5 Tips On Looking After Newborn Babies

Caring for your baby is certainly one of the most important things you need to consider once you became a new parent. There are many things you need to take into account in order to make sure that your baby gets all the attention.

1. Make sure that you feed your baby right. Deciding on whether you should breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby greatly depends on your personal decision and what your physician recommends. However, it has been shown that breastfeeding is still the best way to nourish newborn babies. Lots of benefits can be obtained through breastfeeding. Some medical studies have determined that breastfed infants have less hypersensitivity later in life compared with those who were raised with bottle feeding. This is mainly because the mother’s milk is known to contain natural enzymes and antibodies that can help fortify the baby’s immunity against infirmities. Aside from this, some doctors also believed that breast milk is responsible for superior intellect as he/she grows and becomes fully developed.

2. Practical sleep aid tips for infants. Sleep is crucial for babies because it has a direct effect on the child’s mental and physical growth. Newborn babies sleep for up to 17 and 18 hours a day. Parents should understand that babies sleep cycle could be pretty erratic. You may notice for a few weeks, your baby’s sleep may only last from approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours, and this can vary throughout a 24 period. But by the sixth week, you should see some signs of improvement as your baby’s sleep pattern becomes more structured. Newborns show signs of sleepiness by crying or rubbing their eyes. Newborns should be put down to sleep as soon as they feel sleepy. If you are not getting much sleep at night it may be a good idea to sleep when your baby does during the day if possible.

3. The proper way of bathing your newborn. Newborn babies need not be bathed on a daily basis. Bathing them two to three times a week is enough. Bathe your baby using sponge baths. This is imperative at first. Tub bathing your baby can only be done once the baby’s umbilical cord falls off to avoid infection.

4. Maintaining your baby’s optimal skin care. Newborn babies have smooth and delicate skin. For this reason, it is necessary that you use products that are especially made for babies. But before buying any baby product, it is best to consult your pediatrician. Most babies develop rashes from time to time and this is perfectly normal. However, if your baby seems irritated by a rash or has a fever, you should immediately seek advice from your baby’s doctor.

5. When to give the baby medicine. Like anyone else, newborn babies sometimes have special needs that require attention. When giving your baby medicine, it is important that you follow the advice of your baby’s physician. You need to know how to give the right dose prescribed by the doctor. It can sometimes be advised to start the baby with a small dose to ensure there is no adverse reaction to the medication.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and is not meant in any way to replace advice given by healthcare professionals.

Fast And Easy Weight Loss

If you’re one of the approximately 67% of Americans that are wired into the internet, there’s a good chance that sometime in the last 24 hours you’ve received at least one spam email promoting the latest and greatest diet pill or weight loss program. These diet products promise fast weight loss results, often without any effort or exercise. The never-ending promise of a weight loss pill that actually works keeps us hoping for eventual success.

At the same time, we’re continually inundated with news of the most recent diet and how this time it’s really going to work for us. The South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, the Atkins Diet, the Low Carb Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Mediterranean Diet, the LA Weight Loss Diet, the Weight Watchers Diet, the Diabetic Diet, the Low Cholesterol Diet, the Prescription Pill Diet, the 3 Day Diet, the Low Fat Diet, the High Protein Diet, the Maker Diet, the Liquid Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, the Fad Diet, the Blood Type Diet, the GI Diet, the Vegetarian Diet, the Vegan Diet, the Detox Diet, the Dash Diet, the Candida Diet, the Gluten Free Diet, the Hollywood Diet, the Negative Calorie Diet, the 1200 Calorie Diet, the Raw Food Diet, the Phentermine Diet, the High Fiber Diet, the Macrobiotic Diet, the Science Diet, the Lemonade Diet, the Scarsdale Diet, the Diverticulitis Diet and the Fat Flush Diet are all examples of diet plans that promise to help us achieve quick weight loss.

Crash diets, weight loss pills and get-thin-quick gimmicks are more prevalent than ever, yet two-thirds of our population is still overweight. Even more startling is the fact that approximately one-third of the people in our country are clinically obese.

With all of these ‘solutions’ available to us, why is it that obesity trends have been alarming enough to prompt the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) to label obesity a national epidemic? Why are we still, as a nation, getting fatter? It’s certainly not because we’re not trying.

On the contrary, as a nation we’re trying harder than ever to lose fat through diet and other weight loss products. As reported by CNN on 1-14-05 “Americans were expected to spend more than $40 billion in 2004 on weight control pills, gym memberships, diet plans and related foods, estimates Marketdata Enterprises, which studies the weight loss industry.” Furthermore, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 80 percent of overweight individuals and almost 87 percent of obese individuals are trying to lose or maintain their weight.

