Soy Milk: Flavored soy milk is best with kids, especially kids who are used to cow’s milk. Plain soy milk mixed with regular cocoa powder tastes great, too. You can use soy milk instead of cow’s milk in recipes calling for milk. For sweet recipes, like recipes for cakes, pies, cookies, etc., use vanilla-flavored soy milk. For non-sweet recipes, like recipes for biscuits and casseroles, use plain unflavored soy milk. Soy milk is also excellent for homemade milk shakes.

Tofu: Surprisingly tofu can be mixed into almost any recipe for baked goods. For cakes use 1/2 pound of tofu in the batter. Mash thoroughly with a fork or puree with electric blender until smooth.

For pies use 1/4 pound of tofu in the crust mix. For cookies use 1/4 pound of tofu in the batter.

In meat: for any recipe calling for ground meat, mix in 1/2 pound of tofu. This works well in chili, lasagna, and hamburger.

In casseroles: Excellent for vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters. If you are a meat-eater transitioning to the vegetarian lifestyle casserole dishes are an easy way to do so, and pleasant for other family members.

For vegetarians/vegans: Use a pound of tofu cut into cubes and then lightly fried in olive oil (or oil of your choice) in your favorite casserole recipe.

For meat-eaters: use 1/2 pound of tofu and mix in with favorite meat casserole recipe.

Pre-packaged Soy Foods: You can get lots of pre-made foods derived from soy. check at your local major supermarket and you’ll find veggie burgers in a variety of flavors. check some out this summer, they cook well on a grill. Other things to try are chicken substitutes and bacon substitutes.

Elderberry, called the “medicine chest of common people”, has a long history of folklore attached to it. In the Middle Ages, chopping elder branches was considered dangerous as they were inhabited with witches and cutting them would release their wrath. In folk medicine, the flowers have been touted for their diuretic, astringent and laxative properties.

Elderberries have large leaves that grow in opposite pairs on the stem. Pinnately compound, each leaf consists of several leaflets that attach in pairs to a central leaf. Leaflets are toothed and oblong shaped. The small white flowers grow in clusters. The flowering tops are harvested in late spring and the berries are picked in early autumn. Only plants with blue-black berries are considered medicinal. The red elder is considered toxic.

Flavonoids in both the flowers and berries are responsible for much of the therapeutic actions of elderberry. In addition to the flavonoids, the flowers contain mucilage and tannins that help reduce fever and promote sweating. The flowers also reduce phlegm.

The berries help promote sweating and have diuretic and laxative effects. They are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C and may help ward off infection.

Elderberry has been used historically in the treatment of colds and flu. Symptoms alleviated include runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever and aches. The flowering tops support the mucus lining of the nose and throat, increasing resistance to infection.

Compounds in elderberry keep flu viruses from invading cells of the body. It also inhibits flu viruses from replicating. Clinical trials show elderberry improves symptoms and resolves infection much faster than placebo. One double blind placebo study showed a complete cure of the flu in 2-3 days for the elderberry group vs. at least 6 days for the placebo group. Elderberry also improves resistance to colds and flu.

Elderberry has also been recommended forear infections, colic, allergies, constipation, chronic congestion, candidiasis and rheumatism. Using elderberry infusions for a few months before as well during the hay fever season helps relieve symptoms. Arthritic conditions may benefit due to the waste removal from increased sweating and urination. Elderberry also has anti-inflammatory properties when used topically.

Herbal products from the bark and leaves should not be taken internally. No adverse reactions to elderberry have been reported. There are also no well-known drug interactions.

Factors related to the induction and experience of stress vary in any given environment, as does each individual’s capacity to cope with stress-inducing events. Stress management techniques assist a person to promote thoughts and behaviors that help to counter the negative effects of events that are perceived as taxing a person’s coping resources and are therefore perceived as stressful.

