0 Carotenoids in Diet from Fruits and Vegetables May Help Prevent or Delay the Onset of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, is a devastating degenerative illness that incapacitates its victims in a manner similar to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. At present, there is no known cure or effective treatment for the illness, believed to be the result of oxidative stress caused by decades of poor diet, stress, environmental toxins and poor physical conditioning. Researchers have now discovered that increased consumption of foods containing colorful carotenoids, particularly beta-carotene and lutein, may prevent or delay the onset of ALS.

Natural Sources of Fruits and Dark Leafy Vegetables Help Lower Risk of Developing ALS

ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord known to be responsible for the control of voluntary muscles. As the motor neurons degenerate, the muscles they control gradually weaken and waste away, leading to paralysis. A research team from the Harvard School of Public Health has published the results of their research in the Annals of Neurologythat builds on prior studies showing that carotenoids, the natural compounds that give fruits and vegetables their bright orange, red, or yellow colors, provide critical antioxidant support to help fight this devastating disease.

Scientists evaluated five large studies comprising more than one million participants to develop a basis for evaluation. Researchers reviewed food intake for the group and further broke consumption down to determine carotenoids eaten in the form of fruits and vegetables. Lead study author Dr. Alberto Ascherio noted “Understanding the impact of food consumption on ALS development is important. Our study is one of the largest to date to examine the role of dietary antioxidants in preventing ALS.”

Add Five to Nine Daily Servings of Fruits and Vegetables to Your Natural Food Diet

A total of 1093 cases of ALS were identified across the cohort of subjects. The team found that those with the highest intake of carotenoids from any source had the lowest risk of developing ALS. They also determined that individuals who consumed more carotenoids in their diets were more likely to exercise, have an advanced degree, have higher vitamin C consumption, and take vitamin C and E supplements. Participants with the highest dietary consumption of beta-carotene and lutein, most commonly found in dark green vegetables had a reduced risk of developing ALS.

Interestingly, the researchers found that diets high in lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin C did not reduce disease incidence, and long-term vitamin C supplement intake was also not associated with lower ALS risk. Dr. Ascherio concluded“Our findings suggest that consuming carotenoid-rich foods may help prevent or delay the onset of ALS.” This study acts to support a large volume of prior works that reinforce the critical importance of a natural food diet consisting largely of fruits and vegetables to thwart diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease and ALS.

0 Medicare Accountable Care Organizations Medical Homes Experimental Potential or Essential

Time to measure some
new Medicare office drapes?

One major and longstanding criticism of CMS numerous innovation and demonstration projects is that they seldom lead to any meaningful orm of the core Medicare program.  In response, the Affordable Care Act created an "Innovation Center."  Despite legions of lobbyists, a third rail dread afflicting our political class and a powerful Medicare voting bloc, the intrepid folks in the Center promise to deliver insights that will advance quality, lower costs, increase access and spare all sacred cows.

Naturally, the thousands of health care experts who regularly read the Disease Management Care Blog have their doubts.  As a result, theyre unlikely to be moved by Karen Davis and colleagues "Medicare Essential" proposal appearing in the May issue of Health Affairs.

Assuming that the most wildly optimistic Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and medical home pilot programs projections are fulfilled, Dr. Davis et al propose the creation of a new "Medicare Essential" program that would co-exist with standard Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

"Essentials" essential purpose would be to finance ACOs and medical homes.  Given the authors enthusiasm, the DMCB is surprised that their Health Affairs paper isnt also recommending measuring drapes for the programs new offices.
 
In "Medicare Essential," Parts A (hospital), B (providers) and D (drugs) would be combined. There would be a single overall deductible, followed by low co-pays for primary care and higher co-pays for specialty and emergency room care Preventive care would have first dollar coverage. Pharmaceuticals would be governed by a single national formulary with low co-pays for generics as well as for perred brands and condition-specific/value-based drugs. Persons in the "Essential" program who are receiving care in ACOs or medical homes (financed with capitation, bonuses, gain sharing and monthly fees) would naturally have even lower co-pays.
 
