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Howard Jamison ⁽⁴⁶²⁾ United States

Howard Jamison

Jamison & Associates

Mammograms – Risks and What They Don’t Tell You!

Posted Thursday, November 19, 2009 (2 days 14 hours ago.) Viewed 4 times.

If you do any research on the Internet, there are plenty of articles that are dated from 2007 that question the pros/cons of mammograms. And now as of November, 2009, a government task force has come out to say that women should not get a mammogram until they are 50. Doesn't this make you wonder what the real truth is?!

So many "integrative doctors" have been saying for a long time that mammograms are not recommended because the exposure of radiation can be 1,000 times greater than a chest x-ray. That alone makes women vulnerable to unnecessary risks of radiation-induced cancer.

In addition, mammograms are usually very painful because of the breasts being compressed. This in turn can lead to a lethal spread of any existing malignant cells. Too many times, my wife has come home in tears from the pain caused by mammograms. She has not had a mammogram in several years and now refuses to ever get another one.

There really is NO solid evidence that mammograms save lives. Research has shown that adding an annual mammogram to a regular thorough physical checkup of the breasts does NOT improve the survival rates of breast cancer over getting the examination by itself.

Every woman should conduct their own research before agreeing to a mammogram. There are new tests called "thermal imaging" or thermography. This is a test that creates a digital map of your body that illustrates heat patterns. The patterns may detect some condition or abnormality. It uses a scanning-type infrared camera that measures the body surface temperature, presenting the information as a digitized image.

The thermograms are analyzed for abnormalities that may be signs of disease in your body. Thermograms provide:

Reliable and accurate information for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis

Exact and objective data from accurate measurements of thermal information

Substantial financial savings over conventional investigations

The difference between the thermograms and mammograms is listed below:

Mammograms show anatomical changes in the breast, detecting masses or lumps in the breast tissue.

Thermograms look at vascular changes in the breast, detecting blood flow patterns, inflammation and asymmetries.

All women can benefit from thermograms. It has been shown to be particularly useful for young women who want to monitor their breast health before the recommended age of 40. Every woman should be given the pros and cons and allow them to make their own informative decision.

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Facts About Vitamin D2 and D3

Posted Thursday, November 19, 2009 (2 days 14 hours ago.) Viewed 3 times.

Deficiencies in Vitamin D now show that there is a link to various kinds of chronic illnesses. Researchers from John Hopkins are reporting that there is conclusive evidence in men deficient in Vitamin D, are also low in the estrogen hormone. This in turn creates the risk for hardening and narrowing of the arteries and weakened bones. It is now known that the vitamin is essential to keeping the body healthy. It can be obtained with vitamin supplements, foods that are fortified with D (e.g., fatty fish such as salmon, cod, sardines) and exposure to sunlight. Researchers at the Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City have found in a new study that Vitamin D contributes to a strong and healthy heart. Low levels of the vitamin may play a role that is significant in increasing a person's risk to heart disease and strokes.

Vitamin D3 may even help keep you from getting the flu!

Now the research can honestly say that Vitamin D is involved with many aspects of maintaining good health. It is responsible for regulating calcium which strengthens bones to regulating blood pressure, inflammation and glucose that is linked to heart disease.

An interesting study was done in Utah where there is low use of tobacco and alcohol, thereby focusing the study on the effects of Vitamin D as it relates to the cardiovascular system. The results showed that even with a moderate deficiency in Vitamin D levels, there was still the risk of developing coronary artery disease and heart failure. All of this can be treated with Vitamin D, which could have a significant impact on the health of all Americans.

If you are unsure about your level of Vitamin D, it may be best to have a lab test performed. The correct test is 25 (OH)D, also known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D. It is important to note that you want to be more than normal' with your health with the key word being optimal' health! An optimal reading for Vitamin D would be 50-65 (ng/ml). Less than 50 means you are deficient.

To go one step further, it is important to understand the differences between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 as noted below:

*Vitamin D2 is the form of D that is found in fortified foods like milk, juices or cereals. D2 (ergocalciferol) can be found in some plants/fungus. There is only a slight difference in structure between the two. But that small difference can have a significant impact on one's biological functioning. There has been much discussion and research and the final analysis appears to be that D3 is much more potent and safer than D2.

*Vitamin D3 is made in the skin when it's exposed to the sun or (ultraviolet light/UVB). To elaborate further, Vitamin D3 is made when 7-dehydrocholesterol reacts with UVB ultraviolet light at wavelengths between 270-300 nm. These wavelengths are present in sunlight when the UV index is greater than 3. This type of sunlight occurs daily in the tropics during the spring and summer seasons and almost never within the arctic circles.

Research seems to show that 20 minutes of sun exposure at least twice a week to the face, arms, hands and back (without sunscreen) can provide adequate amounts of Vitamin D3.

However, keep in mind that depending upon the season, geographic location, time of day, cloud cover, skin color, and sunscreen can affect UV ray absorption and vitamin D synthesis. If one lives in Boston, sun exposure from November through February is insufficient to produce enough synthesis in the skin.

All of the research that has been done simply reinforces the message of just how important it is to take vitamin supplements (especially D). The health benefits are too great from maintaining healthy bones to a healthy heart.

If every man and woman takes responsibility for their own health and makes sure they have adequate amounts of Vitamin D3 along with other supplements, this will help reduce health care costs and we can all play an active part in "preventive care" for the country.