One aim of complementary therapies is to assist in the reduction of stress and enhancement of well-being. The touch therapies, i.e., massage, aromatherapy and reflexology, all promote the relaxation response (Benson, 1975) in the immediate term and are non-drug interventions which, when used on a regular basis, can help to counteract the effects of stress. The touch therapies operate through somewhat different mechanisms to promote improved well-being over time.

Therapeutic massage can help to counter the deleterious effects imposed by everyday stressors, minor muscle strains and muscle tension. Regular therapeutic massage is an excellent way to help maintain health, as it works with both the musculoskeletal structure of the body and body function, which are interrelated. Massage facilitates an increased circulation of blood, promoting and improving the supply of vital oxygen and nutrients to cells, as well as relieving tension due to chronic muscle spasm and/or poor posture by loosening contracted hardened muscles, which are causing discomfort and consuming energy. Improving the circulation of a painful region helps to remove toxic neurotransmitters, chemical messengers that help to mediate the transmission of pain from the peripheral to the central nervous system. The pumping effect of movement of muscle assists in the draining of lymph fluid carrying waste products away from cells. Massage aimed at countering chronic muscle tension and relieving the aches and pains associated with minor injuries can therefore provide benefit to all body systems by facilitating improved circulation and more efficient function. The psychological benefits from massage are based on the interactions between mind and body, just as the consequences of physical tension and stress may impact on mental and emotional well-being.

The Relevance of the Gate Control Theory of Pain to Physiological Mechanisms Occurring During Massage

Back pain and fatigue are two symptoms that may be very effectively relieved through therapeutic massage, helping to relieve physical and emotional distress and to promote release of energy and feeling of well-being. The therapeutic physical and psychological benefits of massage can be explained by the principles of the Gate Control Theory (GCT).  According to the GCT theory, painful stimuli are transmitted by small, slow conducting C and A-delta nerve fibers, from the periphery to the transmission cells (T-cells) in the dorsal horn of the spinal column, activity in which it opens the gate to pain perception by the brain. T-cell activity is fundamental to pain experience. The Substantia Gelatinosa in lamina II of the dorsal horn contains inhibitory and excitatory interneurones, which dampen or amplify output from the T-cells. T-cell activity in the dorsal horn can be blocked or modified by touch information, transmitted from large fast A-beta fibers, also transmitting information from the periphery to the CNS. Information from the large, fast touch fibers overrides the information from the slower pain transmitting fibers, reducing T-cell activity thus closing the “gate” in the spinal cord and preventing the transmission of pain to the brain. As well as being concerned with the balance between impulses from large, fast touch and small, slow pain transmitting fibers, the GCT asserts that the experience of pain can be modulated by cognitive and emotional factors that can inhibit or exacerbate a person’s perception of pain and was the first theory of pain to acknowledge and incorporate the importance of psychological factors in pain perception. The principles of the GCT explain those of the application of TENS machines and of massage.

Some of the key benefits of massage are reduced muscle tension, improved blood circulation and lymph drainage, increased mobility, relief from acute and chronic pain, reduced stress and overall relaxation. The latter effect is also brought about because, in addition to pain-reducing properties already outlined, massage is based on stimulating the tactile sense that helps a person to concentrate on the here and now, providing respite from the mental anguish of worries and problems.

Different Methods of Massage Therapy

There are a number of different methods of massage therapy, most of which can be classified into five basic categories: Traditional methods, European, Contemporary Western, Structural/Functional/Movement Integration, Oriental and Energetic. Many massage practitioners combine a number of methods. Endacott provides a comprehensive summary of the aims and techniques and benefits associated with each type of therapeutic massage.

Traditional European Massage is based on the conventional Western concepts of anatomy and physiology using basic categories of soft tissue manipulation. Swedish Massage, developed in the early 19th century by Ling, is possibly the most practiced method of Traditional European Massage and aims to enhance health and treat illness through improving blood flow to the soft tissues, as well as the promotion of relaxation and relief of muscle tension. Alongside these methods, Contemporary Western Massage methods, developed since the 1960s, uses a wide variety of techniques focused on holistic principles of personal growth and integration of mind, body and spirit. For example, Esalen Massage focuses on achieving optimal states of relaxation and overall well-being and is often combined with the use of Swedish Massage.