Using "modeling by the Actuarial Research Corporation" and, as the DMCB understands it, transferring all savings back to the beneficiary, monthly out-of-pocket costs for the average Medicare enrollee could be reduced from the currently level of $427 to $354.  As an added bonus, if the patient used an ACO/Medical Home, the out of pocket would be further reduced to $254.

Case closed, right?

The DMCB isnt too sure.

Dont Measure Those "Essential" Medicare Program Office Drapes Quite Yet: While Davis et al should be commended for sending the savings back to the patient instead of Uncle Sam, their optimistic actuarial "research" projections cant be based on any consistent, statistically significant and real-world published proof.  Thats because there is no consistent, statistically significant and real-world published proof that ACOs and medical homes save money.  Come back, says the DMCB, when you have an analysis based on some real numbers.

Behavioral Economics: Furthermore, we dont know if monthly beneficiary savings of $73 to $173 are enough to move market share away from Medicare and Medicare Advantage to "Essential."  Thats doubly true if ACOs and medical homes, despite their quality, are viewed by patients as another way to impose a restricted network.

Disease Management Playbook: Advocates for the earliest versions of disease management likewise used official sounding projections to confidently project huge benefits for the Medicare program. When reality rudely intruded, the industrys fall was spectacular and almost fatal.  With friends like Dr. Davis similarly doubling down with huge ACO and medical home promises, who needs enemies?

Reinventing A 3rd Wheel? Many Advantage plans have similar co-pay arrangements and are already investing in ACO-like and medical home programs in their networks. They are likewise more than able to leverage out-of-pocket expenses to incent beneficiary behavior.

Suppose You Gave An ACO Party and Nobody Came? The last time the DMCB looked, many parts of the country lacked fully functional ACOs and medical homes. Dr. Davis says beneficiaries will respond by demanding local access to the Essential program and theore turbocharge additional health orm. The DMCB is unaware of any published data that supports that notion and, furthermore, wonders if the local lack of these programs will translate into even more variation in the U.S. health care system.

0 DIET FOR BEFORE OR AFTER EXERCISE

Exercise for energy with endurance

Foods provide the gas to the body’s engine, and fluids provide the water to your body’s radiator. Without these crucial fuels and fluids, your body will have a hard time performing at its best.

Fuelling exercise requires quality carbohydrates, lean protein, heart-healthy fats, and fluids. Your muscles rely on carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables for a quick energy source. Protein is needed to build and maintain muscles and for healthy blood cells. Blood cells deliver nutrients and oxygen to working muscles.

Importance of Drinking Liquid while exercise.
The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids with meals and drink about two cups (16 ounces) of water two hours before exercise. Monitor your hydration status through two simple measures:
Check the colour of 

1.your urine. When youre hydrated, your urine will be a light straw colour.
2.Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace lost weight with 2 cups of fluids for each pound lost.

Not only does being well hydrated improve your performance, it can save your life. Water acts as your body’s cooling system; without sufficient water during exercise your body temperature can reach dangerously high levels.

Sport drink and plain water is the best hydrated liquid.

Recreational athletes can drink water for hydration. But if youre exercising for more than 60 minutes in hot, humid conditions, sports drinks provide not only fluid, but carbohydrates and sodium. Sports drinks are also a good choice if you play team sports like soccer or football, especially when the temperature and humidity are high.  If you are a heavy sweater, a sports drink might be perable to water.

With so many sports drinks, bars, and more to choose from, how do you make the best choices?

A good sports drink contains 14-15 grams of carbohydrate in 8 ounces. It should also contain about 110 milligrams of sodium and 30 milligrams of potassium in the same volume. But if you are exercising to lose weight, stick to water or a "lighter" version of sports drinks with fewer carbs and calories.

