DALIAN Travel Guide Information

Geography Dalian is located west of the Yellow Sea (Korea Bay) and east of Bohai Sea. With a coastline of 1,906 km, it governs the southernmost Liaodong Peninsula and about 260 surrounding islands and reefs.History Part of the State of Yan in the Spring and Autumn Period, Dalian became a small town in the 1880s, when the Qing Empire established bridges, cannon platforms and camps there. Named

Part Deux: Is The California Individual & Family Health Insurance Market In Critical Condition?

Having recently watched the "bi-partisan" meeting in Washington and many videos on youtube, I wonder if the problem is "un"-fixable.Speaker Pelosi, in a recent youtube video answering questions on the meeting, pointed out two things which are absolutely of concern. 1, our health insurance system is employer-based in design and function. 2, there are many more people not covered under the

More Women Now Choose Pain Relief During Labor

More women are opting for some type of pain relief during their labor and delivery, according to a study by the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center.

A survey of 378 hospitals showed that only 6 percent to 12 percent of women did not request pain relief, compared to 11 percent to 33 percent nine years prior.

Regional analgesia, including epidural, spinal or combined epidural-spinal techniques, accounted for 76 percent of the anesthesia services provided in the larger hospitals and for 57 percent in smaller hospitals.

There are two types of regional pain-relieving drugs - analgesics and anesthetics. Analgesia - pain relief without total loss of feeling or muscle movement - is typically administered to women in labor. This treatment blocks pain by numbing the nerves around the spinal or epidural space that encases the spinal cord. Anesthesia blocks all feeling and movement.

In the past, doctors debated the safety of using an epidural during early labor in first-time mothers. But newer research shows that those who are concerned about receiving pain relief during early labor may be able to rest easy.

Spinal-epidural analgesia during early labor does not increase the cesarean delivery rate in first-time mothers, according to a study by Dr. Cynthia A. Wong, associate professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

This study also found that analgesia via combined spinal-epidural techniques resulted in better pain relief and a shorter labor when compared to pain medications administered by other routes such as intravenous or intramuscular injections.

"Mothers have come to expect the kind of pain relief provided by regional techniques," said Dr. Brenda Bucklin, associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. "With recent studies showing that having this type of anesthesia early in labor will not increase chances of a cesarean delivery, I think their popularity will continue."

Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Since the early 1990s, teen pregnancies across America declined dramatically. However, it is a teen pregnancy fact that 34% of teenage girls in America still get pregnant before they turn the age of 20. This means that America has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world. As does England; in which one in every five births in the country is from a teenager. These are shocking statistics and adults and teenagers alike should be active in teen pregnancy prevention.

Talking about sex and pregnancy When a child reaches the age of about 13, parents should be active in approaching their child about their thoughts and ideas of sex and the possible consequences of the act. Although it can initially be embarrassing for both parties, it will pay off in the long run as education and knowledge is the best way to prevent teen pregnancy. Talk to your child about the sexually transmitted diseases and the risk of pregnancy as well as pregnancy prevent methods such as abstinence and contraception.

Abstinence The safest path towards teen pregnancy prevention is abstinence. Not having sexual intercourse will mean that you will never have to worry about catching any diseases or unwanted pregnancies which will ultimately change your entire life. Though there will undoubtedly be a lot of peer pressure to have sex, abstaining from sex now will only mean that you will be 100% ready when you do decide to take that step.

Contraception The two most popular forms of teen pregnancy prevention come in the form of the condom and the pill. The condom is a rubber latex glove that is placed over the penis during sex to prevent semen from entering the vagina. The condom will not only protect you from possible diseases that can be transmitted through the semen but also from teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy facts suggest that there are also a large number of teens now taking the birth control pill, and this number is increasing yearly. The birth control pill is taken every day and releases hormones in the body to stop your body from ovulating. If you don't ovulate, then no egg will be released and therefore there will be no egg for the sperm to fertilize. If it is taken every day, the pill is very reliable in terms of pregnancy prevention. However, the pill does not stop you from catching sexually transmitted diseases and infections so you must still be careful.

The media often portrays teens regularly having sex. But you don't need to buy into this. The media isn't real and it is perfectly normal to wait until you are ready or for the right person to come along before having sex. The only 100% way to prevent teen pregnancy from occurring is to not have sex at all.

Pregnancy Ultrasound– a Gateway to Your Baby

Pregnancy ultrasound is an awesome technology. With ultrasound, you get to see your baby even before he is a baby. There is no known risk to you or your baby from ultrasound during pregnancy.

Ultrasound machines use high-pitched sound waves (250 times higher-pitched than can be heard by the human ear), transmitted through the abdominal wall to produce an echo image of your pelvis. By moving the transducer (the ultrasound transmitter) appropriately, different areas of anatomy, along with your baby, in the pelvis can be seen during pregnancy.

If it is very early in your pregnancy, the ultrasound technician may use a slender transducer in the vagina to visualize the uterus more easily. When you are further along in your pregnancy, ultrasound conducting gel will be placed on the lower abdomen for your ultrasound.

The amount of useful information gained from a pregnancy ultrasound examination depends on several factors. For instance, during fetal scans, the gestational age, maternal size and amount of amniotic fluid can limit the detail of an exam. During a pregnancy ultrasound examination, you can see if you are having twins or multiples, which way the baby is positioned in the uterus, the location of the placenta, fetal heart and limb motion, and the amount of amniotic fluid. In addition, measurement of various fetal parts can be made in order to estimate the age of your baby and to assure that fetal growth is normal.

The most amazing parts of the pregnancy ultrasound are seeing your little baby's heart beat, the individual hair on her head, her rapid movements or kicks, and her profile. If you want to know the sex of your baby, you can see that too, usually at 18-20 weeks.

