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Health Department

Case Study – Eating Disorders and Nutritional Needs

Although eating disorders have been around for as long as there have been humans, the extensive research on them has existed for only about thirty years. It is known that there is a distinct and definitive correlation between a diagnosis of depression in the early to late teen years and the development of eating disorders. The three eating disorders that are most commonly studied and/or diagnosed are anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating.
The debate over whether or not obesity should be considered an eating disorder continues; while it is now considered a disease in and of itself, obesity may also become classified as an eating disorder and treated as both a psychological disorder in addition to being a physical problem. For now, it is a medical disorder, as well as a risk factor for a number of serious conditions, but not an eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is diagnosed when a person (predominantly females) refuses to allow her body to be over 85% of the weight that is normal for her height. Psychologically, the person who is diagnosed with anorexia is obsessed with weight and body image and rigidly monitors everything that goes into his or her mouth at every moment, even counting out the calories in the toothpaste that they might use that day. The DSM-IV-TR, the diagnostic tool for the mental health field, has these criteria for diagnosing anorexia nervosa:
– Unable or unwilling to keep body weight at or above 85% of the normal level
– Intense fear of gaining weight or, more importantly, of becoming fat when they are obviously and dangerously underweight
– Obsession with weight and body image to the point of detriment to the self esteem
– The absence of three menstrual cycles in a row
Some anorexics will spend hours exercising, even when they are exhausted and their muscles are hurting. They may not be sleeping correctly and many of them will have heart problems as a result of their extreme weight loss.
Warning Signs:
– Preoccupation with food, eating or dieting
– Compulsive or excessive exercising
– Negative self esteem
– Withdrawal from friends and family, especially if the social event will involve food
– A complete loss of menstruation
– Intolerance to cold temperatures
Bulimia
The bulimic will eat, either a small amount or a large amount, and then compensate for the calories that they have consumed by either exercising too much, taking laxatives or making themselves vomit. The typical cycle is binge and purge, where the bulimic will eat huge amounts of food, often more than a full day’s worth of calories at a single sitting, and then will vomit immediately. If vomiting becomes problematic, laxatives might be used.
Diagnostic Criteria
– Consumption of large amounts of food, or a total lack of control during the eating cycle
– Recurrent behavior of trying to compensate for the eating/overeating.
– Binge eating and compensatory behaviors at least twice a week for at least a three month period
– Self evaluation that is overly influenced by weight and body shape
– Bulimic behavior that does not occur only during episodes of anorexia
(DSM-IV-TR)
Like anorexia, the presence of depression tends to increase the likelihood of developing an eating disorder. The group that is most affected by this eating disorder is adolescent Caucasian females who are also more likely to abuse diet pills and laxatives.
Binge Eating
Binging is different from the other two eating disorders in that there is no effort to lose weight, no obsessive compulsion to exercise and no supreme need to exercise after eating. The binge can be compulsive snacking that happens mindlessly all day long or can be a huge meal that encompasses a full day’s worth of calories in a single sitting. If this happens continually, the metabolism will slow and eventually stop working altogether, leading to weight gain. Because stress is a major factor for binge eating, the weight gain alone is enough to trigger another binge episode, leading to a vicious cycle of stress, binging, stress, binging, etc.
Other risk factors for binge eating include:
– Stressful situations
– Specific upsetting thoughts
– Feeling guilty about something one has done
– Feeling socially excluded or isolated
– Worries about problems, the future or responsibilities
– Boredom
Recovery Possibilities
After five to ten years, half of those who were treated for bulimia had recovered, 30% had relapsed at least once and 20% were still diagnostically considered bulimic. Those who had double diagnoses, specifically substance abuse and bulimia, were the least likely to have full and meaningful recoveries.
Three Eating Disorders, Three Women
Elaine was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at the age of 20 and has been in counseling for about a year. She has slowly regained some of her weight, but has relapsed several …