As reported by mygoals.com, 80 percent of Americans made a New Year’s resolution in 2005. A whopping 26 percent of those resolutions were to improve overall health and fitness, making this the top category for self-improvement. This year was no anomaly, either, according to Amy O'Connor, deputy editor of Prevention magazine: "Fifty-nine million people every year resolve to lose weight."

So, is there a healthy diet product out there that will actually work? More than likely, the answer is yes. Although there is quite a bit of fraudulent weight loss merchandise on the market today, there is also (somewhere out there) a diet program and weight loss plan that will work for us. The challenge is to find that diet product or diet plan.

-> Repeat Business

The diet and weight loss industry is a huge money making machine. According to Marketdata Enterprises, the annual revenue for the diet industry was over $30 billion dollars in 1990. A 2005 report by Stanford University documents that the consumer diet industry is now approximately $44 billion and growing. With all this money flowing around, haven’t we as a country spent enough to fix the obesity problem once and for all?

How can the diet industry keep making more and more money, year after year? After all, $44 billion dollars is a lot of cash! The answer to that question is simple: repeat business. “98% of today’s dieters gain the weight back in 5 years. 90% of those individuals end up gaining back more than they lost originally, due to the body’s panic and efforts to stabilize metabolic rates over the long term” (Source: Stanford University; stanford.edu).

How do the diet-promoters get all that repeat business? The diet industry is a very unique enterprise in that, when it fails someone, they rarely blame the product. We are hard-pressed to find another business where, if the product doesn’t work, we blame ourselves. All too often, after giving up on yet another diet program, we find ourselves thinking “Well, I guess I’m just not a good enough dieter.” The tendency is for us to believe that we failed the diet rather than the other way around.

Apply this same logic to the automotive industry, and it soon becomes clear just how faulty this line of reasoning really is. What would happen if we take our car in to the mechanic for repairs and when we returned to pick it up he told us that although we still had to pay the bill, he was unable to fix the problem? Would we willing pay the bill anyway and just say “Oh well, I guess it’s just a bad car?” Of course not! That would be ridiculous! But that’s exactly what we do when it comes to diets.

-> One Size Does Not Fit All

What we need to realize is that there is probably a weight loss product or weight loss plan out there that will work for us, but it may not be the same one our friends or co-workers used. To find the best weight loss program for us, we absolutely must realize that one size does not fit all. What worked for our sibling or spouse may not work for us, and what works for us may not work for them.

It’s probably safe to say that any diet supplement has helped somebody, but it’s also true that no weight loss drug or plan has helped everybody. Each person has a unique metabolism and very individual nutritional needs, so no single plan will work for everyone.

-> How To Find The Right Weight Loss Diet

Some fat burner products on the market today do indeed work. Others are a complete rip-off. How do you tell the difference? Where do you go for accurate and reliable weight loss information?

First and foremost, talk with your doctor. Your own personal physician is likely to be honest with you and provide you with the facts. In addition, he or she can help you decide which weight loss supplement may be right for your personal situation.

There are also quite a few reputable organizations that provide accurate information on fat loss. Some of the better resources include:

• American Cancer Society - www.cancer.org
• Centers For Disease Control - www.cdc.gov
• Diet Scam Watch - www.dietscam.org
• Calories Per Hour - www.caloriesperhour.com
• Harvard Medical School - www.health.harvard.edu
• Mayo Clinic - www.mayoclinic.org
• Shape Up America - www.shapeup.org
• Calorie Control Council - www.caloriecontrol.org
• President’s Council On Physical Fitness - www.fitness.gov

When seeking a healthy weight loss plan, it’s important that no food be strictly forbidden. There should not be any (or many) foods that we avoid completely 100% of the time. Why? Because that sets us up for failure! For example, if fudge is one of our favorites and we force ourselves to NOT eat fudge at the holiday party, then for many of us what we've done is set ourselves up for a binge fudge-festival.

Avoiding our favorite foods entirely is a too much self-deprivation for most people, and this sets us up for binge-eating. That's a recipe for disaster!

A much better approach is to enjoy foods in moderation. Watch those serving sizes! Enjoy and savor one piece of fudge! It's better to enjoy one piece of fudge and then stop than attempt to deprive ourselves entirely, only to end up eating the whole pan.

A good diet and nutrition program will also help us keep in mind the cost of the foods we eat. We're not talking about dollars and cents here, but the FITNESS cost of the food. When picking up that fudge, keep in mind what it will cost to enjoy it. When picking up a plate at the buffet table, let's take a moment to pause and think to ourselves: "The cost of this fudge will be an extra _____ minutes of exercise.....is that worth it to me?" Maybe. Maybe not. That's for each of us to decide on our own.

The point is that we should be conscious of our food decisions. No foods are forbidden entirely, but we do need to watch our portion sizes and carefully consider the cost of each food. Any good weight management program will incorporate these concepts and also will be approved by your doctor.

