All posts by Kenneth Dantzler-Corbin

I am a writer, editor, adjunct professor of Religion and Philosophy, English as a Second Language, Genealogy, Educator in Ambulatory Care, and Spiritual Support Specialist, Singer, Musician, and Social Justice Advocate for Human Rights.
Health, meditation, mental health

Why Meditation Will enable you to become a Better Leader

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Leaders of big teams or within busy companies often juggle competing priorities, frequently without clear-cut solutions. For instance, how should a pacesetter react should a key employee quits in the center of something launch? While meditating won’t offer the immediate answer, it’ll help a leader manage challenges with more authenticity.
“[Mindful leadership means] our stress doesn’t spill featured on those around us, on your team. We can reduce it and manage it more effectively. We can easily be more intentional in every way of micro-interaction that we’ve with these teams in the day,” Jones says.
“If you’re within a company in which you have faith in the mission, or you’re working towards a big goal together, with the ability to hold that in your present moment awareness helps navigate challenges.”
When a business owner, a piano key client quitting at short notice might cause her or him to react negatively and also hit out at other team members. Instead, practicing meditation for around a couple of weeks may assist this entrepreneur master how to step back rather than retaliate business setbacks emotionally.
“It’s possible to with ease toggle between dealing with the love of a given moment and the greater picture,” says Jones. “That dual focus is significant for a leader, and then to guide the team, allow people to through the day-to-day challenges while anchoring to its bigger goal.”
The teams at Headspace regularly meditate together in the morning and before meetings. That culture is understandable, considering Headspace’s product.
When a writer, musician, or artist arises in front of the blank page, canvas, along with a studio, they’re under time limits to perform. It’s no wonder many complain about feeling blocked or uninspired. That pressure is hardly conducive to open-minded expansive thinking.
“If you find yourself better in a position to distance yourself or reserve those pressures, those expectations, the trouble that may come along with being forced to produce something and get a deadline, you’re better ready to generating the documents right conditions for creativity to travel,” says Jones. “When we’re better able to notice our thoughts to way of quiet our thought, we can build the right conditions for creativity to come about.”

Author Resource Box:

Why Meditation Will Help You Become A Better Leader, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryancollinseurope/2019/12/19/why-meditation-will-help-you-become-a-better-leader/#74a4778bf3e6

disease, Health

Is the world ready for an HIV vaccine?

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Nearly four decades after HIV was discovered, scientists are cautiously optimistic; they are almost a vaccine effective enough to roll out on a fantastic scale. The end product from advanced vaccine trials is required inside the coming years.

But even when an efficient vaccine is present — would be the world in a position to roll it?

That is a question some researchers and advocates are asking, warning the fact that the global health community needs to lay the groundwork in expectation of good results, as a way to avoid delays of a vaccine rollout and consequently increased infections which could happen to prevent with a vaccine.

“Here is the epidemic of our time, and we will probably be meant how we handle this.”

— Dr. Larry Corey, principal investigator, HVTN

A beneficial, timely rollout considering the vaccine would require discussions and collaboration amongst the global health community and potential manufacturers of one’s vaccine, and also increased resources — starting now, researchers said this month with the International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa in Rwanda.

“People are here, tangled with the science and daily grind, hoping for a safe and effective vaccine. Though it’s important to start thinking about: Supposing it works? Are we prepared to take it forward essentially?” said Dr. Simba Takuva, regional medical liaison for Sub-Saharan Africa for the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.

Should a successful vaccine can be found, it is going to be the foremost complicated vaccine life has ever seen, based on HIV vaccine researchers, clearly as the virus has high levels of mutations and different strains can be found globally.

While prospects of finding a cure for HIV are more elusive, some researchers also argue that the time has come even to start planning for getting a rollout.

“This is actually the epidemic of our own time, and then we will be defined by how we handle this,” said Dr. Larry Corey, principal investigator at HVTN.

Awaiting vaccine trial results

The HIV crisis, which began in the early 1980s, has claimed the lives of about 32 million people globally.

While there is a tool kit of prevention and treatment for your options HIV, life will likely not eradicate the virus without a vaccine, Corey said.

More on HIV/AIDS

► HIV treatment access isn’t rising fast adequate to reach 2020 targets, UNAIDS report shows

► Opinion: We cannot meet the 2020 AIDS targets. Now what?

