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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Lasic Surgery

The subject of LASIK is a very interesting one. There is a lot to investigate and understand about the process of getting your vision corrected through laser surgery. I hope this article helps to point you where you need to go to do the best research. There are both pros and cons to consider before submitting to this type of surgery.

First, if you are already firmly set in your decision to have LASIK, read these pointers:

1. Make sure you go to a doctor who uses the new Interlase laser for making the corneal flap.

Why? Because the Interlase is 100 times more precise than the 'old fashioned' method of using a microkeratome to cut the initial flap. Many speculate that most of the problems that come from Lasik Surgery have been due to the impreciseness of the microkeratome device used to cut the cornea.

2. Most definitely insist on a custom wavefront laser to do the actual reshaping of the cornea.

Why? Because the custom wavefront can get rid of what is called higher order aberrations.

What does this mean to you? It means much sharper vision after the surgery and a significantly reduced chance of having halos, starburst and other 'complications' from LASIK.

Repeating: Make sure you go to a surgeon who is using both Interlase and Custom Wavefront technology to do LASIK surgery. Relatively few practices have these new technologies. Consider that surgeons who invest in these technologies may have more of your interests at heart.

One of the top 5 LASIK surgeons lives in Kansas City is durrievision.com. You should be aware of the potential problems of LASIK surgery. Common problems always relate to procedures that didnt use up-to-date technology such as interlase and custom wavefront technology.

One of the problems with LASIK, has been the LASIK 20/20 phenomenon. Some people do technically see 20/20 after the procedure but it is not normal. Instead, it is hazy or blurred. This is probably due to the higher order aberrations mentioned earlier. That is why it is important to get custom LASIK done. The custom wave front lasers can remove those aberrations, hopefully allowing you avoid the LASIK 20/20 phenomenon.

If your doctor says that you dont need the custom treatment, I would ask him if he has a custom wave front machine. There may be a few legitimate reasons to not have the custom procedure done, but I seriously doubt there are many.

If he doesnt have such a machine, I would wonder if his recommendation is based on the best thing for you as the patient. It always pays to get a second opinion anyway and in this case, you should.

These are your eyes that we are talking about and you owe it to yourself to get educated on every aspect of this surgery before undergoing treatment. The surgical eyes web site mentioned above is worth investigating. You need to know what could go wrong and how to choose a doctor and equipment that will allow you to avoid problems.

I will say it again. Try to go with Interlase to cut the corneal flap and try to go with a custom wavefront laser to reduce your risk of complications! I cannot stress this enough.

I went through a screening process to get LASIK done and was categorized as an excellent candidate. They even wanted me to participate in a study program that would save me about $600. I still turned it down. In the end, I decided that I didnt want to get my eyes lasered.

Of course, there is something to be said about not wearing glasses or contacts anymore and there are many happy patients out there. I just want you to be aware of both the pros and the cons.

Do you really need to have LASIK done? I think its worth it to investigate natural vision therapy and see what you can do about correcting your vision naturally before permanently etching your current prescription into your cornea.

Many people have gotten results from vision therapy. A few have even gotten rid of their glasses and /or contacts forever. An industry insider has informed me that this does happen but not very often.

There are a couple of books to check out on natural vision improvement if you are interested in that alternative. Relearning to See by Thomas Quakenbush is one that comes to mind.

The original pioneer in vision improvement was Dr. Bates. He was an early 20th century ophthalmologist who really stuck his neck out to go against the prevailing theories of the day (that still persist). Many of the people who he helped were very grateful, Im sure.

I have dabbled with naturally improving my vision. I have experienced a decrease of tension, but I have not recovered 20/20 vision. This type of improvement does take work and determination.

That is why there is LASIK today; everyone is different in their wishes and expectations. If you are in a hurry and you dont mind the permanent etching of a prescription in your cornea, LASIK might be for you.

I hope this helps you on your quest to learn more about Lasik Surgery and point you in the right directions to gain more information so that you can make an informed decision before deciding to undergo this often expensive elective procedure.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or suggest treatment for any health condition. Please consult a health care professional if you have or suspect you have any health related problem for proper diagnoses and treatmen.

credit:David Snape

Friday, November 28, 2008

Easy Loss Weight

Whoever told you that weight loss was difficult never read this article!

Weight loss is a hot topic among people today, especially considering the fact that more than half of us are overweight. As we get older we often get busier, and before we know it, find ourselves in the prime of our lives and packing a few extra pounds. With so little extra time in our lives it is impractical to join the latest diet fad or commit to sweating in the gym for hours at a time. Are we all destined to grow outward with each passing year, or is there a simple way for us to reclaim our healthy figures?

If you struggle with your own battle of the bulge read on for five sure-fire ways to drop a few of those unwanted pounds, and more importantly learn how you can prevent packing them in the first place!