One such plan is the Running Start weight loss program offered by Pick Up The Pace. This nutrition program has six 12-week uses. You can use them all yourself, one after another, or share with a friend. The program has weekly updates, menus you can personalize, and printouts. The menu selector counts calories, protein, carbs and fat. The foods list is among the most comprehensive on the market.

This Running Start Nutrition Counseling software is simple to use and will help keep you accountable. The program retails for only $49.99, which translates to less than 70¢ per week. The software includes:

• Printable 25 page manual titled “Finally, The Truth About Weight Management”!
• Printable 31 page manual full of facts about vitamins & supplements!
• Printable 28 page software user guide!
• 72 weeks of personalized menu creation!
• Use all 72 weeks yourself, or share with up to 5 friends!
• Choose your dietary preference! This software lets you choose the foods you like!
• Not another ‘diet’ - but a real nutrition education!

For more information on Running Start, or to purchase a copy, please visit the Pick Up The Pace webstore at www.letspickupthepace.com.

-> How To Find The Right Weight Loss Supplement

Perhaps even more so than with weight loss diets, when searching for weight loss supplements it is critical to rely on the advice of your physician. The careful and supervised use of weight loss diet pills, combined with a sensible diet and regular exercise, can lead to quick weight loss and even easy weight loss (or at least easier than you expected).

Beware, however, the supplement scams on the market. It seems that every time we turn around we are blasted and bombarded with the latest, greatest, new and improved treatment for obesity. The gimmicks just keep coming. The sad truth is that few of these products work. Even fewer will result in real, permanent and lasting fat loss. A very few of the weight loss gimmicks on the market today are not only a consumer rip-off, but they are also quite dangerous.....even deadly.

As an example, consider the prescription diet drug Meridia. Does it help you lose weight? For some people, the answer is yes. For others, the answer is no. Can it kill you? The answer to this question seems to be a nervous 'maybe'. "The consumer group Public Citizen had petitioned the Food and Drug Administration for a ban, citing Meridia users who died of heart problems as young as their 20s and 30s. Even before Meridia was approved for sale, the FDA knew it could increase users' blood pressure, the group contended." (Source: cnn.com)

This week the FDA again refused to ban Meridia, even though whistleblower David Graham (an FDA drug safety officer) testified to Congress last fall that his agency was allowing five unsafe medicines to stay on the market, including Meridia.

Another example of a dangerous weight loss drug is ephedra. Ephedra was banned in the United States last year, in part due to numerous deaths attributed to this popular weight loss supplement. On April 14 2005, a federal Judge in Utah reversed the short-lived ban on ephedra. Within minutes, spammers were filling our email boxes with messages to BUY BUY BUY before ephedra was banned again.

Yes, ephedra will help some people lose weight. Yes, ephedra is safe for some people in low doses. But there is that little nagging fact that people have DIED and that their deaths have been attributed to ephedra use.....

Yet another example of a dangerous diet drug is steroids. For whatever reason, some people have decided that anabolic steroids are the best way to lose weight. Despite the well-documented and serious side-effects of steroid use, the lure of easy weight loss has caused many to throw caution to the wind. Perhaps the most concerning trend is steroid use among our teenage population: "Teens also listed steroids, growth hormone, amino acids and other potentially unhealthful products among those they'd tried in the previous year." (Source: cnn.com)

There do exist, however, some diet supplements that work and are also quite safe. Again, it is never a good idea to begin any supplementation program without first seeking the advice and approval of your doctor.

Three popular and dependable fat loss products designed to help you lose weight fast are ChromeMate, Lipotropic Plus and Super L-Carnitine.

Chromium helps insulin metabolize fat, turn protein into muscle and convert sugar into energy. ChromeMate, a unique form of niacin-bound chromium, is designed to optimize energy output. It accomplishes this by increasing the amount of glucose available for energy production nearly twenty-fold. It also is the "master" nutrient for controlling blood sugar, which in turn curbs sugar cravings. What’s more, a study at Auburn University showed that ChromeMate reduced LDL cholesterol by an average of 14%. In fact, ChromeMate has been awarded a patent for lowering cholesterol.

The Lipotropic Plus Formula is scientifically-engineered to assist in the breakdown, distribution and burning (oxidation) of fatty acids. The active ingredients actually accelerate the fat-burning process by breaking down fat cells into smaller particles (emulsification) to be used for fuel during exercise.

Super L-Carnitine is essential for fat burning. I.B. Fritz and K.T.N. Yue, physiologists from the University of Michigan, discovered that Carnitine actually accelerates fat-burning. Without it, fat is unable to penetrate the walls of the mitochondria of the muscle cells. Carnitine is the shuttle that carries fat into your body’s furnaces (muscles) to be burned for energy. Super L-Carnitine increases the rate of fat utilization for fuel.