► The impact of Mozambique’s cyclones on its HIV population

But the complexity of a given HIV has stumped scientists finishing up a vaccine over the years. There’s no natural immune response to model a vaccine, animal studies of one’s vaccine have failed, the HIV lacks an average responds to the vaccines, it features a high mutation rate, and different subtypes of HIV occur globally.

In 2009, the first time, researchers in Thailand published success with a trial whereby a vaccine showed protection against HIV. Yet the security wasn’t sufficient, and of course, the duration of the shield wasn’t for long, to bring it into the market. To respond, researchers embarked on new vaccine trials, working to build off these gains.

Now, there are three advanced vaccine trials. Results from two of the vaccine trials are required in 2022.

Any time a vaccine is located at least 50% efficient — the percent lowering of the contraction of the disease in vaccinated individuals compared to people not vaccinated — it could trigger efforts to license a vaccine and, after that, roll it outside.

If any of such vaccines show above 50% efficacy within the years to come, it would be on the market is slightly less than years, Corey said.

“It is inspiring times, so we need to be prepared for the outcome — be it failure or success,” said Roger Tatoud, deputy director of vaccines in HIV programs and advocacy with the International AIDS Society.

Amid a rollout, scientists go on to seek to improve levels and duration of protection against HIV for future system a vaccine, along with conduct “bridging” studies, for instance testing out the safety considering the vaccine when assigned to adolescents.

But rolling out vaccinations has historically been marred by delays in areas just like the regulatory process, community sensitization, and obtaining funds.

Rolling around the area of a malaria vaccine, for instance, experienced delays. After partial efficacy considering the vaccine was present in 2014, GlaxoSmithKline, along with its partners have “been navigating complex regulatory and implementation planning processes,” based on a recent article in The Lancet, which says the widespread rollout of the vaccine is years away and demands more funding.

“It is exhilarating times, and then we need to be aware of the outcome — such as failure or success.”

Laying the groundwork when it comes to the large-scale manufacturing of the vaccine is crucial; HIV vaccine researchers told Devex.

“Making a product consistently with countless doses along with excellent quality is not an excellent job,” Corey said.

Before the efficacy regarding a vaccine is considered, the worldwide health community can start conversations about how exactly many individuals to vaccinate and more to engage with potential manufacturers of what pricing could look like at different levels of efficacy, researchers said.

With the assistance of health economists and disease modelers, the worldwide health community can result in a business case to convince potential manufacturers that buying in the vaccine is smart financially, said Linda-Gail Bekker, deputy director considering the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre along at the University of Cape Town.

This may also include conversations around funding with organizations just like the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

Conference call: So what happened for the Global Fund replenishment? (Pro)

After the flurry of last-minute commitments, the worldwide Fund narrowly surpassed its $14 billion targets. Devex journalists see how the replenishment conference in Lyon unfolded — as well as what it indicates for the future of world health financing.

“If you consider the malaria vaccine… this was not so that the European Medicines Agency approved it which the company came to us as funders, throughout at the Global Fund, and said we want $20 million to start out implementing research — We don’t just have $20 million available. You need to think for this, it’s important to have these items deemed and planned,” said Mark Dybul, former executive director considering the Global Fund, in a press conference this month in Kigali.

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The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, currently housed at the International AIDS Society, is an efficient platform to help facilitate these conversations and produce stakeholders together, according to HIV vaccine researchers.

Challenges with distribution and stigma

Beyond arranging for manufacturing, you will find questions about the condition of the healthcare sector that would distribute a vaccine.

One of the many vaccines under trial includes six doses, repeated every several years. No other brand of vaccines on the earth requires that many treatments, based on HIV vaccine researchers. This concerns some in the global health community about whether communities would adhere to law enforcement, which works full-time path of doses.

“Even when we have met a 50% efficacy, could we go ahead with a vaccine that would involve six doses?” Bekker asked.

Researchers may need to improve the potency, to decrease the number of doses, Corey said.

The worldwide health community can get started discussing now which high-risk groups to focus on initially because blanket targeting could well be too costly, HIV vaccine researchers said.

“The shortage of existing healthcare programs that target lots of the populations that will very likely be prioritized to receive an HIV vaccine poses a considerable challenge,” based on a short article inside the Lancet.

Starting conversations on dealing with stigma may also be crucial per researcher.

“If you do, in fact, target higher-risk populations, it will stigmatize a vaccine that requires widespread distribution,” Bekker said.

Targeting adolescents may be challenging mainly because it involves conversations about sex, she confirmed.