Over the past few years, a new ultrasound technology has emerged. 3D ultrasound, often used in pregnancy, actually generates 3D pictures of your baby. Now, you can see exactly what he looks like before he's even born. Whether you know it or not, there is probably a 3D pregnancy ultrasound clinic near you. Your doctor may even view your pregnancy with 3D ultrasound in her office!

Corn Oil and Cancer: Reality Strikes Again

The benefits of corn oil keep rolling in. In a new study by Stephen Freedland's group at Duke, feeding mice a diet rich in butter and lard didn't promote the growth of transplanted human prostate cancer cells any more than a low-fat diet (1).

Why do we care? Because other studies, including one from the same investigators, show that corn oil and other industrial seed oils strongly promote prostate cancer cell growth and increase mortality in similar models (2, 3).

From the discussion section:

Current results combined with our prior results suggest that lowering the fat content of a primarily saturated fat diet offers little survival benefit in an intact or castrated LAPC-4 xenograft model. In contrast to the findings when omega-6 fats are used, these results raise the possibility that fat type may be as important as fat amount or perhaps even more important.

The authors seem somewhat surprised and pained by the result. Kudos for publishing it. However, there's nothing to be surprised about. There's a large body of evidence implicating excess omega-6 fat in a number of cancer models. Reducing omega-6 to below 4% of calories has a dramatic effect on cancer incidence and progression*. In fact, there have even been several experiments showing that butter and other animal fats promote cancer growth to a lesser degree than margarine and omega-6-rich seed oils. I discussed that here.

I do have one gripe with the study. They refer to the diet as "saturated fat based". That's inaccurate terminology. I see it constantly in the diet-health literature. If it were coconut oil, then maybe I could excuse it, because coconut fat is 93% saturated. But this diet was made of lard and butter, the combination of which is probably about half saturated. The term "animal fat" or "low-omega-6 fat" would have been more accurate. At least they listed the diet composition. Many studies don't even bother, leaving it to the reader to decide what they mean by "saturated fat".


* The average American eats 7-8% omega-6 by calories. This means it will be difficult to see a relationship between omega-6 intake and cancer (or heart disease, or most things) in observational studies in the US or other industrial nations, because we virtually all eat more than 4% of calories as omega-6. Until the 20th century, omega-6 intake was below 4%, and usually closer to 2%, in most traditional societies. That's where it remains in contemporary traditional societies unaffected by industrial food habits, such as Kitava. Our current omega-6 intake is outside the evolutionary norm.

Pregnancy And Massage Therapy

When you are pregnant, your body is under tremendous pressure. Everything hurts, everything aches. But how can you get relief from this tension and stress. Massage after all is out of the question, isn't it? Well maybe not. Many massage therapists today specialize in Prenatal Massages.

You may wonder how a prenatal massage differs from traditional massage. Well, your therapists will use a variety of different massage techniquesThe techniques they use will concentrate on a woman's, neck, back and pelvic regions. These are of course the areas most often negatively affected by a pregnancy. If you are modest, don't worry, your therapist will be able to customize the massage to you while respecting your personal limits. Another big difference in a prenatal massage is your position. Since you cannot and should not lay on your stomach, you will most often be laid on your side with pillows for support. While there are special tables designed to allow room for a pregnant belly, most therapists will prefer to have you rest on your side.

The benefits of massage during pregnancy are numerous. When you are under stress, your body produces stress hormones. Stress hormones that you produce will be felt by not only you, but also your baby. By reducing your stress, through massage, you can increase the safety of your baby. It can also ease your muscular aches and pains that can quite frankly make your life hell. This will let you enjoy this special time in your life that you may never experience again.

Finding a therapist who specializes in prenatal massage might take you a little effort. Do not assume that any massage therapists can accommodate you. Some might not have the experience and some might not feel comfortable accepting you as a patient at all. Ask your potential masseuse or masseur if they have experience dealing with pregnant clients. If they do not, they will probably at least be able to point you in the right direction.

Magnesium and Insulin Sensitivity

From a paper based on US NHANES nutrition and health survey data (1):

During 1999–2000, the diet of a large proportion of the U.S. population did not contain adequate magnesium... Furthermore, racial or ethnic differences in magnesium persist and may contribute to some health disparities.... Because magnesium intake is low among many people in the United States and inadequate magnesium status is associated with increased risk of acute and chronic conditions, an urgent need exists to perform a current survey to assess the physiologic status of magnesium in the U.S. population.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that's slowly disappearing from the modern diet, as industrial agriculture and industrial food processing increasingly dominate our food choices. One of the many things it's necessary for in mammals is proper insulin sensitivity and glucose control. A loss of glucose control due to insulin resistance can eventually lead to diabetes and all its complications.

Magnesium status is associated with insulin sensitivity (2, 3), and a low magnesium intake predicts the development of type II diabetes in most studies (4, 5) but not all (6). Magnesium supplements largely prevent diabetes in a rat model* (7). Interestingly, excess blood glucose and insulin themselves seem to reduce magnesium status, possibly creating a vicious cycle.

In a 1993 trial, a low-magnesium diet reduced insulin sensitivity in healthy volunteers by 25% in just four weeks (8). It also increased urinary thromboxane concentration, a potential concern for cardiovascular health**.

At least three trials have shown that magnesium supplementation increases insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant diabetics and non-diabetics (9, 10, 11). In some cases, the results were remarkable. In type II diabetics, 16 weeks of magnesium supplementation improved fasting glucose, calculated insulin sensitivity and HbA1c*** (12). HbA1c dropped by 22 percent.

