Health Care Workers Win More Flexible Schedules

Night shifts, weekends and holidays are three words that were once synonymous with positions in health care. It is a new day. The shortage of health care professionals has made employers reconsider their demanding work schedules.

Employers feel the pinch and are now more willing to consider worker's needs and requests for flexible schedules. The Dean of Science and Health Careers at a local college agreed that health care workers now have more leeway in choosing their schedules. One may be given the 'dirty' jobs at first, and the situation is such that there are those who work only on weekends.

The following health care professions offer the most flexibility. The dean of the college of education and health services of a local university said that pharmacy, with high hourly wages, is ideal for the working mother. It is interesting to note that women make up more than half of pharmacists.

The profession is in demand these days. With pharmacies, frequently open 24 hours, popping up on every corner, each one needing at least one pharmacist, employees are free to dictate their own schedule. The Dean believes that pharmacy is a preferable area, with its flexibility and the high salary that comes with it.

Health information technologists translate doctor's orders into four or five digit codes, which are sent to Medicare or other insurance providers. Two tracks available to students are the one semester certificate and the two year degree. This way, the student can work as hard or as little as he wants. Some creative individuals hire their services out to medical offices and are able to work from home.

Countless numbers of people yearn for that type of flexibility. There is also the field of medical transcription. The main task of these professionals is encoding doctor's reports. The dean of biological and health sciences at a college in Lake County counsels those who need flexibility to try this job. Medical transcriptionists also gain a tremendous amount of knowledge about medical diagnosis and treatment. These jobs tend to be very lenient. There are lots of part time jobs in medical transcription.

For the College of Lake County, dental hygiene students are given the opportunity to work on new recruits at the nearby naval base. Upon successful completion of this program, they are privileged with one of the highest entry level salaries and the most flexible hours of any health care profession. Though there aren't many full time positions in dental hygiene, they are very flexible. Parents see this as the main advantage. Right after graduation, dental hygienists earn up to $30/hour and are thus among the most highly paid professionals in America. Nevertheless, the downside of these jobs, most of them part time, is that they frequently do not come with benefits or health insurance.

by:  Steven Hamilton -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11737.shtml

Aerobics: What Is It And When Did It Start?

Aerobics is a combination of physical exercise, strength training and stretching. Thirty to sixty minutes is the amount of exercise recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Not only is aerobic activity important in controlling body weight, there are an abundant health benefits that come with exercise.

Aerobic fitness can help to maintain good blood pressure levels, allows the heart to pump more effectively, decreases bad cholesterol while improving the good, and by reducing the systemic inflammation can lower the chance of having heart disease.

Another benefit of exercise in people with Type 2 diabetes is that it makes the efficiency of the body better by increasing tissue sensitivity to insulin. In addition, more glucose is produced and pressed out of the blood stream. The blood will enter the cells and decrease the amount of glucose in the blood. By allowing glucose to metabolize in the body and letting normal blood sugar levels be maintained, aerobic exercise minimizes the risk of developing diabetes.

Obesity, which is a big concern in the United States is the first noticeable health benefit of exercise. Any amount of increased activity will bring about a change in the body, including a decrease in body fat and an increase in lean muscle.

Aerobics also helps with the over all quality of life by improving sleep, reducing fatigue, increasing energy levels, improving mood, reducing depression, stress and anxiety. It increases endorphins, which make the outlook on life more positive, prevents certain cancers and may help to increase longevity all while being happier.

Reaching a target heart rate is key to benefiting the most from aerobics. Using the age method, age is taken away from 220, then that number is multiplied by 0.7. The American Heart Association recommends a target heart rate range of between 50% and 75%t. Because people exercise at different fitness levels, this method may not be completely accurate but it does give a number to work toward.

In 1968, Dr. Kenneth Cooper developed a series of exercises listed in his book, Aerobics, that he knew would help to prevent coronary artery disease. These exercises were running, bicycling, swimming and walking.

Aerobic dance came about shortly after Dr. Coopers book was published, by a woman named Jackie Sorenson. She developed dance routines that were found to improve cardiovascular fitness.

In 1983, Howard and Karen Schwartz developed sportaerobics. In 1984 the first national aerobic championship was organized, and in 2002 the competition consisted of 6 athletes performing a 1 minute 45 second routine done to music. The judges based their score of up to 10 points each on artistic and technical merit. In 1996 sportaerobics was changed to gymnastique discipline.

Aerobic activity is an important part of maintaining good health and having a happier, fuller and longer life.

by:  Andy Guides Jr. -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11398.shtml

Suggestions On Getting Optimum Benefits From Your Health Insurance

You can count your lucky stars if you till have decent health insurance through your employer. The current situation is making it harder and harder for employees to get decent coverage from their workplace. Costs are going up, and benefits are going down. However, there are some tips and advice you can use to help get the most out of your group insurance plan. By the time you finish reading this article, you'll be able to squeeze more benefits out of your plan.