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Health Gov

Dental Care – Improving Your Smile With Dental Professionals Who Care

If you are in need of a professional dental team that will provide you with the care, experience, and expertise you need whether the need is cosmetic on general dentistry, call the offices of a dental practice that has been practicing in the field for many years. You are also going to want to choose a dentist that provides you with excellent customer service for all the members of your family so you could establish a long lasting relationship with your dentist team.
Your dentist team may also play a significant part in providing you with the educational information you and your family needs about the importance of regular visits to the dentists. They may explain that the ADA (The American Dental Association) recommends that you visit your dentist at least once every six months for a professional cleaning and exam.
If you have experienced a cracked or broken tooth, you can ask your dentist about the benefits of getting crowns. This type of dental care includes a crown being placed on the tooth that is hurting. They may even offer you the chance to listen to your favorite music through their stereo headphones so you can relax. This type of procedure is used for a variety of reasons to include covering an old, large filling, to cover a tooth damaged by decay, and at times to cover a fractured tooth. This type of dental procedure can also be used for cosmetic purposes to cover poorly shaped or discolored teeth. You can call or schedule a consultation to learn how this procedure can benefit your situation and how many visits it will take to complete the entire process. Additional dental care services you might receive from an experience dentist office include:
– Bonding
– Bridges
– Help for Tooth Grinding
– Oral cancer
– Inlays and onlays
– Root Canal Treatments
– Tooth eruption
– Veneers
– Emergencies
– Tooth Whitening
– Implants
– and much more
Check out a dentist that will provide you with dental care services to include fillings, cosmetic procedures, and traditional cleanings and oral check-ups. All of these services can help with the functionality and oral health needs of your entire family. With the innovations in dentistry today such as ultrasonic cleanings, non-surgical gum care, and porcelain restorations, there really is no reason you cannot have a fully functioning as well as beautiful smile. Schedule an appointment with those in dental care with the compassion and commitment to give patients what they want and need.…

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Health Facts

What Is The Single Most Important Factor In Losing Weight?

Turn on the television, browse through a magazine, look at the shelves of your local pharmacy, and you’re inundated with quick fixes to any potential weight problem. It doesn’t matter what the approach is, or who the experts sponsoring it are, the claims are the same: stick to this approach for a short time and you will see results.
Some diets aim to strike all carbohydrates from your diet, filling you up on only protein. Others provide simple instructions to drink some of your calories, and you’ll stop feeling hungry through the majority of the day. Other people swear by eating cabbage soup (or some other specific food) as a way to shed the pounds.
Regardless of the fad, all such approaches share the same inherent flaw – the fact that they’re all diets. The idea of a diet is straight forward: eat specific “good” foods and restrict yourself from “bad” foods. The problem is that at some point (whether it’s in a week, a month, or a few hours) “bad” foods will fall back on your plate. Any progress made will be quickly reversed.
Think back to every diet you’ve ever tried. Early on, the going is relatively smooth. The weight starts to drop off as you remove forbidden foods from your diet. Then you start to plateau. Or you’re constantly faced with those same foods that your body once used to rely on and are tortured by the temptation.
Gradually, you sneak in one of the forbidden foods, claiming that you’ll start dieting again tomorrow. But tomorrow never comes as one forbidden food becomes two – and the initially promising attempt to lose weight becomes a miserable failure.
And yet, whatever reason for stopping, months after one fad diet has failed you, you’re on the hunt for the next. Before you know it, you’re filling your grocery cart with cabbage (or whatever), hoping that the answer lies in never-ending meals of soup or Tabasco sauce or the latest grapefruit concoction.
That’s the diet side of the health industry. The other side of the equations is the fitness industry. For every quick-fix diet, there’s an equally compelling exercise program promising that in only a few minutes, hours, or routines later, you can have the body you’ve always dreamed of.
Exercise fanatics believe the gym is the real means to long-term weight success. Less dependent on what you’re eating, the true change in health, in their view, comes from how many calories are being burnt out of your system. These claims are just as straight forward as those of the diet gurus: put a small amount of work in, and see the amazing results.
The typical exercise-to-lose-weight program takes a similar course to that of the fad diets. The initial interest carries results, but a plateau eventually occurs. Or because you’re now burning more calories, you also eat more food – and the net result is zero.
For every one of us who’s tried a fad diet, we’ve also tried the quick fix exercise route. The end result is the reason that the health industry is one of the fastest-growing in our nation. Quick fix exercises don’t work, forcing you to go out and try another. Upon plateau, the exerciser or dieter starts to doubt that those washboard abs or slim thighs are going to come before the next millennium, let alone summer. Dwindling motivation, fading dedication and a busy life start to intervene, and the best-laid plans become only that. Action takes a back seat until next January.
I’ve always believed that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. While exercise is important, the real key to losing weight and keeping it off lies in what you eat. I’m not talking here about a fad diet. I’m talking about a complete nutritional lifestyle change – a holistic approach to weight loss that takes into account that you will most likely fall off the wagon, eat out at restaurants, and plateau in your journey to lose weight and get healthy. Exercise helps, but it doesn’t get you all the way. What you eat is the single most important factor in losing weight.…