In insulin resistant volunteers with low blood magnesium, magnesium supplementation for four months reduced estimated insulin resistance by 43 percent and decreased fasting insulin by 32 percent (13). This suggests to me that magnesium deficiency was probably one of the main reasons they were insulin resistant in the first place. But the study had another very interesting finding: magnesium improved the subjects' blood lipid profile remarkably. Total cholesterol decreased, LDL decreased, HDL increased and triglycerides decreased by a whopping 39 percent. The same thing had been reported in the medical literature decades earlier when doctors used magnesium injections to treat heart disease, and also in animals treated with magnesium. Magnesium supplementation also suppresses atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries) in animal models, a fact that I may discuss in more detail at some point (14, 15).

In the previous study, participants were given 2.5 g magnesium chloride (MgCl2) per day. That's a bit more than the USDA recommended daily allowance (MgCl2 is mostly chloride by weight), in addition to what they were already getting from their diet. Most of a person's magnesium is in their bones, so correcting a deficiency by eating a nutritious diet may take a while.

Speaking of nutritious diets, how does one get magnesium? Good sources include halibut, leafy greens, chocolate and nuts. Bone broths are also an excellent source of highly absorbable magnesium. Whole grains and beans are also fairly good sources, while refined grains lack most of the magnesium in the whole grain. Organic foods, particularly artisanally produced foods from a farmer's market, are richer in magnesium because they grow on better soil and often use older varieties that are more nutritious.

The problem with seeds such as grains, beans and nuts is that they also contain phytic acid which prevents the absorption of magnesium and other minerals (16). Healthy non-industrial societies that relied on grains took great care in their preparation: they soaked them, often fermented them, and also frequently removed a portion of the bran before cooking (17). These steps all served to reduce the level of phytic acid and other anti-nutrients. I've posted a method for effectively reducing the amount of phytic acid in brown rice (18). Beans should ideally be soaked for 24 hours before cooking, preferably in warm water.

Industrial agriculture has systematically depleted our soil of many minerals, due to high-yield crop varieties and the fact that synthetic fertilizers only replace a few minerals. The mineral content of foods in the US, including magnesium, has dropped sharply in the last 50 years. The reason we need to use fertilizers in the first place is that we've broken the natural nutrient cycle in which minerals always return to the soil in the same place they were removed. In 21st century America, minerals are removed from the soil, pass through our toilets, and end up in the landfill or in waste water. This will continue until we find an acceptable way to return human feces and urine to agricultural soil, as many cultures do to this day****.

I believe that an adequate magnesium intake is critical for proper insulin sensitivity and overall health.


* Zucker rats that lack leptin signaling

** Thromboxane A2 is an omega-6 derived eicosanoid that potently constricts blood vessels and promotes blood clotting. It's interesting that magnesium has such a strong effect on it. It indicates that fatty acid balance is not the only major influence on eicosanoid production.

*** Glycated hemoglobin. A measure of the average blood glucose level over the past few weeks.

**** Anyone interested in further reading on this should look up The Humanure Handbook

Lindeberg on Obesity

I'm currently reading Dr. Staffan Lindeberg's magnum opus Food and Western Disease, recently published in English for the first time. Dr. Lindeberg is one of the world's leading experts on the health and diet of non-industrial cultures, particularly in Papua New Guinea. The book contains 2,034 references. It's also full of quotable statements. Here's what he has to say about obesity:

Middle-age spread is a normal phenomenon - assuming you live in the West. Few people are able to maintain their [youthful] waistline after age 50. The usual explanation - too little exercise and too much food - does not fully take into account the situation among traditional populations. Such people are usually not as physically active as you may think, and they usually eat large quantities of food.

Overweight has been extremely rare among hunter-gatherers and other traditional cultures [18 references]. This simple fact has been quickly apparent to all foreign visitors...

The Kitava study measured height, weight, waist circumference, subcutaneous fat thickness at the back of the upper arm (triceps skinfold) and upper arm circumference on 272 persons ages 4-86 years. Overweight and obesity were absent and average [body mass index] was low across all age groups. ...no one was larger around their waist than around their hips.

...The circumference of the upper arm [mostly indicating muscle mass] was only negligibly smaller on Kitava [compared with Sweden], which indicates that there was no malnutrition. It is obvious from our investigations that lack of food is an unknown concept, and that the surplus of fruits and vegetables regularly rots or is eaten by dogs.

The Population of Kitava occupies a unique position in the world in terms of the negligible effect that the Western lifestyle has had on the island.

The only obese Kitavans Dr. Lindeberg observed were two people who had spent several years off the island living a modern, urban lifestyle, and were back on Kitava for a visit.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who has a scholarly interest in health and nutrition, and somewhat of a background in science and medicine. It's extremely well referenced, which makes it much more valuable.

Exercise During Pregnancy: Can You Continue With Your Normal Routine?

Can you continue with your normal exercise during pregnancy? Well, back in the old days, pregnant women were considered to be fragile beings that should be hidden away until delivery. Thank God we don't live in those times now.

Just because you're pregnant, it doesn't mean that you can't get out there and get some active exercise. After you get the "all clear" from your doctor, be sure to fit in daily exercises during your pregnancy. In order to clear you for exercise, your doctor may give you some guidelines to follow to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but to get you started, here are some exercise guidelines of our own.

Sports & Recreation activities and exercises to avoid include:

-Contact sports and most competitive sports

-Any activity that can result in falling, such as downhill skiing or mountain biking

-Lying on your back or stomach during exercise, after the beginning of the fourth month

-Lifting heavy objects or heavy weight lifting

-Intense cardiovascular exercise – your heartbeat should remain under 140 beats per minute during your workout.