Some of the common conditions for which therapeutic massage is very helpful include soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains, the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, the spasm and poor blood circulation of back pain and the relief of anxiety fatigue and tension headaches. It is, however, essential to have a medical check-up for injuries that involve considerable pain and loss of function and to be aware that there are some conditions for which the use of therapeutic massage, especially deep tissue massage, is contraindicated including unhealed wounds and later-stage osteoporosis. Deep tissue massage in the region of some types of early- to middle-stage cancers is thought to be a potential risk factor for the spread of micrometastases through the lymphatic system. The associated difficulties can be overcome through the use of gentle hand massage, which helps to alleviate anxiety and to promote relaxation for people with cancer.

Choosing a massage practitioner

Take care to select a massage practitioner either from a trusted friend, health-care professional or the professional body of a particular country, for example the American Massage Therapy Association in the United States. To be certified in the U.S. an examination is required by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. It is wise to be aware of the relevant professional body and to ask a practitioner what qualifications and credentials he or she possesses for methods practiced.

The massage experience

Prior to having a massage it is important to feel relaxed to optimize the benefits of the experience. Massage involves direct contact with the skin, so it is necessary to remove as much clothing as leaves a sense of personal comfort. A warm shower is helpful beforehand as is not eating heavily. If the aim of the massage is to reduce chronic tension then muscle tissues may be sensitive and the massage may involve a degree of discomfort, so good communication between client and practitioner is required to reduce risk of undue discomfort and maximize the benefits of the experience both during and after the massage. As with all therapies that promote removal of toxic waste from cells it is important to drink plenty of water afterward to facilitate the process.

If you’re middle aged with high blood pressure (140/90 or higher) and high cholesterol your chances of coming down with Alzheimer’s disease in your 60’s or 70’s are greatly increased.

Either one of the conditions increased the risk of Alzheimer’s, according to the research, but those who had both were particularly susceptible to the disorder which is considered the number one cause of dementia in the elderly. Persons with late stage Alzheimer’s have severe memory impairment and are unable to care for themselves.

Because raised blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes the researchers concluded that their results may have important implications for the prevention of dementia.

As the number of elderly people in the population increases, Alzheimer’s disease will have enormous costs in terms of personal health, the quality of life for caretakers and healthcare dollars. “Interventions that could delay the onset of the disease, even modestly, would therefore have a major impact on public health,” the Journal article stated.

Up to 4 million persons in the U.S. and Canada now have AD (Alzheimer’s Disease). The most important risk factors that have been identified prior to this study are a family history of dementia and old age, although aging is not a cause of the disease.

About 10 percent of people older than age 70 have significant memory problems and about half of those are due to AD (Alzheimer’s Disease). Statistically, the number of people with AD doubles each decade past age 70. Because women usually live longer than men, they are more likely to develop AD.

What to Do When Anxiety Hits

1. Check Your Attitude

The Chinese word for crisis is “weiji” has two components.

These are danger and opportunity. If you focus on the

Opportunity aspect of your problem, you will definitely

Handle the stress much better.

2. Don’t Respond Immediately

Counting to ten, getting up and leaving for awhile, looking out the window, or taking deep breaths before answering that jingling phone may make you feel more in control.

3. Visualize

Imagine yourself on a sunny beach with the sun warming your body and the waves rythmically lapping at the shore line. Gulls are lazily floating by in a blue sky decorated with fluffy white clouds .

4. Pound the Pavement

Go out for a walk, even if it’s just around the block. Of course exercising more will give better results.

5. Hit the Tub

The warm water of a bathtub can switch the brain from its “alarm state” to its tranquil state. For an especially relaxing bath add 1 cup of sea salt and 1 cup of baking soda. If this makes you too floppy reduce the amounts.

