Passion and vision

As I travel around the CHRISTUS system, and often when I present to other organizations, two questions that I often receive are: 1) how do you become a visionary, and 2) how do you create passion in an organization?Although the answers to these questions must be filled with artful thinking rather than scientific approaches, they have been asked so frequently that I recently forced myself to

Passion and vision

As I travel around the CHRISTUS system, and often when I present to other organizations, two questions that I often receive are: 1) how do you become a visionary, and 2) how do you create passion in an organization?Although the answers to these questions must be filled with artful thinking rather than scientific approaches, they have been asked so frequently that I recently forced myself to

Breaking News - Best Acne Treatment

Acne is a well known skin condition which affects nearly 90% of the teens and even more than them. Most of the people recover from this severe condition without any post-effects made. What about the rest? These people suffer from the scarring -"The acne scars". Though there are many topical beauty care products, the effectiveness may be less. The best acne scar treatment can be found within the skin resurfacing and some of the surgical procedures available. These processes provide you the maximum benefit in blemishing the acne scars.

Whenever acne vanishes by itself or by some cream-treatment, it leaves back the scar, which may be a red pigmented mark and still worse it may turn black. This is actually not an acne scar, but a series of post-acne changes. The healing process takes nearly 6-12 months after acne vanished. If there will be no development of acnes over that particular area, the skin will turn normal within few months.

The unwanted exposure of skin to the sunlight may cause the skin to get damaged, which will ultimately result in delayed healing. Hence it is necessary to wear a sun-screen before you move out. The next best acne scar treatment can be termed to the usage of tretinoin which is complex of Retin-A and Renova plusAvita. This compound speed the remake of the skin and help in diminishing the acne scar. Further more, the correct use of some of antibiotic compounds like Alpha-Hydroxy Acids or Beta-Hydroxy Acid (BHA) comprises of exact measure of the pH which ultimately results in the softening skin.

Peeling off the scabs should be avoided 100%. If the scabs are plucked or peeled off before its usual series of changes or before it gets dried by itself, then the scabs again starts the remodeling of the skin and the process repeats from the first to form a new scab. Hence the drying process will take little more duration. Since the drying of the scab is really important in the treatment of acne scars, using an anti-oxidant makes the post-acne changes and also scars to diminish. The next best acne scar treatment will be the application of vitamin E which when its applied over the face containing acne scars, the acne scars shall be blemished slowly within few weeks.

Acne may appear on face or shoulders or even neck or back and front shoulders. The Acne vulgaris contain non-inflammatory lesions as well as inflammatory lesions but cystic type of acne is little severe than the Acne vulgaris. The acne treatments are available in plenty though the prevention of acnes are little tougher. These treatments reduce the production of sebum which even reduces the bacteria that is responsible for the infection of acne.

Exfoliating the skin with a gentle herbal mix may help peels away the dead tissue. This treatment must be used continuously till acne vanishes. Using a good effective acne treatment, consisting of herbal remedies may be beneficial.

Anita R writes for Skin-Products-Store.COM that provides information on all aspects of finding Acne treatment The information provide by our Acne SKIN CARE EXPERT! You can find more details and tips about aromatherapy skin care in our education center.

Acne Scar Removal Creams - The Ultimate Resort For Scarring Problem

Acne scar removing creams are specially designed to reduce the intensity of the blemishes and sometimes, dispel the blemishes completely from the skin's surface. The market is flooded with an assortment of scar removing products, of which some may be effective, while others may fail to produce results. Hence, you have to be alert and buy the product that is apt for your skin type.

Acne scars and their causes

Acne scars are caused by two reasons - the first, is the increased tissue formation and the second, is the loss of tissue. When the acne scars are caused by the increased tissue formation, it is known as keloids and hypertrophic scars. These scars are not the perennial problem, and get diminished in size, overtime.