-Scuba diving or any activity that involves pressurized air

The most appropriate exercise during pregnancy can include:

-Prenatal Yoga

-Walking

-Swimming

Exercise is important during pregnancy. It can alleviate aches and pains, depression, and fatigue. Exercise also gives you the endurance and flexibility to get through your pregnancy and through labor. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, get active, and stay healthy. Exercise during your pregnancy is a great thing to do for you AND your baby.

Health and Wellness by Bethany Burks Green Tea Health Benefits Could Include Glaucoma Prevention

Green Tea Health Benefits Could Include Glaucoma Prevention. Green tea has been in the center of a study done by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The research indicated that antioxidants found in green tea could help protect against eye diseases such as glaucoma. Green tea contains catechins which are absorbed by the eye. These catechins could have protective qualities against

Pregnancy Fitness After The Baby Is Born

What happened to that pre-pregnancy body you once had? After nine months of your body going through numerous changes, many of which you do not like or enjoy, your newborn is here and its time to lose the excess weight you have most likely gained. You can speed the process of regaining your pre-pregnancy shape by exercising regularly.

While it may not help eliminate any stretch marks you may have, exercise will help you regain the body you had prior to becoming pregnant. Some of the most common questions asked by new moms are: How soon can one begin postpartum exercises? How long will it take to regain my pre-pregnancy shape? And what are the best exercises to help me achieve my goals? Keep in mind one of the most critical factors that help determine the answers to these questions is how healthy you were during your pregnancy - both physically and mentally.

Have you ever wondered how celebrity moms lose their baby weight so rapidly? One of the most common reasons is because they exercise strenuously prior to and during their pregnancy. Celebrities have been known to lose up to 60 pounds in what seemed like a few days. However, please keep in mind that this is not considered as the normal time frame. These individuals are also quite careful (almost to the point of obsession) about the types of foods they eat. They are also quite able to afford personal trainers and nannies so that they can perform their exercise routines 5-7 days a week for many hours at a time.

Because most new moms have the regular everyday tasks to contend with such as work, errands, families, losing that excess weight after childbirth is not quite so easy. Hopefully you found the time and the desire to engage in some kind of exercise during your pregnancy, even on the days you just wanted to simply crawl back in bed. If you did, you will find that the process of losing that extra baby weight will be a lot easier for you than for new moms who did no exercise at all while pregnant. Exercising regularly during your pregnancy will have given you the opportunity to become familiar with what will motivate you, give you the best results, and identify the types of exercise that you find the most enjoyable.

Walking, jogging, aerobics, yoga, and many other types of exercise will allow you to lose the extra weight more quickly and you will feel better at the end of each day. Having a new baby can be an exhausting task and the simple act of exercising regularly will undoubtedly increase your energy and stamina when you need it most. Most doctors will say that it is safe to start a post-pregnancy exercise routine six weeks after the birth of your child. Walking and swimming can be started shortly after your baby is born if you do so in moderate amounts at a slow pace. Work up slowly to the more strenuous exercises to ensure your safety and reduce the risks of any complications that could arise from over-exerting yourself before your body has had adequate time to recover.

Diagnostic Ultrasound In Pregnancy - Is It Necessary?

The journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology, estimated that over half of all pregnant women in 1990 had undergone diagnostic ultrasound, yet research published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that 80 percent of all pregnant women are very low risk and do not need ultrasounds. The unnecessary ultrasounds cost about $1 Billion per year.

Any woman who is told she needs an ultrasound should ask about the potential benefits of the test and the risks of the procedure. She should ask if the results of the ultrasound will affect her care she would otherwise receive and how. If the result of the ultrasound will not affect her care, she may question the need for the test at all. Only after being completely informed about the need for the test, the benefits, and the risks, should she sign a consent for the procedure.

USES OF ULTRASOUND

According to the ACOG patient education flier, "Ultrasound is not necessary for every woman or in every pregnancy." It is, however, being used more often as a standard procedure for every pregnant woman. Some common uses include diagnosing and detecting uterine or ectopic pregnancy, noting pelvic inflammatory disease, cysts, tumors uterine cancer, endometriosis and congenital abnormalities.

Ultrasound may compare fetal age and weight, note the placement of the placenta, amount of amniotic fluid that is present and diagnose certain birth defects such as neural tube defects. Ultrasound is used during an amniocentesis to verify the baby's position to be sure that the needle is placed properly. Some physicians use ultrasound for estimating the fetal weight. This is not a very accurate measurement unless numerous criteria and scans are checked. Head circumference is one measurement. However, incases of gestational diabetes, it is inaccurate because these babies gain the additional weight on their bodies only.

Ultrasounds are frequently used to date pregnancies. According to Otto and Platt, 1991, in the first trimester the error range is +5 days, in the second trimester it increases to +8 days and if done in the final trimester it is +22 days.

Pregnancy - What You Should Cover Up While Pregnant

Pregnancy - It has been said that a woman is at her most beautiful when pregnant. Well I am about to burst your bubble and tell you that there are women out there who beg to differ - especially for those saying goodbye to their 36 -26-36 figure for the next 9 months. Well ladies have I got news for you, this is just one of the many changes you can expect throughout your pregnancy.

Carrying a baby and all that extra weight can take its toll - proving very stressful for some women who tend to feel ugly about them selves at this time, why? When in the world of fashion you have designers who focus purely on the pregnant woman.

In the world of cosmetics we call it a make over and in the world of pregnant women it is called a cover up. This only apply`s to the woman who is still trying to come to terms with her new look similar to that of a sumo wrestler.