  • TIP #1: Burn it in the AM
  • What is the first thing you do when you wake each morning? Hit the snooze button for an extra ten minutes of sleep? What if I told you that taking those ten minutes to strap on your sneakers and walk briskly around the block would result in weight loss? It has been proven that aerobic activity done on an empty stomach forces your body to recruit energy from storage. This energy is stored in the form of fat on various parts of your body. Starting tomorrow take ten minutes out of your morning to walk briskly around the block before breakfast. Do not sprint or try to walk as quickly as possible, simply walk at a pace that you could comfortably hold a conversation. This seemly small activity, when done consistently, will produce surprising weight loss results!

  • TIP #2 Forget Your Late Night Snack
    I know I am not the only one who enjoys eating a snack after dinner! Although comfort food seems to taste better right before bed, it is also more prone to stick with us when eaten late at night. It has been proven that not eating three hours before bed reduces fat storage throughout the night.

    If you go to bed at 10pm, finish eating for the day no later than 7pm. Once you have made this a habit you will be ecstatic over the long term weight loss!

  • TIP #3 Kiss that Frappuccino Goodbye
    What tastes better than a frothy, venti frappuccino smothered in whip cream and chocolate syrup? While blended coffee beverages have rapidly gained popularity with the masses, their caloric tallies have been all but ignored. Whether you are an avid Starbucker, or only wander in for an occasional treat, it is important to know the truth about what you are drinking.

    The average Venti sized frappuccino weighs in at 530 calories. This staggering number equals 2.5 bagels, or one third of the recommended daily calories for an average woman. Not only is this an extreme amount of calories to be consumed in a beverage but the calories come purely from sugar, which is easily stored as fat. Next time you are in line at the coffee shop and find yourself eyeing a sugary beverage, redirect your attention to the tea selection, or stick with an old fashion cup of coffee.

  • TIP #4 Fuel Your Fire
    Have you ever tended a campfire? You probably remember continuously adding sticks and branches to keep the fire from running out of fuel. Your body’s metabolism is similar in its need for constant fuel. Eating a small meal every three hours is a great way to keep your metabolism high all day long. When your metabolism is high you burn more calories throughout the day and are less likely to store fat. Rather than eating 2 or 3 large meals a day, and allowing your ‘fire’ to go out, giving way to hunger pains, try eating a small meal every three hours and be amazed at your weight loss results.

  • TIP #5 Curb Your Carbs
    I’m sure sometime in the past year you have found yourself subjected to the testimony of a converted ‘low-carb’ enthusiast. While these people may look great it is definitely not the right diet for everyone. Extreme fatigue, crankiness and downright impracticality are what make this diet a tough cookie to swallow. Cutting one or two carb-filled items out of your daily diet can make a huge difference in meeting weight loss goals.

    While I wouldn’t recommend throwing out your bread basket entirely, consciously cutting carb-filled items out of your daily food intake is a great idea. If you normally have a sandwich for lunch make it open-faced, thus cutting out half of the bread. If you enjoy eating pasta for dinner reduce your pasta portion and add extra vegetables. These minor changes to your daily diet will prove themselves priceless when you step onto the scale!

It is you against the bulge, and now that you are armed with these 5 tips for easy weight loss, I am confident that you are going to win! Keep in mind that consistency is the key. The more effort that you put into implementing these 5 tips into your daily lifestyle, the quicker the unwanted pounds will disappear!

credit:Diana Keuilian

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Asbestos is something very dangerous

Asbestos is something very dangerous and a lot of people are still unaware of that. Asbestos surveys need to be carried into buildings if it has not be done yet in order to identify if asbestos was used or not in the building.

A recent survey carried out actually indicates that the highest risk of asbestos related lung illness in fact arises from insulation work in the United Kingdom. Epidemiologic work done by a professor called Peto has shown that in the first few years of the twenty first century we can keep on expecting a rise in the number of new cases of mesothelioma in Great Britain mainly due to asbestos. Mesotheliome really is a horrible cancer with a very long latency period.

In the United Kingdom, it presently causes more deaths than road traffic accidents and epidemiologists predict that a further one hundred thousand individuals would die from one type of asbestos cancer called mesothelioma in the coming years. When all types of asbestos-related diseases are gathered, the final death toll could be even higher than that previous number which is shocking.

Research into the treatment and care of this aggressive cancer in the United Kingdom is apparently in bad shape due to a lack of government help over the last years. In 2007 there was just one project dedicated to mesothelioma research funded by Cancer Research UK, but nothing by the Medical Research Council, despite the fact that between 1995 and 2004 the incidence rate of this disease in United Kingdom grew faster than any other cancer. Improvement have been made though with the availability of support for people suffering from mesothelioma by cancer charities throughout the United Kingdom. Any delay in diagnosing mesothelioma can impact negatively on treatment options, since an early diagnosis is a key to achieving a better cure for the patient. With the fact that patients are now getting older and are often diagnosed at a late stage of the disease. It becomes more and more urgent to use asbestos surveyors to carry out asbestos surveys. It seems that other countries like Australia have done things differently when it comes to deal with asbestos related diseases. The Australian government actually committed millions of pounds for a research program which would help people suffering from those diseases.

It is very easy to find a company specializing in asbestos management. They would usually also do legionella risk assessment and asbestos awareness training.

credit:Phil Phlorum