Again loss of tissue is responsible for ugly spots on the skin. Usually, tissue loss is caused by inflammation of the skin, which is encouraged by the trapped oil under the pores of the skin. Nonetheless, the modern technology has come up with innovative products, to help remove the blemishes.

Creams - The ultimate solution for acne scars

The purpose of the scar removing creams is to remove the scars permanently or reduce its intensity. There are different forms of scar removal creams, but the most common one contains a kind of acid, known as Alpha Hydroxy. The cream is abrasive and therefore is very effective in removing the top layer of the skin. The process enables to expose the healthy skin lying underneath and as a result you can minimize the scarring problem.

There are exfoliating creams which work wonders for the scarring problem. However, remember to apply the creams only after the pimples or zits completely disappear. Those creams which have the presence of topical Vitamin A brings miraculous results for your skin.

Prior to using these creams, make sure that the cream has the combination of various ingredients, such as silicone gels, vitamins, natural ingredients, botanical extracts and many more. These creams are usually available over the counter and therefore you need not visit a doctor.

However, prior to the usage of the various scar removal creams, remember that the creams have their own side-effects. Therefore, it is best to consult with a doctor and then seek to the cream, which is suitable for your skin.

Robert Sheehan is a freelance writer and co-owner of http://www.myacneskintreatments.com Visit Robert And read more about treating acne at http://www.myacneskintreatments.com/Acne-Scar-Treatment.html

Deputies seize baby to test blood against parents' will

Deputies seize baby to test blood against parents' will - Associated Press -- Here's a nicely framed conflict between public health laws designed to protect newborns vs. parental religious beliefs, in state (Neb.) that doesn't provide a religious exemption for newborn testing. Absent a First Amendment claim (which would fail), the only constitutional argument would be a claimed infringement of

Help For Children With developmental and learning problems

I received this and thought I'd post it on my log as it might be of help to someone:

If you know a child who:

• Suffered from a traumatic birth, difficult pregnancy or medical problems in early life?
• Is suffering developmental delay
• Has repeatedly visited GP/consultant but problems still remain
• Suffers from low attainment, low self-esteem, low self-confidence
• Suffers poor eye/hand co-ordination resulting in frequent accidents and clumsiness
• Suffers from reluctance to attend school
• Suffers from hyperactivity and an inability to sleep/relax
• Is unwilling to adopt a healthy lifestyle with good food and good exercise regime

Sunflower Trust Children’s Charity could help

For over a decade Sunflower Trust have helped improve children’s:

IQ by 12%
Health by 60%
Behaviour/study skills by 60%

To find out more please call 0845 054 7509 or e-mail enquiries@sunflowertrust.com
Further information is available on website http://www.sunflowertrust.com/


APPLICATIONS FOR COMPLIMENTARY TREATMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY
1st November 2007 LATEST!


Patricia Murray Cox Sunflower Trust co-Ordinator A registered charity dedicated to helping children with health, learning and behavioural difficulties

Effective Teaming

Although I talked at great length about teaming in my last post, I would like to share some additional thoughts about the qualities of strong teams which I shared with the CHRISTUS Senior Leadership Team as we sat in Chicago waiting to accept our leadership award last week.It has always been clear to me that teams are grown, rather than born. Consequently, I particularly wish to share with you

Effective Teaming

Although I talked at great length about teaming in my last post, I would like to share some additional thoughts about the qualities of strong teams which I shared with the CHRISTUS Senior Leadership Team as we sat in Chicago waiting to accept our leadership award last week.It has always been clear to me that teams are grown, rather than born. Consequently, I particularly wish to share with you

Get Fit With The Help Of A Trainer

Chad Tackett and Global-Fitness are dedicated to helping you get fit and stay fit with online trainers, videos, nutritional plans and lots more. They are now making very special offer so you can find out for yourself how great there system is:


Simply go to Global Health And Fitness and click through to their secured order form and enter "onedollar" in the Comments field and you'll be charged just $0.95 for Trial Membership (instead of $9.95)!