For more information on these weight control supplements, or to make a purchase, please visit the Pick Up The Pace webstore at www.letspickupthepace.com.

-> Weight Loss Exercise

In this article we’ve been discussing weight loss diets and weight loss supplements. At this point it is essential that we add the third and most important component of overall health and fitness: exercise.

Exercise is one weight loss method that has never been banned, has never led to an investigation, and has never been been listed on a 'whistleblower' fraud report.

Exercise is the only path to health and fitness that virtually every doctor in the world agrees upon. Exercise is safe, effective, and brings many more benefits to our lives than diets or drugs ever will alone. Exercise is fun, invigorating, motivating and the single most powerful way to improve our life and well-being!

Yes, it’s quite possible to lose weight without participating in regular exercise. However, diet and exercise combined will help us burn fat faster than we thought possible! Weight loss achieved by regular exercise and diet will be healthy weight loss because of all the benefits we obtain from regular exercise:

1. Strengthens muscles
2. Strengthens bone
3. Strengthens ligaments
4. Strengthens tendons
5. Strengthens immune system
6. Improves muscle tone
7. Improves endurance
8. Improves strength
9. Improves self esteem
10. Improves confidence
11. Improves balance
12. Improves physical appearance
13. Improves physical performance
14. Improves glucose tolerance
15. Improves circulation
16. Improves memory
17. Lower risk of heart disease
18. Lower risk of diabetes
19. Lower risk of cancer
20. Lower blood pressure
21. Lower cholesterol
22. Lower risk of stroke
23. Lower risk of osteoporosis
24. Lower risk of osteoarthritis
25. Lower requirements for medication
26. Lower risk of injury
27. Lower bodyfat
28. Helps with sleep disorders
29. Reduces post-operative complications
30. Reduces frequency of illness
31. Prevent Alzheimer’s disease
32. Prevents muscle loss
33. Increases metabolism
34. Eases symptoms of menopause
35. Healthier pregnancy
36. Fewer problems with childbirth
37. Reduces ovulation problems
38. Prevents heartburn

Reaching your ideal weight via a healthy and active lifestyle has been found to lower health risks and medical problems in 90 percent of overweight patients. In addition to the exercise benefits listed above, fit people are eight times less likely to die from cancer than the unfit, and 53 percent less likely to die from other diseases. Fit people are also eight times less likely to die from heart disease.

Without a doubt, regular exercise is the most important piece of the puzzle and the best way to achieve rapid weight loss. Exercise is the safest way to achieve permanent fat loss, and when combined with a sound diet and nutrition program the body is turned into a virtual fat-burning furnace!

-> Conclusion

Fast weight loss is possible if we, under the supervision and approval of our doctor, combine a sensible diet with a diet pill or weight loss pill that is safe and effective. When we combine these three fat-burning strategies it is almost guaranteed that we will experience quick weight loss results.

Of course, there is a staggering amount of information about health, exercise and fitness that still needs to be understood before this topic of rapid weight loss is complete. Several excellent e-books on this subject can be found by going to www.letspickupthepace.com and clicking on the ‘Pick Up The Pace Store’ and then ‘Fitness Education’ links.

You can also access a tremendous amount of free diet information and weight loss tips by going to www.letspickupthepace.com and clicking on the ‘Articles’ link.

* Copyright 2005 Pick Up The Pace. Permission is not required for the distribution of Pick Up The Pace articles as long as they are used in their entirety, are properly credited to Pick Up The Pace, and are accompanied by our website link: www.letspickupthepace.com.

* The information in this article and on this site is for general reference purposes only and not intended to address specific medical conditions. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, you should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional. No information in this article or on www.letspickupthepace.com should be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.

* These products and the claims made about specific products in this article or through www.letspickupthepace.com have not been evaluated by Pick Up The Pace or the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use this information for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

Appetite Suppressant Ends at Acomplia

Search for Appetite Suppressant Ends at Acomplia

Every obese is willing to lose weight because there are many physical and psychological problems associated with obesity. Particularly, when your body mass index is 30 or more than that you are vulnerable to many worst diseases. Heart failure, brain stroke, kidney failure and bursting of liver are the some serious problems associated with obesity. Obesity usually leads to weakening of reflexes which snatches numerous opportunities because people generally want to deal only with an active person.

Balancing diet and doing appropriate amount of physical work can help in obesity. Only burning of calories in gym does not help as calories burnt in the gym are replaced by your food. Numerous obese find it difficult to have control over appetite; because once stomach is settled for a particular amount food reverting to lower amount becomes almost impossible. Forceful suppression of appetite can be harmful. In such a complicated condition, when appetite suppression is essential but cannot be done forcefully, an appetite suppressor can help a lot. An ideal appetite suppressor after its use brings your appetite to the desired level so that your metabolic system can easily burn fat present beneath your skin.