6. Stop Hyperventilating

When anxious most people take shallow breaths from the chest, further increasing tension. Learn how to breathe from the abdomen. There are many books that can teach you how.

7. Make a Worry Appointment

Some experts suggest setting a specific time of day to have a worry session for 20 minutes. The trick to this is not to allow yourself to worry at any other time.

8. Go Down the Drain

Norman Vincent Peale suggest at the end of the day you should wash your hands and pull the plug in the sink. As the water swirls doen the drain imagine the cares of the day going down with it and leave them there.

9. Poking Holes in Time

If you have a pain in your neck due to stress, use an acupressure technique -massage your temples and it will help you relax.

Where do people with chronic illness stand when it comes to medicine and religion. I know that there are chapels in several major hospitals. Do the doctors believe that it helps to have religion or prayer when dealing with diseases that don’t follow normal medical treatments? MS is so unpredictable it is my opinion they do think it helps the patients’ frame of mind.

I never really believed in religion. Several months after I got my diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis prayer became an important part of my life. I now wonder how I ever did without it. I get a sense of relief knowing that I don’t have to carry the weight of the whole disease on my shoulders. I once heard that a problem shared is a problem halved.

Living with a debilitating disease presents problems that some medical people can’t relate to. They may no the theory of the disease but the feelings about it are foreign to them. When having a High Power to believe in it makes life a little more bearable. My day starts by asking for help to get through the day and the end of the day is a thank you. If I didn’t have that I am sure I would lose my mind on those days where my arms and legs don’t want to cooperate. Then there are the days when I have vertigo so bad that I feel like I have a major hangover.

The best thing about having something to believe in is that I am never alone the Higher Power is always with me and will never leave me. I remember a time when I was first diagnosed and felt so depressed and angry. I kept thinking why me? A very wise person said to me “Why not You.” Stronger people get bigger problems. Now, I am no stronger than anybody else is. I know that my strength comes from people, prayer and believing that by keeping my mind alive that I have a chance a being around long enough to see a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.

Stress has three stages: (1) the alarm or shock reaction, (2) the resistance or numbing reaction, and (3) the exhaustion state. These stages are not always in neat, organized form. Our reactions to stress can be strong or mild. The stages can take place in a few days or may take longer. Each of us will react differently, depending upon how our mind and body experiences and deals with information.

Of particular importance is the resistance or numbing stage. During times of severe, unusual, and prolonged stress, our mind cannot make sense of what has happened, and so it does not want any more information. When our body sensations are too intense or too numerous, the brain sends a message to close the gate; and the messages from the body to the brain are blocked. Lacking a power surge device, we simply shut-down.

Although shutting down is the result of overload. There are other contributing factors. Many times we do not want to deal with something so frightening. The current events may remind us of other things that happened in our past, even though they are seemingly unrelated. We feel helpless and scared. Most of all, we do not know what to do or what will happen next.

This creates a complex situation. As organisms, we need balance and homeostasis to survive. That means we need to relieve the symptoms of stress over load. However, if we go for an extended period of time without the required neural-chemical conditions, our mental and physical health is jeopardized.

Although logic suggests the numbing stage could provide time to figure out what has just happened and what to do about it, the down time means we have numbed all of our senses. We do not see as clearly. We do not hear as well. Our reflexes are slower and less accurate. The body’s signals for food and water go unnoticed. We forget to take care of ourselfwhen we do not feel those signals.

The surprise is that often we think we are doing great and that the shocking event did not affect us. Well, the only thing is that we suddenly realize we can’t understand the salesperson when he says our bill is $4.27. We just stare at him. Maybe we forget what we were thinking about one minute and then realize we weren’t thinking of anything after all. If we pay attention, we find clues that we are not, as on the mark, as we thought.

HOW ARE YOU?

Please take a minute now and check how you are doing. Taking care of yourself is important, especially during stressful times. Sometimes when we have stress, we forget to remember about ourself. This minute is just for you.