The worldwide health community should make into mind lessons that are caused by the roll out from the HPV vaccine, which targets adolescents, based on researchers. In certain countries, the HPV vaccine was framed for being vaccine targeting a sexually transmitted infection as well as in other nations; the newcomer was framed for being vaccine prevents cervical cancer.

“Countries that deployed it as a cancer vaccine didn’t meet many of the resistance rather than other nations where they deployed is an STI vaccine,” Bekker said.

Getting ready for relief from

Prospects of a cure are less tangible than those to obtain the vaccine. However, that does not make it smart, so a growing number of researchers and advocates are likewise asking for conversations to start toward the rollout of the cure.

This can include engagement, particularly for the community-level, Dybul said, to visualize salespersons would reply to a cure and initiate implementing that feedback into its design.

An initial conversation was held in February in California, where about 30 members of the HIV scientific, pharmaceutical, funding, and NGO communities met to discuss the rollout associated with a potential cure sooner or later. Out from the meeting, a public-private partnership called the HIV Cure Acceleration for Africa was founded including representatives inside the fields of study and development, regulatory agencies, health care implementers, civil society, and potential funders that aim to hasten the creation of a cure similarly and confirm the broadest possible access.

A working group was also developed to create a “target product profile” to reflect what characteristics associated with a product would make it widely acceptable for communities to form. The functional group will examine areas such as which populations to focus on, the costs regarding a future cure, plus how it may be targeted at communities. The functional group includes representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, research institutions, advocacy groups, and potential funders.

“The aim is two-fold, so we can move as fast as is possible as products become available because everyone’s been engaged right from the start. But also, to make sure that there could be feedback, the population can modify their approach dictated by conversations,” Dybul said.

One reason behind these conversations would be to avoid community resistance during the roll from relief from, Dybul said. The web in the early days of antiretroviral therapy for HIV, there is protection from the pills for reasons including concerns that these pills were killing people instead of treating them, he explained. The reason being communities weren’t engaged with the early conversations.

Author Resource Box:

Is the world ready for an HIV vaccine? | Devex. https://www.devex.com/news/is-the-world-ready-for-an-hiv-vaccine-96186

Making History: Potter County’s First Female Judge. https://countyprogress.com/making-history-potter-countys-first-female-judge/

disease, Health

Learn how to wash your hands properly, per doctors

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Hopefully, washing your hands serves as a mechanical and frequent a part of your daily routine. Yet, it never ceases to amaze Dr. Robert Segal, MD, founder of Medical Offices of Manhattan, the actual number full-grown adults accomplish a less-than dream at hand-washing.

“As a medical doctor, I have to be careful about keeping my hands clean and avoid spreading viruses from patient to patient. Though when I’m out on a restaurant sometimes, I discover people either wash their hands prematurely, don’t use enough soap or worse, don’t wash at all,” says Segal. We’ve seen it too and, frankly, as hand-washing will be the most straightforward way to avoid the spread of illness and disease, we’d prefer to encourage the practice. With flu season in full swing, we thought it might be useful to ask Dr. Segal and Timothy Laird, MD, board-certified physician from Health First, for the healthy hand-washing tips.

Contrary to popular belief, there’s a right method to wash your hands. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) breaks it down into these five steps:

  • Wet your hands (to the wrist) with clean, running water (the temperature doesn’t matter). Shut down the tap, direct a great deal of soap.
  • Lather up the soap by rubbing your hands together. Don’t forget to spread that lather in the backs of a person’s hands up to your wrists, with the fingers, and below your nails.
  • Which is better, using soap and water or Scrub your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds. Both doctors recommend humming the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning-to-end twice to have the timing right. “Before surgery, surgeons need to stand with the scrub sink for five full minutes, and use an under-the-nail brush, along with a solid soap along with a scrub brush for each finger, the two sides of the hands, and scrub to their elbows. Not a single person expects other people to clean up equally as much, but this supplies you with a good idea of what’s necessary to kill most germs,” Laird says.
  • Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean, running water.
  • Dry your hands making use of a clean tissue (best bet), hand dryer (OK), or allow time for them to air dry (within a pinch).

As stated by both doctors and the CDC, it is best to wash your hands:

Before, during, and after preparing food. “Keeping clean hands and clean food prep surfaces, like counters and cutting boards, and washing raw produce will be methods of preventing diarrhea along with other illnesses,” says Laird.

