U.S. readies for Yemen President Saleh, refuses to divulge details

January 23, 2012 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 
Tejinder Singh – AHN News Correspondent

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The United States on Monday confirmed issuance of visa to ailing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh for a limited time to undergo medical treatment but refused to divulge time-period for which the visa is issued.

“We have issued a visa for Ali Abdullah Saleh,” said Victoria Nuland, the State Department spokesperson, adding, “It is strictly for medical treatment, and our expectation is that he will leave the United States when his medical treatment is complete.”

Asked to comment on the time period for which this visa is issued, Nuland said, “He’s got a visa for the period that he anticipated the medical treatment would last. If the treatment goes on longer and he needs to apply for an extension, he would do that with Homeland Security.”

Yemeni political players are expecting to utilize President Saleh’s absence to move the country “on a concrete transition plan to a more democratic Yemen,” said Nuland, adding, “We do believe that Saleh’s absence from Yemen at this critical juncture might, in fact, facilitate that dialogue and facilitate the transition process.”

Agreeing that, “it might be helpful to the transition process that he’s out of the country now,” Nuland reiterated, “It (the visa application) was not approved for political purposes. It was approved for medical treatment. The timing, we think, is fortuitous, however, and we hope that the Yemenis will use the time well.”

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More American patients seek treatment abroad to escape high medical costs

October 31, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 
Tom Ramstack – AHN News Legal Correspondent

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The number of Americans heading abroad for medical care rose sharply last year amid high health care costs and a poor economy in the United States, according to medical tourism industry figures.

Some of their preferred locations for life-saving surgeries and other procedures are India and Mexico, the health information company Health Digital Systems reported.

Surgeries like hip replacements, dental implants and heart bypasses can cost half as much in Southeast Asia and Latin America compared with the United States.

Among the six million Americans who traveled abroad for medical care last year, 45 percent traveled to Asia, 26 percent to Latin America and 2 percent to the Middle East, according to industry statistics.

Health care officials in the countries treating foreigners are upbeat about their patients. Medical tourism, primarily from the United States and Europe, represents a nearly $100 billion a year industry.

Mexico’s Health Ministry recently produced a report saying “the globalization of health services can offer excellent medical care at lower costs than developed countries.”

The health ministry has developed a strategic plan to encourage medical tourism by continuing “the effort to improve the perception of public safety and promote [Mexico's] image as a global capital of culture and entertainment.”

Any success by Mexico’s health providers in reaching American patients is most obvious in border cities like Monterrey, Tijuana and Chihuahua, according to the Health Digital Systems. Pharmacies, hospitals and medical specialty practices have sprung up to take care of them.

However, patients also assume risks by trusting their health care to foreign medical standards.

Only 2 percent of Mexico’s hospitals have earned “Joint International Commission” certification.

The certification means a hospital and its staff have met international standards that would allow them to be reimbursed by foreign medical insurance companies.

India’s medical tourism industry is losing patients to competing hospitals in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia amid concerns about poor sanitation.

Indian hospitals have been struggling with a “superbug” that is resistant to disinfectant.

As a result, some patients are reporting they become sick when they enter Indian hospitals for other treatments.

Nevertheless, the discount price of foreign medical treatment is creating a backlog of patients for hospitals with good reputations.

Mediescape, an Indian medical tourism company, reports that India’s hospitals offering medical services to patients from the United States and Europe say their booked up to December.

Between 15 percent and 20 percent of India’s hospital income now comes from medical tourism, according to industry data.

There were 800,000 foreign patients in India last year. They are expected to generate a $3 billion a year industry for India by 2015, up by more than a third from 2010.

Behind the figures on rising medical tourism is the desperation of patients who cannot afford health care in the United States, where about 40 percent of the population lacks adequate medical insurance, according to U.S. government statistics.

Some Americans are even treating themselves for serious ailments, not always with successful outcomes, according to a recent survey by TMD Limited, a medical tourism company.

“Today we are seeing many breast cancer patients that self-treated for years,” said Antonio Jimenez, a doctor raised in New Jersey who now runs the Hope4Cancer Institute in Mexico’s Baja California. “Unfortunately, cancer treatment is not a do-it-yourself project.”

Many of the women search for treatments on the Internet.

“We see more and more women who have spent thousands of dollars on supplements and wonder cures they used at home,” Jimenez said. “When those treatments fail, they look for a clinic that can help.”

The American Cancer Society reports that 230,480 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Of those, 39,520 will die.

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Arroyo goes abroad for medical care as corruption charges loom

October 17, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 
Vittorio Hernandez – AHN News

Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines (AHN) – Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo plans to seek medical treatment abroad for a pinched neck nerve. She has undergone three surgeries to correct the ailment, but still needs further medical attention.

However, she and husband Miguel Arroyo are on the immigration watch list because of numerous corruption and plunder cases filed against the couple.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said he is willing to grant the former president, now a congresswoman, travel authority to pursue medical treatment in Germany. Belmonte had previously issued an authority to Arroyo, but it had lapsed.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who placed Arroyo – her former boss – on the immigration watch list, said she is willing to allow the former president to travel abroad for humanitarian reasons.

Despite Arroyo’s medical crisis, de Lima’s current boss, President Benigno Aquino, said Wednesday that he is intent on filing cases in November against his predecessor.

Arroyo’s husband is also facing graft charges over the sale of secondhand helicopters to the Philippine National Police in 2009 that were allegedly passed off as new aircraft. The former First Gentleman criticized Aquino for being obsessed with putting the Arroyos behind bars despite the absence of evidence against them.