Every health plan has limitations, and you should be well aware of yours. One thing that group health insurance offers in many cases is unlimited visits to your primary physician. If this is the case, then there are a few things you can do to maximize your time with your doctor, even if it's only for ten or fifteen minutes.

One thing you can do is make up a list of questions before you go in. Make them as specific as possible, as vague questions generally invite vague answers, which aren't much help. For example, instead of saying you are having trouble sleeping at night, make up a list of everything you do before going to bed, and ask your doctor if anything on your list is causing you some problems.

Another thing to do is to prepare a concise, detailed description of your condition with as much detail and information as possible. Saying you have a backache is good, but saying your lower back hurts in the afternoon but feels better when you take a hot bath is much better. And be sure to ask for specific things to do to get rid of your discomfort. Don't be shy about putting your doctor on the spot.

Another important thing to consider is what kinds of drugs are allowed on your plan. Many group insurance plans only cover generic prescriptions, so you'll need to be aware of this when you visit your doctor. Many times a doctor will see many different patients with different plans, so it's not always clear to them what's covered and what isn't. Be sure to let him or her know that you only can accept prescriptions for generic drugs if that's the case.

These concepts are fairly basic and straightforward. But when you put them into practice on a regular basis, you'll save time, money, and notice a significant improvement in the quality of your health care.
by:  George Hutton -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11764.shtml

Can Caffeine Boost Memory?

Caffeine, like chocolate, often receives unhealthy publicity. Whilst in some situations, and in extra, these can have negative effects on our body, they will also be fairly beneficial.

I'm not disputing that some persons are more sensitive to the damaging effects of either caffeine or chocolate. For instance, extra caffeine can create nervousness, nausea (significantly if taken on an empty abdomen), a rise in heart rate, and even melancholy in some people. And chocolate is certainly not something that should form the mainstay of one's diet. If struggling with sugar dependancy, or desirous to shed weight, there are extra nutritionally complete meals which can be available.

But scientists have turned up some interesting details on caffeine. For instance, caffeine actually blocks the results of a neurotransmitter in the mind (adenosine) that otherwise makes us really feel tired. This is why it works so nicely to maintain us awake. It additionally encourages the release of another brain chemical, dopamine (as well as adrenaline). Dopamine contributes to a feeling of well being.

Two studies, one a population based mostly research (which aren't as specific or rigorously outlined as different varieties of studies, but nonetheless useful indicators) discovered that consuming caffeine containing drinks like coffee and tea had a protecting impact for those liable to growing liver disease. Points that the research participants had that increased their threat of liver disease included alcoholism, hepatitis B or C, weight problems, or different complications.

And the results indicated that individuals who drank more than 2 cups of coffee a day had a forty four% lower chance of showing actual liver injury compared to those who drank no caffeine. This was not a medical trial, and the rationale why coffee and tea had such an effect shouldn't be known. Espresso and tea contain a variety of plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that could be liable for this. A 2005 Norwegian examine additionally found similar advantages for coffee with regards liver disease. This study discovered that consuming 3 cups of espresso a day may lower the risk of loss of life from liver cirrhosis.

Even when you're not susceptible to liver disease, caffeine still has some advantages. Current research from Austria showed that caffeine may very well enhance brief term memory. Researchers found that there was an increase in brain exercise (as measured by useful magnetic resonance imaging) in the components of the brain that were related to memory and attention. These parts of the brain were the frontal lobe and the anterior cingulum. This was a placebo controlled research, that means that some folks were not given any caffeine. Another, earlier study (2004) discovered that caffeine did assist short term memory, but solely when it was in relation to a topic that individuals had been already thinking about. This examine found that when testing coffee's results on unrelated topics, brief time period recall was truly inhibited.

Every thing does have a flip aspect though. Adenosine, which is blocked by espresso, is also calming. This may very well be why it could additionally trigger nervousness in extra, and in some individuals. In any case, the steadiness of our mind chemistry is unique. And after we are addicted to stimulants like caffeine, we lose the sensitivity to our own natural stimulants (dopamine and adrenaline).
by:  Noel Chua -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11756.shtml

Three Advantages Of Quitting Smoking

Have you thought about the advantages of quitting smoking that you will enjoy once you do? It might seem like a great plan to stop smoking but unless you take a few moments to really figure out what rewards you will enjoy afterwards, you will not succeed. Consider these three rewards for giving it up.

Friends and family. Have your friends and family been telling you to stop smoking? When you finally quit, they will stop bothering you. If you have been smoking in your car or home, they will start smelling better right away. So will your hair and clother. You might not have noticed, but they will notice right away.