Right before nourishing. Have in mind your hands as food utensils. “The main germ portals of entry to physique our mouths and nose, and our hands,” Laird explains. “Our hands inoculate germs into our body systems when they touch our face or food. Then we ingest the germs and get sick.”

Before and after caring for someone in your home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea. Viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea, like norovirus, are super contagious and hand-washing have you noticed your best type of defense prevent going down yourself.

Before and as soon as you finish treating a cut or wound to stop the infection.

After using the potty, changing diapers, or filtering a baby that utilized the toilet — “even a microscopic quantity of droppings can contain millions of germs,” says the CDC.

After blowing onto your nose, coughing or sneezing. Deadly germs made from a sneeze can have a home in the air for long periods, many viruses might lead to colds, as well as having the influenza virus can survive a surface for minutes to hours after an infected one is subject to it, says Segal.

After touching a dangerous predator, animal feed treats, or animal waste. According to the FDA, toys might be contaminated with bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses, namely salmonellosis, and listeriosis.

Whenever you go out to take meals, you use your hands to place your garage door, get out the chair, and handle the menu. That’s the reason washing your hands sincerely before you eat daily can help keep germs from emerging — and keep you healthier, says Segal.

Be even more diligent government departments restrooms

“Your house to some public restroom — or most things in the different restroom — really are a hotbed of germs,” says Segal. “That’s why automatic sinks and tissue dispensers work well from the spread of the virus. You don’t have to touch them.” If those aren’t available, use everything that is there and be guaranteed to dry your hands thoroughly — germs cling to moisture, Segal explains. Hang onto your hand towel, or grab another and use it into paved the way to maintain your hands clean. Not everyone washes their hands after using the restroom.

Carry sanitizer

Hand-washing holds a slight edge over sanitizer concerning keeping your hands clean. However, a sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol can assist stave off germs if there’s no sink or soap around. “Rub it around your hands for about 20 seconds, and till the hands are dry. It doesn’t work if hands are extremely stained or talked about oil, but it’s an excellent alternative if soap and water aren’t readily free,” says Laird. “There are also a few germs that might be better killed by the gel than soap and water. So, in healthcare settings, we try and do a bit of both. We utilize gel frequently and make use of soap and water hand scrubs to gel uses.”

Segal recommends bringing sanitizer wipes onto planes (very germy) and cleaning every surface that touches you, such as the airplane seats, multi-functional, belt, and tray — traveling across land? Use sanitizer using your hands after coping with car service belt buckles, train seats, and subway poles.

All told, hand-washing serves as a high-quality, well worth perfecting. “Hand-washing is amongst the proven ways of keeping both you and your loved ones healthy,” says Laird, who shared an anecdote in regards to the ‘father’ of hand-washing (yes, there is certainly this sort of person!), Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, who studied the incidence of infections on the maternity wards in Vienna. “He discovered that the extent of that which was called ‘childbed fever’ could be dramatically reduced by way of hand-washing in obstetric clinics. However, his findings conflicted considering the established scientific and medical opinions of the moment and resulted in death were mocked and rejected via the medical community. Doctors were offended by the thought that they may turn out to be an explanation for the infections. He couldn’t provide scientific reasoning behind his findings, clearly as the discovery of germs as a cause was still years away. He suffered a nervous breakdown and commenced dedicated to an asylum where he surpassed. The wisdom of hand-washing was only embraced after some years when Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister discovered Semmelweis was right all along.”

Poor guy. But thanks to him, we probably can get to live a bit longer.

Author Resource Box:

How to wash your hands properly, according to doctors. https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-wash-your-hands-properly-according-doctors-ncna1102746

Which is better, using soap and water or … – Vital Record. https://vitalrecord.tamhsc.edu/which-is-better-using-soap-and-water-or-sanitizer/

disease, Health, mental health

Even with early treatment, HIV still attacks young brains, study says

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Many children living with HIV today are in sub-Saharan Africa. While early antiretroviral therapy, or ART, has ensured less deadly outcomes for little ones managing and subject to HIV, studies show the HIV most likely will prohibit the brain. HIV may disrupt neurodevelopment, affecting how children learn, reason operates.

 To get some inspiration Michael Boivin, professor, and director of a Psychiatry Research Program within the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, began to understand how HIV impacts children’s neuropsychological development inside a two-year longitudinal study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

 the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases supported partially The investigation, part of the National Institutes of Health.

