Poor Math Skills May Worsen Diabetes Control

A new study suggests that diabetic adults' ability to work with numbers may affect their management of the disease -- and that, in turn, may help explain racial differences in diabetes control.

A number of studies have found that compared with their white counterparts, African Americans with diabetes tend to have poorer blood sugar control -- as well as higher rates of diabetes complications, like heart disease and kidney failure.

Numbers come into play everyday for people with diabetes -- in counting carbohydrates, adjusting insulin doses and keeping track of blood sugar readings, for instance.

In the new study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, researchers looked at whether patients' diabetes-related "numeracy" was related to their long-term blood sugar control.

The study included 383 adults with type 2 diabetes who took a test that gauged their ability to conquer a range of number-related tasks -- such as interpreting nutrition labels on packaged foods, calculating calories and carbohydrates in a meal, and keeping track of medication doses.

Overall, the researchers found, patients with the strongest test scores generally had better results on A1C tests, which estimate a person's average blood sugar level over the previous few months.

What's more, number skills seemed to partly explain why African- American patients generally had poorer A1C scores than white patients did.

The current findings suggest that such number skills may be an unrecognized factor, write Dr. Chandra Y. Osborn and colleagues at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The authors suggest that the poorer skills could be due in part to less opportunity to take relevant courses, and lower socioeconomic status.

The implication, they say, is that helping diabetes patients with their numeracy might also help them with their blood sugar control. And that, in turn, might reduce racial disparities in diabetes complications.

Future studies, the researchers conclude, should look at the effects of numeracy education on patients' diabetes control.

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, September 2009.

Make The Insurance Companies Do The Right Thing On Health Care Reform

A friend and fellow small-business owner has just hired a lawyer to sue her health insurance company. She said they invented a pre-existing condition so they could avoid paying for doctor bills that resulted from a recent auto accident. They want to refund the premiums and leave her holding the bill.

I expect she will prevail in making the insurance company pay up, and if she is lucky she will get the insurance company to cover her legal bills, too. Which means that, at best, she will have broken even financially.

For the insurance company, the worst thing that could happen is they will have to do what they promised to do in the first place. They may pay a little extra, but they will face no fine. If health insurance companies choose not to, there is no way to make them do the right thing other than by suing them. The company will stretch out the in-house appeals process, string you along and then hang you out to dry.

What it means is that small businesses are in the most difficult position in today’s health care system. Health insurance is expensive, hard to get and companies will drop you in a heartbeat. Nobody has your back.

Health insurance companies’ primary mission is not to help heal the sick but to make money for shareholders and pay huge salaries and bonuses to executives. They accomplish this by trying to maximize revenue inflow and minimize outflow. Take in as many premiums and pay out as few claims as you can.

They make more money by letting the sick die.

The right-wing defenders of the status quo and their Republican acolytes have resorted to lying and dissembling to thwart health care reform, the same technique they used to sell the war in Iraq. Then it was Saddam’s imaginary weapons of mass destruction and make-believe meetings between Saddam’s intelligence agents and 9/11 planners. Now it is lies about death panels persuading senior citizens to have themselves euthanized, from former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, no less.

Angry protesters at town hall meetings demand that the government keep its hands off Medicare, oblivious to the fact that not only is Medicare a government program, but the Republicans fought tooth and nail 45 years ago to try to stop its passage.

Medicare passed, of course, because then-President Lyndon Johnson was a master politician and rammed it down the Republican’s throats. Obama and the Democrats will probably need to do that, too. In order to be successful, they are going to have to simplify health care reform from a thousand pages down to one or two: All consideration of preconditions is outlawed, coverage can’t be cut and rates can’t be raised due to illness, there can be no caps on lifetime benefits and mental illness needs to be covered the same way as any other illness.

That simple.

They also are going to have to get it right. When the Democratic Congress did nothing about health reform in the early Clinton years, in 1994 they were swept from power for the next 12 years. If they pass health care reform and it doesn’t work, they will be swept from power as the Republicans were in 2006 over the bungling of the Iraq War and in 2008 over the Great Recession.
Ironically, opponents of the Obama plan have some excellent points to make about health care reform, though they are hard to hear above all the lies and shouting. One is that malpractice tort reform also is needed. Doctors need to stop having to order batteries of expensive tests to protect themselves against lawsuits and patients who have suffered because of incompetent care need to be compensated with money pooled for this purpose rather than the lottery of a malpractice suit.

The other is that businesses should no longer be responsible for health insurance coverage of their employees. This would contribute greatly to business profitability and liberate employees who may stay at a hated job for the health insurance benefits.

Without these two things, medical costs will continue to skyrocket, health insurance reform notwithstanding.
But the key to it all is making the health insurance companies do the right thing. And when they don’t, they need to be kicked to the curb. That is a good starting point.

Sniff + Sneezing = No Love: 83% Say Allergies Affect Sex Life

Sneezing and wheezing may stamp out those flames of desire. A new study reveals that allergies could be getting in the way of amorous activities.

"If you can't breathe, and your nose is running, and your eyes are itchy, and you're sneezing, and you feel awful and you feel tired, you don't feel very sexy," said Dr. Michael S. Benninger, chairman of the Head and Neck Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and a lead author of a recent study.