The moment you join you'll receive a username and password for access to all this for 30 days:

• Very effective exercise programs, specific to your goals,
  fitness level, and the time you have available!
• 175 exercise instructions and video demonstrations to
  view at home or print out and take to your gym/workout room!
• A Trial version of Protrack 2008, the latest version of their
  exercise and nutrition tracking software!
• The new GHF Training Manual and online books on each of
  the 5 Components of Optimal Health!
• Hundreds of delicious, healthy recipes and shopping lists!
• F R E E entry to the GHF Fitness Challenge, their 12-week
  fitness contest!
• Full access to the new members-only Fitness Forum where you
  can get expert advice, as well as correspond with other members!
  

HOW TO DOWNLOAD

MOST OF THE FILES ARE UPLOADED IN WWW.ESNIPS.COM ,WWW.4SHARED.COM ,WWW.MEGAUPLOAD.COM, WWW.RAPIDSHARE.COM ,WWW.MEDIAFIRE.COM,WWW.MIHD.NET, WWW.FILEFACTORY.COM, .Download procedure is different for different sites,but simple....Some offer unlimited download[eg:mihd],but some having restriction to download all files continuously....we want to wait for few minutes between downloads[eg:rapidshare].in some sites you may need to type image verification code before download...in MIHD website you need to press on the "request your download" seen on the top right corner. when you click on that next page comes with download link on top left corner...now download the file,save it.In most sites files are uploaded in rar or zip format[not all files],so you will need WINRAR or WINZIP software. Extract files with the help of these softwares and save the pdb,pdf,djvu,chm files...........read it with appropriate software as i already described in the WELCOME MESSAGE...

If you are not able to download from direct links given in my blog  try our SPECIALLY MADE SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE HELP OF GOOGLE SEARCH.TYPE SUBJECT NAME plus BOOK NAME IN SHORT eg: medicine harrison,surgery bailey ,anatomy netter ,medicine davidson,pathology robbins.Don't type entire text book name.Download books from 4shared,mediafire,esnips links

Files are uploaded in various file sharing sites.

Battle Of ideas 2007

This weekend ( 27th and 28th October) I am attending the Battle of Ideas in London.

I only heard about it last weekend, but immediately I wanted to be there. the aims are:

• to showcase new arguments about core issues
• to initiate open ended discussions

Topics include:

• The Resurrection of religion: moving beyond secularism or losing faith in politics?
• What is the future of cities?
• Change the world: make a documentary?
• Iraq: Whatnow for the war on terror?
• CAM: junk science or genuine alternative?
• Friendship or networking

and lots lots more. Check out their web site for the full programme.

Take Care Of Your Health With Herbal Supplements

Herbal supplements are generally made from herbs or plants, and these supplements are added to the diet for health purposes. Although many of these are not yet officially considered as drugs or medicines, some herbal supplements work the same way as drugs and can have harmful, as well as helpful side effects.

The use of herbs to treat disease and infections is almost universal among traditional, non-industrialized societies. Many of the pharmaceuticals currently available to physicians have a long history of use as herbal remedies, such as opium, aspirin, digitalis, and quinine.

The Use Of Herbal Supplements Is On The Rise

The World Health Organization (WHO) currently estimates that 80 percent of the global population presently uses herbal medicine for some aspects of primary health care. Herbal treatment is a major aspect in all traditional medicine systems, and a common ingredient in homeopathic, Ayurvedic, traditional Chinese and Native American medicine.

According to the WHO, 74% of 119 modern plant-derived medicines are used in methods that are similar to their traditional uses. Major drug firms are currently conducting extensive research on plants and herbs collected from the rainforests and other places for possible new pharmaceuticals.

The use, and search for, drugs and dietary supplements that are derived from plants has increased in recent years. Pharmacologists, botanists, and natural-product chemists are searching and analyzing many plants and phytochemicals that could be developed for treatment of many types of diseases. As a matter of fact, an estimated 25% of modern drugs used in the United States have been sourced from plants.