 Boivin, with his fantastic colleagues, tested the neuropsychological creation of three teams of children aged 5 to 11: those that acquired HIV and were treated with ART, those exposed but HIV-negative, and those who were never revealed. The analysis occurred at six study sites across four countries in sub-Saharan Africa to get a robust view of how HIV is affecting children within the region.

 To this point, it is the first well-validated, multi-site neuropsychological exploration of African school-aged children affected by HIV.

 What your researchers discovered through various assessments was that even dealing with early treatment and excellent clinical care, you can still find significant neuropsychological problems for children living with HIV.

“These children came straight into the study by using a deficit when compared with their counterparts,” Boivin said. “It stayed about the same across the three years, except in the most critical area: reasoning and planning. Regarding that specific test domain, the babies coping with HIV failed to progress.”

 The gap between infected and HIV-negative children grew inside the planning and reasoning area in the study period., these abilities are likely to blossom in the school-aged years in healthy children.

 “This is the most important cognitive function for the future of children managing HIV concerning their likelihood of taking their medications, making good decisions, abstaining from risky behaviors like early sexual activity, psychosocial issues, and school-related achievement,” Boivin said.

 Conclusions? Early medical treatment, started as far back half a year legal, will not be a sufficient amount to address the neurocognitive deficits linked to HIV, even though it help keep children alive cleanse that they would be without treatment. In these children, treatment ought to be started even earlier to strengthen long-term neurocognitive outcomes.

 “Our company will complement the long-term care and assist with actual behavioral interventions,” Boivin said.

 That’s something Boivin with his fantastic colleagues is performing work on. Only, Boivin received a 5-year, $3.2 million NIH grant to keep going he collaborated with children touched by HIV in Uganda and Malawi.

 Using this grant, researchers will investigate how MSU-developed computer cognitive games will serve as tools for neurocognitive evaluation, enrichment, and rehabilitation.

 Boivin hopes the fact that the results of each of the studies can help do this model of neuropsychological evaluation, a considered area of the cost-benefit.

Author Resource Box:

[Health] – Even with early treatment, HIV still attacks …. https://www.reddit.com/r/SDauto/comments/ecvozl/health_even_with_early_treatment_hiv_still/

Even with early treatment, HIV still attacks young brains …. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191218090208.htm

Admissions – College of Osteopathic Medicine – Michigan …. https://com.msu.edu/Admissions/index.htm

disease, Health

Researchers support new strategies for HIV control

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The quest for an AIDS cure has partly centered on techniques to eradicate infected cells. Now, new research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, as well as having the University of Pennsylvania among the U.S., indicates this process may not be crucial for an effective cure. Inside a study concentrating on a subset of HIV-positive folks who can accept the herpes virus without treatment, the researchers showed that these people’s lymphocytes suppress the virus but do not ruin infected cells.

AIDS is a persistent global health issue with no existing vaccine or cure. HIV infection typically results in a loss of CD4 T cells, a sort of white blood cell that, alongside the CD8 T cells, attacks and destroys viruses. The fewer CD4 T cells a person has, the more serious will be the symptoms. But fewer than 1 percent of HIV-positive individuals have stable CD4 T cell counts and undetectable HIV viremia, and therefore are thus in a position to live with herpes without therapy. This particular group, often known as elite controllers, has more beneficial CD8 T cells—the cells that ruin viruses—than most HIV-positive people.

Within this study, published in Science Translational Medicine, the researchers desired to find out nonetheless the CD8 T cells of elite controllers maintain HIV from replicating and getting ready for AIDS. They collected blood samples and lymph node tissue biopsies associated with a total of 51 HIV-positive individuals, including 12 elite controllers, from three sites inside the U.S. and Mexico.

Using single-cell RNA sequencing analyses, a way designed to study individual cells, the scientists revealed that elite controllers had more HIV-specific CD8 T cells in their lymphoid tissue when compared to the others, all that such technology was so-called non-cytolytic cells, meaning they didn’t kill off infected cells. Instead, these CD8 T cells of elite controllers managed to have a distinct transcriptional profile. They were able to suppress HIV replication through an enhanced ribosomal function, meaning they had been better at translating proteins from amino acids. This generated the production of more plus a more significant number of cytokines, small protein compounds that are important in cell communication, and boosted the cells’ polyfunctionality.

“The findings go against the paradigm of HIV control that focuses on destroying infected cells to identify a cure,” says Marcus Buggert, assistant professor along at the Department of drugs, Huddinge, at Karolinska Institutet. “While these strategies might still work, our research supports a model wherein viral suppression as an alternative to viral eradication can function as an effective cure.”

