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Getting the health care you need during COVID-19

King County residents have been turning to medical virtual visits, also known as telemedicine, more than ever during the coronavirus pandemic.  While telemedicine companies have been around for years, the pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in virtual visits as primary care doctors, specialists and hospitals began offering the service as a way to help keep patients safe. 

Now that medical offices and hospitals are accepting patients again for in-person visits and elective procedures, you may be wondering if you should return to your doctor’s office or stick to a virtual visit.  Rest assured, your health care providers can help you decide what’s best as they work to ensure safe care for patients and staff. This includes changing the ways they deliver care like screening patients ahead of time to help determine if it’s best to go to a medical office or stay at home.    

In-person Visits

If it’s determined that an in-person visit is best for you, you’ll find that to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, many facilities are taking the following steps: 

·Screening arriving patients for COVID-19 symptoms and providing a mask and hand hygiene supplies before entering the center.

·Screening every employee for COVID-19 every shift and requiring them to wear masks at all times and appropriate personal protective equipment.

·Treating suspected and symptomatic COVID-19 patients in designated areas only.

·Promoting physical distancing with new clinic layouts.

·Cleaning and disinfecting exam rooms between each patient visit, and regularly disinfecting high-traffic and high-touch areas.

Virtual Visits

If you don’t require in-person attention, a virtual visit is still a good option. Many people are choosing virtual visits in non-emergency situations for routine follow-ups and non-life-threatening conditions. This option allows you to consult your doctor or other health care providers in your network via a secure video or phone appointment, all in the comfort of your home. Before your telehealth visits:

·Make a list of all the medications – prescription and over-the-counter – that you take and include the name, address and phone number of your pharmacy.

·Write down details about your symptoms, concerns, pain and feelings.

·Take digital photos of any injury, rash or other visible concern.

·Have your insurance ID card available.

·Use a phone, tablet or computer that’s connected to the internet. If you’ve never video-chatted before, consider a practice run with a friend or family member to work out the process and check the microphone and speakers. Headphones or ear buds provide better sound quality and more privacy.

·Have your home thermometer, bathroom scale, glucometer or blood-pressure monitor nearby. 

Many area medical offices offer both virtual and in-person visits with extra precautions in place.  In the Greater Seattle Area, patients and their caregivers who visit a physician who is part of the Seattle Medical Group (SMG) will have their temperatures taken while they wait in their cars, and then they are brought directly to the examination room.

Whether you choose a virtual or in-person visit, check with your health insurance provider to see if they’ve taken steps to help ease the burden during the health crisis. For example, Humana is waiving cost sharing (including copays, coinsurance and deductibles) for in-network primary care, outpatient behavioral health and virtual visits for our Medicare Advantage members for the remainder of the calendar year.

Getting the care you need is always important. Consider these options to stay safe and healthy. And remember, for life-threatening emergencies, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, or suicidal thoughts, always call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room. Bottom line, don’t delay care because you are worried about contracting COVID-19.

By Richard Smith, MD, Intermountain Regional Vice President of Health Services Humana

The Key to Getting Sleep: Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Faster

I have lived in Seattle all my life. My issues include allergies, asthma, and the inability to fall asleep easily. I’m sure living downtown doesn’t help with all the noise and air quality but I do eventually fall asleep. My issues with insomnia is something I have to deal with every night. I hope the information below is helpful for you.

For some people, sleep can be very elusive. In fact, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine about 30 to 35% of adults have brief symptoms of insomnia, 15 to 20% of adults suffer from short-term insomnia and 10% have what is considered a chronic insomnia disorder. It affects far more people than previously suspected and insomnia can be devastating on the mind and body. Lack of sleep can cause poor memory, sleepiness, fatigue, low energy, lack of motivation, mood swings, and the inability to focus. In fact, due to insomnia it is estimated that adults who work and suffer from insomnia lose on average about 8 days of work a year. This adds up to an estimated $63 billion a year in lost production.

Insomnia can be devastating but there are a few tips and tricks that can help people get a better night’s sleep. There are many causes of insomnia. For some people sometimes medication is not an option. There are some natural methods that one can utilize to help alleviate the debilitating side effects of insomnia. Anywhere from changing the temperature of your room to listening to an ambient album by Moby can help people to achieve a successful night of sleep.

One tip that people swear by and science backs up is that in order to fall asleep and stay asleep is to either lower or raise the temperature of the room that one is sleeping in. In general, the suggested bedroom temperature should be set at 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleeping conditions. If the thermostat is set too low, then the body becomes restless. Sometimes wearing socks can also help dilate blood vessels faster and push the internal thermostat to an ideal body temperature for sleeping.

