HEALTH SYSTEM NOT READY FOR AGING BABY BOOMERS

(Associated Press) Millions of American baby boomers are about to enter a health care system for seniors that not only is not ready for them, but may even discourage them for getting quality care. The Institute of Medicine Commitee that released a report Monday on the health care outlook for the 78 million baby boomers about a begin turning 65. The report from the institute, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, said: 1. There are not enough specialists in geriatric medicine. 2. Insufficient training is available. 3. That specialists that do exist are underpaid. 4. Medicare fails to provide for team care that many elderly patients need. The study said Medicare may even hinder seniors from getting the best care because of its low reimbursement rates, a focus on treating short-term health problems rather than managing chronic conditions and lack of coverage for percentive services or for health care providers' time spent collaborating with a patient's other poviders.

HOW SHOULD CANCER BE TREATED?

The three main ways of treating cancer are surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. For a cancer patient to be cured, we must get rid of the cancer and ensure that it never comes back. So the achieve "cure" means that there is no recurrence in and around the place the cancer was originally found (no local or regional recurrence) and no recurrence in distantsites (no systemic recurrence). Surgery and radiotherapy work hand in hand to ensure that the local site is "thoroughly sterilized". Surgery has to be aggressive to ensure that all cancer that can be seen is removed. Radiotherapy is added to kill any cancer cells that may be left in the area. Chemotherapy is different in that it treats cancer cells which my have escaped from the local site are "hidding" in other parts of the body like the bones, liver or lungs. These microscopic cells which they kill to prevent distant spread (metastases). Is there need a second opinion? It all depends on how confident you are with your doctor. If you want one, consider seeking an opinion at a facility which offers multidiciplinary cancer care. A second opinion can be very important because specialists may have their own preferences in approach.

WHAT IS THE STAGE OF CANCER?

The more advanced the stage, the poorer the overall outlook for the patient. Whenever cancer is suspected, it is important to proceed with a full staging to establish if the cancer has spread. These days, there is a range of radiological investigations that can be used-plain X-ray films, ultrasound imaging, computer-tomograms (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear imaging. The latest and most sophisticated machine to aid in the diagnosis and staging of cancer is the PET-CT scan (positron emission tomogram). The big difference between a PET-CT scan and all the other imaging techniques is that it combines a metabolic scan with an anatomic scan.In a PET-CTscan, a tiny amount of radioactive labeled glucose is injected into the blood stream. Cancers are like sugar. As such, the glucose preferentially taken up by the cancer cells and the radioactive substance "lights up" to identify the location, size and activity of the cancer. The CT part of the PET allows us to accurately locate the place the cancer is hiding. A PET-CT scan has helped us to reduce unnecessary surgery because it can pick up cancer that has spread, which some of the imaging studies may miss. There are research papers that sugest that no patient should go for a lung cancer operation without first going for a PET-CT scan. This method has been shown to cut down "futile surgery" (surgery that need not be done) by half in patients with lung cancer.

WHAT TYPE OF CANCER IS IT?

(cont'd)

The diagnosis should always be backed by tissue proof of cancer. This is a critical step which must not go wrong. A good pathologist is responsible not only
for making the diagnosis but also for providing as much information as possible on the type of cancer. For example, in breast cancer, we need to know the size
of the tumor and the number of lymph nodes involved to know if there is a risk of the cancer returning.
If the diagnosis is in question, review of the pathology by an external pathologist is useful. The patient (and the doctor) has a right to ask for the pathologhy
blocks and slides to be sent to another of pathologist to confirm the diagnosis.

WHEN TOLD YOU HAVE CANCER, WHAT'S NEXT?

(Dr. Ang Peng Tiam)

Shock burns memories into our brains.Years laters, most patients can vividly recall how they felt when the doctor first conformed that they had cancer.
People respond differently to the diagnosis of cancer. Others get angry. I remember the Caucasian lady who took her anger out on me when I told her she had
an agressive brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme.
She kept telling me that she "lived a very healthy life-eating lots of fruits and vegetables, exercising everyday and drinking lots of water". She felt that her doctors
(a neurologist, the neurosurgeon, the pathologist, the radiologist and I) were simply incompetent.
There are those who accept it as a matter of fact and begin focussing on what to be done. I remember a man, whom I diagnosed with colon cancer. He smiled
at his wife and said: "See, I told you so !"