Miguel Arroyo said the government should focus on helping Filipinos affected by recent calamities instead of spending its energy persecuting him and his wife. His statement is a veiled criticism of Aquino not going to the flood-stricken areas but instead being abroad when two typhoons devastated the country.

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Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia study hints at new use for probucol

June 1, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

A drug that flopped as a cholesterol-fighter may be a powerful therapy against metabolic disorders that have so far defied effective treatment, concludes a study led by Children’s Hospital of …

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Home Remedies For Diabetes, Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

May 8, 2011 · Posted in diets to lower cholesterol · Comment 

Diabetes is a common disease that develops, due to a hormone insulin imbalance produced by the pancreas. Insulin controls the glucose level in the blood, and how much glucose is absorbed by the cells; which in turn use glucose to produce energy. When insulin is not present in the body or the body is not utilizing it properly, glucose cannot enter the cells, and stays in the bloodstream producing hyperglycemia, or excess of sugar in the blood. There are some other important things to know about causes of diabetes are excess intake of oil and sugar, hereditary and genetics factors, increased cholesterol level, over weight, stress, sedentary lifestyle.

Frequent urination, excessive hunger and thirst, problems of back and joint pain, tiredness or general weakness, loss or gain of weight, and long time for healing of wounds are the symptoms of diabetes.

Home remedies for diabetes

Garlic: Garlic contains allicin, which helps in reducing the sugar level in the blood. It also helps to disintegration of cholesterol in the body.

Jamun (black plum): Black plum has a specific action on the pancreas, which controls the conversion of starch to sugar. The seeds of the black plum have better effects than the pulp.

Mango leave: Mango leaves are very effective in controlling diabetes. Take some mango leaves and soak them in water for 6-8 hours. Take this solution an empty stomach early in the morning. You can also take them in powder form with water. Dry the mango leaves and make its powder in a grinder. Mix one tablespoon of the powder of mango leaves in a glass of water and drink it in the morning.

Bitter gourd (karela): Take one tablespoon juice of bitter gourd every morning. It is very effective home remedies. It will definitely reduce the intensity of the condition.

Fenugreek: Fenugreek seed used to spice up Indian food. It has been used as a home remedies to treat symptoms that indicate diabetes. Be careful to take this as a medicine, the side effects of fenugreek are diarrhea, flatulence, and allergic reactions. Proper monitoring is very necessary and the recommended dose is one or two grams of seeds, 2-3 times a day and it can be taken as a tea.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Ryan Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Ryan Mutt PhotoAbout Author
Read more Home Remedies for Diabetes to get natural relief. Also find easy and effective Home Remedies for Yeast Infection. Know causes, symptoms and Home Remedies for Genital Herpes.

Cataract Treatment

May 2, 2011 · Posted in diets to lower cholesterol · Comment 

Cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the lens of the eye. Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. A doctor of naturopathy gave this advice about eating natural foods in the process. That will help bring the vitreous fluid into better condition and change the peculiar condition of the eye lens. The following treatment of the eye can help patients to cure of their cataract.

Clouded vision can make it more difficult to read, drive a car especially at night or see the expression on a friend’s face. In fact, they are the leading cause of visual loss among adults 55 and older. Eye injuries, certain medications, and diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism have also been known to cause cataracts. Sometimes, protein clumps together, clouding small areas of the lens and blocking some light from reaching the retina. Some researches find that regular exercises can help people to reduce their stresses. People are suggested to do some exercises every week. If they are really very busy, they should at least have a jog. There is a good method for the health of eyes. People should expose themselves to the sunlight for some short time with their eyes closed. This is because; light can stimulate the vitality of eyes. The most important thing is people should learn how much work they can handle and refuse some unnecessary tasks.

The operation is considered low risk, the pain is minimal, and recovery time is normally short. The patient can leave straight after the operation and can expect complete healing, in around 10 – 11 weeks. Laser surgery is one way of removing cataracts. Laser surgery for cataract is still experimentally tested. It utilizes light instead of ultrasound in dissolving cataract. LASEK and LASIK processes fall in laser surgery category. Due to its low cost and also its affinity, polymethylmethacrylate PMMA is widely used to replace the cataract lens. A softer and more expensive one is the silicon acrylate which can be folded and inserted into the eye through a smaller incision. It’s specially recommended for those with a history of uvetus or at risky stage of retinal detachment. There is also the latest approved multifocal intraocular lens implants which enables most post operative cataract patients the advantage of glass free vision and they are costly too, can rise up to $1500 per eye. But then one’s eye is very precious, it’s worth the amount spent indeed.

An important factor in cataract prevention is drinking water. Drink lots of filtered water; avoid fluoridated and chlorinated water. Eliminate dairy products and saturated fats, which promote the formation of free radicals and can damage the lens. Use only cold-pressed oils. Medical journals report an association between cigarettes and cataracts, probably because smoking generates free radicals.

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Read About Cataract Treatment and Read about Cholesterol Diets and also Read about Chickenpox Treatment

Polypill ‘a viable treatment option for patients at high risk of CVD’

March 22, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Window sills lined with prescription bottles – a pill for cholesterol, another for blood pressure, and an aspirin to keep blood thin and flowing – the list can get quite long and, as a result, many people, especially the elderly, often forget doses or take the wrong pill at the wrong time.

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Scientist challenges cholesterol treatment

March 12, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Alleges pharmaceutical industry has lowered safe levels

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Major Study Finds Most People With Cholesterol Go Untreated

February 3, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol foods · Comment 

Lack of treatment adds to epidemic of chronic diseases, such as heart attack and stroke

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Cholesterol not being controlled much of the time

February 1, 2011 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Nearly half of adults who have high cholesterol don’t seek treatment for it. And two-thirds of those with high cholesterol…

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