Popular musician and DJ Moby is known for his electronica dance music albums but one thing that most people don’t know about Moby is that he also struggles to fall and stay asleep. He has recently released an album named Long Ambients 2, a follow up to his Long Ambients 1:Calm. Sleep, and both albums are designed to help an individual reach a deeper level of calm. Ambient sounds have been known to help people fall into a deeper sleep. Moby’s Long Ambients 2 has 6 extremely soothing tracks that run about 37 minutes each. Relaxing music can be a key component to a successful night of sleep and Moby’s latest album is specifically designed to be a sleep aid. The album is also free to download.

Staying on schedule is key to a good night’s sleep. The body has it’s own regulatory system called the circadian rhythm.  This is the internal clock of the body that gives it the proper cues to fall asleep at night and to stay awake during the day. If you go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day, then the body begins to get used to that schedule. The body then naturally starts to become relaxed around the same time every night hence leading to sleep.

The ancient art of yoga and meditation are relaxing practices that help clear the mind and relax the body. Both practices have been shown to improve sleep by helping the body to release stress and tension. Both Yoga and meditation merge breathing patterns with body movement into the practice, which enhances melatonin levels in an individual. Playing music like Long Ambients 2 during the practice will help increase mindfulness and help to bring the focus to breathing patterns that promote relaxation.  

One good way to help a person fall asleep is to avoid taking a nap during the day. People with insomnia don’t get enough sleep at night so they have a tendency to sleep during the day to make up for the lack of sleep at night. These naps become a vicious cycle. The naps during the day make it difficult to fall asleep at night. Cutting out naps at first will be difficult but once that cycle is broken, it will be easier to fall asleep at night. Studies have shown that daily, long naps upwards to two hours or more can severely impact a person’s ability to fall asleep at night.

Another natural way to help aid sleep at night is to exercise during the day. Studies show that exercise, especially done early in the morning is an effective method to help people to fall asleep. Exercise can help with the duration and quality of sleep by increasing the production of serotonin in the brain and by decreasing the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. A moderate intensity workout is recommended for optimal sleep. Sometimes, an excessive and heavy training can actually disrupt sleep patterns. These are just a few ways to help kick start a good night’s sleep. Certain techniques when utilized properly can help bring about a more restful and relaxing night of sleep. Bottom line, sleep is a necessity and not everyone is lucky enough to fall asleep without help. Improving the quality and duration of sleep will greatly improve the overall quality of life and health in a person.

The Emerald City Journal is a Seattle Newspaper for the people. If you have something you would like to share, please contact us. If it is valuable to our readers we may just publish it.

Turning Someday into Right Now

Making A Change In Your Life Tips
Tips to help you make a change in your life

There’s a couple people in my life that have been saying they are going to make a major life change for years now. I know that feeling. I kept waiting for the right time, the right plan, the right amount of money to get me out the door.

Guess what? It never came. It doesn’t ever come. I still had to jump, kicking and screaming, not fully prepared and frankly more than a little scared.

And for those people in my life, waiting? It’s not going to come for them either. Unless you get hit by a truck, you’re not likely to stop what you’re doing and focus instead on what you want to be doing. We procrastinate. We weigh options. We wait. The reality is we get comfortable in our lives and many times don’t have the burning desire it take the leap and make it happen right now.

I’m a seasoned traveler who has pushed the limits and took the risk to travel the world. I hope the tips below help you. Adjust according to your situation and what you would like to make happen in your life.

It’s completely psychological, but you can get past it:

  • Start telling people what you’re going to do.
    Have conviction, believe it and make other people believe it.
  • Pick a date under 6 months.
    Anything more than that and it becomes the “far off future”.
  • Make a financial commitment.
    Put a big hunk of change down on your plan. Buy the plane ticket to Europe, put a deposit on a language school in Central America, pay the deposit on the volunteer program in Thailand.
  • Don’t worry about all the details.
    Most of them don’t matter. I had spreadsheets of stuff I wanted to get done before I left traveling the world and only half of it got finished.
  • Drop your other commitments now.
    Yes you’re not leaving the country until 6 months til now, but don’t wait until the last minute to excuse yourself from those time sappers now. (Your job is an exception).
  • Make a list of 5 major things you need to get done before you go.
    That’s your to do list. This will force you to make decisions about what’s really important and what you have to spend your time on.
  • Start living your new life now.
    If you’re traveling for a year, then you don’t need to buy new work clothes, do you? Start making decisions in your life like you’re already in the new life you want.
  • Keep your energy up and keep yourself inspired.
    Read travel blogs. Watch movies based in your future destination. Find songs that make you excited about your trip. Look for books about people who have done similar things.
  • Act as if you already know 100% that this will work out.
    Having second thoughts? Feel a little panicky? What if you knew for sure you’d be happy, that this would all be fine? Those of us on the other side know that, and this stress you’re feeling is totally normal and not a predictor of the quality of your decision. Do whatever it takes to convince yourself of this, and the rest will catch up.