In the study published in the latest edition of Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, 83% of people with allergic rhinitis reported that their condition affected sexual activities.

When a person with allergic rhinitis breathes in an allergen such as pollen or dust, he or she can get symptoms such as itching, swelling and sniffling.

"When we look at how people interpret the disability of allergies, they show people who can't go to a park or can't appreciate their kid's ball games," Benninger said. But sexual activities also affect quality of life, he said.

"We're hoping this would stimulate people to start looking beyond the typical symptoms of allergic disease and looking at the impact of how people live," said Benninger. "It's really not your nasal congestion that's the issue. It's really how your nasal congestion impacts how you function. It's looking at the quality of life."

In the study, Benninger and a co-author compared answers from more than 700 people consisting of allergy sufferers, people who have similar symptoms but do not have the condition, and a control group.

Compared to the other two groups, allergy sufferers described more discomfort related to sleep, fatigue and sexual activity. Only 3 percent of people said their allergies never affected sleep.

"Almost all allergy sufferers feel it impacts their sleep," Benninger said. "If you can't breathe, you're not going to sleep well."

Twenty-seven percent reported that allergies almost never affected their sexual activity and 38.8% said it sometimes affected it. Another 17% answered that it always or almost always had an effect.

The study did not ask patients the reason why their allergies affected their sex life.

"It can be speculated that the chronic obstruction, runny nose, sneezing and decreased smell may all result in impacting the satisfaction of sexual activity," researchers wrote in the study. "Even the simple act of kissing may be altered by these symptoms. Many people may not feel 'sexy' or may actually be embarrassed by their symptoms so that they would avoid intimate contact."

About 17% of those with allergies said their condition never affected sexual activity.

"The number of people who said this did not affect them was quite, quite small -- indicating that this is a problem that's out there," said Dr. Clifford Bassett, a medical director at Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, who was not involved in the research. "They're not talking about it with their practitioners. And their practitioners are probably not asking about it."

Bassett said the way allergies affect people's sex lives has not been examined very closely.

"I do hear anecdotally from time to time patients saying, 'I don't feel very sexy or attractive because my nose is running. There's an itch in my nose. My face is itchy. I'm stuffy. I can't breathe. I can't do exercise whether it's lovemaking or anything else that affects me,' " he said.

This could be a hidden and more widespread problem, said Bassett, who plans to ask how allergies affect sexual activities in patient questionnaires.

"The bottom line: It's a high number of people in this study that indicated this was a problem," Bassett said. "I think we need to do a better job discussing this with patients."

Benninger recommended patients find out what they are allergic to, so they can avoid the irritants. For example, a person allergic to pollen should close the window in his or her bedroom to keep the allergen out, he suggested.

"If you're allergic to cats and let's assume that the bedroom is the most frequent place for intimacy and your cat lays on the pillow, and then you go in at night, and you're now sneezing - that kind of kills it," he said. "There are things people can do to control their environments."

Over-the-counter and prescription medications are available to treat allergies. Allergy sufferers whose sex lives have been affected should avoid sedating antihistamines, which could make a person sleepy, or oral decongestants, which can make a person feel anxious, Benninger said.

Makeup Colors & Application Techniques for Teenage Girls Who Wear Glasses

Teenage girls who wear glasses need to take special care with their makeup. They may need to take a more subtle approach than their peers who do not wear glasses. This often depends on what kind of frames they are wearing.

Concealer :
A teenage girl who wears glasses needs to be particularly adept at applying concealer. Any dark circle under their eyes will be more noticeable, with glasses. Lightly dot concealer on dark circles and gently blend in with a makeup sponge. Avoid using hands when applying makeup, as it can cause acne breakouts.

Eyeliner :
As a teenager, it can be fun to go extreme with black eyeliner. Be aware that the effect will be magnified on teen girls who wear glasses. To avoid a scary clown look, dial down the amount of eyeliner applied or go for a softer shade. Brown and gray are subtle colors that will give makeup a smoky look.

Mascara :
Teen girls who wear mascara should follow the same makeup tips as for eyeliner. Do not cake on mascara or glasses will magnify the effect, making it look like you do not know how to wear makeup. A makeup tip for teenage girls with long eyelashes; use an eyelash curler or no mascara at all. I learned that makeup trick in my early teens, when I kept getting mascara dots all over my glasses. Trust me, the makeup will stain your shirt when you try to clean your glasses off.

Eyeshadow :
What style and color of glasses you have should be considered when choosing eyeshadow? Teen girls with frame less glasses can be judiciously daring and bold with eyeshadow colors. If you have silver frames, gold eye shadows can make your makeup seem strange. If your glasses' frames are gold, gray-toned eye shadows should be used with caution. If you have heavy or color specific frames, go for soft neutral eye shadows. You do not want your glasses to clash with your eye color.

Lipstick :
Lipstick makeup tips for teen girls who wear glasses are fairly simple. If you have frame less glasses, just make sure your lipstick balances with the rest of your makeup. For metal frames, anything from a lip balm to a medium toned lipstick should look good. For heavy framed and colored glasses, a little lip color should be worn to balance out the statement your glasses make. This color can be soft to bold, just as long as your lips don't appear washed out.