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Health Care Reform For Chronic Diseases

Posted Friday, November 13, 2009 (8 days 13 hours ago.) Viewed 12 times.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are responsible for 7 out of every 10 deaths in the United States - taking the lives of more than 1.7 million Americans every year. Chronic diseases are also the primary driver of health care costs, accounting for more than 75% of the more than $2 trillion dollars spent each year on health care in the United States. Also, a study done by the World Health Organization (WHO) has projected that chronic conditions will become the leading cause of disability across the world by 2020.

Learning about and practicing preventive health care, (i.e. maintaining your body and good health throughout your entire lifetime) is the best method to prevent disease from happening at all. Preventive health care should be considered an investment in your retirement nest egg' years and with good health being a return on your investment.

Many costly and disabling conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases are linked by common preventable risk factors.

Unfortunately, health care providers and the insurance companies in Western societies do not make the best use of their available resources to support this process. They are reluctant to incorporate preventive and customized programs of treatment for patients.

Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are a few of the European countries that are way ahead of the U.S. in adopting alternative medicine to help bring down skyrocketing health care costs in their countries.

Six Step Plan For Chronic Illness Health Care

1. YOU must change and be your own health advocate. Don't sit back and wait for the government to solve your problems. Take your own preventive measures to stay healthy.

2. Insurance companies must accept "Alternative Medicine" methods of treatment.

3. Doctors need training in "Integrative Medicine" and learn how to treat the body before using drugs.

4. Medical Schools have a "failing grade" because they are not training doctors in nutrition and integrative methods of the treatment of the body without drugs. They should be reformed and distance themselves from the drug companies.

5. The FDA needs to stay out of "non-toxic" treatment of chronic health conditions. There is no reason for them to be involved unless there is a large public out cry of harm being done. The FDA should only be involved in "policing" drug companies and their toxic drugs.

6. Pharmaceutical companies should not be permitted to have such high prices for drugs. Price controls are needed since many of the drug prices are a "rip off" and really only cost the companies a few cents.

So you ask, how can the U.S. catch up? By working closely with relevant consumer agencies, the Obama administration could promote healthy lifestyle changes among mainstream Americans. It could dramatically improve the quality of life for American citizens by incorporating the practice of integrative and alternative medicine into public health programs. In turn, this could save the U.S. health care system millions of dollars in what is a terrible costly system.

Take the time to learn more about preventive care. Educate yourself and most importantly, start working on your healthy habits today! You won't regret it!

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Alzheimers Awareness Month

Posted Wednesday, November 04, 2009 (17 days 12 hours ago.) Viewed 9 times.

The Baby Boom Generation is aging and the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other dementia disorders is expected to rise to between 11 and 16 million people by the year 2050. The number has doubled since 1980 and has already affected over 5 million Americans.

This anticipated increase of the disease may exceed the medical community's ability to cover the additional costs of care needed for those affected. This shows the need for innovative research and new treatments.

Did you know that:

Smoking after age 65 increases your chances of developing Alzheimer's by 79%?
Obesity in midlife makes you 3 times more likely to have Alzheimer's?
Diabetes makes you twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's?
Genetics account for only about 25% of Alzheimer's cases?
Chronic stress may quadruple your risk?

The Alzheimer's Association has identified 10 early warning signs that should prompt families to seek diagnosis and treatment. Early detection helps increase the chances for getting medical care that can relieve symptoms and provide for a longer period of independence.

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's

1. Memory loss disrupts daily life and is a sign that usually includes forgetting information, dates and events.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems when a person can no longer keep track of monthly bills or follow a simple plan.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home or work when it becomes a struggle to complete daily tasks, unable to find a familiar location or forgetting simple tasks.

4. Confusion with time or place when one begins to lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time.

5. Difficulty understanding visual images and spatial relationships when it becomes difficult to read, judge distances, distinguish colors or relate to one's image in a mirror.

6. Problems with words in speaking or writing difficulty in following a conversation or joining in.

7. Misplacing items and inability to retrace steps when the person begins to place objects in unusual places or accuses others of stealing.

8. Diminished judgment suddenly having poor judgment with money.

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities suddenly giving up hobbies, social activities, work projects and sports.

10. Changes in mood and personality sudden displays of confusion, suspicion, depression, fear and anxiety.

In the meantime, there are preventative measures that can be taken to delay or prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

10 Prevention Steps For Alzheimer's Disease

1. Follow a Mediterranean diet avoid trans fats and red meat as much as possible. Eat foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, whole grains, and nuts.

2. Maintain consistent levels of insulin and blood sugar avoid packaged, refined, and processed foods. Avoid products that are high in white flour and sugar.

3. Daily fruit and veggies eat daily servings of berries and green leafy vegetables.

4. Drink tea daily drinking 2-4 cups of green, white, and oolong teas have proven benefits to brain-health.

5. Supplement your diet taking vitamins, herbs, and amino acids may provide additional brain protection. Folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and fish oils are believed to preserve and improve memory.

6. Plenty of exercise at least 30 minutes five times per week. Simply taking a brisk walk can increase the cardiovascular exercise needed.

7. Keep the mind active read, solve puzzles, & brain teasers. Look for activities that exercise the brain.

8. Regular rest and sleep Going to bed and getting up at the same time. Dim the lights and have comfortable temperature in the room.

9. Avoid stress and learn to relax turn off your stress with quiet, deep, abdominal breathing. Regular meditation, prayer or reflection may help prevent the damaging effects of stress.

10. Detox Toxic overload may be causing some of the symptoms. At the minimum, take a hair test to check for toxic metals. Avoid a toxic environment such as living near a freeway or using industrial chemicals.

Don't delay, start today, as it is never too late to begin a new habit for your health!

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