Comments:

By Chris
Let’s see, where I am up to:

  1. Done. This is all we talk about with friends and family (probably annoying them)
  2. Date picked, but it’s 9 months away (quit job is 6 months away)

And 4, 7 & 9 – Good to know!

By Keith
In 1966, I planned to emigrate to Australia when my parents passed on. Guess what? 43 years on, and my father is still with us!

However, looking back, I’m glad I stayed here, because I like travelling, and almost everywhere is much more accessible.

By Mitch
Life change is never easy, most of it is never planned. It is like jumping with your eyes closed and just see what happens.

I always wanted to travel around the world but it never happened till a major life event. Now that I have tried it, I never regretted nor looked back.

By Gillian
This is an excellent expansion of the list you gave me as advice a number of months ago. I think I have completed all 9 and now am just waiting for June to arrive.

As you know, I was a nervous wreck when we first decided but you were right and telling people was the tipping point for us. Now, our upcoming year of travel is a quiet reality.

Our whole life is focused on this goal and nothing is purchased or done unless it will fit in our backpack or directly influence our travels.

Thanks again for your inspiration and support!!

By Gene
Major life change is never easy, but it can be very gratifying. The idea of starting now is an important one. Do something. Anything. That will let you understand your long-term reward for the change. Happy traveling.

By Melissa
Great tips! I’m in the middle of making a major life shift myself and I’ve done all of the above (except for “Make a list of 5 major things you need to get done before you go” – haven’t done that yet). I’ve found that the biggest impetus is telling others what you plan on doing, but also telling them you are planning on doing it on a certain or by a certain day. That makes it real to you and to the people you told it too…and I hate to embarrass myself by saying I’m going to do something and then not following through. I’d rather follow through and fail than be someone too scared to take a chance. Great post!

I also live in Seattle.

By Jenn
Keep up the words of encouragement and reminders to your readers that life is simply too short – this post is great.

I am on the verge of self-employment and was forced there by a lay-off from my regular gig. A lot of what you list here reflects how I have had to react in order to prepare for such a significant change of lifestyle. And yes, I know that it will all work out 100%!

By Nomadic Matt
Tomorrow never comes and now is never a right time. You are right. You just have to jump. Life always finds its way to work out for the best.

By Bert and Patty
Such great advice….we have been planning for 2 1/2 years now and have 6 months to go before we leave on our 9 month adventure—maybe longer if the opportunity arises and then we are moving to scotland…..you are right, just do it now….good to read your post because it confirms that we are on the right track….maybe we will cross paths at some point.

By Daniel
I remember going through these steps before my move to Korea, and I’m sure I’ll go through it again for my next move. I think telling people you’re going to do something makes the decision feels real. It also makes you accountable: you don’t want to be a liar now, do you?
Great advice and list.

By Serena
1,2,3,4,6,8,9 all check! My friend is doing travelling in September for a year with her boyfriend and two friends and the more she talked about it the more I wanted to do it to which she replied ‘what don’t you?!’. So I am. Not for a year though, just for 3 weeks around South East Asia without the other half…I’m hoping that after 9 years of severe clinical depression it will help me at least find the path to my own happiness. I’m so excited I think my family are getting sick of hearing about it already! S xx

By Scott
Your posts are a wealth of information and they’re helping me stay motivated. I love #4 – it’s so easy to get caught up in “planning” and trying to take care of too many things before leaving. It’s great to know that you didn’t cross everything off the list either 😉
Scott´s last blog ..Why go solo? My ComLuv Profile

By Anthony
Excellent post. I’m writing that list down ASAP. Keep it up!

Kratom Powder: Unlocking An Ethnobotanical Powerhouse

Photo of Kratom leaves to be turned into powder

We can learn a lot from what has come before us, with herbal health aids passed down through the centuries unaided by the direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns of today. Word of mouth was how one generation spread the news to the next about which plants were helpful, and which should be avoided.

With the advent of the Internet age, word of mouth is still an important tool for spreading the news about beneficial plants, and it is largely responsible for the growing use of the leaves of a tree that grows in Southeast Asia.

The leaves of the Kratom tree, Mitragyna speciosa, have been chewed by indigenous people for hundreds of years to provide energy and a sense of well-being. That method of ingestion is still used today, but a more popular route is the consumption of kratom powder. There are many companies like Club13.com. You can also find more on many review websites about Kratom.