Author’s resource box:

Researchers support new strategies for HIV control, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-12-strategies-hiv.html

disease, Health

CDC Report: Drug Costs Linking to Nonadherence in People With HIV

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As stated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans pay 14% of their prescription drug costs away from pocket each year, as well as having the United States spends more per capita on pharmaceuticals compared to any high-income country in the world. High expenses help contribute to some magnitude of nonadherence among patients generally. Little information exists about the impact of financial barriers on adherence for those living with HIV specifically.

A study presented in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicates from 2016 to 17, 14% of individuals coping with HIV have used a drug-cost saving strategy, and 7% have found cost saving-related nonadherence.

The CDC’s Medical Monitoring Project analyzed national representative surveillance data on medical care, behaviors, and clinical outcomes among adults with HIV infection. Data were collected through medical record abstraction and also in-person and telephone interviews between June 2016-May 2017. Investigators weighted data for unequal selection probabilities and nonresponse.

Assembling data from 3948 people taking pharmaceuticals, the prevalence of prescription drug cost-saving strategies among those existing with HIV was estimated overall and with sociodemographic characteristics. Investigators also assessed differences in clinical outcomes between those that did and did not need cost-saving related nonadherence.

Questions pertained to 6 different kinds of cost-saving strategies. Patients reported whether they had asked a clinician for getting a lower-cost medication, used alternative therapies, bought over-the-counter drugs from another country, skipped doses, taken less medication, or delayed filling a prescription owing to cost. Those interviewed were asked concerning over-the-counter drugs, not solely antiretrovirals.

Cost-saving nonadherence was qualified by having used the cost-saving strategies of skipping doses, taking less medication, or delaying a prescription as a consequence of cost.

Care engagement and viral suppression were abstracted from medical records. Individuals interviewed were also asked if they needed but had not received medication beginning with the Ryan White AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) to enquire unmet needs.

Considering the approximately 14% of USA citizens with HIV who had used a medication cost-saving strategy, 4% had skipped doses, 4% took less medicine, and 6% had delayed a prescription. Within the categories found with him not considered directly nonadherent, 9% had asked clinicians for lower-cost medicine, 1% had bought medication from another country, and 2% used alternative medicine.

Household income above the poverty line was associated with nonadherence simply because of prescription drug costs, with 8.3% reporting nonadherence above the poverty line ($12,490 since 2019), concerning 5.3% below the poverty line.

“Persons with incomes above the poverty level might not apply for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program as well as assistance programs which can reduce medication costs,” the authors of one’s report wrote.

Those that reported unmet requirement for medication through ADAP were around five times in a better position to be nonadherent as a consequence of cost than individuals who received ADAP.

People existing with HIV who reported cost-saving related nonadherence were more unlikely to get virally suppressed over at their newest viral load test (64%) than individuals that didn’t report cost-saving related nonadherence (76%). Nonadherence related to drug cost was also associated with lower HIV care engagement rates and even more emergency department visits.

The more occurrence of costly hospitalizations and lower viral suppression rates (increasing likelihood of HIV transmission) among those who were nonadherent due to prescription drug costs demonstrate that cost-related nonadherence presents a broad social need with most stakeholders.

Inside a recent interview concerning upcoming long-acting antiretroviral therapies, Carlos del Rio, MD, FIDSA, Co-director for the Emory Center for AIDS research, claimed that clinicians must take cost seriously when treating HIV.

Author Resource Box:

CDC Report: Drug Costs Leading to Nonadherence in People …. https://www.contagionlive.com/news/cdc-report-drug-costs-leading-to-nonadherence-in-people-with-hiv

Politics

Did Trump Propose SSI Changes That Could End Disability Benefits for Thousands?

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Of the year 2019, readers asked us about reports that claimed the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had proposed changes to how Social Security disability payments are created, which may cause thousands, even hundreds upon hundred, to burn their benefits.

On Dec. 12, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Chicago Tribune posted a post with the headline “Trump Administration Proposes Social Security Rule Changes That Could Cut Off Thousands of Disabled Recipients.” Your article reported that: “The Trump administration proposed changes to Social Security. The change could terminate disability payments to hundreds of thousands of Americans, particularly older people and little ones. The new rule would change how the government review disability applicants cases. The methods  the Social Security Administration determines whether a person continues to be eligible for benefits. Few recipients are aware of one’s proposal, which happens to be open for public comment through January.”