After the emergence of obesity as a big challenge, almost all drug manufacturing companies introduced appetite suppressors in the weight loss drug market. The efficacy of every drug is susceptible, but after arrival of Acomplia in the weight loss drug market things are pretty different. This medication is successful in curbing appetite in more than 90% people and in rest it has given significant results. Acomplia is an invention of Sanofi-Aventis of France.

Acomplia has high efficacy because of it unique working pattern. Its prime active ingredient Rimonabant is an endo-cannabinoid receptor type-1 (CB-1 receptor) blocker. CB-1 receptor is a part of nervous system and it sends the signals of hunger to brain. Once CB-1 receptor is blocked, you do not feel excessive urge for food. By blocking CB-1 receptor Acomplia also helps in cessation of urge for smoking.

This medication is an oral-prescription drug, whose sale is rolled out by Sanofi-Aventis recently in 7 European countries. Though easily available, but Acomplia should not be used without doctor’s prescription. Generally doctors prescribe for 20mg of Acomplia swallowed with enough plain water daily before having breakfast. Overdosing Acomplia in any case is strictly forbidden. Do not crush, break or chew pill of this weight loss drug as it can be harmful.

Like any other allopathic medication, Acomplia may have some side-effects. The side-effects associated with Acomplia are mild and ephemeral like nausea, stomach disorder, dry mouth and dizziness. Moreover, these side effects occur in rare cases and generally disappear after the use of the medication for a few days.

Placing an online order for Acomplia brings this medication at your doorstep at a cheaper rate.

Sexual Harassment and Sexual Discrimination

Sexual Harassment and Sexual Discrimination When Working Internationally

Since ancient times women have been viewed, in many cultures, as men’s inferiors physically, morally, and intellectually. Today, in western cultures, women enjoy more freedom and equality than ever before in history. Despite the gains made by women in recent years, particularly in the U.S., many women worldwide still find that their access to education, employment, healthcare and political influence are limited because of their gender. These discrepancies continue to exist because many societies still maintain centuries-old social and religious laws, customs, and traditions that have created barriers to education, jobs, and healthcare, as well as deprive women of their political and civil rights.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is usually defined as a form of discrimination in which sexual advances or requests for sexual favors constitute a condition of a person’s employment or advancement in the workplace. It frequently occurs between a male and a female, often instigated by a male manager or other person in power. While many countries are starting to have laws against such discrimination, it is often reported that the laws are not enforced.

Sexual harassment occurs in workplaces worldwide, including the United States. Laws that specifically prohibit sexual harassment have been enacted in Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, but many other countries are still in the process of studying the problem. There are two types of sexual harassment defined by U.S. law: quid pro quo and hostile environment. Quid pro quo means that an employee is asked to perform a sexual act in exchange for a job, promotion, or other perk. A “hostile environment” is described as one which contains situations, acts, or items that can inhibit the productivity of an employee, such as sexually suggestive language, behavior, or pictures.

Some strategies (as discussed in more detail below) for employees who experience sexual harassment include confronting the individual by informing him or her of the intrusive behavior and requesting that he or she stop it, notifying management or, should management be the offender, notifying the personnel department or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). (In the United States, call toll free 800-669-EEOC or see www.eeoc.gov to find your local office.) The EEOC will be able to provide you with written guidelines for determining what constitutes sexual harassment and how to deal with it.

Sexual Discrimination

The American businesswoman may unwittingly and unavoidably be party to conversations and actions that discriminate against women. For example, in Asian businesses it is natural to ask a female employee to serve tea, and a woman may be subjected to innocent questions about her age, marital status, and whether or not she has children. In Korea and Japan, protocol has men entering rooms and elevators ahead of women. In Europe, office talk tends to be more flirtatious and sexual in nature, sprinkled with many off-color jokes and puns. Derogatory statements about women in Germany are often expressed openly in the office, and reference to a woman’s physique is not uncommon in Italy and France. Other countries still view a woman who is alone as a prostitute since otherwise her husband, boyfriend or family would accompany her. American women often view excessive flattery by Latin Americans as derogatory because U.S. office policies would not tolerate such comments.

Some women report that suggestive sexual comments are sometimes used (consciously or unconsciously) as negotiating tools in an attempt to throw a woman off her guard. Women must be prepared for this and develop the ability to keep control and not show anger or other emotion. Some tactics women have used successfully to respond to such situations include: giving a polite verbal reprimand to remind your counterparts that you are conducting a business session; suggesting a break while stating the negotiation has obviously gotten off track; or ending the negotiation in its entirety to show absolute intolerance and disapproval.