The dried leaves of the Kratom tree are ground down into a fine powder, which can then be mixed into a favorite fruit juice (grapefruit juice is a good choice for maximum absorption) or put into capsules for even easier consumption.

On Internet bulletin boards and online forums, users of Kratom share their experience, and the benefits they report are amazing and powerful.

They include:

  • An energy boost
  • Pain relief
  • Soothes the nerves
  • A sense of well-being
  • Increased concentration
  • A feeling of euphoria and optimism
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Eases symptoms of depression
  • Boosts cognitive performance
  • Kratom powder has also been used to help those addicted to opiates like prescription and pain medications get off those drugs. Kratom is not an opiate but does attach itself to the same receptors that opiates use to affect behavior.

There are three main forms of the Kratom tree in use:

Raw Kratom leaf – Kratom leaf has been used for hundreds of years in Southeast Asia to provide energy and a sense of well-being. The leaf is usually chewed without swallowing it, which releases the active alkaloids in the leaf.

Kratom powder – Dried raw Kratom leaves are ground into a fine powder. Users can make the powder from leaves or buy them from reputable online vendors in bulk or capsule form.

Kratom extract – Extracts are made by boiling leaves in liquid down to a resin, which is then ground up into powder.

Kratom powder is considered safe when used at responsible serving sizes. At high does, nausea can occur.

A member of the coffee family, Kratom is not considered any more addictive than a cup of morning Joe.

Serving sizes of Kratom powder depend on the preferences of the user and the effect they are looking to produce.

A small serving size of about four grams is enough allegedly to produce a stimulant effect, while larger serving sizes of nine grams can produce a calming effect similar to a sedative some individuals have reported.

Kratom powder and other Kratom products are legal in the United States, with the exception of a handful of states. It is legal in Seattle, Washington.

FAQ’s about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Girl Stressed On Therapy Photo

With continuing uncertainty over the safety of long term use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), many women are seriously considering either coming off it or avoiding taking it altogether. However, finding a safe and effective replacement can be very confusing. So what can you do to escape the Menopausal Maze?

Q. I’m on HRT. What do I do to come off?

A. If you wish to come off HRT it is advisable to discuss this with your GP first and to plan the best way to stop. Recent indications suggest coming off gradually over three to four months is best. If you stop instantly you run the risk of developing severe symptoms. Wait until you completely stop the HRT before taking any of the hormonal remedies.

Q. I had menopausal symptoms before I went on to HRT. What do I do if they returning when I come off?

A. There are many natural remedies for menopausal symptoms. Match your symptoms with the remedies outlined below:
Hot flushes/night sweats
Sage tincture*
Hot flushes/night sweats, mood swing,
depression, aches and pains, vaginal dryness tincture of Black Cohosh*
Lethargy, stress, loss of libido, vaginal dryness
Siberian Ginseng* & Avena sativa
Stress, anxiety, mood swings
Avena sativa, Passiflora, Female Essence
Prevention of osteoporosis
Urticalcin

* These remedies are not recommended if you have had or are having treatment for any hormonally induced cancer. Also check with your doctor or healthcare professional for any contraindications.

Q. I don’t have any menopausal symptoms despite my periods gradually disappearing. What should I take?

A. Lucky you! This is the way it is supposed to be! Maintain your diet and lifestyle and add in a vitamin E supplement and Urticalcin to help prevent osteoporosis. If you do start to experience any symptoms, consider the remedies listed above.

Q. I am 65 (live in Seattle) and I am still experiencing flushes and irritation. What can I take?

A. If you are over 65 or your menopause started more than 10 years ago it is more than likely that your own hormone levels have tailed off and that, if you are experiencing what looks like menopausal symptoms it may, in fact, indicate adrenal stress. A hormonal remedy such as Menosan or Black Cohosh is unlikely to work. Try Urtica (nettle), a vitamin B complex and a magnesium supplement. If you feel stressed or anxious take Avena sativa or Passiflora Complex too.

Here is some general advice on a pain free menopause –
There are many simple things you can do for yourself regardless of the symptoms you may be experiencing.

DO
Eat a well balanced, wholesome diet and don’t miss meals low blood sugar levels can trigger hot flushes!
Ensure that you have regular bowel movements (at least one a day) constipation can be a major factor in causing hot flushes!
Drink plenty of plain water at least a liter and a half.
Take regular exercise a brisk half hour walk a day can work wonders!
Deal with stress. Stress causes the release of chemicals that promote hot flushes!
Take a mineral supplement. Your local health food shop will be able to advise you on a good quality one.