Inhale and exhale very slowly… One more time. Breathe slowly. Let your exhale be longer than your inhaling. Sometimes when we are stressed and worried, we forget how important it is to exhale…

Notice how your body feels. Is your head clear or swarming? You may have noticed some weariness today, or a numbness. Are you less able to sit still? Do you feel as if you are sitting on the edge of your chair, ready to leave?

You may be wanting to have time alone, or do not want to leave someone’s side. Maybe you feel fine and then discover that you forgot your pin number at the bank. Your head may seem crowded and, yet, you can’t find your thoughts. Maybe everything seems urgent; maybe nothing seems very important at all. Tears may surprise you in the middle of a song or quiet moment.

If you read enough bodybuilding magazines, you may think that you don’t have a chance of building a good body without taking lots of expensive supplements. The truth is, you don’t need any—especially if you eat a healthful diet with the right amount of calories and nutrients. This is not to say that supplements do no good, just that they are not necessary. And most of them really are a waste of money.

Let’s start with the simplest and cheapest, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients will not help you with your workouts unless you are deficient in them and are remedying that deficiency. Most nutrition experts say there is no evidence active people need more vitamins and minerals, but there are dissenting opinions, especially regarding antioxidants. To play safe, you can take a multi-vitamin and mineral pill that provides no more than the recommended daily allowance. This will cover you in case your diet is lacking in something, and in case active people do need more. Do not supplement beyond the RDA for minerals, which can be toxic in high doses. If you eat fortified cereals or energy bars, make sure you add in the supplemental nutrients you get from them when deciding if you need more.

Energy bars and sports drinks are considered to act as supplements. You do not need these, but they can be convenient. (Endurance athletes may need sports drinks, but weight trainees don’t.) Energy bars can be useful as a snack or meal replacement when you don’t have time to get regular food. Remember, you don’t want to miss a meal or go too long without eating. An energy bar holds up well in your pocket or briefcase, which is more than you can say for a banana. A protein bar is a protein supplement, not a true energy bar. Energy comes from carbohydrates, although a mixture of macronutrients works best. Both energy bars and sports drinks add to your intake of calories, so be sure to count those in. By sports drinks, I mean hydration beverages of about 6% carbohydrate, like Gatorade. There are also energy drinks that have all kinds of things in them and are usually quite expensive. Read the label and decide if you want to put that in your body.

Most of us don’t need separate protein supplements. There are a lot of these on the market, usually in powdered form. If you are on a low calorie diet (which I don’t recommend) or if you are a strict vegetarian (vegan) you may want to try a supplement. Whey with a little casein is best. Soy protein is also good. It is hard to get a lot of protein without getting a lot of fat as well, unless you eat dozens of egg whites, so protein powders may be helpful there. Always read the label to see what you’re getting, consider the rest of your diet, and remember that 1 gram protein per pound of body weight (2 g/kg) a day is all your body can assimilate—and that should be taken throughout the day, not all at once.

If you want to gain weight and just can’t do it with real food, you may want to check out the various weight gainer supplements. These are usually high calorie meal replacements. Some are ridiculously high in calories. You may want to use one for a few hundred calories, but not for thousands. These do not replace real food. Read the label and see what you’re getting overall, not just the calories.

Of all the specialized muscle building supplements, the only one we know works is creatine monohydrate. The sports medicine literature now has quite a few studies, most of which show it is effective in increasing performance for strength athletes, such as weightlifters, shot putters, and sprinters, but not for endurance athletes. Creatine adds some muscle, and some weight, and helps you work out harder. It is far less popular among women than among men because of the weight gain involved. About 20% of those who take it see no effects, and some stop taking it because of gastrointestinal problems. It appears to be safe, but has not been proven for really long-term use, and most people cycle it, either a month on and a month off, or only when getting ready for sports season. I do not recommend creatine except for advanced lifters who have reached a plateau. It should not be taken by anyone under 16 and athletes from 16-18 should only take it under medical supervision. If you use the loading protocol described on the label, you should see results in a week. If you don’t, you’re not going to. Do not take more than the recommended dosage. It won’t help, and it may hurt. Do not take this or any other performance supplement without first consulting with your doctor.