Pregnancy is a wonderful experience and even more special when holding your new born baby in your arms. If this is your first pregnancy then you may need a little more understanding on the baby`s development within. At first you may not even be aware of any baby movement like the odd flutter all because the whole process is new to you

It is around 18 to 20 weeks into your pregnancy when you may experience your first sensational sensation. Don`t expect your baby to constantly kick because there will be times baby needs to rest. From as early as 20 to 24 weeks the activity inside the womb will gradually increase and from then onwards over approximately the next ten weeks, your baby will be in overtime mode with kicks and turns.

From 24 to 28 weeks baby can develop hiccups, which will explain any jolts you may feel occasionally throughout this period. It is at this time the amniotic sac will now contain up to 750ml (26floz) of fluid which permits the infant in the womb to move around freely. Into the 29th week your baby will start to make smaller but more distinct movements because of the limited space - in other words hard to manoeuvre inside a cramped uterus.

Positioning time for baby is classed as normal around the of 36th week where the infant is now in the head-down position, Expect baby`s activities at this time to feel like prodding jabs from the feet and arms followed by a couple of uncomfortable rib kicking episodes.

From 36 to 40 weeks the baby inside the womb will be of a good size therefore less action. Activity on the inside is a lot less frequent now and even more so during the last two weeks of your pregnancy. The infant now waiting to make his/her appearance will have their growth rate slowed down slightly. This is nothing to worry about as it is completely normal.

For all those pregnant women who still feel the need to cover up then go and fashion your self up from head to toe with all the latest trendy designer gear in maternity wear but what you have to remember is, that you can never cover up the end result - can you MUM

Dissolve Away those Pesky Bones with Corn Oil

I just read an interesting paper from Gabriel Fernandes's group at the University of Texas. It's titled "High fat diet-induced animal model of age-associated obesity and osteoporosis". I was expecting this to be the usual "we fed mice industrial lard for 60% of calories and they got sick" paper, but I was pleasantly surprised. From the introduction:

CO [corn oil] is known to promote bone loss, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and thus represents a useful model for studying the early stages in the development of obesity, hyperglycemia, Type 2 diabetes [23] and osteoporosis. We have used omega-6 fatty acids enriched diet as a fat source which is commonly observed in today's Western diets basically responsible for the pathogenesis of many diseases [24].

Just 10% of the diet as corn oil (roughly 20% of calories), with no added omega-3, on top of an otherwise poor laboratory diet, caused:

• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• The replacement of bone marrow with fat cells
  
• Diabetes
• Insulin resistance
  
• Generalized inflammation
• Elevated liver weight (possibly indicating fatty liver)
  

Hmm, some of these sound familiar... We can add them to the findings that omega-6 also promotes various types of cancer in rodents (1).

20% fat is less than the amount it typically takes to make a rodent this sick. This leads me to conclude that corn oil is particularly good at causing mouse versions of some of the most common facets of the "diseases of civilization". It's exceptionally high in omega-6 (linoleic acid) with virtually no omega-3.

Make sure to eat your heart-healthy corn oil! It's made in the USA, dirt cheap and it even lowers cholesterol!

Brooke Shields Opens Up About Her Struggle With Infertility. Actress Encourages Women To Get Informed

In an effort to create awareness about infertility, Brooke Shields has teamed up with Fertility LifeLines™, a free and confidential educational service for people with concerns about fertility, encouraging women to know their options and take action early if they are having trouble conceiving.

Here Ms. Shields shares her personal struggle with infertility, including advice for others who may find themselves in a similar situation.

Q: What has your experience been with facing infertility and trying to get pregnant?

SHIELDS: When my husband and I decided to start a family, we never imagined we would have to go through any of this. The idea that I would have any sort of problem getting pregnant was a shock-I just assumed everything would go as planned.

Q: How many years did you try to conceive?

SHIELDS: Prior to starting the fertility treatments, there was about a year and a half where we tried on our own. When I finally recognized there was a problem, it took about two years of fertility treatments to have a successful pregnancy.

Q: Where would you recommend that a woman go for help and support?

SHIELDS: It's important for women not to wait too long before talking to their doctor, and it's always good for women to reach out to those closest to them. In addition, Fertility LifeLines (1-866-LETS-TRY) is a great free resource that can help women understand their options for having a family. It can also help women find a fertility specialist near them.

Q: How can Fertility LifeLines help a caller?

SHIELDS: Fertility LifeLines offers access to both information and support. I definitely needed support, but I also needed practical information from someone that had gone through infertility or had helped others through the journey.

Q: What advice would you give to a woman who's having trouble getting pregnant right now?

SHIELDS: Don't wait another minute! Get information, get educated, and take action! Talk to your doctor, call Fertility LifeLines and find out the best way to start the process based on your situation.

Fertility LifeLines is a free and confidential educational service offering information and support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trained staff including fertility nurses are on call to help answer questions and provide emotional support through compassionate listening.

HIV illness 'delayed by' herpes drug aciclovir

A common treatment for herpes can delay the need for HIV drugs in people with both infections, say US researchers.A study of 3,300 patients in Africa found aciclovir reduced the risk of HIV progression by 16%, The Lancet reports.Although a "modest" effect, the researchers said the cheap treatment was a simple way of keeping people with HIV healthy for longer.One expert said it was important to

Having a bonus baby - two or more?

I once asked a friend of mine what it was like to give birth to twins. She said: 'First one came out and then the other.' I didn't both to ask her whether raising twins was as simple. We all know the answer to that. As you know, New Zealand has a unique situation the envy of women and midwives worldwide. Here, pregnant women and their families have 'choice'. Over 85% of all pregnant women are cared for by one lead maternity carer - a midwife. Maternity care is paid for by the Government and women can give birth at home or hospital and have the same care provider with them throughout their pregnancy, labour and post natal period.

