How to Lose Weight Fast

Posted on by Eli Byrd

Weight loss is a practice that everyone loves the idea of, but not the work required for it. Hard exercise, saying a goodbye to our favorite fatty foods, and of course the large amount of time and dedication needed. That last factor alone is what makes most of us give in. Our brains enjoy seeing fast results, and for most of us it will take around a week or so to shed only 2 or 3 pounds. Two pounds really doesn't make a noticeable difference, we need to shed far more weight to start getting compliments. Here, we will go over many different solutions and plans to get the weight gone fast, and possibly even get some of those old jeans out of the closet!

The first step is motivation. What are your reasons for wanting to lose weight? Picking out the motivators behind what you are doing can really help you in making it a reality. You might also try setting weight loss goals. Write down how much weight you would like to lose each week, develop a plan that works for you, and try to schedule time for you to exercise each day. Walking is certainly one of the best forms of exercise for those who want to lose weight. Try to pick a route that you like and walk it each day for about 30 minutes. Parks often have walking trails as well, so take a look around and find places you like. Of course, if you would rather stay indoors, treadmills are a great option. Get an MP3 player and load it with your favorite tunes to give you inspiration along the way.

If you want to lose weight fast, you'll have to put the hammer down on the things you eat. Experts recommend a calorie intake of 1000 to 1200 calories a day, and at least an hour of exercise. Using this plan you can effectively lose 3 to 5 pounds the first week, and even more as you continue. If you are above 230 pounds, you can expect to lose even more than that at an even quicker rate. This is a rather strict plan and you must take care to make sure you still have enough calories to carry you. Most experts recommend you have about 500 calories left at the end of the day. Also, try to lower the starch and sodium content you take in as these cause your body to build up fluids. By cutting down on your intake of these, your body can get rid of a lot of water losing you even more weight a week. Don't give up on whatever plan you decide to take on, and your dedication can land you some real results!…

Most Dangerous Medical Technologies

Posted on by Eli Byrd

Medical technologies can be dangerous. In fact, many people die because of inappropriate medical technologies being used on them. However, it is also true that many people have saved their lives due to advances in medical technology. Life expectancy has increased dramatically in countries where medical technologies are in constant progress.

A new report, titled "Top 10 Health Technology Hazards" and published by the ECRI Institute, tells the whole story about the most dangerous medical technologies. Some problems are related to equipment failure, bad equipment and device design, and some to human error in using medical technologies. Here is the complete "TOP TEN" most risky medical technology list.

  1. Problem with non functioning alarms. Alarms are a big problem with medical technologies. Alarm failure is usually involved in not warning the danger in a patient.
  2. Sharp objects, needle sticks. These are usually involved in infections from simple streptococcus to life threatening HIV
  3. Air embolism is a big risk. This usually happens when using contrast media injectors in angioplasty. The introduction of air bubbles into the blood stream is usually a problem with dangerous effects (death)
  4. Extraneous matter left in patients after surgery. Syringes, needles, cotton swabs, etc. are frequently left in patients with bad consequences.
  5. During surgery sometimes surgical fires occur. These happen when an ignition source lights a combustible source in surgery rooms. For example, oxygen can be ignited by a laser device. These are not very frequent but they do occur from time to time.
  6. Problems and issues with anaesthesia equipment.
  7. Mal functioning displays, which give ambiguous or confusing data, such as vital signs.
  8. Exposure to the high level of radiation when CT scans is PERFORMED. The study reveals that 6,000 additional cancers are provoked by excessive radiation received by patients.
  9. Burns caused by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  10. Fiber-optic light-source burns,

As you can see there are many risks involved in using medical technologies. They can save live but those risks need to be evaluated and controlled.

Source:

Top 10 Health Technology Hazards. ECRI Institute…

Delicious Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Posted on by Eli Byrd

Shepherd’s pie hails from northern Britain, but it has found a place in the modern American cooking lexicon as well. This rich lamb stew blanketed by a mashed potato crust is a dish that sticks to ribs on one side of the Atlantic as well as on the other side. This recipe shows us how to make simple but delicious shepherd’s pie from scratch.