Are Herbal Supplements And Medications Regulated?

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the main agency that regulates herbal and other dietary supplements, as foods and not as drugs. This ruling means that these supplements have not yet met the same standards as drugs for proof of safety, effectiveness, and quality. A producer, for example, can sell an herbal product without proving that it truly works.

The labels on herbal products may not be complete or accurate. The active ingredients in many herbal supplements are not verified, and in some cases, the information on the bottle may not be the same as what's on the label. In the past, some herbal supplements have been tainted with metals, drugs, and germs.

As such, any claim a manufacturer makes about an herbal supplement's effect must be followed by a disclaimer, like: "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." Be sure to check product labels and avoid supplements that promise to cure specific health problems.

Be Sure To Take Herbal Supplements Safely

Follow these tips and precautions, in order for you to be on the safe side when taking herbal supplements:

- Consult your health care provider before using any herbal supplement, especially if you're taking other medicines, or non-prescription drugs, or if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. Don't take herbal products for serious medical conditions without consulting with your health care provider first.

- Make sure to read labels carefully. Purchase only supplements that are approved by the American Botanical Council's Commission E, a reputable committee that evaluates the safety and efficacy of herbal supplements.

- Talk with a licensed pharmacist or other health care professional if you have concerns, or further questions about an herbal supplement. Take note that the clerks at health food stores are only salespersons, not health care professionals.

- Purchase herbal supplements from a reputable herbal manufacturers. Be wary about products that are sold through magazines, brochures, TV, radio, or the Internet. Learn more about herbal supplements from reputable sources.

Prime Herbal - http://primeherbal.com

Iglehart on the House's failure to override Bush's SCHIP veto

John Iglehart, the founding editor of Health Affairs and national corespondent for the New England Journal of Medicine, posted his instant analysis [may require paid subscription] of the House's failure on Thursday to override the President's veto of the SCHIP reauthorization bill, HR 976. Iglehart's provides an excellent overview of the controversy and connects this contretemps to "the larger

Federeal employees' health plan not much of a model for reform

There's a good analysis of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) by Reed Abelson in The New York Times today. Various presidential candidates are talking about the FEHBP in their stump speeches, suggesting that this country's 47 million uninsured could be covered by the same plan that covers their elected representatives. Bottom line: There's really nothing about the FEHBP that

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Complementary and Alternative Medicine s (CAM, in short) is a topic of common discussion these days. They say practices and products used or intended to be used for treating a patient that are not a part of the "standard care" are termed as complementary medicine or alternative medicine. Even in the USA where this discussion is very much to the fore, the list of practices and products that are considered complementary and alternative medicine is continually going through a change.

Some experts argue that use of term complementary medicine or alternative medicine is erroneous. They say there is no alternative medicine and as believers in science and evidence, we should talk of medicine that is adequately tested and proven to be safe and effective and medicine that has not been adequately tested and proven to be safe and effective. Whether the therapeutic technique is eastern or western is irrelevant; our focus should be on the patient and his disease or ailment. Practices and products that are presently CAM but are subsequently proven to be safe and effective get adopted in the conventional health care and are not considered complementary and alternative medicine anymore.

It is interesting to find that while the medical profession may not be happy about "non-standard" practices and products - CAM - the patients seem to be turning to complementary and alternative medicine in increasing numbers, as some surveys indicate. A survey in USA in 2002 found that 36% of Americans used alternative therapy such as yoga, meditation, herbal treatments in the past 12 months. In 1998, a BBC telephone survey in UK found about 20% adults used alternative medicine in the past 12 months. It was found that use of alternative medicine had increased by 30% from 1990 to 1997. These figures do not include use of prayers as alternative or complementary medicine as practiced by many people.

In USA it is found that the number of colleges offering courses in alternative medicine is increasing. Naturopathy and osteopathy also are finding wider acceptance in medical colleges and universities. They seem to adopt a balanced view that they neither reject conventional medicine nor adopt the alternative practices blindly.