Look for energy bars that contain about 5 grams of protein, with some carbohydrate (perably with more naturally occurring sugars) and very little fat. Many energy bars are just glorified, expensive candy bars, so remember that "energy" means calories and watch out for high-calorie bars. They are helpful for athletes on the go, so if you cant eat before a long tennis match, an energy bar can help.

Choose protein powders made from whey protein or milk proteins (milk protein contains two types of proteins, both whey and casein). Use them within 30 minutes after exercising to provide needed amino acids to muscles. For weight gain, use a protein drink as an evening snack.

Can eating a high-protein diet help bulk up muscles?

The only way to bulk up muscles is to hit the gym and perform progressive resistance exercises. Protein can help provide the raw material to build muscle, but the protein has to be pulled into muscles through exercise. Aim to eat a small amount of protein (10-20 grams, or about 2-3 ounces of lean meat, 2 cups of low-fat milk, or a scoop of most protein powders) after each bout of weight training to give your muscles the needed building blocks.

Why do you need to eat protein or drink protein shakes after exercising?

Muscles need protein for recovery and growth, and the best time to deliver protein appears to be right after exercise. Providing high-quality protein after exercise gives your muscles the fuel and the building blocks needed for both repair and for growth.


Protein shakes and powders carry a certain allure, but your muscles don’t care if the protein comes from a hard-boiled egg, glass of chocolate milk or whey protein shake.  Whatever you choose, more isn’t better -- only 10 to 20 grams of protein is needed to provide amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to muscles.


Is carbo loading a useful strategy for long-distance athletes?

Carbo loading, or stocking up on carbohydrates before a sporting event, has gone out of favor with most athletes.  Eating adequate carbohydrates during training provides muscles with all the glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrate) that they need.

Athletes who exercise for longer than two hours usually consume some form of carbohydrate during exercise (sports drinks, carbohydrate gels, or energy bars) to provide additional fuel. Carbohydrate loading (also called "muscle glycogen supercompensation") should only be considered for those performing very hard, continuous exercise that lasts for 90 minutes or more, and should be done under the supervision of a sports dietitian.

What are good, healthy snacks for kids during sport activities or practice?

When it is your turn to bring the snacks, keep it simple and healthy. Let’s face it; young kids don’t burn a lot of calories in a recreational weekly soccer game, so provide healthy snacks in small quantities. Orange or apple slices; peanut butter sandwiches cut into quarters; string cheese and whole-grain crackers; and trail mix made with whole-grain cereal, nuts, and dried fruit; along with fruit juice, are good choices.

Can you lose weight without having to exercise?

Yes, you can, but the best strategy is a combination of cutting calories and exercising.  Exercise has other benefits that can help with weight loss. It improves mood and self-esteem, as well as reduces risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Exercise burns fewer calories than you might think. Walking 1 mile burns about 100 calories, and 1 pound of body fat is a storage depot for 3,500 calories. You’d have to walk 35 miles to lose 1 pound of fat. 

What changes should you make to your diet if your goal is to lose fat?


If your goal is to lose weight and target fat, you need to follow the same kind of healthy diet as above, but be sure you get enough calories to fuel your physical activity. Cut back on ined, sugar-rich foods and beverages and high-fat and fried foods, and scale back your portions to gradually lose body fat.  A combination of exercise and a calorie-controlled diet will be the most effective way to promote fat loss.

0 A Junk Food Tax Reasonable Public Health Measure or Evidence of a Nanny State

By now, you might have heard about the “junk food tax” or “fat tax.” No doubt, you’ve read a few articles and thought, “This is a wonderful idea!” or “Man, what are these people smoking?” At a potluck this past weekend, a few friends debated the notion, and reactions seemed to mirror those sentiments.

