Daily Archives: November 25, 2011

The Telemedicine Reporter – International Edition – November 25th 2011

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National electronic health records network gets closer

The ambitious goal of setting up a nationwide, interconnected, private and secure electronic health records system isn’t yet a reality — but we’re getting closer. The 2009 Recovery Act, better known as the stimulus bill, set aside more than $20 billion for incentives Continue reading →

Dreaming Takes the Sting Out of Painful Memories

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UC Berkeley researchers have found that stress chemicals shut down and the brain processes emotional experiences during the REM dream phase of sleep

They say time heals all wounds, and new research from the University of California, Berkeley, indicates that time spent in dream sleep can help.

UC Berkeley researchers have found that during the dream phase of sleep, also known as REM sleep, our stress chemistry shuts down and the brain processes emotional experiences and takes the painful edge off difficult memories.

The findings offer a compelling explanation for why people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as war veterans, have a hard time recovering from painful experiences and suffer reoccurring nightmares.They also offer clues into why we dream.

“The dream stage of sleep, based on its unique neurochemical composition, provides us with a form of overnight therapy, Continue reading →

Ghee – This is Butter that Is Good for You

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To some it’s known as clarified butter, to others it’s the golden elixir of healing – ghee is a staple ingredient in Indian cooking and Ayurvedic healing known for its versatility, great taste, and many health benefits. It’s derived from butter through a process of cooking off its milk solids until it becomes an easily digestible, healthier alternative to butter and oil, and it can be used for cooking or as an ingredient to add flavor and richness to foods such as kitchari.

Cooking benefits

Excellent cooking oil – Since ghee doesn’t start smoking until it’s heated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, it will neither burn nor splatter easily. Its chemical structure also remains more stable than other oils when heated.

Stores well – Thanks to its low moisture content, ghee can go weeks without refrigeration. It can last up to six months in the fridge or one year in the freezer, according to the Ayurvedic Institute. Continue reading →

Foods for Cancer Protection, Heart Health, Anti-Aging and Immunity

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Eating high-quality fermented foods can provide extraordinary health benefits ranging from heart health to cancer protection, immunity and even anti-aging?

People have been consuming fermented foods for hundreds of years.  In the West, the most commonly known fermented foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles and sourdough bread, and some of the lesser-known ones are tempeh and the fermented beverage kombucha tea.  Around the world, the list is much longer, including items such as balao-balao, magou, lutefisk, nham, kefir, natto, and kimchi, among many others.

Fermented foods contain the beneficial flora Lactobacillus acidophilus—or “good bacteria.”  These bacteria produce several byproducts, including lactic acid.  Lactic acid actually preserves food and boosts health by inhibiting other “bad” bacteria. Continue reading →

Calcium Intake: More Is Not Better

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Hello, this is Dr. JoAnn Manson, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I would like to talk with you today about calcium intake and the increasing evidence that more is not better when it comes to optimal health.

Calcium has been in the news a lot lately. You probably have heard about the studies linking calcium supplements to an increased risk for cardiovascular events, vascular calcification, and kidney stones in the Women’s Health Initiative Calcium/Vitamin D Supplementation Study.[1] Now a large prospective study from Sweden published in the British Medical Journal [2] indicates that even when it comes to bone health, more is not better for calcium intake. Continue reading →