The left-leaning website Common Dreams published an editorial considering the headline “‘ A National Disgrace’: Trump Proposes Social Security Change That Could End Disability Benefits for Hundreds upon hundreds.'” That story reported: “Activists are performing to improve public awareness concerning  Trump administration to save disability benefits from hundreds of thousands of individuals by further complicating the way the Social Security Administration determines who qualifies for payments.”

Author Resource Box:

Did Trump Propose SSI Changes That Could End Disability Benefits for Thousands?

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-social-security-benefits
Culture, disease, Health, Social Justice

The Benefits of Sage as an Herb and Spice

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Sage, scientifically known as Salvia officinalis, derives from the Latin “to save,” and its medicinal properties illustrate just how appropriate this name is. The herb has perhaps one of the longest-standing records in therapeutic uses and also has been used in one form or another in nearly every culture and region in the world. Now, sage is a plant or spice that may be used by you in your kitchen or backyard and will prevent by using another over-the-counter or even prescription drug remedy. Further, growing sage is fun and easy.

There are various forms of sage. Because they are so closely related, they have most of the same benefits. But, these different varieties—some growing better in specific regions than others—mean that sage has been successfully developed and used from the desert towards the tropics.

Some Sage History

Sage has a long history of both physical and spiritual healing. Ancient Greeks and Romans used the herb in sacred gatherings and likewise used it to decrease spoilage of meat. Within the 10th century, Arab healers believed it promoted immortality. Europeans of the 14th century thought it would protect them from witchcraft.

Here in the United States, sage has a long history of having the Native population. In addition to sweetgrass and cedar, sage is utilized to “smudge” homes, objects, and individuals to purify them. This is the act of burning sage and by using the smoke as spiritual purification. Additionally, Native Americans use sage in a variety of physically healing methods, including poultices, teas, and baths.

Regardless of if you share more spiritual-related beliefs of sage or otherwise, another thing is for sure: this herb and spice does have medicinal value.

Benefits of Sage Herb and SpiceSage has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Like its family members, rosemary and mint, sage contains useful flavonoids and phenolic acids that happen to be recognized by boost health and help numerous ailments. The herb is said to be easily absorbed from the digestive system and works to change concentrations of inflammatory molecules. Sage also contains something called rosmarinic acid, like rosemary, which happens to be highly antioxidant—it protects cells against damage.

The anti-inflammatory properties of sage allow it to be an excellent herbal remedy for people who suffer from inflammatory conditions. These include arthritis, asthma, and not to mention gingivitis. In animal tests (which have yet to be confirmed in people), sage lowered blood flow and regulated blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

In the same way that sage was historically used to preserve meat, it can be used to fight microbial infection and yeast inside the body.

Being a poultice, sage leaves could be designed to reduce chest congestion and inflammation. Historically they had also been used by natives of the western states to end bleeding in people and animals.

Exciting research has as well emerged upon the outcome of sage and memory. One study in 2003 found that sage oil remarkably improved people’s consciousness on recall tests. It’s been suggested (though not yet proven) that sage can defend against Alzheimer’s as well.

The various benefits of sage include:

  • Sore throat relief digestive aid Diarrhea relief 
  • anti-swelling ought suppressant 
  • Fights gum and mouth disease
  • Promotes healing
  • Relieves bruising, cuts, and scrapes could remedy anti-perspirant
  • Possibly anti-diabetic
  • Memory booster
  •  Anti-inflammatoryIncrease bile flow and liver detoxification how to 

Take It. Sage very quickly and commonly taken being a tea or used as a spice. For tea, use either fresh or dried leaves, steeped in boiling water for a few minutes. Drink the tea or use it as a mouthwash to promote healthy gums and fight mouth ulcers. But, you may also reap benefits from chewing on the leaves whole, by using the spice for cooking food or initiating a poultice.

A poultice is made by combining sage leaves with water until a paste is formed. Apply directly to your skin and cover with gauze or muslin to keep in place. This is particularly good for swelling, bruising, and reportedly to treat pain and inflammation of the breasts associated with hormonal changes.

Growing SageSage is a cinch to grow. In other worse, it’s super easy. It’s considered an evergreen as well as in the ideal conditions; your sage will endure through the winter. The “right” states, in this case, are dry. Sage likes it dry. So, if you are in a humid climate, your plant will likely be a seasonal one.