It is obvious that medical products and practices that do not fall under the term "standard care" do have a significant influence on the society. It is a measure of recognition of this fact that in 1998, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established as the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

We shall look into some of these issues regarding complementary and alternative medicine and try to understand what these various systems of treatment involve.

S. Phadke is a retired professional. He enjoys writing and has been writing articles on a variety of subjects such as Energy Conservation, Home Based Industries , Online Data Storage, Internet marketing, etc.

Presently he is preparing to write a series of articles on Health related issues and on CAM (Complimentary and Alternative Madicine)

He can be contacted at snphadke@gmail.com

What Makes an Outstanding Leadership Team?

Last week, CHRISTUS’ Senior Leadership Team was at the Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare conference in Chicago to accept their award as the 2007 Top Leadership Team in Healthcare for large hospitals and health systems from HealthLeaders Media.The team was recognized for embarking on a steady path to excellence in leadership teamwork since it was created in 1999 and using a commitment to

What Makes an Outstanding Leadership Team?

Last week, CHRISTUS’ Senior Leadership Team was at the Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare conference in Chicago to accept their award as the 2007 Top Leadership Team in Healthcare for large hospitals and health systems from HealthLeaders Media.The team was recognized for embarking on a steady path to excellence in leadership teamwork since it was created in 1999 and using a commitment to

Healthy Pizza

Antioxidants are really important for our long-term health. They help counteract free radical damage to the body, including to the skin and the joints. If you’re interested in ageing more gracefully, you definitely need to take a look at the amount of antioxidants in your diet.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are some of the best sources of antioxidants, but research by scientists at the University of Maryland has shown that the antioxidant levels in pizza can be boosted by increasing the baking temperature and the length of time that the pizza is cooked for. So a well-done pizza is likely to contain more antioxidants than a less well-done one.
Sadly people, including the media, tend to take information like this and conclude that a well-done pizza is a healthy food. The UK Guardian newspaper heading was ‘From Fast Food To Health Food: Pizza Gets A Makeover’. But the truth is pizzas are not the most healthy of foods, and though they are OK in moderation it’s much better to focus on getting antioxidants from fruit and vegetables.

The influence of rap music

Here's information on an interesting article:

Sexual Stereotypes Portrayed in Rap Music Videos Influence High-Risk Behaviors Among African-American Teenage Girls

New Rochelle, NY, October 16, 2007—African-American female adolescents who spend more time watching rap music videos are more likely to participate in high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking and sex with multiple partners, to test positive for marijuana, and to have a negative body image, according to a report in the October 2007 issue (Vol. 16, No. 8) of Journal of Women’s Health a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. ( www.liebertpub.com). The paper is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/jwh

Many psychosocial factors can adversely affect self-image, health status, and the likelihood of engaging in high-risk behaviors among adolescent girls. One such factor is exposure to rap music videos, which often portray African-American women as hypersexual and amoral and include content related to violence, sexuality, and drug and alcohol abuse.

Shani Peterson, PhD, Gina Wingood ScD, MPH, Ralph DiClemente PhD, Kathy Harrington, MPH, MAEd, and Susan Davies, from the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Center for AIDS Research, and School of Medicine at Emory University (Atlanta, GA), and the University of Alabama, Birmingham, sought to identify whether a link exists between the amount of exposure to sexual stereotypes and risky behaviors portrayed in rap music videos and adverse health outcomes. They surveyed and interviewed 522 African-American teenage girls, asked about their rap music video viewing habits, evaluated their health status, and screened urine samples for evidence of marijuana use.

In the report entitled, “Images of Sexual Stereotypes in Rap Videos and the Health of African-American Female Adolescents,” the authors concluded, based on a quantitative assessment, that a significant predictive association exists between increased viewing of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos and likelihood to engage in binge drinking, to test positive for marijuana, and to have a negative body image.