DONT
Drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks. These are a real no-no for the menopause. Take herb teas instead nettle is wonderful for hot flushes; drink a couple of cups a day.
Smoke. No need to say more!
Drink alcohol. If you must have the occasional drink, go for organic wine.

*Always consult your physician before implementing any advice you read online. We’re a newspaper not a doctor.

Beat Your Cold and Flu Symptoms Twice As Fast

Beating A Cold or Flu Twice As Fast

I hate being sick with anything. Living in Seattle in the tech field I work a lot so I really need to be healthy in my job. This is a highly technical report but you might find it useful when it comes to using Echinacea and beating the cold or flu twice as fast.

Years ago, a study commissioned by Bioforce AG showed that Echinaforce was well tolerated and was significantly more effective than placebo in the treatment of influenza infection (Brinkeborn R. M. et al., Phytomedicine 1999). Those using Echinacea experienced a resolution of their cold and flu symptoms twice as fast as those in the placebo group.

Between 2003 and 2006 further clinical studies were published in medical journals of high repute. In some the effect of different Echinacea products is a contentious issue, but the safety is universally described as good.

The quality of Echinacea products being tested is definitely of paramount importance, as is made abundantly clear by an American investigation into Echinacea preparations, which found that 10% of those taken from health stores contained no measurable Echinacea. Of those that actually contained Echinacea, 48% didn’t contain the amount they said they did on the label (Gilroy CM et al. Echinacea and truth in labeling. Arch Intern Med 2003; 163:699-704).

In both the Barrett (2002) and Taylor (2003) trials, which failed to demonstrate efficiency, the authors refer to the possibility that uncertainty as to the quality of the material used could have caused the negative outcome.

In 2004, Goel et al published a trial that demonstrated the efficiency of Echinacea in the treatment of colds and flu, when it is used as soon as a cold starts. At 7 days, 95% of the subjects using Echinacea were free of symptoms compared with only 63% in the placebo group. In their paper, Goel and colleagues note: the wide disparity in different preparations, lack of standardization of products on the basis of active components and undefined dosing procedures are some of the factors that seem to have led to inconsistent and non-reproducible results.

(Goel et al. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2004, 29 (1): 75 83.)

In 2005, Goel published another trial showing that volunteers taking Echinacea purpurea at the onset of a cold had a greater decrease in their daily symptom score than a placebo group. He found a significant and sustained increase in the number of circulating total white blood cells, monocytes, neutrophils and NK cells, as well as an improved mopping up of free radicals, and deduced that this may have led to a faster resolution of the cold

symptoms. (Goel et al. Phytother Res. 2005 Aug; 19 (8): 689-94.)

Much negative or inconclusive work has been done on Echinacea angustifolia, and nothing can be deduced about the effect of Echinacea purpurea from this. The positive results achieved by Brinkeborn and Goel both involved ethanolic extracts (tinctures) of Echinacea purpurea produced from freshly harvested plant material.

In 2004 we were also delighted by the work published by Gertsch, in collaboration with the Clinical Trials Dept. staff at Bioforce AG, which discovered a definitive mechanism of action for Echinaforce. This work pinpointed the action of alkylamides in modulating production of TNF-a (Gertsch J et al. FEBS Letters 2004; 577: 563 569), and confirmed our opinion that Echinaforce is an immunomodulator rather than an immunostimulant.

In 2006 more good news has arrived in the shape of the Cochrane Report, which reviewed 16 controlled clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of several different Echinacea preparations for preventing and treating common colds. They concluded that some preparations based on Echinacea purpurea (including the aerial parts) might be effective for shortening the duration or decreasing the severity of cold symptoms in adults if taken after the onset of those symptoms. (The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000530.pub2.)

Then a paper co-authored by two Bioforce AG staff and Professor Johnston from the National Heart and Lung Institute at the Imperial College London examined the data from three Echinacea prevention trials and concluded that there is evidence that use of Echinacea was effective in the prevention of the symptoms of the common cold.

Those using Echinacea were less likely to develop colds when compared to placebo, reducing the incidence by about half. (Schoop R et al. Clinical Therapeutics. 2006: 1: 10.)

As you can see, there is plenty of research showing the efficacy of high quality Echinacea purpurea products, containing the aerial parts, and made from freshly harvested herb.

Other Echinacea products may not be as effective, which brings us back to the need for consumers to be aware that-

All Echinaceas are not the same!

And they need to be very discriminating about which Echinacea they use.

*Always consult with a physician before taking our advice. We are a Seattle newspaper and are not doctors.