When told that you have cancer, do not panic! Listen to what the doctor has to say. Ask a friend or relative to come and be with you.
Take your time - ask a many questions as you like. Most doctors are very happy to spend as much time as the patients needs to help him/her understand what
needs to be done.

STOP SMOKING WITH LASER THERAPY

(www.stop-smoking-laser-theraphy.com)

This information I get from newspaper, and important to share to all women and men (also) who want to smoking cessation.

No matter how many cigarettes you smoke or how long you have been smoking, laser therapy can help you achieve your goal of quitting smoking smoking
without the withdrawal symptoms and nicotine cravings normally associated with "kicking the habit".
Many people who really want to stop smoking are affraid that they won't be able to cope with certain situations without a cigarette or one defeated by the nicotine
caraving and withdrawal symptoms of the first few weeks.
The Stop Smoking Laser Theraphy which has helped thousands of people also will help you relieve of this cravings and keep you relaxed, calm and happy
durig those first crucial weeks.

When people stop smoking, the endorphine levels in their bodies suddenly drop, which lead to withdrawal symptoms and physical cravings. During laser therapy,
a soft laser beam, applied to specific energy points of the body, stimulate the body's production of endorphins.
Aside from relieving you of cravings, the therapy also help with stress reduction and lung detoxification. The treatment gives you a natural sense of wellbeing,
thereby greatly reducing the temptation to smoke another cigarette.
The therapy is entirely safe and pain-free. Pilot studies indicate that Laser Therapy is statistically by far the most effective method of stopping smoking

Organic Foods

There are many ways to keep and stay healthy, taking an organic foods is one of the most popular style recently. Organic foods consist of plants/vegetables
that cultivate without adding syntesizely-chemist-fertilizer and poultry or husbandry that feed also with organic grasses. These animals and plants grow naturally,
without adding growth hormones. While non-organic farming, poultry and hunbandry use it for speed up the growth and get more profits.
Well, they got profits the customers get diseases. Sounds harsh isn't it!

The organic plants use a natural fertilizer, like compost from decomposed leaves, and put natur-predators to avoid plan diseases.

Organisc foods emerge by people who care so much about the savety of foods. They worried about xenobiotics agent that used to enlarge the fat/meat
of farming animals.
So now, it spread widely around the world. You can easily find an organic foods in supermarket locally. the appearance of organic foods sometimes look like
untreatment vegie plants, you can find many holes made by worms in the leaves. But that's mean no insectisides used to cultivate this vegie plants.

If you care about health, try this organic foods. It's believed can reduce the risks of cancer..

RISK FACTOR ASSESSMENT OF VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM (VTE)

Dear readers, after 2 intermezzo that i share, books and films, here I go again about cardiac matters.
Just in case if you find a person with below criteria, you can warn him/her, to be more carefull about health condition.

Appropriate use of prophylaxis is based upon risk factor assessment
Acquired Risk factors --> Causal/Result could make it more serious condition
1. Increasing age --> Varicose veins
2. Prolonged immoblity --> Pregnancy or estrogen use
3. Stroke or paralysis --> Cardiac dysfunction
4. Previous VTE --> indwelling central venous catheters
5. Cancer and its treatment --> nephrotic syndrom
6. Major surgery (abdomen, pelvis, and lower extremities) --> severe infention
7. Trauma (particularly fracturesof pelvis, hip or leg)
8. Inflammatory bowel diseases --> lupus anticoagulant
9. Obessity (BMI>30) --> long distance travel

This criteria is not merely a signal about VTE, but better knowing early than late. Best advice is go to Cardiac specialists, then see what best treatment
should take. Cardiac VTE is chronic diseases, but we can controlled it as long as we submissive doctor's recommendation.

health lifestyle is the best investation we all should take

Korean Movie review: My girl and I

Su Ho's grandfather was a carpenter who make corps chest. He had memorable love story at the time when Korea involved World War II. He have to lived
his heart, a young beautiful girl, as his fiancee, to joined as a soldier. Unfortunately, they never united. After war was over, she never married Su Ho's grandfather.
Eventhough he had married with another woman (Su Ho's grandmother)- and worked as a corpse chest maker while raised Su Ho, his grandson-
he never forgot his first love.