“The findings from this study suggest that African-American girls’ perceptions of stereotypical images of women in rap music videos may contribute to adverse health outcomes,” says Editor-in-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, in Richmond, VA. “Clearly, there is a need for greater awareness and education about the potential public health risks associated with this media exposure.”

Journal of Women’s Health is an authoritative, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal published ten times a year. Under Editor-In-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, and Deputy Editor Wendy S. Klein, MD, of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, Richmond, VA, the Journal publishes clinical and research papers on health issues affecting women across the lifespan and on gender differences in health, disease, and response to treatment.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. , is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of medical and biomedical research, including Obesity Management, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, and Thyroid. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry’s most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm’s 60 journals and books is available at www.liebertpub.com

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801www.liebertpub.com Phone (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax (914) 740-2101

Getting asthma as an adult

More and more people are suffering from asthma, but it’s not only children that are being affected, more adults are also starting to suffer from asthma.

A study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine looked at the use of cleaning sprays. This study is particularly interesting because it doesn’t look at professional cleaners but instead looks at people using sprays in their own homes. They found a link between using the sprays at least once a week and developing asthma. More research on this is needed, but do err on the side of caution and stop using spray cleaners and air fresheners.

On my web site I have information on dirt and how the sanitised environment so many people live in is not good for health.

Acne and the Actimine Cure for Acne

Alternative Acne spoils the beauty of your face and predominantly affects people ranging from twelve to eighteen. At times, other people experiencing facial breakdown complain of acne affecting their skin. Facial acne needs attention and in some cases may call for a physician consultation. Actimine is an herbal supplement formulated to help with its removal, helping prevent acne by reducing the oily buildup present in the skin.

Actimine also helps stop the growth of whiteheads and blackheads. Acne results from the involvement of complex hormones, immunity process, and enzymes. Actimine balances body functions by correcting nutritional deficiencies. Older people ranging from their 20s to 40s can also be benefited by Actimine.

Explanation of acne

This term is used by dermatologists who define acne as an oily buildup causing pimples and deep lumps. It occurs on the face, neck, back, shoulders or chest and can range from harsh to mild. The worst part of having acne is that it has a tendency to leave long-lasting scar spots.

Causes of acne

Acne is caused by hormonal fluctuations and genetic problems. There are also other reasons for the cause of acne ranging from stress, excessive washing of the face, imbalanced diet, and heavy cosmetics usage. When acne problem becomes chronic, medical treatment may be necessary. For acute cases, however, you can choose to have Actimine, which can help both in clearing your face of unwanted acne and keeping it under long term control without having bad side effects.

Who is affected by acne?

Acne problems can occur in anyone irregardless of sex, race, and ethnicity. It starts in adolescence between the ages of twelve and eighteen and generally lasts untill adulthood. Men are more prone to severe acne problems, and may require medical aid in some instances to treat it. Even women, however, have acne problems which can be partly due to cosmetics that are highly oil-based and the hormonal swings associated with menstruation. Additionally, some people having a family history of acne, may be affected by a heredity predisposition to acne.

One of the chief problems of people having acne occurs when they overlook the problem, failing to address the initial and mild symptoms. Failing to address acne while it's mild may cause substantial and severe skin problems requring the consultation of a doctor. Many research studies have been done on acne and many more studies are currently underway. Actimine is a blend of different ingredients that mainly aim to help with curing acne problems from the very beginning of onset, while promoting a skin health that can help keep acne at bay.

Benefits of Actimine

Actimine helps the human body develop vitamin A, which is known to reduce the production in sebum and help building up keratin. Actimine also provides selenium, an antioxidant, which is known for helping the body in formation of enzyme glutathione peroxidases. GtP enzymes helps regulate and control the the occurrence of inflammation within the human body. Actimine also includes zinc, Gum Guggul, and methysulfonyl methane, which have been indicated as beneficial in the fight against acne.

www.Healthsale.biz - recommends

Acupuncture research

Assesment of acupuncture by the scientific community has been hampered by the fact that acupuncturists in most studies know whether the needling they are doing is attempting to affect the point or not.