Shepherd’s Pie – Ingredients

  • 3 lbs (1350g) ground lamb
  • 2 medium onions, minced
  • salt
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press (about 4 tsp)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup (80g) all purpose flour
  • 3 cups (700ml) chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) dry red wine
  • 2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1/4 tsp dried
  • 1 lb (450g) frozen peas and carrots (do not thaw)
  • ground black pepper
  • 3 lbs potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups (350ml) heavy cream, warmed
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • minced parsley leaves (optional)

Shepherd’s Pie – Cooking

  1. Cook lamb in large pan over medium-high heat, breaking the meant into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink and fat has rendered. It all takes about 5 minutes. Drain lamb in fine strainer, reserving drippings.
  2. Return 2 tablespoons of reserved dripping to pot and heat over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1 – 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and red wine. Stir in drained lamb, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and rosemary and cook until mixture begins to thicken, 2 – 4 minutes. Off the heat, Stir in peas and carrots and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to baking dish (13in by 9in or 36cm by 23cm), set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, place potatoes in large pot and cover by water. Lightly season with salt. Brign to boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 – 25 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to pot set over low heat, mash to smooth consistency. Stir in cream, then add butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. With large spoon, dollop mashed potatoes over lamb filling. Using rubber spatula, smooth potatoes out into even layer and push the edges of the baking tray.
  5. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Bake until sauce is bubbling and top is browned, about 1 hour.

Shepherd’s Pie – Storing

To store shepherd’s pie wrap baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, then with tin foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw casserole in refrigerator at least 24 hours before baking.

 

Shepherd’s Pie – Optional

  • To add little colour, sprinkle the top of the finished dish with chopped parsley leaves before serving.
  • Ground beef or even ground turkey can be substituted for the ground lamb. For a turkey or beef version, use 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil instead of reserved lamb drippings. Bake the pie as directed above in the recipe, reducing the baking time to 35 minutes.

Based on recipe by Megan Wycoff and Matthew Card.…

Category 1 Medical Devices: Impact of OTC Hearing Aids for Children

Posted on by Eli Byrd

When your child experiences a complication involving hearing loss, it is important to consider all options for improving your child's hearing capacity. For many hearing impaired children, the use of hearing aids is quite common and is quite successful in bridging the gap that hearing loss creates. When shopping for a hearing aid for your child, it is important to remember there are many options on the market today and it is important to also never settle for what seems to be most cost effective at initial glance.

Hearing aids and hearing devices for children are generally classified by the FDA as Category 1 medical devices however there are some that are classified much higher. This means a hearing aid in Category 1 poses the lowest safety risk to your child and is often the device used and recommended by a pediatric audiologist. However, a Category 1 medical device hearing aid may not be what your child truly needs. If you are struggling with the cost associated with hearing aids, the Category 1 device may be your best option.

Even over-the-counter hearing aids are classified as Category 1 medical devices. More commonly referred to as hearing amplification devices, parents will opt to use this lower cost option especially when health insurance may not cover the cost of a more advanced form of hearing aid device. However, it is important to remember that even though these over-the-counter hearing aid devices are cheaper, they may pose a greater health risk to your child and even lead to further loss of hearing. For this reason, many audiologists will not recommend the use of OTC hearing aids and there is even a growing push to request that the FDA classify over-the-counter hearing aids differently than prescribed hearing aid devices.

When considering the cost, benefits, risks and disadvantages to a Category 1 medical device, it is important to ask the pediatric audiologist about the costs and long term health benefits associated with special purpose hearing aids versus conventional hearing aids. In other words, even if your audiologist has prescribed a Category 1 hearing aid, purchasing one over the counter may not provide the hearing services you may need and, instead, you may require a more specialized form of hearing device. Until the categorization of OTC hearing aids is changed, there may be great confusion in finding the right hearing aid device for your child, whether over-the-counter or prescription, for your child.…

The Fastest Way to Lose Weight – Weight Loss Strategies that Really Work!

Posted on by Eli Byrd

I'll be the first to admit it. Trying to lose weight is probably the hardest thing I've ever tried to do in my life. It wasn't because I was lazy, unmotivated, or lacked commitment, No; I didn't "LACK" any of these factors. For me the problem was figuring out "WHAT" the best weight loss program for me was. It always seemed like I was running into new diets out there on the market that claimed that they would the fastest way to lose weight and achieve the perfect body. In the beginning I was so desperate drop the pounds and achieve the body I desired that I believed all of the fantastic claims made by all of the best weight loss programs that I came across would help me. For me, the choices seemed endless. Being naïve caused me to make the wrong decision. So, just how does someone know which is the best weight loss program is right for them?