Tips for Helping Your Daughter Deal with Teen Poor Body Image

Everywhere you look, there is increasing pressure for young girls and women to be thin. Magazines and other forms of media do not convey a positive teen body image for young women. Here are 5 teen body image tips to help your daughter deal with these negative teen body images.

Teen Body Image Tip #1 - Help your daughter realize the value of academics, sports, and the arts instead of just focusing on beauty, fashion, and pop culture.
There is a tendency to underplay the value of academics, sports, and the arts in the lives of young women as portrayed in the media, especially in magazines and television. If your daughter develops an intense interest in academics, sports, and/or the arts, encourage it and help nourish it.


Teen Body Image Tip #2 - Encourage your daughter to discuss her views on beauty, weight, and body image with you. You will better be able to understand her views.
The earlier you begin to talk to your daughter with regards to beauty, weight, and teen body image, the better. Younger and younger girls are exhibiting unhealthy eating habits, and increasingly, full-blown eating disorders. A large part of it stems for poor teen body image.


Teen Body Image Tip #3 - Discuss how with your daughter how magazine images are airbrushed and how TV uses lighting to hide faults; they are not to be used as standards of beauty. Many young girls and women simply don't realize that most of the images that they see daily in magazines, on television, and the movies are created using special techniques, heavy makeup, special lighting, and airbrushing. They need to know that everyone has physical imperfections.


Teen Body Image Tip #4 - Discuss her experiences at school with regards to weight, self-esteem, and eating disorders. In all likelihood, your daughter will begin to become concerned regarding her body image when she starts school. At this time, she will begin to start comparing herself to others her own age. Often, in early elementary school, kids who appear different in any way, shape, or form are cruelly teased. It only gets worse in junior high. One of the biggest things you can do for your daughter is to talk to her about her experiences at school concerning weight, self-esteem, and eating disorders. By the time that your daughter is in middle school, she will likely know someone who has an eating disorder.


Teen Body Image Tip #5 - Help your daughter deal effectively with self-esteem issues.
If you daughter develops a poor teen body image, there is a good chance that she is experiencing self-esteem issues as well. If you help her deal with self-esteem issues effectively, she in all likelihood will feel better about her teen body image.


One of the best ways to help your daughter overcome a negative teen body image is to be a good role model yourself. By keeping these 5 teen body image tips in mind, you will be more apt to handle the situation well. Good Luck!!

Ways to Control Your Anger

It's hard to control your anger when something really bad happens. You feel as if you want to tear the world, or one person in particular, apart when you've been hurt pretty badly. You may forget the compassion that you were raised with and yearn to lash out against the people that made you feel this way. You may feel like giving into your most primitive instincts and going crazy when you feel angry because it is the natural thing to do; it is natural to fight back when someone hurts you. However, in order to succeed in this society and make friends, you need to control your anger.

The best way that I found to control my anger was to talk to someone else about it. When I reached a point in my life in which I felt like I just wanted to scream, I did just that...well, sort of. I talked to my best friends and asked them what I should do. After thoroughly explaining the situation I was in to two different people, I got two different responses, of course; however, both of them were rather useful. Both people let me vent to them (yes, one just wasn't enough) in addition to providing me with answers to questions such as "what did I do to deserve this?" and "how can I make this better?" Talk to a friend whenever you're feeling angry, tell him or her why you feel angry, and you may end up feeling not-so angry afterward.

Do something that makes you happy. For example, I really enjoy reading, writing, and working out. Chances are, if I'm angry about something and don't feel like talking to anyone, I'll go into my basement and do push-ups. Seriously, it makes me happy, and if I'm happy, how can I be as angry? When you're angry, you tend to forget that you can be happy, so if you do what makes you happy, you can control your anger by tricking yourself into forgetting what you were angry about. Besides, once you've done whatever activity makes you happy and gotten back to thinking about your enraging issue, you'll definitely be able to think about it with a clearer head.

Another way to control your anger is to take ten seconds to just sit and breathe. Close your eyes, sit up straight, and breathe out the anger. Picture whatever it is that is making you angry inside as you exhale, and inhale the good in your life. Think about what makes you happy. Dredge up old memories, reminisce over the best parts of your life, and you should feel a smile start to creep up on your face. Relax yourself, loosen your muscles, and just sit back, or lie down, and clear your head of everything negative. Why would you need to control your anger if it isn't even present? Just get rid of it and calm yourself down; it's the most effective way to give yourself a moment of peace, if not cure your anger.

If none of those methods work, then you should sit down, grab a pen or pencil, take out some paper, and write down your thoughts. If you're angry at one person in particular, write an angry letter to him or her that includes every single mean thing you wish you could say to him or her. Hold nothing back, don't censor yourself; you need to get these thoughts and feelings out of your body and mind. Once you're done with the letter, read it over; read it aloud, if you'd like. Then, if you feel satisfied and don't want to actually show it to the person whom you wrote it for, throw it away, burn it, shred it, or use it as toilet paper. How's that for controlling your anger?