Budget and money. Your wallet will be a little heavier and fatter as soon as you stop buying on cigarettes. If you smoke a pack a day, you could easily save as much as $40 each week. Just imagine all the things you could spend that money on instead. In about one year, you could buy a big screen tv and throw a party. How much are you wasting on cigarettes?

Health and vitality. Did you know that your health will begin to improve as soon as you quit? Within twenty minutes of giving up smoking, your blood pressure and heart rate become normal once again? You will also reduce your chance of high blood pressure and other heart problems. The damaging effects of smoking can be turned around no matter how long you have been smoking.

Which of these three advantages of quitting smoking will motivate you to stop? Being clear about the answer to that question is the key. Not everyone has the same reasons to stop smoking, so figure out what matters for you. Some are more concerned about saving their money, others have had a health scare and are now highly motivated to change. What is important for you?

So how do you quit? Just stop buying cigarettes and putting them in your mouth! It sounds so simple yet it is not always easy to actually do. Especially when the habit has become ingrained over the years.

It's not necessarily your strength of will that will make you successful either. It's more about changing your mindset so that you are completely focused on what will trigger you to succeed. This intense focus is a type of self hypnosis which gives you the mind power to change your thoughts.

Keep focusing on what motivates you and you will soon be enjoying all of these advantages of quitting smoking.

by:  Sherri Frost -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11846.shtml

Tips For Choosing The Right Organic Food

Your eating habits have changed - you are buying organic food and health shop products, now you just need to know exactly what to look for. Combining a variety of different health vitamins and nutrients with your diet is extremely important. To assist you with creating the perfect healthy eating plan, we have put together some helpful tips that should answer some of your questions:

Healthy carbs and whole grains:

Choosing healthy carbs and fibres, most importantly whole grains, is excellent for providing energy that lasts. Another benefit is that whole grains are packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals that assist in protecting against heart disease, diabetes and even some cancers. Don't confuse healthy carbs with the bad carbs. Unhealthy carbs have had the bran, fibre and nutrients removed, allowing the food to digest quickly which causes spikes in your blood sugar and energy. Refined sugar as well as white rice and flour are examples of bad carbs.

Enjoy fats without getting fat:

Your heart, brain and cells need fats to be healthy. The big question is - how do you choose your fats wisely? The answer is actually simple. Your diet needs to include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Foods that offer these fats include avocado, certain nuts and seeds as well as fish such as salmon, anchovies and herring. Fats that you should limit include saturated fats and trans fats. These are found in red meat, dairy products and a variety of processed foods.

Choose protein power:

Forget Red Bull. Protein provides you with a natural energy boost and will last a lot longer than an expensive energy drink. The key with proteins is to try different types. Some variations include beans, nuts and soy products. Also remember to limit your portions as it is common for people to have too much protein. The key is to focus on quality proteins, found in fresh fish, chicken, eggs etc...

Don't forget calcium and vitamins:

Calcium and vitamin D are essential for your bones. Breakfast is a perfect opportunity to provide your body with its daily requirements, but if you don't manage to get in 1000g of calcium per day, then you should consider taking a supplement.

by:  Anita Lyon -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11866.shtml

US Generics Market To Be Worth US$ 108.5 Billion By 2013

According to our new report “Booming US Generic Drug Market”, the US generic drugs market has witnessed a significant surge during the past few years. In 2009, the value of US generics market reached to the mark of US$ 74 Billion, which was estimated to cross US$ 80 Billion at the end of 2010. Several factors such as, expiring patents of blockbuster drugs, the government support, and high private investment have contributed to the remarkable growth in generics market. The market is likely to perform well in future also and it is expected that it will grow at the CAGR of around 10% during 2010-2013 to reach US$ 108.5 Billion.

Our report has found that patent expiration of major blockbuster drugs are acting as one of the biggest driver for the US generic drug industry. This trend is expected to boost the overall growth and revenue patterns in the US generics market. Branded drugs of companies like, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and others are set to lose patents by 2012. Therefore, the presence of generics version of high cost branded drugs at lower prices is anticipated to create high demand for generics drugs in the US.

The report also describes some other key market trends that are likely to impact the US generics market. These trends have been identified after conducting an in-depth research of recent developments taking place in industry. The report also illustrates the importance and overview of the regulatory environment regarding generics in the US. For this, the profile and impact of various government legislatures have been included in the report.

“Booming US Generic Drug Market” provides extensive information of the US generics market and covers the potential of generic drugs in various therapy segments. New technologies and devices that may back industry in future are outlined in the report. Moreover, the forecast in key sections and segments of the report makes use of reliable methods and techniques mainly to provide effective future projections. The description and recent developments of key players has also been covered. Overall, the report is likely to facilitate investment and other decisions of clients.

by:  Shushmul Maheshwari -- http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_11876.shtml