Diet is one of the first steps in any success in weight loss program. Believe it or not diet is 80% and exercise is 20% of the battle. Most overweight people get plenty of exercise, but it's what they "EAT" that prevents them from getting that fit and healthy waistline. If you eat smaller portions of the right foods, you can actually eat more and lose weight! I known that this sounds crazy, but our bodies are very complex and if you understand your body, you can truly speed up your metabolism and produce sustainable weight loss.

Diet and exercise may not be all you need. For a lot of us, quality diet for weight loss programs are needed in to addition to your diet routines to help guide us to where we need to be. So, how do we know which is the best weight loss diet program to choose from? Keep in mind that when interested in a weight loss program, "will this be something I can accomplish?" Be sure to think twice to make sure you are dedicated and focused to your weight loss. Picture yourself in changing your diet guidelines and figure out if this will be something you can do. Are there any special foods or dietary supplements you will need to purchase? A lot of people start the program with the best intentions to complete and to comply with the new changes but people later decide that they have made the wrong decision. If people research a little before starting the program people likely would have a better chance for success with there weight loss.

Being overweight is a major issue for many people all around the world. Health issues and contemplations are certainly a reason to take some action, but it is the results we see in our bodies appearance that really motivates us to keep on and to become successful. If you are dedicated, committed, and do your research, the right program or product will work for you. You too can join the millions in the world and enjoy the fastest way to lose weight.

Finding the best weight loss program for you will definitely help you shed the pounds and keep them off. If you are like me, you have probably tried a number of weight loss programs and haven't had much success. If you are serious about losing those excess pounds and keeping them off the you need to visit: http://www.StripThatFat.com…

What is an Emergency Medical Technician?

Posted on by Eli Byrd

An emergency medical technician (EMT) is someone who is properly trained and certified to respond to emergency situations and give the proper emergency care that someone needs in cases of severe illnesses or injuries. Back in the day, emergency medical technicians were merely seen as nothing but basic attendants of ambulances. But in today's society, the title of emergency medical technician has become so much more than they used to be; they are now seen as positions with real importance and support. Emergency medical technicians now have the opportunity to do more than they were allowed to do in the past and to be exposed to situations that they were not exposed to in the past.

Emergency medical technicians should be able to effectively deal with sudden emergencies that may also occur due to a particular medical condition, but they have now also been trained to deal in more advanced situations, as well. For example, an emergency medical technician now has the right to deal with baby deliveries, mental patient's issues, child abuse emergencies, and other problems that may stem from a wide array of hazardous materials that people used in everyday life. There are several levels that come with being an emergency medical technician and those who have reached the higher levels have the right to administer certain life-saving medications that cannot be obtained through other means. This does not cover the huge range of practice that they fall under, however. The title of emergency medical technician is one of the very first medical cares that a patient is given whenever there are no nurses or doctors available. They will then provide the patient with the best care that they can while on the way to the nearest hospital. From the basic emergency medical technician to those that are more advanced, the main idea is to offer the patient a good chance of survival when the chances are much lower without their care.

Certain situations may happen where there is a sudden need for rescue operations, in addition to a patient's treatment. With the training given to emergency medical technicians, they have the right to transport patients out of vehicles to save their lives from water emergencies, and to deal with particular situations that may occur in higher elevated regions, such as mountains. EMT training is usually done with the joint effort of fire services, as well as other specialty agencies, if this is deemed necessary. The emergency medical technician is almost always the first one to appear at the scene of the emergency, but they must be given proper qualifications and certifications before they can act in emergencies that they may come across. The most important thing in these situations, of course, is still that medical care is given within the specific amount of time that it can be given to improve a patient's overall chance in recovery. These job factors all attribute to why emergency medical technicians are essential assets to any real medical team.

Emergency medical technicians have been trained to follow certain guidelines to ensure every patient is cared for properly. This will ensure that when a structured emergency scene happens, everyone that is present and involved will have an idea of what is going on. Emergency medical technicians need to be able to find out what is going on with the patient almost immediately, so the proper care can be administered upon them. Emergency medical technicians need to focus on the patient's breathing ability, their control of bleeding, the circulation of their blood, their need for patient resuscitation, and whether a defibrillator is needed …

Lose Weight and Get Toned Using Video Games

Posted on by Eli Byrd

If you have a television, a radio, and a working pair of eyes or ears, you have probably seen or heard an advertisement for the Wii fit, which is an accessory for the Nintendo Wii video game system. The Wii Fit guides you through some exercises using a weight sensing pad and motion-sensing controllers to get you to move while you're playing the video game.