Yet, the caesarean rate has doubled since midwives became lead maternity carers in 1995 and women pregnant with breech babies and multiples are more likely to be strongly encouraged to have an elective caesarean. This is a huge paradox. On the one hand, birth is promoted as being a natural and normal occurrence of a woman's life and on the other hand, there are more medically assisted births. In Nelson 26% of all babies are delivered by caesarean. What does this mean?

Where does Common Knowledge Trust and The Pink Kit Method for birthing better™ fit into this and why would you want to read this article? First, it's important to know what the Trust is besides being a Nelson based Charitable Trust. The Trust was set up in 1996 by its founder, a woman who uses the name Wintergreen. She has worked as a natural health practitioner for over 30 years, many of those years were spent working with traditionally living cultural groups. In those communities she was always given a name and she has chosen to use this one. The common knowledge about birth came from work she did with ordinary families in the US in the early 1970s, not from traditional knowledge.

The basis of The Pink Kit Method for birthing better™ comes from this fact…we are all one humanity.

Although we all share one human body regardless of whether we are fat or thin, pregnant with one or three babies, are vegetarians or like to rip into a steak; we also have many differences such as our beliefs, health, religion, ethnic background etc. We seem to focus more on our differences than on our similarities. Yet, that's how The Pink Kit Method developed. We stayed focused on our universal human female birthing body. We then took this knowledge into absolutely every single birth. The Pink Kit Method also gave skills and tools to our birth coach who was, most likely, to be our partner/husband/father of our child or a friend or relative.

Men have the same body. They also have been born through a woman's body, so it's easy for them to learn about this common knowledge. When a woman's coach is another woman, then they discover their similarities and uniqueness. There are always variations on a theme and that's why this information has been so important. For example, women are often told that the best positions are… yet, once you've mapped your pelvis, learned how to relax your minnie mouse muscles, done Kate's Cat and prepared using the Internal Work from The Pink Kit, then you'll know which positions keep you open and relaxed.

For the past 30 years there has been a pulling apart of birthing beliefs. Now women believe and are told that they have a choice between midwife, home and natural versus doctor, hospital and medical births. Yet, the strength of The Pink Kit Method comes from the reality that no matter where you labour and give birth or with whom, you will have another contraction. You can learn positive birthing and coaching skills so that you breathe well, relax internally, stay open, override the natural reaction to pain which is to tense up, develop team work with your coach and manage your way to a positive birth experience. You still might not like the experience, but you'll be proud of the way you handled it. That's empowerment!

In the birth climate of today, where 'choice' and 'information' are the basis for childbirth education and care, Common Knowledge Trust offers 'skills' which have been terribly neglected to be passed on. Sadly, we hear women tell each other: 'There is no way to prepare for the experience.' It's true that labour is an unknown journey; however, there are many simple skills that are effective tools to work with that journey as it unfolds. Why have we come to believe that ignorance is bliss, that we should hope for a good birth and that 'natural' means we all know exactly what to do? Ignorance is not bliss, being skilled is. Hope is not a plan, nor is a birth plan adaptable, yet skills are. Birth is natural, it follows pregnancy; however, we do naturally tense up, labour is naturally intense. As human beings, we are gifted with our amazing minds. We have the ability to apply skills to natural physiological processes. We do it all the time. When we're hungry, we cook not just browse on the nearest bush. When we're randy we learn to make love if we really want pleasure rather than rut. When we have to pee or poo we wait until we get to the proper receptacle rather than right here, right now!

For some unfortunate reason, there has been a trend of thinking for 30 years or so, has let birthing skills lapse. Common Knowledge Trust is a change agent for that belief…one woman at a time, one father at a time….one contraction at a time. When we couple skills to choice, we are more likely to have a goal and steps to achieve it. When we marry skills to information, we are more likely to have mastery rather than intellectual knowledge. For 30 years, skills have been missing because the focus has been on who and where should women labour and give birth rather than what we can do to have a positive birth because we have the skills to manage our way through the process of labour as it unfolds. This is not rocket science. It's common sense, common knowledge.

You might be reading this, knowing that you are planning an elective caesarean. There's no difference between you and a woman who will labour to give birth. You and your partner can use these skills as well. You can have the pleasure of preparing your body for childbirth and the joy of working together to develop your teamwork. And you'll use these skills because you're still going to give birth.

Because Common Knowledge Trust is the collective voice of thousands upon thousands of expectant women and their partners, we can speak to whatever situation you find yourself. We've all used the information and have benefited hugely, been enriched tremendously, felt more connected, competent, capable and self empowered by becoming skilled at giving birth and coaching. Our self taught skills have grown positive parenting and developed closer partnership relationships.

When you are pregnant with multiples, you are in a situation with your birth provider that will require you to negotiate about your birth plans and in a trend climate of care. The management of multiple pregnancies has changed over the years. Regardless of the choices you have or the ones you make, you can still enjoy the preparation of your birthing body. Become Pink Kit parents!

Anthem: The Tale of the Tape in California

I was curious about the impact of the now-delayed Anthem Blue Cross rate increase on premium levels. I could only think of one way to find out, so I ran quotes on myself in Gilroy for four comparative coverage plans from the four California health carriers. Kaiser and Blue Shield are not-for-profit, so they should win, right? The results may surprise you! The rates below include the Anthem

Anthem Agrees To Delay Rate Increase in California

On Saturday (2/13) Anthem agreed to hold off on the March 1 rate increases until May 1 at the soonest. This will give time for independent actuaries and auditors to determine if the increase in rates is appropriate.Anthem to delay insurance rate hike amid criticism

Speaking The Same Language: Health Care's Diversity Debate

In the U.S. some 176 languages are spoken.

This is especially apparent in hospitals when patients literally do not speak the same language as their doctor.