Taking a Zinc Supplement

Zinc Supplements For Healthy Living

Recently, when advising a young male patient in Seattle, I recommended he take a zinc supplement. I don’t like taking pills can’t I get it in food? What foods is it in: I’ll eat more of those, he said.

This is a sensible reaction and I welcome it in many cases. Nutrient questions are pretty popular in my physician office in Seattle Washington. In this example – there are situations, however, where it doesn’t necessarily turn out to be the best option for rectifying imbalances in the body.

1. If the patient has poor digestive function and is therefore not absorbing nutrients efficiently from food, even if their diet is good.

2. If the nutritional deficiency is large and it would take a long time on a rather artificially constructed diet to make up the deficit.

3. If the nutrient in question is difficult to find in sufficient quantities in food sources. This is often the case where people are not eating organic food but food grown on nutrient-deprived soil, such as where intensive farming methods are practiced.

There are also certain situations in which people need to increase the supply of nutrients going into their bodies in order to meet increased demand.

1. When undertaking demanding sporting activities or doing a physically demanding job

2. When under pressure at work or at home, with harassing deadlines and insufficient sleep

3. When recovering from illness or coping with a long drawn out problem such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

In these situations, a supplement that provides extra quantities of vital nutrients such as the B vitamins or iron can be extremely helpful.

What is the best option for supplementing the diet?

Our bodies were designed to get their nutrients from food. Taking isolated nutrients that were synthesized in a laboratory isn’t very natural. The most logical option is to take extra nutrients in the form of foods, handily concentrated into a manageable form so that you don’t have to eat several extra meals a day. The reality is that we have so many poor food choices available to us. It’s not just a Seattle thing it is all over this country.

The body will recognize foods as its nutrient source and will be able to unwrap the package to utilize the contents efficiently its the natural way. Everything the nutrient needs to get into the system and work effectively there is present in the whole food form. Many extremely nutritious foodstuffs that you would find difficult to access on a regular basis are provided in botanical supplements sourced from foods, with nothing added or taken away.

So if you need a little extra to keep you going or bring you back to your best, look for botanical supplements, to make it easy for your body to take extra nutrients on board.

There you have it Seattle viewers – Zinc is important but make sure it is taken from a quality source. Some good sources include: Spinach, Shrimp, Pumpkin seeds, Garlic, and Watermelon Seeds to name a few.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc

*Before taking our advice in this article always consult with a local Seattle physician who is educated to give quality advice. We are a newspaper – not doctors.

Enhancing Your Circulatory System For Better Running

Enhancing Your Circulatory System With Running

I love running in and around Seattle. From Green Lake to Pioneer Square, I am always on the go. I’m a member of several running groups in Seattle and a Running Meetup as well. It is actually one of the my favorite things to do besides eating or sleeping honestly. I have several grandchildren and want to make sure I’m around for a long time and this means to respiratory and circulatory system need to be in tip top shape. I wasn’t always in this great shape though.

Pins and needles are one of the first signs by which we know that our circulatory system is perhaps not reaching the parts that it should. If your circulation is sluggish like mine was, the outlying regions such as fingers and toes will suffer they may be tingly, they may be cold, but they wont be happy. Here is why. The circulatory system is meant to transport blood around the body to take oxygen and nutrients to the cells and take waste matter away. This is vital: no oxygen means tissues die and no waste disposal means toxic build-up in the tissues.

Before anything quite so drastic happens, though, we get advance warning in the form of chilly hands and feet and the pins and needles that mean that blood flow is restricted. It’s not a good sign. The heart needs to be pumping strongly enough to get blood through the whole arterial system, right to those far-flung areas such as the toes. If you have low blood pressure, this is unlikely to be happening. Try Crataegus for 6 to 12 months to bring your blood pressure up to a healthier level. Running and getting in shape helps with this and that is why I’m constantly running around the City of Seattle.

Many people don’t realize that low blood pressure, whilst being useful for reducing heart attacks, causes other symptoms such as dizziness, light-headedness, fatigue and sensitivity to cold, due to the lack of oxygen getting
to the head and the other extremities.

The other factor that contributes to poor circulation is spasm in the arteries, especially the smaller ones that

lead further into the tissues and organs. Here, Ginkgo biloba will help you. It relaxes spasm in the small arteries and allows blood to flow more smoothly out to those areas that might not have had good deliveries for a while. I will take it daily and I believe it helps overall with these issues.

If you’re not sure what is causing your poor circulation, do consult your doctor to check for contributing factors such as low blood pressure. It is safe to take Crataegus and Ginkgo together for a 6 to 12 month period if you want to give your whole circulatory system a good overhaul. If you are concerned about fatty deposits in the arteries, taking Crataegus in the form of Hawthorn-Garlic Capsules will be appropriate, as it contains further ingredients to address this issue.