So, it's interesting to see this - an attempt to develop a suitable acupuncture needle for test situations. Here is a provisional abstract from
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2007 7:31 ( 10 October 2007 )

Background
Placebo needles that can mask acupuncture practitioners to the type of needle used have been considered almost impossible to develop until now.

Methods
We designed a double-blind non-penetrating placebo needle, the needle tip of which simply presses against the skin, and a matched penetrating needle. The needles are encased inside an opaque guide tube and the appearance and feel of the pair are designed to be indistinguishable. To validate the masking effect for the practitioner, 10 acupuncturists each applied 23 non-penetrating needles and 17 penetrating needles to the large intestine-4 point. After removing each needle, they judged whether the needle was penetrating, non-penetrating or unidentifiable. For the validation of patient masking, an acupuncturist randomly applied a non-penetrating/penetrating needle pair to the bilateral Sanjiao-5 points in 60 volunteers. When both applications were completed, we asked them to write down anything that they noticed regarding the needle application and associated sensations.

Results
The mean [SD] of correct/unidentifiable/incorrect answers given by the 10 acupuncturists were 17.0 [4.1]/6.4 [3.6]/16.6 [3.0], respectively. Regarding patient masking, none of the subjects commented in the questionnaire that they had received a non-penetrating needle. Of 60 penetrating and 60 non-penetrating needle applications, 48 (80.0%) and 25 (41.7%) applications elicited skin penetration sensation and 48 (80.0%) and 20 (33.3%) applications elicited de qi, respectively.

Conclusions
These needles have the potential to mask both practitioners and patients from the type of needle used in acupuncture research.

You can read more about this study here.

Core Competencies for Leaders in Health Care

Just as the practice of medicine has changed significantly over the last decade (an example of which is the use of laparoscopy surgery vs. open incisions), leadership competencies have significantly changed for people who want to create excellent organizations. In fact, in the past, most leadership capabilities have been centered around courses included in a core curriculum in Masters of Health

Core Competencies for Leaders in Health Care

Just as the practice of medicine has changed significantly over the last decade (an example of which is the use of laparoscopy surgery vs. open incisions), leadership competencies have significantly changed for people who want to create excellent organizations. In fact, in the past, most leadership capabilities have been centered around courses included in a core curriculum in Masters of Health

Designing a Strength Training Routine for Fat Loss

Here's an interesting article from Lynn VanDyke, a prolific and passionate writer on women's health and fitness:

Designing a Strength Training Routine for Fat Loss
by Lynn VanDyke

Your goal is to lose fat and tone up. You’ve read plenty of my other articles and know that I recommend a mix of 5 tools to create and sculpt the body of your dreams. Those 5 tools are nutrition, hydration, cardio, rest and strength training. Today’s article is all about creating a killer routine that delivers amazing results.

In my many years of experience in the fitness industry I have come across a few timeless myths. One of those myths really gets me piping mad. Have you ever heard, “Lift lighter weights for more repetitions if you want to tone up”? You probably have if you are a woman. I can already feel my blood beginning to boil!

The truth about strength training routines is that they can only be effective if they are created for you and your goals. Lifting light weights for 15 or more repetitions is not going to reduce body fat or help you tone. It will help you work on endurance. If endurance is your goal, then by all means lift lighter for a longer rep time.

On the flip side, and the most popular side, is lifting to lose fat. Your fat loss strength training routine should include heavier weights for low-to-medium repetition ranges. Below is a check list of items that your strength training routine should include:

- An exercise for each major muscle
- Between 3-4 sets for each exercise
- 8-10 reps per set
- A correct weight for each exercise
- 1-2 minute rest periods between sets

Here are all the major muscle groups in suggested order: back, chest, quads, shoulders, hamstrings and glutes, biceps, triceps, abs and calves. You can select from a full body routine done 2-3 times per week or split your lower body and abs from your upper body. An example would be: lower body and abs on Monday and Friday and upper body on Tuesday and Saturday.