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Health Gov

Proper Care For Younger Looking Skin

Many factors from diet to environment can affect the health of your skin. But the most important factor for younger looking skin is the direct care you apply on a daily basis. A proper routine and quality products are essential for effective anti aging skin care.
Cleansers, exfoliates, toners, moisturizers and sun protectors are all key steps in a proper anti aging skin care routine. When used with consistency, each of these steps can lead to healthier skin and a more youthful feel than you ever imagined possible.
Cleansing is the first step in a beneficial routine. The most important time to wash your face is before bed. Buildup of bacteria and other grime throughout the day will clog pores and adversely affect the health of your skin. In addition, makeup should be removed before bed to avoid further irritation.
Using a good cleanser will do even more than remove these unwanted layers. It will actually prepare your skin to properly absorb nutrients in the rest of your skin care routine. When choosing a cleanser, be sure to pick one that is made for your skin type. Whether your skin tends to be oily, dry or somewhere in between, the proper product will help maximize benefits.
Exfoliation is another important step in skin care. Cell turnover is important for healthy skin and a good exfoliate will help you achieve this. Much like a cleanser, a good exfoliating product will clear your skin and leave it conditioned for absorbing moisture and nutrients.
Your anti aging skin care regimen is not complete without a good facial toner. Toners are a great way to nourish your skin and a facial toning mist is one of the best ways to receive the benefits. Some facial toners tend to dry skin, so be sure and select a high quality toner with the best ingredients. Your face should be left feeling instantly hydrated.
The next important step in anti aging skin care is proper moisturization. Anti aging moisturizers are extremely important, especially as we grow older. When we are young, our skin easily retains moisture. As our skin ages, it loses that ability.
A high quality moisturizer will assist your skin in maintaining its youthful look and repair the signs of aging. A good moisturizer will also provide important antioxidants that support skin cell and collagen health. You will be amazed at how young and healthy your skin can look.
The final and perhaps the most important step in anti aging skin care is sun protection. The sun will damage your skin like no other environmental element. Daily application of sun protection is essential for healthier skin. Don’t be fooled by cloudy skies. The UV rays that do the most damage to your skin penetrate through clouds. Don’t leave home without proper UV sun protection.
When choosing any skin care product, there are a couple of important factors to consider. First, make sure you select products that are appropriate for your skin type. Next, choose products with high quality ingredients that have been clinically proven to improve skin health. Some companies even offer free skin care consultations. Take advantage of this to find the best anti aging skin care routine for you. Enjoy your healthy skin and a youthful look for many years to come!…

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Health Gov

The Eight-Points Model of Analytical Development

The U.S. FDA current Good Manufacturing Procedures for drugs (CGMP, Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 210 and 211) states that all pharmaceutical products must be analyzed for “identity, strength, quality, and purity.”

Many analytical development scientists in biotechnology consider these precepts too vague to serve as effective guidelines for biopharmaceutical analysis. When one of the authors (TJP) was working in the biopharmaceutical industry, he developed the following “eight points” model to guide analytical development for any new macromolecule he and his staff encountered.

Several successful regulatory filings attest to the adequacy of the model.

According to the model, assays should be developed and validated to address each of the following points:

CE can be used directly for all the points except, perhaps, numbers 4 and 8, which are usually addressed using biological and microbiological assays (supplemental CE activity assays may, however, sometimes be validated against biological assays).

Use of Capillary Electrophoresis to Assess the Identity of Proteins and Peptides

The purpose of an identity assay is to provide scientific proof that the contents of a container correspond, qualitatively, to what is claimed on that container’s label. Until the identity is established, all other analytical concerns are secondary. Because of this central role, proof of identity is usually approached by a summation of evidence from several assays. In addition, using multiple structural determination methods ensures that products are thoroughly characterized as well as adequately identified. For proteins, commonly used identity assays include specific activity, amino acid composition and sequence, and assessment of such physicochemical parameters as molecular weight and isoelectric point.

A list of assays commonly used to establish the identity of a biopharmaceutical protein is mentioned below.

o Immunoblots

o ELISAs

o RIAs

There are several CE techniques that readily lend themselves to providing evidence of a protein’s identity. These include:…

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Health Facts

What Is The Single Most Important Factor In Losing Weight?