Remember that you can’t take Ginkgo if you are on Aspirin or Warfarin. The recent research on Ginkgo biloba tincture revealed that it increased blood flow through the capillaries (the tiny blood vessels that lead off from small arteries, deep into the tissues and organs), and even opened up capillaries that were previously unused. Wonderful results from a simple herbal remedy!

Hope this article helps our Seattle residents with better health and happy living. Now go for a run!

*Be sure to always consult a physician before starting any fitness program or taking our advice. The Emerald City Journal Newspaper recommends doing your own research about this topic and verify with a Seattle physician to implement the procedures expressed in this article.

Sharon Bush’s Work With Protein Matrix

Sharon Bush with Protein Matrix works to reduce grease buildup.

Protein Matrix is a product meant to break down and remove substances from pipelines. The solution is meant to break down substances including fats, oils, and grease (FOG). Protein Matrix is environmentally friendly, cost-efficient, and doesn’t use harsh chemicals like many of the other products out on the market. What happens to things poured down residential drains? Unfortunately, substances build up over time and stick to sewage pipes. Fats, oils, and grease can disintegrate and damage pipelines. Many of these buildups will come from everyday household items, especially residue and bits from food leftovers that make their way down the drain. Many people don’t realize what they put down their drains can have a negative environmental impact. Sharon Bush is the driving force behind Protein Matrix.

Protein Matrix works in a two-step process. The components of the protein matrix are specially made to break down and prevent the buildup of excess materials within a pipeline. In the second step, the breakdown of buildup materials are converted into a flowable non harmful product. The broken-down product can be more easily digested by water waste treatment and allows the pipelines not to be full of excess build up.

Protein Matrix is essential in preventing sewer spills. All the buildup that occurs in pipelines will eventually lead to unfortunate and unwanted sewer problems. If there is sewage backup, it can lead to overflow, and that is often an undesirable situation. Flooding is inconvenient, expensive, and preventable. If you could prevent contact with sewage overflow that is filled with potentially harmful bacteria, you would want to. Overflow sewage can find its way into all kinds of different unwanted places including parks, lakes, and yards. Protein Matrix is a proactive solution to sewage buildup that could lead to unwanted spills. Instead of having to repair damaged sewer pipelines that have had build-up, you could use Protein Matrix to break down materials that have built up over time and maintain pipeline structural integrity in an environmentally friendly way. While sewage spills are unsightly, there are also health consequences of being exposed to material that is meant to be contained.

Protein Matrix is an excellent alternative to environmentally harmful products that are currently used to break down sewage build up. When a newer and more productive product comes to the market, it takes time to overtake older and outdated methods. Lye (sodium hydroxide) was commonly used to maintain FOG complications. While this was the standard for many years, there are now more environmentally friendly and useful methods. Protein Matrix doesn’t hurt the pipes while it is breaking down the material buildup. It works hard to break down the built-up FOG without harming the pipes.  Protein Matrix is water-based, biodegradable, non-toxic, nonvolatile, and nonflammable. Protein Matrix can be used on more than just sewage systems. As just one example, it can also be used on commercial kitchen baking racks as a degreaser. There is peace of mind knowing that a product that is tough enough to break down FOG in industrious sewer pipes are also just as safe to be used in a kitchen setting.

Sharon Bush has done work with numerous philanthropic organizations, promoting the ideals of love and family. Across her various efforts, she’s worked to help numerous causes, including education, pollution remediation, and other nonprofit organizations. Her contributions have helped further advance these causes, helping people around the world. Read more about Sharon Bush: https://www.emeraldcityjournal.com/2018/01/sharon-bush-philanthropic-work-and-business-connections/

You can follow Sharon Bush on her website: http://www.sharonbush.org

Trying to Find the Truth Behind the Bair Hugger Lawsuits

Bair Hugger Lawsuit and Safety

Recently, 3M’s normothermia system the Bair Hugger has been facing some legal issues. Lawyers all over the country have been advertising for people who have undergone a surgical procedure and faced medical complications post surgery. These attorneys state that they believe that the Bair Hugger is to blame, but is that actually the truth? Are the attorney’s promoting the class action lawsuits actually stating facts or is this merely an ambulance chasing tactic used to scare 3M into settling? Is the Bair Hugger really a faulty device like these lawsuits claim or is this a scheme to make some money? The answer to that question is that the lawsuits are merely an attempt for some of these law firms to try and make some money. The lawsuits are not based on facts but rather the jealous ramblings of a disgruntled individual who once was the Bair Hugger’s staunchest supporter.

