What GREEN TEA Can Do?

The bacteria lurking in your mouth could be doing more than just keeping people away.  Mouth bacteria not only leads to tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath, it can actually trigger a heart attack. 

Researchers found that the same bacteria that leads to gum disease can cause blood clots, abnormal heart beat, and the makings of a heart attack.  Since there are billions of bacteria in the mouth, the risks are pretty hard to swallow.  

Fortunately, new studies have found that green tea fights bacteria, including those that cause strep throat and tooth decay. 

Tea is a healthful beverage. The custom of drinking tea with meals in the Orient is considered to be a major reason for the low cancer rate in the region. Tea is high in tannins, which have numerous protective benefits for the body (their presence in red wine may be responsible for the French Paradox the phenomenon that allows French wine drinkers to remain healthy despite a high-fat diet). These powerful antioxidants, called polyphenols, protect the body from harmful free radicals.

There are two major types of tea: green tea and black tea. They are from the same plant, but black tea is fermented to develop a richer flavor and color. Because green tea is not fermented like black tea, it contains one-third less caffeine, and a much higher concentration of polyphenols. Polyphenols constitute 15?30% of unfermented dried green tea, and most of its soluble portion. Tea has demonstrated many benefits in scientific studies, such as:

---Antioxidant activity, including protection from cancer and heart disease.
---Cholesterol reduction
---Blood pressure reduction
---Antibacterial and antiviral activity

Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors From the Health Care Providers.
Medical errors are one of the Nation's leading causes of death and injury.This post tells what you can do in this matter.

 What are Medical Errors?
Medical errors happen when something that was planned as a part of medical care doesn't work out, or when the wrong plan was used in the first place. Medical errors can occur anywhere in the health care system:

-Hospitals.
-Clinics.
-Outpatient Surgery Centers.
-Doctors' Offices.
-Nursing Homes.
-Pharmacies.
-Patients' Homes.

Errors can involve:

-Medicines.
-Surgery.
-Diagnosis.
-Equipment.
-Lab reports.

They can happen during even the most routine tasks, such as when a hospital patient on a salt-free diet is given a high-salt meal.
Most errors result from problems created by today's complex health care system. But errors also happen when doctors and their patients have problems communicating. For example, a recent study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that doctors often do not do enough to help their patients make informed decisions. Uninvolved and uninformed patients are less likely to accept the doctor's choice of treatment and less likely to do what they need to do to make the treatment work.

What Can You Do? Be Involved in Your Health Care.
1.   The single most important way you can help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your health care team.

That means taking part in every decision about your health care. Research shows that patients who are more involved with their care tend to get better results. Some specific tips, based on the latest scientific evidence about what works best, follow.

Medicines
2.   Make sure that all of your doctors know about everything you are taking. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

At least once a year, bring all of your medicines and supplements with you to your doctor. "Brown bagging" your medicines can help you and your doctor talk about them and find out if there are any problems. It can also help your doctor keep your records up to date, which can help you get better quality care.

3.   Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had to medicines.

This can help you avoid getting a medicine that can harm you.

4.   When your doctor writes you a prescription, make sure you can read it.

If you can't read your doctor's handwriting, your pharmacist might not be able to either.

5.   Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand—both when your medicines are prescribed and when you receive them.

--What is the medicine for?
--How am I supposed to take it, and for how long?
--What side effects are likely? What do I do if they occur?
--Is this medicine safe to take with other medicines or dietary supplements I am taking?
--What food, drink, or activities should I avoid while taking this medicine?

6.   When you pick up your medicine from the pharmacy, ask: Is this the medicine that my doctor prescribed?

A study by the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences found that 88 percent of medicine errors involved the wrong drug or the wrong dose.

7.   If you have any questions about the directions on your medicine labels, ask.

Medicine labels can be hard to understand. For example, ask if "four doses daily" means taking a dose every 6 hours around the clock or just during regular waking hours.

8.   Ask your pharmacist for the best device to measure your liquid medicine. Also, ask questions if you're not sure how to use it.

Research shows that many people do not understand the right way to measure liquid medicines. For example, many use household teaspoons, which often do not hold a true teaspoon of liquid. Special devices, like marked syringes, help people to measure the right dose. Being told how to use the devices helps even more.

9.   Ask for written information about the side effects your medicine could cause.

If you know what might happen, you will be better prepared if it does—or, if something unexpected happens instead. That way, you can report the problem right away and get help before it gets worse. A study found that written information about medicines can help patients recognize problem side effects and then give that information to their doctor or pharmacist.

Hospital Stays

10.   If you have a choice, choose a hospital at which many patients have the procedure or surgery you need.

Research shows that patients tend to have better results when they are treated in hospitals that have a great deal of experience with their condition.