Wii Fit

Wii Fit is a really new concept, and I'm sure it will grow throughout the course of video gaming development, but right now, it is expensive, and once you get over the novelty, it's really kind of boring. A Wii itself can cost you up to $400 these days, and the Wii Fit accessory is $89 on Amazon.com. That's a pretty hefty price tag on what amounts to a very limited number of exercise options.

Cheaper Options for Video Game Exercise

Now, if you want to get out a little cheaper, you may be able to arrange your own video game exercise station for free, or at least very cheap. To do this, you will need the following:

A stationary exercise bike
A Television and Video Game system of any kind
Wireless Controller (optional)
Duct Tape

This is going to sound very complicated, but you must hook up the video game system, and then place the exercise bike in front of the television to which the video game system is attached. Hook up a controller and sit down on the bike with the controller. I use a Playstation 2. Seriously, I am that retro.

Important: Secure your controller cord!

Very, very importantly, try to get a wireless controller for your gaming system. If you don't have one, you must secure the cord on your controller away from the bike pedals. Make sure you use velcro, duct tape or electrical tape to secure the cord away from the bike pedals when they rotate, and any area where it might be a tripping hazard.

Failure to do so will at worst cause you injury, and at best yank the cord out of your controller at an enthralling and imperative point in the game.

After you secure the cord away from any hazardous areas, insert your favorite game into the system and power on. I find that I have the most success with sports games, such as hockey or baseball, or roleplaying games like Final Fantasy which do not require much precise controller movement.

Proper Video Game Choice is a Must

For instance, I like playing NHL Hockey on the Dynasty option, and I also like to play Final Fantasy X and X-2. Psychonauts is one of my favorite games, but because of the precision involved in some of the jumps and fighting, I find Psychonauts frustrating while I am biking. However, if you have not played Tim Schaefer's Psychonauts, by all means, you must, and please do. Just not on the bike.

I am usually unsuccessful with fighting games and the like while riding the stationary bicycle, mainly because the pedaling is too distracting to fight well. You will probably find it is a little harder to control your characters with precision when you're pedaling on the bike, but you might get better at it.

When you start out, put the bike on an easy setting so you get into the habit of pedaling while you're playing games. After you get used to it and start pedaling automatically, you can increase the resistance and bike a little harder.

Another option: Dance Dance Revolution

If you get bored with the bike, you can also buy a …

FDA Puts a Stop to Implants: Medical Devices Seized

Posted on by Eli Byrd

Everyone values their health. We cannot place a value on our health and safety. When Americans place their health in the hands of a surgeon they expect to receive the best of treatment. A patient sincerely hopes that all factors related to medicine will have the highest of standards. Safety must be first.

To keep with the highest safety requirements, the FDA has seized medical devices due to risk to patients. A Union, New Jersey facility has been found to have medical devices that do not meet medical standards. Concerns are in regards to the sterility of the medical devices.

Shelhigh, Inc. manufactures implants for surgical procedures such as open-heart surgery. Other devices involved in the issue include soft-tissue patches involved in neurosurgery. Implants for abdominal and pelvic surgical procedures are suspect, as well. Their products are available for use for both adults and children. As many as 19 items have been seized and recalled.

Doctors have been warned to use other products to avoid risk to patients. Adults and children who may have received one of the devices manufactured by Shelhigh, Inc. are urged to call their doctor for advice. Patients who have one of the Shelhigh products should be monitored for infection. Also, doctors should be certain to check for effectiveness of the Shelhigh product for the duration of the product's life. More information about the products will be released and available on the FDA website.

On April 17, 2017 officials from the FDA seized the medical devices due to concerns about the manufacturing process of such devices at the Shelhigh, Inc. facility. Based on inspection information discovered in the fall of 2016, the facility was not following the appropriate safety guidelines. Shelhigh, Inc. was not properly monitoring the cleanliness of areas where such items were manufactured. Expiration dates on the products may be inaccurate. Shelhigh, Inc. did not properly back up the expiration dates of such products with scientific data.

Patients with immune deficiencies are at the greatest risk of developing complications from Shelhigh, Inc. products. Pediatric patients are also susceptible to this safety risk.