If you haven’t heard of the junk food tax, the idea is this: to help curb obesity, the government would add a tariff on to unhealthy foods, such as soda and pizza. While no concrete legislation has been passed (as far as I’m aware), the specter of the tax has ignited some debate. Will it really help our weight problems? Is it fair to tax people who can’t afford healthy food? Aren’t we capable of choosing what we eat? Where would it end?

I’m of two minds on this.

• When I consider the overall health of the nation, taxing junk food seems like a decent idea. Though education would ultimately be the best way of solving our obesity problem, it will take awhile. A tariff, on the other hand, is an immediate solution, and according to a recent study, might be more effective than subsidizing produce. Not to mention, the extra funds raised by the tax could go toward programs encouraging healthier behaviors. We tax booze and cigarettes, so why not junk food?

• When I consider me – just me – my answer is very, very different. I can control my own intake, and don’t think I should be punished financially for wanting the occasional Pepperidge Farm Mint Milano (a.k.a. What Cookies Must Be Like in Heaven).

I’m curious as to your opinions, though, sweet readers, and would love to read your thoughts. Based on the arguments, I’ll compose a piece for next week outlining the good and bad points of the idea in more depth, as well as the readers’ general consensus.

The comment section is open: What’s your opinion of a potential junk food tax?

(Needless to say, please keep it civil.)

0 Acai Berry Diet Exposed Miracle Diet or Scam

Eva investigates the Acai Berry diet to find out for herself if this super diet works.

Acai berries are the latest weight loss fad. These so called Super Foods that you take as a supplement to lose weight have been getting a lot of international attention. And like you have probably already seen; they are all over the internet in blogs and success stories of people who have apparently used the pills and lost a ton of weight. But we here at Channel 5 are a little skeptical and aren‘t sure that we‘ve seen any real proof that these pills work for weight loss. So we decided to put these products to the test. What better way to find out the truth than to conduct our own study? To get started, I volunteered to be the guinea pig. I applied for a free trial of the Acai Max Cleanse + Revivatox Cleanse. While there are tons of Acai berry ads online, Acai Max Cleanse is one of the most credible and trustworthy suppliers on the market. It included the free trial of the product and it did not try to fool me into agreeing to additional hidden offers. Another reason why I chose Acai Max Cleanse with Revivatox Cleanse is because it is the most concentrated and purest acai products on the market. This would give me the most accurate results for my test. Here is what Acai Max Cleanse claimed on their website...

•  Accelerates Fat Loss
• 4 Times More Weight Loss Than Diet And Exercise    
• Boosts Energy
• Rich in Antioxidants

We were pretty skeptical, but wanted to find out for ourselves if this product could actually do everything that it claimed. Most of the success stories talk about combining acai berry with colon cleansing products to achieve maximum weight loss. I decided to do the same. The idea behind combining the products is that while the Acai Berry encourages weight loss and increases energy, the colon cleanse helps rid your body of toxins and allows your body to work and burn calories more efficiently. I chose Revivatox Cleanse to test. Here is what Revivatox Cleanse claimed on their website...

• Helps Eliminate Bad Toxins that have Built Up Over the Years
• Removes ‘Sludge‘ from the Walls of the Colon
• Helps Get Rid of Gas and Bloating
• Helps to Regulate the Metabolism

And the Revivatox Cleanse, like the Acai Berry, had a free bottle with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and had no hidden offers. Putting Acai to the Test Both the Acai Max Cleanse and Revivatox Cleanse arrived within 4 days of having placed my order online for the bottles. The bottles I received held a month‘s worth of pills which worked out perfect as I was to follow the supplement routine for 4 weeks time and document my progress throughout. My Test 4 Week Acai Berry Diet: Acai Max Cleanse + Revivatox Cleanse

• Take one Acai Max Cleanse pill per day
• Take one Revivatox Cleanse pill per day

