Healthcare in the US

When I lived in Malaysia, I had a medical check-up with routine blood test at my regular physician's clinic about once a year. He told me that the scanning machines in the U.S. are certainly more modern and accurate and if there is any red flag in his diagnosis, he would advise me.

When I moved to the U.S., my husband told me that I would have to show my medical insurance card to see a family physician who would recommend me to the hospital lab for the blood work to be done. The extra party involved means the more I have to pay. When I have allergy problem in Spring, I have to consult my family physician who would prescribe the drug. I would have to obtain the drug from a local drug store. The doctor's office does not dispense the drug.

Healthcare facilities in the U.S. is advanced with probably the most modern equipment, drugs and highly trainned medical team but they are very expensive.

According to wikipedia, the U.S. spends more on healthcare based on both the proportion of GDP and on a per-capita basis than any other countries in the world. In 2007, the projected healthcare expenses was $2.26 trillion or $7,439 per person.

The medical insurance premium which my husband's employer provided for him and me a few years ago was more than US$1,000 a month and the rate increases every year. If my husband had no insurance coverage, he would have to pay about $20,000 for 2 nights stay at a local hospital and a heart catheterization recently. With our insurance coverage, we paid less than $300.

Since the unemployment rate is rising and more people may be without health insurance, how can one possibly afford the premium? It is dreadful for me to think of that. I believe that our health is very important. Since we can do nothing about genetic related health issues, the only 2 options left for us are to discipline ourselves to exercise and watch what we eat to keep our medical bills low and enjoy a healthier life.

Raw Tomatoes

We know that raw vegetables and fruits are good for us but how safe are they? I am cautious not to eat my veggies raw if they are store bought as I don't really know where they come from. I am growing my own tomatoes now.

In 2006 spinach was infected by E-coli. The hot news now is that certain raw tomatoes are now infected by salmonellosis. For more information, read the news in the Washington Post

You may want to read more about the outbreak in FDA's site. FDA recommends certain tomatoes grown in the following region in the U.S. are not associated with salmonellosis at this point in time. Below (in italics) is the update exerpt for your quick reference:

June 18, 2008: At this time, FDA recommends consuming raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw red round tomatoes only if grown and harvested from the following areas that HAVE NOT BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTBREAK:

Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida (counties of: Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Sarasota, Highlands, Pasco, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando, Charlotte)*
Georgia
Hawaii
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Nebraska North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma New!
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Baja California (Norte) **
Belgium
Canada
Dominican Republic
Guatemala
Israel
Netherlands
Puerto Rico

* Shipments of tomatoes harvested in these counties are acceptable with a certificate issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

** Product lots of tomatoes harvested in this State in Mexico are allowed export into the U.S. with a certificate issued by the Secretaria de Fomento Agropecuario del Gobierno del Estado de Baja California (Agency).

My Other Half Was Hospitalized

I accompanied my husband in the hospital for a few days and it was so hard to see him hooked to different machines as the medical team monitored him closely. He was not able to sleep as the nurses would prick his arm to draw his blood and give shots every few hours. Sometimes the machines beeps to send signals. My friend, Jamy called me with concern. I am thankful and touched by her caring nature. Some of my in-laws were not too happy with me because I did not tell some of them of my husband's hospitalization early enough.

The cardiologist confirmed that he had SVT which caused his heart to have elevated beats with hardcopies of the explanation and the beats can be regulated with verapamil. The cardiologist had ordered that he be given verapamil and be monitored for 24 hours while at the hospital and it worked fine on him. A list of what the drug does was also given to us. He is allowed to resume normal work without restrictions. On the contrary, our family physician and the local hospital said it was a mild heart attack based on part of the blood work. It is scary that the medical professionals do not agree and if we go to the wrong one for diagnosis, what would the outcome be! I think a second opinion is very important. It was a learning experience for me.

He insisted to drive but I'm not letting him. He is now busy gardening and working in our yard. The exercise is good for him and I do check on him to make sure everything is OK.

Tomorrow I am taking him to the hospital for a cardiac catheterization to complete the test. We have watched the process on video at the hospital and checked the credentials of the cardiologist and happy that he had performed the cat on more than 2000 patients. I will appreciate prayers for him.

Breast Cancer Awareness June 2008

8 millions clicks are required for the month of June to support free mammograms funding.


I've been tagged by Mariuca to help spread the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ month of June. Please help convey the importance of regular examination and early detection of breast cancer so as to maximize the chance of survival and recovery. So in doing my bit to help spread awareness on the issue of breast cancer to women, here are several facts on breast cancer that everyone should know about.
• The first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a woman's mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present.
• Risks for breast cancer include a family history, atypical hyperplasia, delaying pregnancy until after age 30 or never becoming pregnant, early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), current use or use in the last ten years of oral contraceptives, and daily consumption of alcohol.
• Early detection of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly yearly mammography after age 40, offers the best chance for survival.
• Ninety-six percent of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after five years.
• Over eighty percent of breast lumps are not cancerous, but benign such as fibrocystic breast disease.
• You are never too young to develop breast cancer! Breast Self-Exam should begin by the age of twenty.

Resources: American Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute/Komen Foundation
You can help the lives of many women by spreading the word about The Breast Cancer Site by clicking the pink button as many times as you can. If The Breast Cancer Site receives 8 million clicks on the pink button in June, their premier sponsor -Bare Necessities- will donate $10,000 for more free mammograms. CLICK the pink button everyday as many times as you wish to support the donation!