Shelhigh, Inc. was contacted about concerns related to inspections last fall. The FDA brought to the attention of Shelhigh, Inc. the numerous violations of proper manufacturing procedure for medical devices. Two letters were sent to Shelhigh, Inc. forewarning the facility of the actions to be taken should the proper measures to remedy the violations not be implemented.

http://www.FDA.gov…

Smoky Beef Kabobs: Grilled Peppery Summer Sticks

Posted on by Eli Byrd

Summer is the time for grilling and barbequing. If the temperatures have started to rise in your area, take the heat of cooking outside. Is it really hot? Try cooking small pieces of meat for speed. You won't have to leave the air conditioning for long when cooking kabobs.

Marinate your beef in a unique marinade and grill it over charcoal. These kabobs come together very quickly and the end result is strikingly flavorful. Add peppers and onions to the skewers for more color, or serve alongside grilled corn on the cob and a fruit salad for an equally pretty effect.

Smoky Beef Kabobs (Serves 4)

Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb Chuck steak trimmed and cubed (1 inch)
  • 1/4 C BBQ sauce
  • 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 T yellow mustard
  • 1/4 C sweet white wine
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1 T cooking oil
  • kosher salt
  • assorted peppercorns, ground
  • assorted chunked peppers and onions (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Light charcoals in the grill and allow them to reach medium high heat.
  2. Meanwhile, place cubed meat in a medium, shallow dish.
  3. Add BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, wine, sugar and oil. Mix marinade and make sure meat is coated. Marinades are used to flavor meats intensely as well as to break down some of the meat structure so that the meat will be more tender. This particular marinade is potent enough to do its work in a relatively short time as compared to overnight or 4 hour marinades.
  4. Let the meat set in marinade at room temperature for twenty minutes.
  5. Skewer meat on wooden or metal skewers. If your grill tends to cook hot, use metal skewers. Wooden ones can catch fire.
  6. Season the meat with salt and ground pepper.
  7. Grill for approximately twenty minutes. Turn the skewers occasionally to ensure even and thorough cooking. Small pieces of meat may cook very quickly if your charcoal temperature is high, so watch carefully.
  8. When the meat pieces have an even dark crust on them, take the kabobs from the grill and serve.

Some guests may appreciate BBQ sauce on the side, but these beef kabobs are very flavorful on their own. The flavor is reminiscent of a smoked jerky, but the meat is tender and moist. If you plan on grilling corn for a side dish, you will need to start a little earlier. Corn on the cob can take up to 45 minutes to cook thoroughly on the grill. Use your waiting time to prepare other side dishes such as baked beans, fruit salad or even a cool creamy dessert.…

LACE: A New Medical Device that Can Help Save Lives

Posted on by Eli Byrd

published in factoidz

An amazing new device is on the horizon that will help doctors determine who will be readmitted to the hospital after 30 days of discharge, or who may possibly die. This new devise can potentially save lives by predicting the severity of the illness at the time of discharge. The Canadians doctors who developed the devise with they call LACE maintain that the device will be able to predict which patients are at the highest risks for complications and possible death and that in turn will predict which patients are going to need more support and medical care.

Dr. Carl van Walraven of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute studied the effectiveness of the device with 5,000 mostly middle-aged patients suffering from acute coronary syndromes, cancer complications, and heart failure. The research was conducted among 11 different Ontario hospitals from 2012 to 2016.

The research showed that 8 percent of the patients had died or were readmitted to the hospital within a month. Of that group of 8 percent, 9.4 percent of them had been unexpectedly readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after their initial discharge. Taking this info into consideration, the researchers were able to come up with a mathematical formula to predict in advance what kind of patients would be the most critical patients upon the initial release.

The acronym LACE: length of stay ("L"), acuity (how severe the symptoms are) of admission ("A"), comorbidities (other health issues)("C") and number of visits to the emergency room ("E"), are the factors which are being measured to determine the risk of re admittance to the hospital or death within one month of the original hospital discharge. Patients will get a score up to 19 and the higher the score the greater the risk.

The details of the full study were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Doctors, clinicians, and other medical personal can determine the support needed for each patient after being initially discharged from the hospital. How this medical help is determined can be: follow up visits, education and medical post care instruction, networking, home care, follow up phone calls, whatever it takes to give to save lives.

Montrealers can visit: http://www.mghlib.mcgill.ca/

The Montreal General Hospital Medical Library, for books, journals, patient resources, and other library services for information on the latest breaking news.

Sources:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100302/hospital_100301/20100302?hub=Health…