Gender Issues in Europe

Most women in Europe are still battling the glass ceiling even more than women in the U.S. There are fewer women in upper management and more hierarchical issues with which to grapple. Furthermore, European women are still expected to handle all responsibilities relating to home and family. This interferes with their ability to hold down a job unless they are wealthy enough to have hired help at home. Shopping hours are still not convenient for working women and day care is often not available. Younger women do not have the role models of older women in the business world, so they must often work harder to establish credibility and to break into the upper ranks of business. Derogatory comments about women appear to be more accepted by the public. For example, in England the derogatory terms “cow” and “bird” are widely used, even on TV, and in films, to refer to women. In France and Italy it is not unusual for males to touch women inappropriately.

Gender Issues in Asia

Asian culture has traditionally placed more value on male offspring and on the male roles of ruler, protector, cultivator, and breadwinner. The male is out in the world, while the female remains at home to manage the household and raise the children. Asian males have consequently been in a dominant position over Asian women and have largely controlled their means of livelihood.

Centuries ago male philosophers, China’s elite, developed precepts of behavior -- notably passivity and obedience -- that women were expected, or forced, to follow. Women were subordinated to their fathers, brothers, husbands, and even sons. Historically, marriages in Asia were arranged not for love, but for family connections. The bride usually lived under the domination of the husband’s mother and frequently faced competition from secondary wives and concubines. Her husband was allowed to repudiate his wife, especially if she did not produce a male heir. If the husband died, the wife could not easily remarry. She had no economic independence, was frequently illiterate, and had no property rights. Infanticide limited the number of female children.

Today, Asian countries continue to be patriarchal societies with strong traditions. When a woman marries, she generally joins her husband’s family, and her ties with her own family weaken. The couple either lives with the husband’s family or, as is occurring more frequently, on its own. If there is a divorce, the father often gets custody of the children. Divorce is considered shameful and is rarely discussed. Divorce rates, which used to be very low in East Asia, are growing however, as women become more economically independent.

There is an old Chinese saying: “Women are the moon reflecting the sunlight,” meaning women reflect the glow of men. Young, educated East Asian women increasingly reject this old saying. They emphasize their individuality, independence, personal responsibility, hard work, and careers, even as they try to maintain their femininity. Yet the few recent studies of Asian women indicate that many still feel inferior to men and worry about managing a career and a family. Job discrimination is still practiced in Asia. “Family connections” are very important in obtaining desirable jobs. Stereotyping women as the weaker, less capable sex still prevails.

Gender Issues in Latin America

The concept of “machismo” is important in Mexico and other Latin American countries, although American businesswomen will encounter more macho attitudes in Mexico than in any other a part of Latin America. The word "macho" does not carry a negative connotation in Mexico, as it does in the U.S. For a Mexican, the word "macho" implies strength, valor, self-confidence and masculinity, which are all considered positive qualities. There is also an underlying assumption in the culture that men are supposed to be stronger, braver, wiser and more sexually knowledgeable than women. Displays of machismo include: showing courage in a bullring, risk-taking, taking part in bar room confrontations, and displaying sexual prowess by bragging about sexual conquests or by having a large family. To be macho also requires the repudiation of all characteristics considered feminine, such as unselfishness, kindness, frankness and truthfulness.

The proof of a man’s maleness in this culture is his ability to completely dominate his wife and his children and to have sexual relations with any woman he desires. A double moral standard exists between the fidelity expectations placed upon males and females in Mexico and Latin America. A woman's primary obligation is to make a home and procreate; she is dedicated to a life of service and no infidelity on her part is tolerated. However, men who maintain mistresses are within their legal rights as long as they are discreet about their affairs. A man can frequently divorce his wife if she commits adultery, but the wife can only divorce her husband if the act took place in their home.

Macho men will often express an air of superiority when it comes to dealing with American women in business. They may be overly polite and attentive to a woman, but in a patronizing way. Machismo may be expressed in terms of canceled, forgotten, or ignored meetings, and other frustrations and delays. Businesswomen, especially when traveling alone, should expect a high likelihood of unwelcome sexual advances. Examples of this include: overly long eye contact, the pressing of legs under the table, and an overemphasis on how appealing a woman looks. Most businesswomen advise against entertaining a man alone. Instead, they suggest that a group be arranged. They also emphasize that a woman should establish herself as a businesswoman even at her hotel, and dress conservatively in business suits.

Strategies for Coping

It is important for you, your team, and your managers to understand the strategies you should pursue if you find yourself in a compromising situation. Managers should be well-versed on their responsibilities in cases where women have been harassed, and they should understand how to act in accordance with company policy and governing laws. It is important to realize, for example, that an executive team based in the home office in the United States is actually legally responsible for the actions of their employees worldwide, including in subsidiaries in foreign countries.