You can find small sage plants for transplanting at the local greenhouse. If you select this versus seeds, ensure your plant is undoubtedly an organic one. If you’re buying it on a chain store or anywhere else the plant wasn’t grown on the scene, there’s a good chance it was hosed down with one chemical or another within the transport process.

Your sage plant will require a large amount of sun. Without it, the plant will get “leggy,” or maybe you need extended, spindly stems. A short, leafy sage plant is a happy sage plant.

If you would like to pot the herb, high! A pot is a superb spot for your sage plant as it will permit you to tailor the watering to that particular plant species and move it to whether it needs more sun. If you choose that will put it in the garden, don’t place it next to plants that require a large amount of water because, again, they prefer slightly drier conditions.

When you need sage specifically for your batch of tea or poultice, simply harvest as necessary. In the first year, professionals say the sage should only be lightly harvested. You can pinch off a leaf at any given time or perhaps an entire stem if you need it.

Author Resource Box:

The Benefits of Sage as an Herb and Spice. https://www.getholistichealth.com/80829/the-benefits-of-sage-as-an-herb-and-spice/

disease, Health

Did you know that research shows burning sage kills 94% of airborne bacteria?

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The burning of sage is a spiritual ritual — but new research shows it could have more benefits than you might believe.


According to KAMR, the investigation shows burning sage, also referred to as smudging, within a room for your hour reduced airborne bacteria by 94 percent.

It may also show that the house stayed pretty much bacteria free for 24 hours. One could detect some strains of harmful bacteria  throughout thirty days.

Sage user Natalie Allery says she notices the difference when she burns sage. “If one of my children gets sick, we’re not all getting sick. It seems like not less than eliminate some of them after it is already in your house, and it also gets it lifts the actual energy,” Allery says. “You can feel inside us that there’s one thing that  we need to do and opening your windows isn’t enough.”

As stated by a holistic health website, other benefits to burning sage comprise repelling insects, improving mood and reducing stress and anxiety, and improving intuition. But also linked to helping with chronic diseases like diabetes, heart problems, and cancer.

Sanford Health Dietician Rachel Iverson adds that sage contains antioxidants which could support cancer prevention. She says sage also goes well using a Thanksgiving failure.

Author Resource Box:

Research shows burning sage kills 94% of airborne bacteria. https://www.wsls.com/news/2019/10/26/research-shows-burning-sage-kills-94-of-airborne-bacteria/

Diet, disease, Fitness, Health, Healthy eating

Two apples a day may keep heart disease away

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Two apples each day helps keep heart problems away, studies suggest. Highly regarded fruit is rich in fibre and antioxidants. Long believed to boost cardiovascular health, it was unclear how many apples we ought to eat to enjoy the advantages. 

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To learn more, scientists due to the University of Reading evaluated 40 volunteers, 22 works at the same place and co-employees asked to eat two apples a day for eight weeks. Snacking on the fruit-bowl staple lowered the participants’ “bad” cholesterol by merely under 4% greater than the controls’. Experts stress, however, the reduction have not been adequate to interchange statins in at-risk people. Controversial drugs potentially cutting cholesterol levels in 1/2. Apples are popular which makes up 12.5% of every fruit consumed, the scientists wrote in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Antioxidants, called polyphenols, in the go-to snack have been proven to prevent blood clots, raise “good” cholesterol and keep at bay inflammation. Good cholesterol helps take off bad kind beginning with the bloodstream, as stated by the Mayo Clinic. Large volumes of bad cholesterol can build in veins, narrowing them. Clots could also form and start to get stuck, triggering a heart attack or stroke. Apple’s fibre, namely pectin, could reduce the digest of fat and sugar.

Studies directly into fruit’s benefits have already been conducted in animals, the scientists wrote. They looked at adults with “mildly raised cholesterol”, considered as greater than 5.2mmol/L. The NHS recommends levels be 5mmol/L or below. After 14 days of abstaining from apples entirely, 22 were asked consume two of the Renetta Canada variety for the experiment. The other 18 acquired an “apple juice squash” made of 50% concentrate with added sugar. After eight weeks, those involved with the “apple group” saw their bad cholesterol decrease to an average of three.72mmol/L. This truly is in comparison with 3.86mmol/L in people drinking the juice

Author Resource Box:

Two apples a day may keep heart disease away. https://news.yahoo.com/two-apples-a-day-may-keep-heart-disease-away-130400656.html