It is important to start at the beginning when trying to figure how these lawsuits began to proliferate the mainstream media. The Bair Hugger has a long and successful history in the medical field and is still used by numerous hospitals all over the nation. To this day, numerous doctors and hospitals agree that the Bair Hugger is the best forced-air warming system on the market. Invented in 1987, it was an answer to numerous issues that a surgical staff once faced in the operating room during a surgery. Since 1987, it has been used over 200 million times in the operating room at different hospitals in the United States. The system has the largest portfolio of scientifically designed specialty products that allows doctors and hospitals to provide tailored solutions to uniquely fit each surgery. Each surgery can be a unique situation and the Bair Hugger system provides different options to cover all a patient’s warming needs during surgery.

Another reason why the Bair Hugger is so beloved is due to the fact that it is a simple and straightforward system. The system is used to prevent hypothermia during surgery. The system uses forced, warm air to help keep the body at a normal temperature while under anesthesia. The Bair Hugger temperature management system is comprised of warming units and disposable blankets. The warming unit is connected to the disposable blanket with a hose. The warming unit generates warm air, which is then forced to the disposable blanket through the hose. The disposable blanket, which is placed on top of the patient during surgery, is designed to let the warm air flow throughout the blanket effectively warming the patient. Hence keeping the patient warm and helping to prevent hypothermia.

Up until 1987, surgical teams faced the very real issue of a patient’s body temperature dropping rapidly during surgery. The first hour of anesthesia is critical. Patient’s undergoing surgery are the most at risk for developing hypothermia during that first hour. Some patients are able to return to normothermic levels post surgery but some people’s bodies are unable to return to those levels. Those patients whose bodies cannot warm up after surgery then suffer from hypothermia. Hypothermia can cause a variety of detrimental effects on the body.
Many specialists in the surgical field agree that the only way to help prevent hypothermia during surgery is to warm their patient’s body before and during surgery. Experts like Dr. Daniel Sessler, of the Department of Outcomes Research at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, is a proponent of forced-air warming in the surgical room. Dr. Sessler told Reuters Health in a telephone interview that, “Most patients become hypothermic during the first hour of anesthesia and then temperature slowly returns toward normal, so that by the end of the surgery most patients are normothermic, But the amount of hypothermia that we saw and the number of hypothermic patients was fairly high, and the amount of hypothermia was significantly associated with the need for blood transfusion.”

If so many experts, hospitals, and patients agree that the Bair Hugger is an essential part of the operating room, why are there lawsuits out there that portray the Bair Hugger as a defective product that can potentially cause surgical site infections? The answer to that question lies with the inventor of the Bair Hugger. As shocking as that sounds, the origination of the claims came from Dr. Scott Augustine, who was the inventor of the Bair Hugger. Although it seems illogical, Dr. Augustine made the claims because he created a competing product to the Bair Hugger. Dr. Augustine sold the Bair Hugger to a company called Arizant. 3M bought Arizant in 2010 and then successfully sold the product to hospitals across the nation. Dr. Augustine was on the board at Arizant but had a falling out over an undisclosed issue before the buyout by 3M. Dr. Augustine left the company on poor terms and then decided that he was going to create a competing product. Once his new product was finished, he immediately started a campaign to discredit the Bair Hugger. The origin of the lawsuits is really just a case of a disgruntled individual.

Once 3M heard about the lawsuits, they immediately sprang into action and began to conduct studies on the Bair Hugger to address the concerns that were raised. Even though the company knew at the time the basis of the claims were raised by the original inventor. A respected independent research group, ECRI, examined a study conducted by Dr. Augustine’s company and determined that the evidence does not justify discontinuing the use of the Bair Hugger in hospitals. ECRI also chastised Dr. Augustine’s company for mischaracterizing the results of a study that they conducted on the Bair Hugger to say that the Bair Hugger causes surgical sites infections. 3M also conducted internal studies as well that proved that the Bair Hugger is perfectly safe and the claims that have been made by Dr. Augustine were false.

Attorneys advertising these lawsuits have ignored the numerous internal and external studies conducted that prove Bair Hugger’s efficiency and safety. It is a product that has been trusted for over three decades and continues to play a large role in hospitals everywhere. It is important to know the facts before making assumptions about the Bair Hugger. Hospitals and doctors agree that the Bair Hugger will continue to be used in the operating room to help make sure that the patient’s stay warm and comfortable during surgery.

The Need for Forced Air Warming During Surgery
https://www.emeraldcityjournal.com/2016/02/the-need-for-forced-air-warming-during-surgery/

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