"ABCDE" Approach to the Metabolic Syndrome

A comprehensive management plan can be assembled through an "ABCDE" approach: "A" for assessment of cardiovascular risk and aspirin therapy, "B" for blood pressure control, "C" for cholesterol management, "D" for diabetes prevention and diet therapy, and "E" for exercise therapy. The ABCDE approach provides a practical and systematic framework for encouraging metabolic syndrome recognition and for implementing a comprehensive, evidence-based management plan for the reduction of cardiovascular risk.

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Surprising Ways to Reduce Wrinkles

• Eat more fish -- particularly salmon.Not only is salmon (along with other cold-water fish) a great source of protein -- one of the building blocks of great skin -- it's also an awesome source of an essential fatty acid known as omega-3. Yale dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, tells WebMD that essential fatty acids nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles
• Don't squint -- get reading glasses!The AAD says repetitive facial movement -- like squinting -- overworks facial muscles, forming a groove beneath the skin's surface. This groove eventually becomes a wrinkle. Keep those eyes wide: Wear reading glasses if you need them. And get savvy about sunglasses, which can protect skin around the eyes from sun damage and keep you from squinting.
• Slather on alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).These natural fruit acids lift away the top layer of dead skin cells, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly around the eyes. New evidence shows that in higher concentrations, AHAs may help stimulate collagen production.
  In a study published in a 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that cocoa containing high levels of two dietary flavonols (epicatchin and catechin) protected skin from sun damage, improved circulation to skin cells, affected hydration, and made the skin look and feel smoother. Delicious!
• Don't over-wash your face.According to dermatologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center, tap water strips skin of its natural barrier oils and moisture that protect against wrinkles. Wash them off too often, and you wash away protection. And unless your soap contains skin-protecting moisturizers, use a facial cleanser instead of soap.
• Try topical vitamin C.Studies at Tulane University, among others, have found that vitamin C can increase collagen production, protect against damage from UVA and UVB rays, correct pigmentation problems, and improve inflammatory skin conditions. The key, however, may be the type of vitamin C used. To date, most research points to L-ascorbic acid as the most potent for wrinkle relief.
• Eat more soy.Research shows that soy may help protect against or heal some of the sun's photoaging damage. One study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, reported that a soy-based supplement (whose ingredients also included vitamins, fish protein, and extracts from white tea, grapeseed, and tomato) improved the skin's structure and firmness after just six months.
• Practice good skin care basics.If you really want to keep your skin looking young, start with the essentials. You've heard these recommendations before, but they bear repeating:
  Avoid the sun ,Wear sunscreen , Don't smoke & Use moisturizer.

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Understanding omega-3’s

There are 3 types of naturally occurring fats classified by the number of double bonds present in their fatty acid side chains: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.
Polyunsaturated fats can be further classified into 2 groups based on the position of the first double bond site: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. The most prominent omega-6 fatty acids in the human diet are arachidonic acid (found in animal meat) and linoleic acid (found in vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts), which can be converted into arachidonic acid by a desaturase enzyme . Major dietary sources of omega-3’s are fish containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils containing a-linolenic acid (ALA), which can be converted to EPA and then DHA by the same desaturase enzyme that converts linoleic acid to arachidonic acid.

Omega-3’s are a unique group of polyunsaturated fats that can be found most abundantly in fatty fish, flaxseed, walnuts, soy, and canola oil. The metabolism of omega-3’s from fish (EPA + DHA) and vegetables (ALA) results in the production of the same eicosanoids (thromboxane, leukotrienes, prostaglandins); however, it is unclear as to what extent ALA is metabolized into these eicosanoids and if this metabolism is directly related to its effect on CVD. It does seem clear from the 4 prospective randomized trials outlined above that both fish and plant sources of omega-3’s can favorably impact cardiovascular health. The impact of omega-3’s is most consistently related to the use of fish oil.

Eicosanoids derived from omega-6’s are generally proinflammatory and proaggretory, whereas those derived from omega-3’s are predominantly anti-inflammatory and inhibit platelet aggregation.6 This fundamental difference may account for the cardioprotective effects of omega-3’s.

It is recommended that patients with known CVD consume one serving (200-400 g) of fatty fish
or 1 g/d of fish oil supplement and maintain a healthy diet that is rich in ALA. Patients with a CVD risk equivalent (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, etc) should consider consumption of a single serving of fatty fish or 1 g/d of fish oil supplement and eat a healthy diet rich in ALA. Fish oil supplements may be particularly helpful in patients with known CVD or CVD risk equivalents and hypertriglyceridemia. For patients without known CVD, a single serving of fatty fish approximately once or twice a week and a diet rich in ALA should be encouraged. It is prudent to avoid fish that contain high levels of mercury as defined by the FDA. These recommendations are in agreement with the American Heart Association’s scientific statement.

Inflammation is a central component in atheroma formation and plaque rupture,11 and studies have linked systemic markers of inflammation to CVD risk.12 A crosssectional study of 727 women in the Nurses Health Study I found dietary intake of omega-3’s to be inversely related to inflammatory markers C-reactive protein, IL-6, E-selectin, soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1.
In addition to markers of vascular inflammation, omega-3’s may beneficially influence other factors related to CVD risk: ventricular arrhythmias, thrombosis, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, high-density lipoprotein, adhesion molecule expression in plaque, platelet-derived growth factor, nitric oxide–induced endothelial relaxation, and blood pressure.

Source:
Understanding omega-3’s
Andrew P. DeFilippis, MD,a and Laurence S. Sperling, MD, FACC, FACPb Atlanta, GA

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Online medical transcription degree

First of all I would like to tell you something about Medical Transcription what actually is? For whom? And by whom? And where it is performed?. Pertinent, up-to-date, confidential patient information is converted to a written text document by a medical transcriptionist. This written text may be printed (and hand placed in the patient's record, archived, and/or retained only as an electronic medical record). Medical transcription can be performed in a hospital, via remote transmission to the hospital, or directly to the actual providers of service (doctors or their group practices) in off-site locations. Medical Transcription has an immense impact on health industry nowadays.
However, transcription equipment has changed from manual typewriters to electric typewriters to word processors to computers and from plastic disks and magnetic belts to cassettes and endless loops and digital recordings.It has helped a lot a person can get the medical information right from his home. So, Medical transcription course will not only provide help to patients and also for person willing for Medical Transcription course. You don’t have to go anywhere to get this degree and you can even get it at your home by online medical transcription degree. This will help a lot in your career, you can get job from any medical industry right from your home. You can get this online medical transcription degree sitting at home. After completing your course you will be a Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) and/or a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT). You can also interact with the students that have already enrolled in the course and also with those who have completed their course. You can even contact to the staff members. This will also help you in solving your queries. You can get the same degree as other regular students get after attending regular classes in the campus. You can imagine Degree at your home just waiting for you. After getting the degree you will get medical transcription jobs. They will also help you in finding jobs for you. Their curriculum is also very good including Anatomy , Physiology, Medical Terminology and others.