Till someday a woman came to his house, asked to make a corpse chest with funeral ceremony for her grandmother's dead. She wear a neklace,
Su Ho's grandfather felt so familiar to that things, like deja vu. Then the woman admited it was one of her grandmother's belongings. Then, suddenly he realized
the woman who stood in front of him was granddaughter of his beloved, which that mean he had to make a corpse chest and funeral for his first love.
His heart break, his feeling distressed, why they have to met each other in the time when death already called one of them.

Su Ho's himself have a crushed in love with the most wanted beautiful girl in the school, named Su Eun. Su Ho never knew, that the girl has saved him
from drowning and made her lost her beeper. In short time, they're close each other, and soon became more than friends. In holiday time, both of them
went to vacation in a tourism Island. Here, they have their romantic kiss.

But, nothing's perfect. After holiday time Su Eun health condition's decline dramatically. She had to hospitalized inside sterile room, to keep her alive.
She hate this and said sorry to Su Ho, not telling her ilness. Faithfully, Su Ho take care Su Eun day and night with love. On Su Eun birthday, he promised
to do anything that she would asked. Su Eun asked him to took her away from hospital and went to the Island before.

Su Ho knew it was impossible to do, but doctor's said her ilness won't curred, it's already in the last stadium leukimia. He decided to let her beloved happy and
smile again in her last moments. He took Su Eun secretly out of hospital, the they rent a taxi to the harbour. It was a stormy day, there's no boat will sailed
whole the day. They trapped inside a building office of harbour. While outhere, wind blow so hard, trees collapse, billboard falled out.

Su Eun lied down to Su Ho's arm. They embrace each other. Like a last candle light, Su Eun's life taken slowly, then entirely light goes off, as it happened
to Su Eun. She died in Su Ho's bosom.
Then, once again Su Ho's grandfather had to made a corpse chest for woman he love too as his own granddaughter.

Typically Korean story, full of tears, players and stars with mesmerize acting ability. Eventhough many korean movies have same themes, same
ilness-leukimia, same sobber ends, it views many beautiful scenery of Korean Island

Book review: Thousands Splendid Sun

This is story about afghanistan woman named Maryam. As an illegitimate daughter from Jalil and his maid, Nana. Jalil was a sucessful intrepeneur and the owner of some cinema in the city. That's why he felt ashamed to admit Maryam as her daughter in front of public.
But he loves Maryam very much. Nana and Maryam's daily needs were fulfilled with Jalil regularly sending to their secluded house every month through his sons from others wifes he has married before Nana. Jalil often told Maryam how cinema looklike, the movie which played, the audience and an ice cream gift for the kids who had watch the cartoon movie every Friday.