11.   If you are in a hospital, consider asking all health care workers who have direct contact with you whether they have washed their hands.

Handwashing is an important way to prevent the spread of infections in hospitals. Yet, it is not done regularly or thoroughly enough. A recent study found that when patients checked whether health care workers washed their hands, the workers washed their hands more often and used more soap.

12.   When you are being discharged from the hospital, ask your doctor to explain the treatment plan you will use at home.

This includes learning about your medicines and finding out when you can get back to your regular activities. Research shows that at discharge time, doctors think their patients understand more than they really do about what they should or should not do when they return home.

Surgery

13.   If you are having surgery, make sure that you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree and are clear on exactly what will be done.

Doing surgery at the wrong site (for example, operating on the left knee instead of the right) is rare. But even once is too often. The good news is that wrong-site surgery is 100 percent preventable. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges its members to sign their initials directly on the site to be operated on before the surgery.

Other Steps You Can Take

14.   Speak up if you have questions or concerns.

You have a right to question anyone who is involved with your care.

15.   Make sure that someone, such as your personal doctor, is in charge of your care.

This is especially important if you have many health problems or are in a hospital.

16.   Make sure that all health professionals involved in your care have important health information about you.

Do not assume that everyone knows everything they need to.

17.   Ask a family member or friend to be there with you and to be your advocate (someone who can help get things done and speak up for you if you can't).

Even if you think you don't need help now, you might need it later.

18.   Know that "more" is not always better.

It is a good idea to find out why a test or treatment is needed and how it can help you. You could be better off without it.

19.   If you have a test, don't assume that no news is good news.

Ask about the results.

20.   Learn about your condition and treatments by asking your doctor and nurse and by using other reliable sources.

 Ask your doctor if your treatment is based on the latest evidence.

What are Warts

Warts may occur on their own or in clusters. There are many different types including:

They're caused by a viral infection in the skin cells. The virus is called the human papilloma virus (HPV) - there are more than 100 types of HPV.

Warts are common and all children are vulnerable, but children with immune system problems may have an increased risk. The virus is present throughout the environment and is infectious, but the risk of catching them from public places is now debatable.

Each wart forms a small lump, but sometimes multiple warts fuse together to form a mosaic. Common warts are rarely painful, but plane warts may be itchy.

Verrucas form round areas in the skin, often with a central dark spot. They may be painful when pressure is applied.

Most warts disappear without treatment after a few months or years - 20 per cent of growths disappear within three months. Their duration is influenced by changes in the body's resistance to the HPV virus.

Warts and verrucas only need treatment if they're painful or are a cosmetic problem. A number of treatments can be applied at home, including a combination of salicylic acid paint and rubbing with a pumice stone or foot scraper. Stronger treatments can be obtained from a chiropodist or doctor.

Talk to your doctor if a wart doesn't respond to simple treatment or disappear after a while.

Other treatments your GP may recommend include laser or cryotherapy (freezing), or surgical curettage to scrape warts out. These treatments are quite effective, but may need to be repeated. Very resistant warts can be injected with toxic chemicals.

Shaving does not cause hair to grow back faster, darker or coarser. “Shaving is just a method of cutting the hair at the skin surface and has no effect on the part of the hair shaft below the skin surface, which is where growth and pigmentation occur” . “Although the hair may seem to grow faster after shaving, this is just an illusion: a small amount of growth on a clean-shaven face is much more noticeable than a small amount of growth on a bearded face. Likewise, the blunt, stubbly ends of new growth can give the illusion of darker, coarser hair.”

Eating too many carrots, or other foods high in beta-carotene, can cause a condition called carotenemia. “High levels of beta-carotene can cause a yellowish discoloration of the skin, most noticeable on the palms and soles. Unlike jaundice, though, carotenemia does not cause yellowing of the whites of the eyes. Carotenemia is usually seen in young children, is not toxic and generally does not cause other health problems. The treatment is a low-carotene diet, but it may take several months for the skin to return to its normal color. But don’t substitute tomatoes for your carrots! Too many tomatoes can cause a yellow-orange discoloration of the skin called lycopenemia, due to the accumulation of lycopene in the tissues. The treatment for lycopenemia is also dietary modification.”

As a rule, you cannot damage your eyes by using them, according to Nicola Kim, M.D., an assistant professor of ophthalmology at UAMS’ Jones Eye Institute. “There are a few specific exceptions, like looking directly into sunlight and laser light, but other than this, reading in dim or bright light will not change the health or function of your eyes. It may feel more difficult to focus if the lighting is suboptimal, but this has no permanent effect on the structure of your eyes. In addition, any challenging visual activity will generally decrease a person’s blink rate and lead to discomfort from drying. This is obviously temporary and easily treated with lubricating eyedrops. Likewise, sitting too close or too far from the TV will also have no permanent effect on your vision.”