plus 3 more, “The health benefits of green living: Going green ... - Examiner” |
- The health benefits of green living: Going green ... - Examiner
- The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence ... - BioMed Central
- Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Edmonton Journal
- MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - Yahoo Finance
| The health benefits of green living: Going green ... - Examiner Posted: 03 Apr 2010 01:23 AM PDT As discussed in the previous article, air pollution has a dramatic effect on the lungs. This is due to what is known as particle matter -- tiny particles of soot, dust, vehicle exhaust particles, and chemical matter -- that is suspended in polluted air. As a person breathes in, they inhale this particle matter and it becomes lodged in the lungs. This can lead to several lung problems, including asthma. Studies and hospital records show more people are hospitalized due to asthma when air pollution increases. Conversely, hospitalizations are less common as air quality improves. Each person who uses one or more green living techniques to reduce air pollution is lowering the risk of asthma for everyone in the community.
Going green in the house reduces asthma and improves breathing For example, one study on VOCs found a common chemical in home products (1,4 dicholorobenzene) causes a 4% reduction in lung function. This chemical is found in products such as air fresheners, disinfectants, anti-mildew products, mothballs, and pesticides. To make matters worse, many of these toxic home chemicals come in spray bottles and aerosol cans. A study conducted in Europe found people who used common cleaning products in spray form -- furniture polish, glass cleaners, and air fresheners -- had a 50% higher risk of developing asthma.
Dr. Appleyard's advice on the matter?
Finding ready-made green living cleaning products in Indianapolis Seventh Generation makes a large line of environmentally safe cleaning products, including all-purpose, kitchen & bath, laundry, disinfectants, and carpet cleaners. Their products are sold throughout Indianapolis at Marsh, Kroger, Walgreens, and Whole Foods. Visit the Seventh Generation website for coupons and a product finder.
For more articles by the Indianapolis Healthy Living Examiner, please visit Amanda's homepage. To keep up with health news and information, click the subscribe link at the top of the page to receive email notification when new articles are published.
Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence ... - BioMed Central Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:50 PM PDT Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Edmonton Journal Posted: 02 Apr 2010 07:40 PM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study appear to expand the link between traffic exposure and poor lung function among people with asthma. In a study of 176 adults with asthma or rhinitis, Dr. John R. Balmes, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues found "the closer adults with asthma live to roadways with heavy traffic...the lower their lung function." "Living close to any road was associated with lower lung function," Balmes told Reuters Health. Other studies have shown lung health effects from major roadways, Balmes and colleagues note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "Ours is the first to show evidence that living near any road can do so," said Balmes. He and colleagues therefore advise asthma patients minimize their traffic exposures. The researchers assessed lung function and quality of life measures among the 176 adults (71 percent female) who were about 43 years old, on average, and undergoing treatment for chronic asthma with rhinitis (145 individuals) or rhinitis alone (31 individuals). The groups had similar proportions of current and former smokers. Balmes' team found out how close each participant lived to the nearest roadway using road-location data provided by geographic information systems. They then compared lung function with the distance from a roadway of any type. Those living the closest to a roadway had the lowest lung function (forced expiratory volume of 81.5 percent) while those living the farthest from a roadway had the highest lung function (forced expiratory volume of 89.7 percent). Excluding individuals with rhinitis alone, factoring in the effects of lower socioeconomic status, smoking, and obesity, did not significantly alter the findings. However, the researchers found no association between traffic exposure and quality of life measures. The investigators highlight the need for further confirmation of these findings, as well as continued research into the mechanisms by which traffic emissions impact lung function. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - Yahoo Finance Posted: 01 Apr 2010 06:19 AM PDT WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has introduced a series of convenient health condition monitoring services to help patients previously diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure overcome the challenges of living with their conditions. Health condition monitoring is available at MinuteClinic locations in CVS/pharmacy stores in 20 states and the District of Columbia. MinuteClinic is the retail health care division of CVS Caremark ( NYSE : CVS). The new monitoring services, called Monitoring Made Easy™, are performed by MinuteClinic nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They are designed to support patients with ongoing health conditions in between visits to their primary care provider or to provide assistance to patients who may not receive regular care. MinuteClinic will send all health care monitoring results to a primary care provider with patient permission. Visit summaries are sent via electronic medical record or fax, typically within 24 hours. In addition, MinuteClinic practitioners will help patients locate a primary care provider in the community if they do not have one. A collaborating physician (medical director) is on call during MinuteClinic operating hours. "There are millions of Americans who are overwhelmed by the difficulties associated with caring for their diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "These patients must navigate the health care system on their own and often face enormous time and cost commitments that can sometimes keep them from getting the care they need. "By providing health condition monitoring at MinuteClinic, our goal is to be a convenient and affordable resource where patients can not only receive an exam and regular lab tests, but also spend meaningful time with a practitioner to obtain advice and have questions about their condition and medication answered." Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary. When providing health condition monitoring services, MinuteClinic practitioners review the individual's medical history and perform an exam and tests based on nationally established clinical practice guidelines for standards of care, which may include an A1c test and comprehensive foot exam for diabetes, breathing and oxygen level testing for asthma, a lipid profile for high cholesterol and a blood pressure check and microalbumin test for high blood pressure. "We know from our own research and from independent studies conducted by the Rand Corporation, that as many as 60 percent of patients visiting our clinics are without a primary care provider," said Sussman. "So our practitioners are in a unique position to help patients identify a primary care provider and create a path of care that includes monitoring at MinuteClinic to stay on top of their condition." Most health insurance plans cover MinuteClinic health condition monitoring services. Patients are advised to contact their insurance company to verify coverage prior to their visit. Self-pay visits start at $62. Patients are informed of additional lab charges at the time of visit. A series of blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and weight evaluation screening services are also provided by MinuteClinic to patients who have not been previously diagnosed with a condition but want to determine if they are at-risk. In addition to offering monitoring and screening services, MinuteClinic practitioners are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumovax, and Hepatitis A & B are available at all locations. About MinuteClinic MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation ( NYSE :CVS - News), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence, with approximately 500 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than six million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics. MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive accreditation (2006) and reaccreditation (2009) from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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