Most of the other supplements that got a lot of early press have not panned out. Studies that showed muscle building properties from chromium picolinate were done by the patent holder, and nobody else has been able to get the same results. The amount of pyruvate used in the studies that seemed promising is not practical for normal use. Results with supplemental L-carnitine have been mixed, and if it works at all, it would probably be with endurance exercise. HMB has seemed to help recovery in some studies, but not others. It seems safe, so if you want to try it, it’s probably ok, but expensive. Claims have been made for ribose, but I haven’t seen anything convincing yet. Human growth hormone has medical therapeutic uses but it is expensive and has extreme side effects. The studies showing it works for improving body composition all used an injectable version. There is no evidence that capsules meant to encourage the pituitary to produce more do anything at all. Ephedra is not used for muscle building, but rather for fat loss and “leaning out.” It can be dangerous and I recommend you avoid it. There are better ways to lose weight.

If you use any muscle building products, buy from a reputable manufacturer and don’t shop for the cheapest. Always read and follow the instructions and warnings on the label. Twinlabs and EAS do not want to kill you. Some people like the products that are mixtures of many ingredients. From a reputable manufacturer, they are probably safe and may be effective. See what’s in them, and decide if the extra ingredients are worth the cost.

Remember, none of these products or supplements replaces a healthful diet, adequate rest, and consistent exercise. Always read the label and consult with your doctor before using them.

For children older than ten years, having some basic first aid knowledge can help save lives when adults may not be available. Many youth groups offer to teach first aid to children, particularly the boy and girl scouts.

But, if your kids are not part of these types of groups, you should tell them how to do first aid or let them take classes in first aid instruction.

Basic First Aid

Your children can be taught such basic first aid techniques as treating minor wounds or insect bites to caring for a person who has been severely injured. Children are capable of accomplishing many tasks that will result in a safer environment for them and their friends.

1. Kids often get bitten by animals. Animal bites might be from domesticated dogs or cats, or more seriously, from poisonous snakes or other wild animals.

A) Children are most commonly bitten by dogs or cats. If your child is bitten by a domesticated pet, clean the wound well with soap and water. Apply alcohol or tea tree oil to wipe off any microbes from the wound. Ensure that the family pet, whether it is a dog or cat, has had all the required shots, especially the rabies shot. There may be times that your child might need to be seen by a physician to get a tetanus booster shot, especially if he or she has not been vaccinated during the past five years.

B) You should prevent a wild animal bite. Wild animals generally run away from humans because of fear, but if cornered and threatened, animals can and will bite. If an animal acts out of the ordinary and does not run away from humans, you should assume something is wrong and keep your distance.

It might be infected with rabies, which is a dangerous viral sickness involving all mammals, including people. Rabies infection occurs only when saliva enters the bloodstream via bites. The most dangerous rabies carriers are skunks and raccoons. If your child is bitten by a wild animal, treat the wound as you would treat a bite by a cat or dog. Clean the bite and surrounding area with soap and water followed by an application of tea tree oil or rubbing alcohol. Take your kid to the physician right away! Wild animal bites can be especially dangerous because of rabies. Common practice, when treating someone whose been bitten by a while animal, is for the physician to administer a series of anti-rabies shots. The rabies shot for people is different from the rabies shot for your dog or cat. There is a series of painful injections done abdominally for the prevention of rabies in humans.