Working in the international arena can be challenging. Many foreign countries have no laws or regulations concerning sexual harassment, or they are not enforced, and as a result employees in many countries do not understand the American viewpoint. As a result, male managers in the U.S. who are unfamiliar with more traditional societies may avoid sending female staff members to represent their companies to these cultures, fearing that these businesswomen cannot be effective in male-oriented societies. This viewpoint, however, may be keeping these executives from using what is in fact their strongest asset, since women’s perceived attributes -- being good listeners, mediators, and consensus builders -- are well-received in international business. Male managers only need to become knowledgeable about the situation in other countries and what their responsibilities are in the event of sexual harassment. They can then send their female staff members with confidence.

U.S. courts (see www.eeoc.gov) offer some legal remedies and suggestions for handling discrimination and harassment situations: “The (U.S.) courts have established that corporations that assign a U.S. citizen to a post in a foreign country must treat that employee as if he or she were in the U.S., regardless of local customs and traditions.” Recent Supreme Court cases suggest several legal/human resource strategies that can be used to prevent gender discrimination. The first is: “to educate and prepare employees sent to work in different countries abroad. Should a dispute arise, arbitration or mediation is preferred over litigation. The best overall strategy is to develop and implement a well-conceived company policy that ensures gender equality” (Cava, A. & Mayer, D., 1993).

Management Responsibility

The elimination of sexual harassment starts at home. If your company doesn’t have a company policy on discrimination and sexual harassment at home, there will be little to back you up if you find yourself facing such situations in the international environment. Top management must therefore take a proactive role in eradicating it from the workplace. There are many good reasons for doing so. Sexual harassment can reduce employee productivity and morale, and consequently it can have a negative impact on a company’s bottom line, as well as cost firms a great deal in lawsuits.

It is the responsibility of the executive staff to eliminate sexual harassment. Top management must instruct its staff that sexual harassment is illegal and will not be tolerated.. Issuing sexual harassment policies, scheduling open discussions, expressing disapproval, creating a path for resolution and complaint, and respecting individual privacy should all be part of the top management plan. A comfortable environment with open, company-wide communication is key to alleviating any inhibitions employees may have about discussing their experiences.

As a first step, a company needs a visible, comprehensive policy emphasizing the importance of appropriate behavior: harassment and social misconduct toward its employees will not be tolerated. This policy should also state the ramifications of any violations. Hard copies of the company policy should be distributed not only internally but also to customers and suppliers. A copy of the policy should be available to all employees and visibly posted in work and rest areas. The company should have training programs for its management staff and its employees on a regular basis.

If you are in management, you can play a key role. Do not overlook or refuse to acknowledge that problems can occur in other countries, because this will only help reinforce their acceptance. If one of your traveling staff is harassed, it will interfere with the productivity of your business dealings. Harassment also violates U.S. law. It is frustrating for an individual who has faced sexual harassment to work with or for staff who do not understand the seriousness of the offense, or travel with a manager who does not speak or act on behalf of employees.

Individual Responsibility

Prepare yourself for the possibility of encountering sexual harassment when you travel abroad. When you are visiting countries that are male-dominated and still have little awareness of women’s rights, your actions may actually have a greater impact on foreign men than written policies. In these situations, men won’t expect women to assert themselves, and if you strongly voice your disapproval of inappropriate behavior, these men will often back down. Also, most businessmen would not want to lose a business deal by offending someone.

Most women report that while their business days go smoothly, the after-hours socializing that occurs in some countries can become a challenge. It is still common, for example, for Asian men to go out drinking after work. While drinking, they feel more comfortable about voicing their inner feelings. If you are the lone woman in your group, you may become the target for questions that would not be asked during working hours. In Asia, drinking excuses what Americans may consider appallingly inappropriate behavior. While the American may remain upset if he or she feels anything untoward has occurred during an evening, the incident is generally ignored by the Asian participants the next day as they carry on with business as usual. In Latin America, women are often the targets of flattering comments about their appearance by Latin American men, sometimes to the point that it feels intrusive to the women.

Should you be subjected to what you feel is sexual harassment, remain calm and professional. This attitude will have much more impact than if you become upset or angry. In many cases men may have been trying to incite you or test your resilience. In most cases you can either respond with a calm statement of disapproval, or you can show your disapproval by remaining silent. If you are in a situation that has become particularly unpleasant, you can always leave.

If you are traveling overseas on business and have been accosted, you are still protected as an employee of an U.S. firm, and should take action in accordance with your firm’s sexual harassment policy. It is always best to report the incident rather than being passive and keeping it to yourself. This way, if the perpetrator is an employee of your firm, he can be corrected or reprimanded, and if he is employed by another firm, at least your executives will be aware of the issue when deciding whether to enter further business dealings with that company.

Be Prepared

• If you are single, avoid talking about your personal lifestyle or dating, as these subjects can lead to uncomfortable conversations. In particular, do not discuss your marital situation if you are divorced or living with someone.