It is important to know that a hospital is prepared for a diverse pool of patients. Hospitals with a followed policy on language ser-vices cut down on cost and wait times for all patients, regardless of their language.

The leading language services company serving the health care market, CyraCom, has teamed up with Roper Public Affairs to learn more about the scope of the diversity challenge from various experts and thought leaders.

Its 2006 report, "Increasing Diversity: Issues and Opportunities with Providing Health Care," explores the thought leaders' perspectives on diversity. The publication also includes statistics from the Language Index, CyraCom's proprietary database of language information drawn from tracking more than 900 hospitals and health care facilities nationwide.

Information found in the study, which includes expert interviews, referenced source material and Language Index data, includes:

• Excerpts from a report that state cross-cultural issues can result in longer office visits, patient nonadherence and consent delays

• Data showing hospitals in Midwestern states-Michigan, Missouri and Nebraska-have seen the largest percentage increase in number of languages requested

• Suggestions that hospital and medical staff must deal directly with issues of language, culture and communication

• Statistics illustrating that languages most needed in hospitals served by CyraCom are Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean and Arabic

• An opinion that more than 20 percent of hospital residents are unprepared to treat new immigrants and patients with religious beliefs that may affect treatment

• Data indicating emerging languages being asked for in hospitals more and more include Somali, Bengali and Haitian Creole.

Minorities currently comprise 25 percent of the U.S. population, yet a Sullivan Commission report found minority groups account for less than 9 percent of nurses and 6 percent of physicians.

Using improved techniques to help break down language and cultural communication barriers will result in better care for everyone-with lower costs and increased understanding.

Invitro Fertilization - The Male Point Of View

For many couples, the introduction of children into a relationship is the ultimate fulfillment and goal of the relationship. Unfortunately for some of the couples, medical conditions may exist that will prevent natural fertilization. In those cases, the affected couple may opt to conceive via Invitro Fertilization. For those couples of decide to pursue Invitro fertilization, the time leading up to the fertilization will be very process orientated - there will be consultations, evaluations, forms, literature and a lot of listening. At times it may seem overwhelming and frightening.

As the male participant in the process, your involvement will be largely in a support role, as most of the work that will need to be done will be with the female partner. To help make the process as easy for her, there are a number of facts to keep in mind and a number of actions you can take to help keep your partner's spirits up and to help her in the necessary steps to achieve a successful fertilization.

- You and your partner may struggle with the fact that you are unable to conceive by natural means. However, keep in mind - although it may not be a natural form of conception, the end result and the end goal of the process is the same - a healthy child. The two of you are merely trying to maximize the possibility of a healthy & successful pregnancy. Talk through this point and be open to her feelings.

- There will be a lot of absorb about the process, so take notes and do your research.

- Some of the medications required for the process will need to be administered via injection. Offer to administer the shots if your partner is not comfortable doing so, and keep in mind that she will most likely be very sore in the injection spots because of repeated shots. A little tender loving care will help keep her confident and comfortable. Also, a heating pad may help during periods where her abdomen is very tender.

- Your partner will be asked to take very specific medications, at very specific times and she will

need to consult with the doctor on a somewhat frequent basis, often times on very short notice. Make sure to keep your schedule as free as possible so you can assist in transportation and medicine administration as needed.

- Your partner may experience emotional mood swing because of some of the meds. One minute she might be sitting at the table reading the newspaper, the next she is crying about something unrelated. Be prepared, be supportive and remember that her mood will return to normal in time.

- Always remember - you have the easy part of the process!

Invitro is not an easy process, especially compared to natural fertilization. But with care, cooperation and a willingness to help out where needed, you can be active and helpful throughout the fertilization period.

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or medical services. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your doctor promptly.

Identical Twins

Twins are two people who have shared the same womb at the same time. They may also have come from the same egg. Twin births are becoming more and more common due to several factors such as increasing use of fertility treatments, child births at an older age, and even genetic factors. Women who are slightly above-average in build are also likely to have multiple births or twins. Certain ethnic groups are also found to have a greater twin population. One in every 250 births in the world could be an identical twin birth.

Identical twins are also known as monozygotic twins. They are from a single egg that forms a single zygote that splits into two embryos. Two fetuses emerge from the two embryos in the same womb. The exact reason for this splitting hasn't been identified yet. Sometimes, identical twins also share the same amniotic fluid, making them monoamniotic. Otherwise, they are diamniotic. Twins sharing the same placenta are monochorionic. Those who don't are dichorionic. This happens only in the case of identical twins. All monoamniotic twins are also monochorionic. This depends on the stage at which the zygote divides. Twinning at the earliest stages would result in diamniotic and dichorionic twins. Twinning that occurs four to eight days after fertilization and eight to twelve days after fertilization results in monochorionic-diamniotic and monochorionic-monoamniotic, respectively. Twinning twelve days post-fertilization may result in conjoined twins. Conjoined twins are attached to each other at some place. They may be more dependent on each other physically.

Since identical twins share the same sac, amniotic fluid, and placenta, there could be some complications in pregnancy. These could be a result of the entanglement of the umbilical cords or twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome because of the shared placenta. This may cause one or both the babies to be underdeveloped.

Identical twins are generally of the same sex. They have identical DNA and shared genes. They may be very similar to each other, almost like mirror images. Some twins can be told apart only by their fingerprints, teeth, handwriting, or any other intricate observations. However, they have individually different personalities and character traits. Twins are generally emotionally attached to each other and are also believed to live longer because of this attachment. Some people even believe that identical twins have their own language through which only the two of them can communicate. Some identical twins are also mirror twins—they are exact mirror images of each other. About one-fourth of all identical twins are mirror twins. Sometimes, one mirror twin may have a condition where some or all the internal body organs will be on the opposite side of the body. However, these are considered to be birth defects and are extremely rare.

