web. This may include diagnostic options, treatment side effects, and for second opinions. Also, they may be looking up their doctor and his/her practice specifically for reputation.

Keep in mind that any person with a computer and a website or blog may place health information on the internet. It's not extremely difficult. What can be very difficult, however, is for the average consumer to delineate fact from fiction when reading through all of this material.

Additionally, there is no standard grading reference to ensure information online is of the highest integrity.

Regardless of this possibility, the fact that so much health information is available online allows consumers to become much more educated in their condition(s). They can participate more fully in treatment decisions and become actively engaged in their outcomes, After all, knowledge is power.

Health information from national medical societies can generally be trusted, such as the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, etc. These are safe. However, if one is looking for medical information on groundbreaking technologies such as regenerative medicine, those sites are typically conservative.

Most medical journals are available online now, however to get full text one typically needs a subscription. Abstracts, which are concise summaries of research, are readily available online so if that's all that is necessary they are everywhere.

Most practices have a website these days and the better ones will have a blog or an educational component to them. Some have animated videos or narrated ones which can provide valuable information. Most procedures are widely discussed on the internet and one may see information from doctors along with patient experiences.

Patients more and more are seeking knowledge online, and the new reality is doctors can either contribute and embrace this phenomenon, or resist and have their pateints pass them by.

David L. Greene, MD, Phoenix, AZ is CEO of Preferred Pain Center which serves the Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ metropolitan and surrounding areas. He can be reached at dgreene@preferredpaincenter.com and (602) 507-6550.

Preferred Pain Center is a Comprehensive Arizona Pain Clinic including Medical and Interventional Pain Management, Chiropractor Phoenix Treatment, Physical Therapy, Spinal Decompression Therapy,and Manipulation Under Anesthesia.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_L_Greene/684777

Finding Medical Help Online

By Andre Zayas  

Everyone will have some medical issues at some point in their lives. Some of these issues are more serious than others. However, regardless of the seriousness of the ailment, a person will generally seek out information on their condition and ways in which they can get rid of their medical issues. Some people do not like to go to the doctor or do not have the resources to be able to see a doctor immediately. In these cases, they may choose to utilize online medical advice to help them until they can see a medical professional in person.

One of the most common issues with those who may need medical attention is a lack of insurance or money for a co-payment. A hospital is required to treat any patient regardless of ability to pay. However, simply going to the emergency room for every little ailment can become quite expensive. Though the hospital cannot turn anyone away, they will send a bill without regard to your ability to pay. Therefore, many who cannot afford to seek medical attention can benefit from seeking out online medical advice.

Another main reason why a person might use online medical advice is to become informed on medical conditions that they may be suffering from. There are those who do not like to go to the doctor without being armed with information about their ailment. Many doctors have a tendency to talk over their patients' heads using complicated medical terms to describe their diagnosis. Using a website can help a person to better understand what their doctor will tell them about their ailment. Online medical advice can also be used as a second opinion when a patient wishes to get another interpretation of their diagnosis.

Even when one makes use of online medical advice, it can still be important to follow up with a regular doctor. Determining a self diagnosis is not fool proof. Symptoms can often be misinterpreted resulting in an inaccurate diagnosis and subsequently, mistreatment. Not having the proper treatment can result in further problems. It is important, when using online medical advice, to make sure that you are using a reputable source to help reduce the risk of a misdiagnosis.

One of the most important aspects of trying to get a diagnosis from the comfort of your own home through online medical advice is to make a careful list of all of your symptoms. Symptoms are the only way in which an ailment can properly be diagnosed. Leaving any symptoms out or misrepresenting them can cause a poor diagnosis. Even a doctor that one visits in person will want to know every symptom that you have been experiencing in order to determine the proper diagnosis.

No one likes to become ill or suffer from a serious medical condition. However, medical conditions affect millions of people each day. How you deal with an ailment will help to determine how much you will suffer and how well you will be able to manage it. Using online medical advice can help you to determine what ailment you are suffering from as well as possible treatments and your overall outlook in terms of recovery. Whether you are afraid to go to the doctor, cannot afford to or just want a quick answer, a medical advice website can help you on your journey to a healthier life.