Turn on the television, browse through a magazine, look at the shelves of your local pharmacy, and you’re inundated with quick fixes to any potential weight problem. It doesn’t matter what the approach is, or who the experts sponsoring it are, the claims are the same: stick to this approach for a short time and you will see results.
Some diets aim to strike all carbohydrates from your diet, filling you up on only protein. Others provide simple instructions to drink some of your calories, and you’ll stop feeling hungry through the majority of the day. Other people swear by eating cabbage soup (or some other specific food) as a way to shed the pounds.
Regardless of the fad, all such approaches share the same inherent flaw – the fact that they’re all diets. The idea of a diet is straight forward: eat specific “good” foods and restrict yourself from “bad” foods. The problem is that at some point (whether it’s in a week, a month, or a few hours) “bad” foods will fall back on your plate. Any progress made will be quickly reversed.
Think back to every diet you’ve ever tried. Early on, the going is relatively smooth. The weight starts to drop off as you remove forbidden foods from your diet. Then you start to plateau. Or you’re constantly faced with those same foods that your body once used to rely on and are tortured by the temptation.
Gradually, you sneak in one of the forbidden foods, claiming that you’ll start dieting again tomorrow. But tomorrow never comes as one forbidden food becomes two – and the initially promising attempt to lose weight becomes a miserable failure.
And yet, whatever reason for stopping, months after one fad diet has failed you, you’re on the hunt for the next. Before you know it, you’re filling your grocery cart with cabbage (or whatever), hoping that the answer lies in never-ending meals of soup or Tabasco sauce or the latest grapefruit concoction.
That’s the diet side of the health industry. The other side of the equations is the fitness industry. For every quick-fix diet, there’s an equally compelling exercise program promising that in only a few minutes, hours, or routines later, you can have the body you’ve always dreamed of.
Exercise fanatics believe the gym is the real means to long-term weight success. Less dependent on what you’re eating, the true change in health, in their view, comes from how many calories are being burnt out of your system. These claims are just as straight forward as those of the diet gurus: put a small amount of work in, and see the amazing results.
The typical exercise-to-lose-weight program takes a similar course to that of the fad diets. The initial interest carries results, but a plateau eventually occurs. Or because you’re now burning more calories, you also eat more food – and the net result is zero.
For every one of us who’s tried a fad diet, we’ve also tried the quick fix exercise route. The end result is the reason that the health industry is one of the fastest-growing in our nation. Quick fix exercises don’t work, forcing you to go out and try another. Upon plateau, the exerciser or dieter starts to doubt that those washboard abs or slim thighs are going to come before the next millennium, let alone summer. Dwindling motivation, fading dedication and a busy life start to intervene, and the best-laid plans become only that. Action takes a back seat until next January.
I’ve always believed that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. While exercise is important, the real key to losing weight and keeping it off lies in what you eat. I’m not talking here about a fad diet. I’m talking about a complete nutritional lifestyle change – a holistic approach to weight loss that takes into account that you will most likely fall off the wagon, eat out at restaurants, and plateau in your journey to lose weight and get healthy. Exercise helps, but it doesn’t get you all the way. What you eat is the single most important factor in losing weight.…

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Health Department

The 5 Principles Of Scott Pilates!

Introduction:

Moira Scott Merrithew was in fact the founder of scott pilates. Following badly injuring her neck, Merrithew set up a Pilates styled approach identifying it scott pilates.

You will find 5 fundamental principles overseeing the Pilates program that an experienced person may use to help students with their exercises. The concepts provide step-by-step training about the appropriate body positioning and also breathing techniques.

Breathing:

To allow smooth movements through the scott pilates workout routines, correct breathing is crucial. The breathing pattern that is stressed concentrates on complete, heavy breaths till the respiratory system is full before breathing out.

Being in tune with this kind of breathing, you should begin by lying flat on your back, whilst paying attention to your normal respiratory rate. Pay particular attention to where your breath begins and where it finishes.

Next sit down on a comfy seat, lean forwards and wrap your arms around the knees.

Breathe deeply and then move completely in so that you are making a “C” curve with your spine. Breathe out and get back to up-right position.

Placement Of The PELVIC:

Scott pilates concentrates on the stabilizing of the pelvis and the spine by protecting a neutral position.

This helps to keep your back in-line, for instance whenever lieing face up with your feet positioned on the floor, your hips ought to be set at an angle toward the position of your lower back on the ground.

If your legs are raised off the floor, keep up with the same position,

This position is called the “imprint position” and it needs to be kept through the majority of the workouts.

Placement Of The RIB Cage:

Your rib cage is equally as crucial as the pelvis, since it impacts the positioning of your spine. You need to focus on your rib cage resting lightly on the mat whilst face up using your pelvis in the correct position.

You mustn’t feel as though you’re forcing this position. Your ribs must feel secure and protected when breathing properly.

Steadiness Of Shoulders:

Several of the Pilates workouts take the form of sitting upright from a laying position.

So it is critical that the shoulders are positioned together with good shoulder placement,this results in healthy posture for the hips and abdominal muscles. Choosing a comfortable shoulder location implies not raising them too high, neither should they be pressed downwards; they need to not be drawn backwards nor hunched forwards.

Picture your shoulders to be broad and straight. Possessing this way of thinking will help you in quickly moving through the scott pilates workout routines.

Placement Of Neck And Head:

The positioning of your neck ought to be focused on length along with the natural curve of the spine.

This position shouldn’t be stretched or forced. Whenever possible, the neck ought to be kept straight and above the shoulder blades and the spine. Because of the regular shifting from laying to seated positions throughout Pilates, you need to lengthen y our neck in practice by nodding with out forcing the chin towards the chest.

This particular mode of practice will help you in focusing on your own stomach muscles instead of the neck or shoulders.…