My Results Week One After one week on the diet using both products I was surprised at the dramatic results. My energy level was up, and I wasn‘t even hungry, an apparent side effect of the Acai Berry and Revivatox Cleanse which curbs the appetite. I honestly felt fantastic. And I didn‘t even change anything about my daily routine. On day 7 I got on the scale and couldn‘t believe my eyes. I had lost 9 lbs. But I still wasn‘t convinced as they say you lose a lot of water at the beginning of any diet. I wanted to wait and see the results in the upcoming weeks. But it sure was looking up! I now weighed under 140 lbs for the first time in years! Week Two After two weeks of using both supplements, I started the week off with even more energy and was actually sleeping more soundly than before. I was no longer waking up during the night and tossing and turning because my body was actually able to relax (this is a result of getting rid of the toxins I think). Plus I still managed to lose another 7 lbs, putting me at an unbelievable 16 lbs of weight loss, in just 2 weeks. I must admit that I‘m starting to believe that this diet is more than just a gimmick. Week Three After 3 weeks all my doubts and skepticism had absolutely vanished! I am down, 2 full dress sizes, after losing another 6 lbs. And I still have a ton of energy. I no longer need that cat nap around 3pm in the afternoon! And I am even noticing that my stomach is digesting food so much better. No bloating or embarrassing gas after I eat!! Week Four After the fourth week, my final results were shocking. I lost an unbelievable 25 lbs since starting the Acai Max Cleanse and Revivatox Cleanse diet! Actually everyone at Channel 5 is kicking themselves for not having volunteered to be the guinea pig. Using the Acai Max Cleanse and Revivatox Cleanse in week 4 I lost 3 more lbs. But to be honest I really didn‘t have much more than that left to lose. Given the results and the added health benefits I will continue to use the products indefinitely! I couldn‘t be any happier with the results. I Lost 25 lbs in 4 Weeks, No Special Diet, No Intense Exercise

0 Traditional medicine is difficult to sleep or insomnia

traditional medicine or insomniaInsomnia insomnia or disturbed sleep is a disease due to psychological problems of the patient. Stress, many minds, the workload, the burden of life could be the trigger factor. Obvious means to avoid it you should rilexs, calm, and peace of mind.

Insomnia This is one factor that makes you less to enjoy life, because obviously the night restless sleep, awake but not calm. Daytime sleepiness, and you may be one of disruption in your business menjalai. So immediately treat your insomnia penyaTkit with traditional medicine for your insomnia.
With traditional medicine, in performing the treatment is clearly more powerful, SAFE, and very cheap. Moreover, you can create your own recipes of traditional medicine is difficult to sleep. Heres a recipe to overcome your insomnia problem:Traditional medicine insomnia # 1:

    * 1 ripe banana (cut into pieces),
    * Oats (oatmeal is a kind of whole grain cereal, or plain also called oat meal), mix to taste,
    * 1 cup of milk boiled briefly (with oatmeal and bananas)
    * After a rather cold, eaten.
Traditional medicine insomnia # 2:

    * 60 grams of peeled cactus that has been cut into pieces and then boiled with 600 cc of water to the remaining 300 cc. After that, water is drunk while warm.
* Note:
To treat insomnia you please do the treatment. Do both, just select the first treatment course, if the first is less powerful for you. You can use the other treatments. Hopefully healthy ...
Previously there ya tips to avoid and reduce your insomnia.

   A.      Regular exercise.
   2.      Avoid eating and drinking too much before bed.
   3.      Sleep in a comfortable environment.
   4.      Reduce consumption of drinks are stimulants that keep you awake or as tea, coffee, alcohol and cigarettes.
   5.     e at snacks that contain fewer carbohydrates before bed, if available, add a glass of warm milk.
   6.      Wash with warm water 30 minutes or an hour before bedtime.
   7.      Stop watching TV, reading books, at least an hour before bedtime.
   8.      Use your bed for sleeping.
   9.      Perform regular relaxation activities.
  10.      Clear your mind.
  11.      Sleep and wake up in a period of regular time each day.
May be useful and get-well of your insomnia. Do not forget to try traditional medicine insomnia above.