HealthStatus - How is your health? » Volume 48

Best Viewing Angle For Large Flat Screen Televisions

HealthStatus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:55:51 +0000

So, you’ve gone and purchased that beautiful flat panel TV that you’ve been eyeing for a while now at your local electronic store. Great, but where are you going to put it? Up over the mantel or the fireplace?

Imagine splurging on a beautiful new TV only to find out that it gives you a neck strain or the picture is washed out. Most people who buy flat panel TV’s do so with the romantic notion, probably created by ads for these TV’s, that they will place it high over the mantelpiece or the fireplace in their living rooms. Not only will that detract from the viewing pleasure, it could also cause the viewer, a fair amount of discomfort.

The ideal height at which a television should be mounted is the height at which it will be roughly at the eye level of the viewer when she is seated i.e. the center of the screen should be at eye level. This will relieve neck strain and allow for a comfortable viewing experience because the viewer will be able to adopt different postures comfortably. For example, if the viewer wants to kick back and relax in front of the TV, she will be able to do so without having to look too far up at the TV. Or she could decide to sit up straight to relieve some of the tension that might have built up in her neck and shoulders and she would not be forced to look down at the screen.

Kidney Disease Symptoms

HealthStatus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:52:25 +0000

The kidneys are responsible for filtering out waste products, secreting hormones and regulating blood chemicals. When the kidney starts to have problems with function the part that is most affected is the filtration system.

Symptoms of kidney disease include:

Nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite.
Polyuria (urinating more than the usual amount) or frequent urination. This is also a symptom of diabetes.
High Blood Pressure. This is also a symptom of peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, coronary artery disease or poor lifestyle choices.
Pain burning or difficulty with urination. This is also a symptom of a bladder or urinary tract infection.
Blood in the urine.
Protein excreted in the urine.
Fluid retention resulting in puffiness around the eyes, feet and hands.
Lower back pain.
Fatigue
Itchy Skin.
Restless leg syndrome.
Shortness of breath.
Extreme fatigue and weakness. This can generally be attributed to anemia and/uremia.
Anemia is a lack of red blood cells in the body, and can lead a person to feeling very tired, weak and in some cases, sensitive to the cold. Uremia is an accumulation of waste products, such as urea, in the body which can also make you feel sick, extremely itchy and lead to a decrease in appetite. This reduced appetite can lead to the symptoms of fatigue and weakness because of a lack of proper nutrients and fluids for the body.
Bruising easily and pale skin. The skin becomes tender and lacking in color due to anemia.
Chest pain. The symptoms of chest pain are generally due to inflammation around the heart, which is called pericarditis.
Frequent headaches.
Numbness in the hands or feet. This is called peripheral neuropathy.
Problems sleeping
Mental disturbances. These disturbances can be caused by the wastes that are building up in the body.
Pain in the bones and easily fractured.
Decrease in libido.

There are many different kidney disease symptoms, and many of the symptoms can be attributed to other causes. It is important to talk with your physician if any of these symptoms are persistent, especially if there is family history or presence of other risk factors that could contribute to kidney disease.

Book Review: The Art of the Apology

HealthStatus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:49:12 +0000

Book Review: The Art of the Apology – How to Apologize Effectively to Practically Anyone by Lauren M. Bloom, J.D., LL.M.

“To err is human” – Alexander Pope. So when we mess up what are we supposed to do? We are to apologize. Go to those we have wronged intentionally or unintentionally and say we are sorry. Is this uncomfortable? Absolutely. But we are adults, we accept that we are not perfect (even though that may be our desire) and must take responsibility for our actions. If you are wondering the best way to apologize, when to apologize, where to apologize, what do I say, then read this book.

Lauren Bloom is an attorney, a person who deals with disputes as her job every day. She has taken her knowledge and written a terrific book on apologizing effectively. She lays out how to apologize for accidents, mistakes and bad judgment. This book covers every situation where you will need to say “I am sorry”: At work with bosses, co-workers, clients, customers, acquaintances, and strangers and at home with friends and family.

Did you know that there are 6 essential elements of an effective apology? Chapter 3 covers them in depth.

The Art of the Apology is the definitive guide to how to make an effective apology in any situation – at work, at home, or in life, and offers practical advice on how to recover from mistakes and restore good relationships.

Oxygen Therapy – An Overview

HealthStatus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:09:03 +0000

Oxygen therapy is the process of administering oxygen at concentrations higher than that in room air for treating or preventing hypoxemia i.e. not enough oxygen in the blood. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a type of oxygen therapy in which the patient is placed in an airtight chamber with oxygen under pressure.

Requirement Of Oxygen Therapy Treatment

During inhalation, our body takes in oxygen and during exhalation it releases carbon dioxide. But when this process becomes inadequate, the patient may need supplemental oxygen due to decreased oxygen levels in the blood. Oxygen therapy is used to increase the oxygen saturation in tissues in patients having low saturation levels as a result of illness or injury. This therapy increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and decreases shortness of breath. Besides hypoxemia, oxygen therapy is also used to treat conditions such as acute asthma or pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic asthma, pulmonary hypertension and acute myocardial infarction. It is also used for short-term therapy as in post-anesthesia recovery and in the treatment of chronic lung disease in patients. Patients with gas gangrene, air embolism, smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning and cerebral hypoxic events are treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. A combination of helium and oxygen, known as heliox, is used to treat patients with severe airway obstruction. It reduces the density of delivered gas and improves ventilation when there is airway obstruction. For patients with severe asthma, this treatment can be used as an emergency room procedure.

Stretching Your Calves to Keep Them Toned

HealthStatus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:04:43 +0000

The calf muscles are located at the back portion of the leg, below the knee. This muscle is actively used in all our leg movements like walking, jumping and running. It is important to have flexible calf muscles so that all our leg activities can be carried out without any difficulty.

Tight Calves Can Cause Acute Pain

If you are a sports person and play games that involve running, you should exercise your calves appropriately so that they can withstand the pressure on the legs while running. If the calves are not strong and elastic, the pressure of running will fall on the feet and ankle and this can cause acute pain in the ankle joints.

Even if you are not a sports person, it is equally important to exercise your calves so that they are flexible. As a result, your ankles will be free of pressure while walking, jogging or skipping.

People whose calves are not flexible may experience a feeling of tightness in the back portion of their legs. This is a very uncomfortable condition as it prevents the victim from performing even simple daily leg movements smoothly. Any extra movement can aggravate the condition and cause acute pain. In the case of sports people, proper medical attention is needed to rectify tight and painful calves. The physiotherapist might give a deep massage that reaches the calves or help the patient to stretch and relax the calves appropriately to loosen the muscles.