C) Reptile and snake bites can be very dangerous. If poisonous snakes are in the area where you live, tell your children about this, since some poisonous snakes can kill very fast, specifically a child. Instruct your children on why touching snakes can be dangerous. It is better to prevent than cure. Also, if you reside in some areas of America or Australia, you have to be careful of lizards. For example, in the US, the guilla monster is a very dangerous lizard in the deserts of the southwest. While it’s not poisonous, it does have deadly bacteria in its mouth to aid in digestion of its food. There is no known cure or antibiotic for these fatal bacteria if they get into your child’s bloodstream. Children growing up in the American Midwest may encounter snapping turtles, but these are very dangerous creatures. A large snapping turtle has a bite strong enough to remove a finger. Wash a snake bite wound with water only if you are sure the snake is not poisonous. If you reside in a location with deadly snakes, learn about snake identification on your own with your children. This is absolutely necessary. If your child is bitten by a poisonous snake, immediately take him or her to the ER to receive the venom antidote.

2. Children are commonly scratched or cut wherever they play. Children are often accident prone, and getting cut by falling out of trees, off bicycles, or just on the ground when playing is fairly common. Scratches are minor wounds that break skin without damaging the muscular tissue below. Wash scrapes and scratches with soap and water and them apply tea tree oil or rubbing alcohol with a clean cotton swab. You can have a serious or a minor cut. Some cuts that are deeper than scratches may require the same treatment. Larger cuts must be cleaned using soap and water and then rubbing alcohol or tea tree oil should be used for treatment, followed by placing a Band-Aid over the wound. Deep cuts requiring a trip to the emergency room often result in stitches.

3. Kids often get burns. The severity of a burn is rated by the degree. The mildest are first degree burns and usually happen with children who accidentally touch a stove.

If you have a first degree burn, it will sting for a little bit, but it can be treated simply by soaking the affected area in cold water. A second degree burn is more serious and often results in skin blisters. These burns should be held under cold water as well but should also receive medical care. The most severe burns, third degree, affect the skin as well as the underlying muscle. Under the worst circumstances, third degree burns can result in a lost limb. If there is any chance that your child has suffered third degree burns, take him or her to the hospital right away.

4. It can be dangerous for kids to choke. Instruct your older children on performing the Heimlich maneuver. The Heimlich maneuver removes objects lodged in the trachea, like candy, food, or toys, by forcing the air in the lungs quickly up through the windpipe. This can help save someone’s life. One of the top causes of death for children is choking so it is necessary to be familiar with the Heimlich maneuver.

What is the Best Option for Diabetics to Treat Heart Disease?

In order to open up their clogged arteries, angioplasty has been recommended by some doctors for those diabetics with heart disease; this has been the case for years. Angioplasty is highly priced and a balloon is used for widening blocked coronaries. During or after the surgery, there is up to a five percent risk of heart attack and a two percent mortality rate, even though the procedure is generally regarded as safe. Sometimes the artery clogs up during the operation; if that happens, then bypass surgery has to be done.

The results of this study indicate that medications can be used to treat heart disease in diabetics just as effectively, if the disease is considered to be mild or moderate. Frequently doctors and patients searching for a “fast treatment” decide to use angioplasty to help with diabetic heart disease, but this procedure is risky because there is a one out of twenty chance of a heart attack. There may be a greater risk of problems for Diabetics certainly if they have an underlying kidney problem or another type of problem that is related to diabetes. Elderly people, women and people with medical ailments may have a greater risk.

Heart Disease Treatment for Diabetics

To treat heart disease in diabetics there are several medications available, which is very fortunate. Typically statins are used to bring cholesterol levels down and decrease the basic risk of heart attack.

Various medications called ACE inhibitors support blood pressure reduction and can also be used as a remedy for heart disease in diabetics. While the type of medication prescribed is based on the needs of the individual, the results of this study imply that utilizing the correct combination of medications may reduce the risk of heart attack and deaths related to heart problems just as well as angioplasty does.

Diabetics With Heart Disease:  The Conclusion?

If heart disease is a major problem for you, the best option may be angioplasty, but if heart disease is a minor problem, medications could be used safely as an effective treatment for your symptoms. To decide which option is the best choice for you, speak with your doctor.