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At this point in the healthcare "storm" our compasses have had our "needles" pointed to what we've thought was politically magnetic north. Many have expressed varying opinions on healthcare as to whether the system we have is the best, whether the system is sutainable and if healthcare is a right or privilege .These are all legitimate questions , but the "magnetics" is off and it appears the navigation of healthcare needs to be pointed at our "health's true magnetic North". Part of this is philosophical, part scientific and partly political. The science of healthcare systems places our system at #37 according to the World Health Organization among developed countries and we rank even lower for child mortality and the efficiency of our system; yet we have the best biomedical technology that money can buy. These statistics don't compute if we are putting in the most money more than any other country in the biomedical industry how ca...

Today, more health advocacy groups are being formed out of the frustration of the current healthcare environment our system has dissloved into. The question for many Americans has come down to if insurance is a right and not merely a privilege! The disconnect is that the insurance industry doesn't consider it either , but rather as an eligible service that can be provided to an eligible customer if you can afford it. By their definition health is a luxury. When we go to Vegas the house bets against our odds of winning at black jack or Roulette; when we invest on Wall Street there is the odds we may lose it all on a stock or derivative. This same analogy might be applied to insurance as well. The house bets against you living long or healthy enough without (over)utilizing medical services so that the "house" can win against your bets(premiums). But,with insurance the "house" doesn't know that you have an "ace up your sleeve" called the choi...

Studies have now began to take the serious rise in early puberty in young girls as a real medical dilemma.In the mid-nineties perhaps 5 percent of girls 7 yeaers old had reached puberty. Today it is as high as 15 %, but as high as 25% in African-American girls. The implications are voluminous in a culture filled with many influences for girls to participate in activities usually reserved for teens , aldolescents and in some cases young adults. Why have we seen such a "monstrous" increase of ancillary body hair(hair in the axilla, pubic hair) and breast buds in 2, 4, 5, and 6 year olds. Is this all coincidental? That's very doubtful since medical science , particularly endocrinology and geneticist understand the normal maturation process of puberty which usually takes place at around age 12. The biochemistry of fat again is playing a role here. The more peripheral adipose(fat) available to the body, the more substrate is available for production into estrogen. So, as ob...

The GOP unleashed their counter-policy to President Obama's Affordable Care Act(ACA) with a "Project for Prosperity". It promises as Speaker Boehner says "real cuts", $6.2 Billion in cuts to be exact for 2012. Medicare which represents a single payer form of healthcare for the elderly will see a face lift...a very very tight face lift. While on the surface the savings being explained will help the pocketbook of the public agency , but maybe not exactly your pocketbook.Watch for costs of medical services and for prescriptions to go. The GOP plan would not become a single payer provider of healthcare, but rather allow for several private insurers to compete for providing you coverage. The theory is to reduce overspending of healthcare cost. But, concerns have already begun to look at how this impacts retirees and the impoverished. This policy would not effect immediately but would begin to take place for those who qualify ten years from now. But, already the G...

It has long been argued by several states, municipalities and airlines that customers who are obese must pay a higher rate to fly on a plane or now pay a extra tax "fine" much like a "sin" tax. Many have debated that the free choice of those who "wreck" their health are imposing a heavy cost to others. Actuaries at insurance companies have looked at the health cost of overweight and obese and suggest that they pay higher premiums because of their unhealthy lifestyle choice(over-eating and lack of activity)is costing the company more due to over-utilization of health services as chronic illness. This has been looked at not only by airlines, but a serious look at obesity being a taxable condition was looked at in Philadelphia as the state's Governor Rondel looked at the possibility of taxing excess weight much as a "sin tax". But, noticeable results of taxing obesity was successfully done in one of the most "obese" states in the natio...

When was the last time your healthcare provider sat down for 5 minutes and ran down the list of minerals that your body could benefit from and how they work for you. Most of us remember the periodic table in our grade school science class. Many of those elements are important participants in cellular metabolism in and many come from the the foods we eat. Children need calcium for healthy bone growth and dental health as well as post menopausal women who lose estrogen protection for bones. Iron is a vital element we know that helps us in preventing anemia.Iodine has become very prevalent recently due to the radiation release from nuclear power plants. Iodine gives your thyroid the ability to function for healthy balanced metabolism. Selenium is a great antioxidant and helps the heart especially in preventing heart failure. Manganese deficiency is related to poor reproduction and poor bone and cartilage health. Lack in Copper seems to be related to low blood cell components .Zinc is ...