Andre Zayas is a professionally syndicated author. Online Medical Advice

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andre_Zayas/131238

How Mobile Apps Are Contributing to Modern-Day Healthcare Facilities

By Rob Stephen 

In this fast-paced technology era, almost all businesses want to gain computer or mobiles advantages to bring more efficiencies in their services and attain lucrative profits. Owing to the latest outstretched of mobile apps, now medical professionals and healthcare institutions are seeking to use them as a tool for augmenting the performance and service facilities of their clinics and cater to the needs of patients anytime easily and seamlessly. With Android and iOS applications already transposing finance, entertainment, retail, travel/tourism and education sectors in the first place, it's obvious that this dominant app economy will be also influencing the healthcare businesses exceptionally. So, for those wondering how mobile apps are playing a transformatory role in the healthcare province, here's the illustration for it.

Offering easy search facilities

It's really exhausting for the patients and their families to find an appropriate and reliable doctor in the proximity who can provide treatment and remedies for a specific health problem. Apps went a long way in easing this tiresome journey of finding a good doctor for the patients as they can login into the app to search for doctors and clinics of different categories in their locality, view their ratings, reviews from visited patients and at eventually book their own appointments.

Getting doctor's appointments in a click

Some apps were initiated just by the concern of health care institutions to facilitate online appointments of their designated doctors for every patient. Such apps are a greater initiative to help people with 24*7 medical support, from the convenience of their iPhones and smartphones. Over the apps, patients can register to talk with doctors, express their health concerns and ask prior questions and get answered for the same. Thus, such apps came as a great relief for patients who possibly could not reach a doctor when in need.

Enhanced patient care

Along with healthcare apps which are customised to help people with diet charts, fitness tracking, sleep time notifications, there came many other apps to directly contribute to the wellness of the ailing ones. For the patients diagnosed with some diseases, these apps came along as an easy way to track and record their health progress through the basic parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, sugar level and many other.

Major improvements in patient's safety

The power of digital apps in revolutionising any business or approach can never be understated. Clearly, in health sector too, they brought some contextual transformation and changed the way people engage with health care systems. Such apps made healthcare more safe by empowering the patients to manage their treatments. They can keep their personal medical test records, update them timely with every stage of treatment and share them with their doctors digitally before future visits. This helps doctors to get an idea of patient's condition prior to their appointments and prescribe actions and medicines more carefully.

Concluding Note

When the whole world has come under the grasp of digital applications, failing to keep your business in pace with them will be surely your own failure. There's no doubt that digital healthcare apps are making significant marks in delivering out-of-the-box patient care services. From scheduling appointments, monitoring medication progress to assisting the physicians to plan treatment of their patients with real-time medical records, they are radically changing the delivery of healthcare services.

Rob Stephen is a reliable mobile app developer adept at all major OS platforms, working at GetAProgrammer, one of the visionary company for customised Android and iPhone mobile application development, headquartered in Sydney.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rob_Stephen/2369700

What Is Pre-Diabetes?

By Danielle VenHuizen 

Most of us have heard plenty about Type 2 Diabetes. It is a serious condition causing abnormal elevations in blood glucose levels. Type 2 Diabetes now affects over 29 million Americans and is costing the healthcare system over $300 billion annually.

The cause of Type 2 Diabetes is multifactorial. A high BMI with an unhealthy diet is often the main culprit, but genetics may play a role as well. Over time, diabetes leads to a host of other diseases, which is where the most considerable health damage is done. These include conditions such as neuropathies, heart disease, stroke, infections, and poor wound healing.

In terms of diagnosis, your doctor will sound the diabetes warning bell if you have an HbA1c above 6.5 and a fasting blood sugar over 125. Treatment often begins with drugs (Metformin is usually the first option) and diet and lifestyle recommendations.

But... now more frequently we are hearing about what is termed Pre-Diabetes. Yikes, another type of diabetes? Well, sort of, but not exactly. Pre-diabetes is basically the beginning stages of blood sugar irregularities. It is a critical point where we can catch people before they become full diabetic and in many cases even reverse the progression. It is important that we all get a better understanding of this condition so we can combat the rising rates and healthcare costs of diabetes. To that end let's review the definition of pre-diabetes, the associated health risks, and effective preventative measures.

