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Lap band surgery for morbidly obese children

Lap band surgery for morbidly obese childrenEvan Paul Nadler, MD surgeon at Children’s National Medical Center and colleagues from New York University have found laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap band) to improve the health of morbidly obese adolescents.

The study, reported in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, involved nearly 50 girls and boys ages 14-17. The participants showed significant decreases in total and android fat mass 2 years after surgery. Android fat has been associated with the development of obesity-related illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, and insulin resistance.

“This study is the first to demonstrate the improvements in overall health and distribution of weight loss after Lap band surgery in adolescents,” said Evan Nadler, MD, the main author and pediatric surgeon at Children’s National. “While weight-loss surgery should always be a last resort for adults and adolescents, these findings show us that surgery in adolescents reduces the risk of significant health complications”.

The study observed that Lap band surgery improved glucose metabolism, reducing the adolescents’ risk of developing insulin resistance. Additionally, bone mineral density was not impacted by the surgery, suggesting that bone growth is not affected.

Dr. Nadler is the co-director of the Obesity Institute at Children’s National Medical Center, which is comprehensively addressing the epidemic of childhood obesity. Staff includes pediatricians, nutritionists, psychology experts, heart specialists, gastroenterologists, and surgeons who treat patients and families in a clinical setting. The Obesity Institute also includes scientists looking at genetic differences and racial disparities, especially among children and adolescents, as well as community-based research among different ethnic groups.

Dr. Nadler was an investigator for Allergan, which makes the device used in the study. Funding was provided by the Harris Obesity Prevention Effort at New York University and performed at NYU Medical Center.

Posted by: Evelyn    Source

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Getting the Affordable Insurance Quotes at Insurancespecialists.Com

Getting the Affordable Insurance Quotes at Insurancespecialists.Com There are a number of companies on the internet who provide excellent insurance deals for their customers. One of the best places on the internet to look for free insurance quotes is at insurancespecialists.com. They offer almost 50% savings on your insurance purchases. They provide guidance and information on all type of insurance policies.


We cannot just think about living in this world filled with uncertainties without the insurances. The climate change is seen all across the world and serious disasters are predicted. A number of businesses have closed down due to the global economic meltdown.

The cost of the healthcare keeps climbing sky high all the time and a lot of people around the world are unable to afford their healthcare costs.

It is imperative for us to protect ourselves from the wrath of the nature and the negative consequences of living in the modern world. Insurances are the best possible options for protecting ourselves and our families.

You might want to check out insurancespecialists.com if you are thinking about getting good insurance deals for great prices.

They offer a wide range of features along with the free insurance quotes for all type of insurances. You could also look up the insurance quotes by the zip codes. It would be wise for you to even compare your existing insurance expenses with the deals offered by them. By doing this, you will be saving hundreds of dollars in the long run.

Insurancespecialists.com has a number of excellent resources which can be very informative for your insurance needs. It is always a good idea to make informed choices and his website has excellent resources to provide you with the most appropriate information. You could also get in touch with them over the telephone or you could write to them.


Posted by: Evelyn    Source

Do you trust local doctors?

Here’s one case where they failed miserably. Sometimes people laugh when you ask for medical advice online or whatever but the scary fact is that we have to be responsible for our own health because we can’t necessarily trust doctors to do what’s best for us.

Sure when we get sick they’ll talk to us for 30 seconds and then prescribe some medicine but where are the doctors who will plan your healthcare with you? You might just be on your own, just like the woman in the article linked above suggests women at risk for breast cancer need to insist on a mammogram.

Dental malpractice suits impossible to win?

This is a friend’s story: I have a bridge because of dental malpractice. I had a cap put on a tooth due to a bad cavity. The dentist then told me I was good to go. He had put on a TEMPORARY cap, never saw in his files in return visits (checkups and cleanings) that the cap was temporary, never notified me of its temporary status nor did in anyone in the office, and let me go on with it.

It finally fell out 18 months later while chewing a Starburst. He then exclaims “Whoa! It was a temp! Man my handiwork is good if it lasted 18 months!”.

Having such shoddy, temporary work in my mouth that long allowed for a vicious gum infection above the tooth. I had the gum infection worked on twice — apparently, this involves cutting into the gum and scraping it out — before the oral surgeon said “there’s nothing we can do, we have to yank the tooth to get to the infection”.

Its a newer procedure, as its a false tooth that attaches to one side of the surrounding teeth, not the cap that goes over the surrounding teeth entirely.

No attorney would take the case because dental malpractice is “impossible to win in court”. I called a crazy number of attorneys before I gave up.

Compression Stockings: A Simple Solution for Many Disorders

Compression Stockings: A Simple Solution for Many Disorders Compression stockings are used to treat disorders like varicose veins, venous ulcers, blood clots, and lymphedema. These stockings apply pressure on veins and tissues that are close to the skin. The pressure ensures that the amount of blood that the veins can carry is restricted. This prevents the veins from swelling beyond a limit. Since the pressure applied by these stockings is highest at the ankle and lesser towards the upper parts of the leg, the blood is forced back to the heart. They also apply pressure on the tissues below the skin. These tissues transfer the pressure to the blood which gets pumped into the capillaries that go into the deeper tissues of the leg.

Effect on Varicose veins
Varicose veins are veins that cannot properly send blood to the heart because of the malfunctioning of the valves that are supposed to prevent the blood from flowing backwards. Veins of legs tend to be more susceptible to this condition because they have to withstand the pressure of standing and walking. Compression stockings artificially reduce the diameter of the veins and the blood circulation is partially normalized.

DVT/PTS
These stocking are also used to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In this case blood is forced into the deeper veins where the blood has clotted. This usually happens to passengers who travel for long periods in planes that do not have properly adjusted humidity levels. Low humidity leads to DVT. The condition is commonly referred to as 'economy class syndrome'. Often patients who have DVT develop Post Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS). This disorder can be prevented by the use of compression stockings. Thus patients with DVT are suggested to wear them for two years after they have had DVT.

Other Uses
Compression stockings are worn by pregnant women too because their blood vessels are affected by pregnancy induced hormonal changes. This is because they produce more blood to ensure that the growing fetus gets the oxygen and nutrients it needs. These stockings are also prescribed for patients with lymphedema because they prevent the accumulation of lymph by preventing the fluid from seeping out of the capillaries.

It must be noted that these stockings are not similar to socks used by athletes to enhance performance. The pressure applied by these stockings is much higher and physician's prescriptions are required to purchase some types of compression stockings. The stockings are difficult to put on and require gloves to be worn on feet to reduce friction.



Posted by: Evelyn    Source

Rest time between sets & prohormones vs. steroids

This article concludes with the obvious “vary your workout routine for best results” but it does survey some interesting research on rest time between sets. For a few weeks you can spike testosterone and HGH with shorter (1 minute) rests between sets. However the difference declines by 5 weeks into a routine. Over 10 weeks, a 2.5 minute rest would show better gains.

This is a decent article, though the facts are somewhat disturbing. Anabolic steroids you inject are safer than all the methylated prohormones you swallow. Yet the safer option is illegal while the more dangerous option is not.