US Doctors Disillusioned, 60% Wouldn’t Recommend Medical Profession

Almost all doctors in the United States say they’ve spent too much time on paperwork lately, so much so that many of them are forced to spend more time with paperwork than with their patients, according to a report just released by the Physicians Foundation, founded in 2003 as the result of a legal settlement. It’s not the paperwork alone that is contributing to the problem but, all things considered, 60% of doctors surveyed by the foundation say they would not recommend the medical profession to an interested party. Read more

Food Allergies Rising Dramatically for American Kids

Pediatricians and allergists have been suspecting it but recently the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed it: more American children than ever are developing allergies to some of the most common items in the nation’s food supply. According to their latest report, the number of children with food allergies has jumped by 18% in the last ten years. And they fear this is more than likely an underestimation of the real situation. Read more

Western Diet Bad for Hearts Around the World

The typical Western diet, laden with fried foods, salty snacks, and a heavy dose of meat, increases the risk for heart attack by as much as 30%, regardless of where in the world the Western diet is being consumed, according to Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Read more

New Face of American Suicide? Middle-aged and White

The number of white, middle-aged American men and women committing suicide increased by 35% from 1999 to 2005, according to the latest issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The rate of suicide in African Americans during that same time period dropped by more than 1% each year and the number of Americans of other ethnicities and age groups remained steady throughout the study period. Read more

Double Dose Vitamin D Recommended for Kids, Teens

The Institute of Medicine, chartered to establish dietary standards for all Americans, says children and teenagers need twice the currently recommended daily dose of vitamin D in order to stave off diseases such as osteoporosis as well as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The institute’s newly proposed vitamin D recommendation, 400 milligrams (mg) per day, is the equivalent of four cups of milk. Read more

Easy Ways to Make Kids’ Breakfasts Nutritious, Delicious

Most parents would not willingly feed their children a breakfast made almost entirely of sugar but it happens more often than one would imagine, according to the people at Consumer Reports. A nutritional comparison of some of the most popular kids’ breakfast cereals has revealed that as much as 60% of the cereal’s caloric count comes from sugar. There’s less sugar in a donut from Dunkin’ Donuts, even a glazed one. Read more

Biden Views McCain Health-Coverage Plan with Negative Tunnel Vision

In last week’s vice-presidential debate, Democratic Senator Joseph R. Biden made reference to the health-coverage plan proposed by his opponents as “the ultimate bridge to nowhere,” among other disparaging remarks. Post-debate fact-checking individuals and services now say Biden seemed to mention only worst-case scenarios while overlooking the overall, much more positive, impact of the plan proposed by Republican Senator John McCain and his vice-presidential running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Read more

94% of Nursing Homes Violate Federal Care Standards

The 15,000 nursing homes in the United States are occupied by at least 1.5 million elderly and invalid Americans, about two-thirds of whom are covered in Medicaid or Medicare programs.  In addition to covering the cost of care to many, at a cost of more than $75 billion each year, the federal government requires an annual inspection of each and every nursing home.  The most recent round of inspections uncovered shocking statistics, according to Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the government agency charged with licensing and regulating these homes. Read more

American Kids More Medicated Than European Kids

Children in the United States take psychotropic medications at a rate three or more times higher than their counterparts in Europe, according to a multi-national study recently conducted on children in the US, Germany, and the Netherlands. In Europe, the rate of children diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders is 1.5 to 2.2 times greater than it is in the US. Read more

Odds For Suicide High in Older Problem Gamblers

Casinos and the games played within them can be loads of fun and the thrill of winning is unbeatable. Unfortunately, there are more people not winning in a casino near you than there are people winning. When the lure of the game becomes so strong the gambling causes financial, professional, and emotional devastation, the gambling has progressed to a point considered a problem. And older problem gamblers, those 55 and older, are more likely to consider, even attempt, suicide at rates about six times that of the population in general. Read more

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