Maryam felt happy when her father came, because of his astonishing words he told to Maryam. This condition is upside down with her mother, Nana. Nana often yelled Maryam with many scorn words. As a mother she always regrets giving a birth to Maryam.
When Maryam 14 year old, she decided to met her father in the town. But, she could not met him, instead of that, she finally knew that Jalil let her slept on the street in front of his house all the night. Her sense offended, cried when she return home, she found her mother suicide, hung with the rope around her neck.
Then everything going so fast, Jalil has no option to reject Nana again. So he take her with him to stay in his luxury house together with other wifes, sons and daughters. Day afer day Maryam blaming herself for nana's death.Maryam was so sad, even Nana may be not the good mother, but she's all that Maryam have. Nana is her world, her only real family, the one who stay with her while Jalil not being there.
After a full moon past, Nana was planned to marriage with Rasyid a forty year oldman who worked as shoe maker in Kabul. Maryam resisted, but Jalil and his wifes seems insist on her to accept it. Maryam realized, she's unwanted person in this house, so she has to gone away, and marriage is the only way for Jalil to free from his obligue to raise Maryam. So the wedding happen, Maryam took to Kabul with her husband.
Year after year, Maryam has pregnant not only once, but she always lost her babies while pregnancy time. This make her husband upset, and sometimes harshed Maryam with hits and punches to her face and body.
Through the time, there were come war periode. Rasyid accidentally saved a girl named Laila from bombing debris. Laila was their neigbourhood and already has boyfriend-went to battle as troops-which have left baby in her body. Maryam was take care of Laila day and night, cured her wounds, feed her, bathed her, till she get well.
Then it all became a knife that stab Maryam's heart so much hurt. Rasyid propose Laila to be his next wife. Laila want to say no, because she has a boyfriend, more, has a baby within her life as a proof of their love. But, living alone as a single mother is not an easy thing in battle field. So, instead of thinking her feeling she prefered the safety of her pregnancy.
She willing to Rasyid became 'father' of her baby. in the beginning, Maryam and Laila not get along well. But, after the baby bourne, Maryam's motherly senses made everything easier and so on with Laila. Together, they raise Azizah, the illegitimate daughter from Laila and her boyfriend. Nobody knew it, unless Laila herself.
In the war periode, Rasyid's job having recession time. He became a drunkard and bad-tempered man. Laila and Maryam planned to escape. But it's not easy, Afghanistan women were bounded with strict rules. Women not allowed to go alone, unless accompanied with a man that has family relationship with her. That makes Laila and Maryam worry. Unfortunately, Rasyid knew it, he was so angry, then he tortured Laila and her daughter. Maryam tried to save them, on the contrary, it killed Rasyid accidentally.
Frightened what will happened if the soldier find his body, Maryam want to surrender and let Laila run to met his boyfriend (which known unsurely, lived with no legs because hitted with grenade during battle) outside Kabul,and has occupied as hotelier. Laila insist never lived Maryam alone and Maryam absolutely insist on her decision.
After Maryam convinced Laila to ran away, will also saved the two other lifes, Aziza and her brother. If they are all run, they could caught anytime, because the army will chased them. Someone has to stay, so other could live longer, Said Maryam tenaciously.
In the middle of the night, Laila went to south with her children. And in the morning, Maryam surender herself. A week later, Maryam sentenced to die with the judge.
while, outside Kabul, Laila and her family lived happily, but eventhough Maryam has died, she will always live inside Laila. Through Azizah and her eyes, Laila believed that Maryam could see and feel the happines too.
After war is over and new regime have the authority, which is not so much strict rules for women. Laila return, and then established a school in Kabul, worked as a teacher with her husband.
Maybe Maryam's story is not the only one that ends tragically. But Her death will be remembered as a sadness narrative about Afghanistan woman.

SHape your body (ANN/The Star)

When I read this article in news paper, Monday 14 April, I feel I have to type it again as a reminder for keeping health means preety looking.
Here it says in short:

It's obvious that our body shapes affects our lives in a number of different ways (very much yesss). Our body shapes often determine what and how much we eat
and exercise, what we wear and what we feel about ourselves. Just as our facial features are inherited genetically, our body shapes are too.
Women can easily says and blames their mother,father, grandmother, aunty, uncle, etc, by saying " I've inherited my mother's waist and hips" or
"I've got my dad's shoulders and height".

Here's a look at the characteristics of each body type and the diets and exercises to keep you in the best of health
1. The pear-shaped body
Jenifer Lopez is one of the example. Research has shown that people with this body shape show less risk of developing heart conditions.
This could be because hip-fat contains a natural anti-inflamatory element called adiponectin, which prevent arteries from swelling up and becoming blocked.
Storing fat around the hips also has fewer health risks than storing fat around the waist, although as with all body shapes. it is important to work hard and
eat a balanced meal to maintain a healthy weight.
2. The apple-shaped body
Silhouette that resembles an upside down triangle. This comonly body type for men. Women with this body type, will tend to accumulate weight around
their stomach rather than around their hips.
Sugestion: Keep that waistline in check to reduce risk of heart disease or diabetes. A healthy diet and active lifestyle are esential.
Toning and strengthening the upper body will benefit greatly.
3. The ruler body
Rulers seems to be eating all the time without getting any fatter. Although it might sound like a good problem to have, ruler-shape bodies often wish they
could put on some weight and have fuller figure rather than looking thin. Such figure does have its benefits, such as missing out on a myriad health problems
associated with too uch body fat. But it is believed that such a body has higher risks of developing osteoporosis.
4. The hourglass figure
This is 'perfecto' figure think for all women. The trouble that is for this body form, often find they put on weight quite easily, while finding it difficult to build muscle.
To maintain those curves, require a healthy low-fat diet and regular cardiovascular exercise.

Surely all this matters is just inherited, just ourselves determination to keep or make it beautiful as it suppose you like. Let this be the basis for making sure that
you are eating right and exercising right for your body shape.