Anthem Answers Sebelius

Anthem President and CEO of Consumer Business, Brian Sassi, addressed his response to Ms. Sebelius regarding her inquiry concerning Anthem rate increases in California.Click here to read Mr. Sassi's letter

Saturated Fat and Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin sensitivity is a measure of the tissue response to insulin. Typically, it refers to insulin's ability to cause tissues to absorb glucose from the blood. A loss of insulin sensitivity, also called insulin resistance, is a core part of the metabolic disorder that affects many people in industrial nations.

I don't know how many times I've seen the claim in journal articles and on the internet that saturated fat reduces insulin sensitivity. The idea is that saturated fat reduces the body's ability to handle glucose effectively, placing people on the road to diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Given the "selective citation disorder" that plagues the diet-health literature, perhaps this particular claim deserves a closer look.

The Evidence

I found a review article from 2008 that addressed this question (1). I like this review because it only includes high-quality trials that used reliable methods of determining insulin sensitivity*.

On to the meat of it. There were 5 studies in which non-diabetic people were fed diets rich in saturated fat, and compared with a group eating a diet rich in monounsaturated (like olive oil) or polyunsaturated (like corn oil) fat. They ranged in duration from one week to 3 months. Four of the five studies found that fat quality did not affect insulin sensitivity, including one of the 3-month studies.

The fifth study, which is the one that's nearly always cited in the diet-health literature, requires some discussion. This was the KANWU study (2). Over the course of three months, investigators fed 163 volunteers a diet rich in either saturated fat or monounsaturated fat.

The SAFA diet included butter and a table margarine containing a relatively high proportion of SAFAs. The MUFA diet included a spread and a margarine containing high proportions of oleic acid derived from high-oleic sunflower oil and negligible amounts of trans fatty acids and n-3 fatty acids and olive oil.

Yummy. After three months of these diets, there was no significant difference in insulin sensitivity between the saturated fat group and the monounsaturated fat group. Yes, you read that right. Even the study that's selectively cited as evidence that saturated fat causes insulin resistance found no significant difference between the diets. You might not get this by reading the misleading abstract. I'll be generous and acknowledge that the (small) difference was almost statistically significant (p = 0.053).

What the authors decided to focus on instead is the fact that insulin sensitivity declined slightly but significantly on the saturated fat diet compared with the pre-diet baseline. That's why this study is cited as evidence that saturated fat impairs insulin sensitivity. But anyone who has a basic science background will see where this reasoning is flawed (warning: nerd attack. skip the rest of the paragraph if you're not interested). You need a control group for comparison, to take into account normal fluctuations caused by such things as the season, eating mostly cafeteria food, and having a doctor hooking you up to machines. That control group was the group eating monounsaturated fat. The comparison between diet groups was the 'primary outcome', in statistics lingo. That's the comparison that matters, and it wasn't significant. To interpret the study otherwise is to ignore the basic conventions of statistics, which the authors were happy to do. There's a name for it: 'moving the goalpost'. The reviewers shouldn't have let this kind of shenanigans slide.

So we have five studies through 2008, none of which support the idea that saturated fat reduces insulin sensitivity in non-diabetics. Since the review paper was published, I know of one subsequent study that asked the same question (3). Susan J. van Dijk and colleagues fed volunteers with abdominal overweight (beer gut) a diet rich in either saturated fat or monounsaturated fat. I e-mailed the senior author and she said the saturated fat diet was "mostly butter". The specific fats used in the diets weren't mentioned anywhere in the paper, which is a major omission**. In any case, after 8 weeks, insulin sensitivity was virtually identical between the two groups. This study appeared well controlled and used the gold standard method for assessing insulin sensitivity, called the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp technique***.

The evidence from controlled trials is rather consistent that saturated fat has no appreciable effect on insulin sensitivity.

Why Are We so Focused on Saturated Fat?

Answer: because it's the nutrient everyone loves to hate. As an exercise in completeness, I'm going to mention three dietary factors that actually reduce insulin sensitivity, and get a lot less air time than saturated fat.

#1: Caffeine. That's right, controlled trials show that your favorite murky beverage reduces insulin sensitivity (4, 5). Is it actually relevant to real life? I doubt it. The doses used were large and the studies short-term.

#2: Magnesium deficiency. A low-magnesium diet reduced insulin sensitivity by 25% over the course of three weeks (6). I think this is probably relevant to long-term insulin sensitivity and overall health, although it would be good to have longer-term data. Magnesium deficiency is widespread in industrial nations, due to our over-reliance on refined foods such as sugar, white flour and oils.

#3: Sugar. Fructose reduces insulin sensitivity in humans, along with many other harmful effects (7).

As long as we continue to focus our energy on indicting saturated fat, it will continue distracting us from the real causes of disease.


* For the nerds: euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (the gold standard), insulin suppression test, or intravenous glucose tolerance test with Minimal Model. They didn't include studies that reported HOMA as their only measure, because it's not very accurate.

** There's this idea that pervades the diet-health literature that all saturated fats are roughly equivalent, all monounsaturated fats are equivalent, etc., therefore it doesn't matter what the source was. This is beyond absurd and reflects our cultural obsession with saturated fat. It really irks me that the reviewers didn't demand this information.

*** They did find that markers of inflammation in fat tissue were higher after the saturated fat diet.

Poizer Asks For Temporary Halt To Anthem Rate Increase

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has sent a strongly-worded communication to Wellpoint/Anthem requesting that they hold off on the proposed 3/1 rate increase until 5/1 so that an independent actuary retained by the DOI can review Anthem's payout ratios.Additionally, the Obama Administration has expressed serious concerns about such a large rate increase in California.A link to Mr.

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