We already reviewed the diagnostic criteria for diabetes. For pre-diabetes, the ranges are just slightly lower. If your fasting blood sugar is running anywhere from 100-125 and your A1c comes back anywhere from 5.7 to 6.4, you will likely be labeled as pre-diabetic. This puts you at significant risk for diabetes within the next 4-10 years unless steps are taken to return your blood sugar to an ideal range.

This is where I would ask, if you happen to have them on hand or online, to go check your labs. Seriously, go check them! See where your fasting blood glucose is at and determine if you've had a recent A1c. The reason being? Many doctors are not diagnosing pre-diabetes. Studies have shown we have an under-diagnosis problem in this country when it comes to pre-diabetes. I've seen many clients in my office with pre-diabetic numbers and yet no one told them they were pre-diabetic. So yes, go check.

It is so valuable to know this information because pre-diabetes is EASY to treat with diet and lifestyle change. The studies show that diet and lifestyle are the number one way to reduce blood sugar numbers in pre-diabetic patients. Once you progress to full diabetes the chance of returning to normal blood glucose is much, much harder. NOW is the time to take action and correct.

If you are pre-diabetic and want to take steps now to avoid becoming diabetic, here are a few of the researched ways to get those numbers back under control.

DIET

Not surprisingly, diet of course is the primary area to address. From the research we see that that reducing carbohydrates helps immensely, as does decreasing overall calorie intake such that weight loss occurs. When diet and weight loss are tackled together, blood sugar begins going in the right direction as well. What kind of diet you ask? Multiple studies show the Mediterranean diet is a very helpful roadmap for an overall healthy diet. Thankfully multiple books, cookbooks, websites, and blogs have been devoted to this way of eating. Another similar approach is the anti-inflammatory diet. In both cases, think fruits, veggies, lean protein (especially fish), nuts, seeds and legumes... you get the idea.

WEIGHT LOSS

As alluded to, weight loss is extremely important in normalizing blood glucose levels. In many studies they have found weight loss to be the most important factor in reducing diabetes risk. The theory is that being overweight increases inflammation in the body. Once the weight comes off and the inflammation subsides, blood glucose begins to return to normal. Of course diet is always interwoven with weight loss, so likely the diet plus the decrease in weight is working together. Whatever the cause, include modest weight loss in your plan and you should see results.

EXERCISE

Naturally we cannot talk about diet and weight loss without including exercise. Exercise helps support weight loss which we know improves blood glucose. Apart from helping with the weight, exercise also helps improve insulin sensitivity and increase metabolism, all of which help us clear sugar from the bloodstream more efficiently. It also supports a healthy heart and improves circulation, both of which are negatively impacted by high blood sugar.

DRUGS

In some cases, drugs are employed to help in the pre-diabetic state. If diet and lifestyle changes just aren't working, or maybe you are at a place where you cannot implement these changes, doctors may prescribe drugs such as Metformin to support healthy blood glucose levels and slow the progression towards diabetes. Of course diet and lifestyle change remains paramount components, but drugs can often work in conjunction with other treatments when necessary.

SUPPLEMENTS

As you are likely well aware, there are many supplements on the market for diabetes. They are often marketed for pre-diabetes as well. Some of the ones you may have heard of include cinnamon, alpha lipoic acid, chromium and Omega 3's. All of these have shown some promise in various studies conducted. While they can help support improved glycemic control, remember that diet and lifestyle changes are always the most important. Never rely on supplements as your primary means of blood glucose control. They show modest results at best. Like medications, they can be helpful in conjunction with changes in diet, exercise and weight control.

Hopefully this review gave you a quick glimpse into pre-diabetes and a better understanding of where you stand in terms of blood sugar health. Like I mentioned, always review your labs and be keep tabs of where you are at. While doctors are very knowledgeable, sometimes they miss these early stages of disease where small changes now can lead to big decreases in risk later. Take control of your health and be on top of your numbers.

Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RD, CLT is a Registered Dietitian who helps her clients achieve health and vitality through food, not pharmaceuticals. She specializes in working with food sensitivities, Diabetes, Cardiovascular health, Digestive Disorders, and healthy pregnancies. For more expert health advice visit her blog at http://www.FoodSense.net

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