Regardless of doing a full body routine or a split routine you will choose an exercise for each of these muscles and do it 3-4 times per workout. Each set will include 8-10 repetitions. You should rest for at least a minute between each set.

The way for you to determine what weight you should lift is to choose a weight that you can safely lift 8 times with perfect form. By the last repetition in each set, you should feel tired. If you feel as though you could do a few more reps with perfect form than move to a higher weight on the next set. You have selected the correct weight so long as you can get within 2-3 reps of the called for rep range with perfect form and your muscles feel tired.

Grouping together the correct weight, rep range, amount of sets, and exercises will result in a fabulous strength training routine that blasts away unwanted pounds. There are more than enough Internet sites providing free routines and information. I recommend using a routine that is developed specifically for you and your goals. You can have a master trainer (me!) create a routine for you for $25 these days. You simply fill out a few forms and I send you an email with your custom build a routine attached. Easy, simple and designed for results!
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Lynn VanDyke is the head trainer at http://strength-training-woman.com/online-personal-training.html . She will create a custom fitness and nutrition program for you. Get dramatic results with a professionally designed workout routine and menu. Work with a master trainer and fitness nutritionist 1-on-1 and finally achieve your weight loss goals! Simple and extremely effective.

Vegetarian Shoes

I'm a vegetarian and finding nice stylish shoes can be difficult, so I wa spleased to discover Bourgeoise Boheme a while back.

I've recently bought two new pairs of shoes from them and they are so comfortable and stylish.

It's great to know that no animal has suffered in the production of the shoes. Sometimes people say that the leather is just a by-product of the meat industry and the animals aren't killed for the leather. But, by wearing leather, you make the sale of meat more economic and cheaper.

If you think veggie shoes are dull and sweaty to wear check out this site and see what you can find.

Nice to see that the site is also doing fairly traded trainers:

Ethletic Trainer White: Fair trade trainers witha cotton upper and rubber sole. The rubber forthe sole is certified Forest Stewardship Council- sourced from sustainable forests in Sri Lanka and the accredited FSC mark is engraved onthe soles of each pair. A fair trade premium is paid for the rubber and manufacture of the shoes. Available in black too and a high top too. £35

Major-party presidential candidates on health reform

Here are links to the major-party presidential candidates' health-policy web pages, which I offer in alpha order and without editorial comment:Joe Biden: http://www.joebiden.com/issues/?id=0003Sam Brownback: http://www.brownback.com/s/Issues/tabid/60/Default.aspx#HealthcareHillary Clinton: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/ Chris Dodd: http://action.chrisdodd.com/t/41/

Toxic side effect: Valley Baptist and Evidence-Based Medicine

Recently, a group of physicians in the Emergency Department (ED) of Valley Baptist Hospital in Harlingen, Texas, announced they would resign in December, claiming the hospital administration’s focus on metric results could reduce the doctors’ income and compromise patient care. Specifically, they said the hospital’s goal of reducing emergency room wait times and operating-room turnaround time was

Toxic side effect: Valley Baptist and Evidence-Based Medicine

Recently, a group of physicians in the Emergency Department (ED) of Valley Baptist Hospital in Harlingen, Texas, announced they would resign in December, claiming the hospital administration’s focus on metric results could reduce the doctors’ income and compromise patient care. Specifically, they said the hospital’s goal of reducing emergency room wait times and operating-room turnaround time was

SCHIP

Here's a news post courtesy of FDLI's SmartBrief:White House to face state SCHIP lawsuits -- New Jersey was the first of several states expected to file lawsuits against the Bush administration over rules set in August that limit state coverage of children's health insurance to exclude children in middle-income families. Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York and