Please note that you have to click the pink button which looks like the one above on thebreastcancersite for your vote to be counted.

I tag anyone who wish to pass this breast cancer awareness on your blog. Stumble this post if you like to help promote cancer awareness to the blogging community. Thanks.

Lower Back Pain caused by Wallet?

Have you ever heard or read that more men are complaining about lower back pain? If experts suggest the culprit is your wallet, will you be puzzled? According to an article published by BBC News, experts say the chief suspect is your wallet. The explanation is that sitting with your wallet on the back pocket can cause damaging effects to the nerves. It is also known as hip-pocket syndrome or wallet-neuropathy. For more details of the news, click here. Try to keep your wallet somewhere else and see if it helps.

Natural Remedy for Blocked Arteries?

I have received a few e-mails which shared a recipe as a natural remedy for blocked arteries. Some of you might have received the same. It is about the story of a man in India who had three blocked arteries and two of them opened after he had consumed the mixture.

If you want to read the details of this homoepath herbal natural remedy, the same article was also published here. I do not know how reliable this is. I do not have any artery blockage but I just tested the taste and feel of the mixture. As I consumed it, I felt the mixture seemed to dilate my throat. I think if you tolerate garlic and ginger root, the mixture is tolerable. If you don't, it may be hard to swallow.

Here's the recipe:
1 Cup garlic (Grind)
1 Cup ginger root, grind.
1 Cup lime juice, (NOT Lemon)
1 Cup 'Apple Cider Vinegar'

Method:
1) Mix the above and boil at low heat until 3 cups are left.
2) Remove from heat and wait until it gets cold.
3) When it is cold, add 3 cups of honey and mix it thoroughly.
4) Take one tablespoonful, first thing in the morning before breakfast.
5) Store the bottle in the fridge for everyday use.

If you want to try this, I think it is wise to check whether any of the above ingredients would counter react with any medication you may be taking.

Green Tea

My friend e-mailed me in PowerPoint illustration which suggests that drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea can help in a long list of different health conditions. I tell myself that I consider myself doing well if I can drink just one cup a day. I'm not much of a tea or coffee person but since a friend has presented me with some good green tea, I have started drinking it.

Picture Source
How many cups are recommended? It depends who is answering your question. Studies seem to suggest 4 to 5 cups but those who are in the business of selling green tea may recommend 10 cups a day.

In summary green tea is reputed to be helpful in the following medical conditions:-
1) cancer
2) rheumetoid arthritis
3) high cholesterol
4) cardio vascular disease
5) infection
6) impaired immune system

The only reported negative side effect from drinking green tea is probably insomnia. I must add that in my own opinion, I am always worried about the staining of my teeth. Does anyone know of any easy way to control teeth staining from tea?

For the source and detail on the miracles of green tea, what makes green tea so special, harmful effects, etc., click here.

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A Heart Patient's Life

After I came back from Cancun, I took a lady to Washington D.C. to see the cherry blossoms which Japan gave the trees to the U.S. several years ago. My neighbor told me it was given to symbolize friendship. I looked it up on Wikipedia and found that the cherry trees were given in 1912.

My friend's husband loaded 2 "fire extinguishers" into my car and then left for work. I was puzzled and she explained that they were actually oxygen tanks which she needs to inhale at night when she sleeps. When she was typing at her office 15 years ago, she collapsed suddenly and her artery was found to be 99% blocked. The medical team said she needed an operation immediately. However, the surgery messed her up and one complication led to another.

Her advice is go for a well-known hospital or seek a popular surgeon to perform the task. She had hers done in a small town and the open heart surgery was unsuccessful. She has a pace maker implanted to help her heart beat when required. She also has to take various medication including one for the pace maker. If she doesn't have the pace maker medication, she would be in pain. Some of her ribs were removed and she has 10 metal stems implanted in her chest.

She has to carry a small oxygen tank if she needs to walk longer than a certain distance or time. She endures pain and tends to feel tired easily. She shared that she would not have any symptoms if she were to have subsequent attacks. She could go to heaven anytime.

Knowing her more, teach me to appreciate my own health and life today and I hope I can continue to be healthy.

Five Tips To Healthier Digestion

I find myself having poor digestion and feel bloated and in my busy schedule, I always eat as fast as I can so that I can get back to work quickly. I thought that perhaps I ate too much or I ate too late that cause me frequent discomfort.

I was going through some magazines and checked on some food supplements to order when I came across this article which I will summarize the 5 tips toward a healthier digestion. (We already know them but we tend to find them difficult to do, forget or just not doing them).

1. Eat Wholesome, Fresh and Organic Foods. Organic food is always better because our body would not have to work so hard to remove all those toxins from food loaded with pesticides.

2. Chew Your Food. Chewing allows the food to be broken up and enough time to allow our system to release the correct digestive juices to help in nutrients assimilation.

3. Eat Less but More Frequent. We all know this. Yes, we know it is easier on digestion.

4. Exercise. We know this too but.... Oh well, exercise increase our body's processes including the production of enzymes and hydrochloric acid to aid digestion.

5. Proper Nutrients and Enzymes. If we don't get everything that we need from our daily diet, we may have to add food supplement to make up what we lack.

I paraphrased and summarized the tips from an article produced by this company . To undertand how digestion works, this is another source .

I hope you have a healthy digestion. I'm still working at it though.

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