• If you feel that a conversation is inappropriate, don’t respond. Just change the subject.

• Avoid situations where any unwanted intimacy may be initiated, such as dinners for two.

• Be careful that your actions cannot be interpreted as being either aggressive or flirtatious.

• If your international hosts insist on opening doors for you or holding your chair at the dining table, graciously allow them do so. Remember they are trying to respond appropriately when working with women.

• Avoid eating or drinking alone in strange restaurants, since you may be viewed as a pick-up target. Ask your hotel concierge for restaurant recommendations.

Responding to Uncomfortable Questions

When you are asked a question you consider uncomfortable or inappropriate, use short, standard answers to discourage further questioning. For example, many women are asked their marital status, their age, and, if married, about dual careers. While these questions may be unusual, they are often more commonly asked in foreign countries as a form of interest about you, a woman who may be very different than women in their own country. You can answer these in a polite manner while suggesting that the questions are not appropriate by giving answers such as “My career keeps me very busy,” or “I am younger than I look.” Ignoring the question and changing the subject is a simple way of redirecting the conversation. If the questions are more direct and aggressive and sexual in nature, be assertive and answer, “This is not an appropriate question to ask,” or, if the questioner continues to be uncooperative, try to embarrass him by telling another group member about your discomfort. Silence can also be very effective.

Strategies for responding to uncomfortable questions also include:

• You may be asked seemingly intrusive questions about your marital status and whether or not you have children. Prepare some stock answers or change the topic of conversation to one that is more comfortable for you.

• You might be invited to a bar after dinner. Whether or not you want to attend is your choice. It’s not impolite to say no, giving jet lag or business commitments such as faxes, e-mails, or phone calls as an excuse.

• If your host exhibits inappropriate behavior, inform him that you are uncomfortable and that you want him to stop.

• f you are traveling with a team, have other team members join you in expressing dissatisfaction with the situation. This will usually end the unwanted behavior, since to continue it will cause bad feelings.

• If you are in a social setting that is becoming uncomfortable, inform your host that you are uncomfortable and would like to leave. Politely request that he call you a taxi. If he does not cooperate, ask the establishment’s staff to call one for you.

• If no action is taken, get ready to leave and state the reasons you are leaving. There is no reason to stay in a situation that is uncomfortable for you.

• An employee who desires to leave while his or her colleagues desire to stay should do so and not feel badly about “breaking up the fun.”

Pregnancy Symptoms

Pregnancy Symptoms, Signs and Symptoms of Being Pregnant

EARLY PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS

Although a lot of women experience pregnancy symptoms, and find signs of being pregnant, other's don't "feel" pregnant. Certain signs and symptoms of being pregnant can be confused with other illnesses. The following list are some telltale symptoms of pregnancy. Morning sickness is one of the most common signs of being pregnant, but you also might be one of the lucky ones who never experience this pregnancy symptom. Missing a period is another sign and symptom of being pregnant. We'll go into greater detail below, and you can read below.

MISSING A PERIOD

One of the most common signs and symptoms of being pregnant, missing a period can also be caused by other reasons. Although missing a period is one of the most common of the pregnancy symptoms, stress, illness, weight fluctuations or coming off the oral contraceptive pill can also be the cause of this. Irregular periods are a common symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition in which periods can occur several months apart. If you still feel like you are experiencing other pregnancy symptoms, continue reading the other signs of being pregnant.

TENDERNESS OF THE BREAST

Another sign and symptom of pregnancy is the changing of size and feel of your breast. As early as a few days after conception, this pregnancy symptom may occur. Your breast is beginning to enlarge, as it gets ready for breastfeeding. Many women claim that their breasts are very sensitive and that they experience a very sharp, tingling sensation as well. Being one of the signs and symptoms of being pregnant, the tenderness of the breast often disappears a few weeks later.

NAUSEA AND VOMITING

Considered another one of the classic sign and symptoms of being pregnant, nausea and vomiting, (aka morning sickness) has become one of the most feared of all pregnancy symptoms. Feeling sick is a common complaint and is experienced by most women from weeks 5 to 6 of their pregnancy. However, morning sickness can also be felt as early as two weeks after conception. Morning sickness can occur at any time of the day, and can vary from an occasional faint sensation to overwhelming vomiting and nausea. By and large, morning sickness is one of the pregnancy symptoms that tends to disappear towards the end of the first trimester.

TIREDNESS

Many women experience fatigue as one of their pregnancy symptoms. Although this might be a sign of being pregnant, it can also indicate other things as well.

DARKENING OF THE AREOLA

Being one of the first physical symptoms of pregnancy, the darkening of the areola can occur throughout your entire pregnancy. If you notice the darkening of the areola, this could be considered one of the signs and symptoms of being pregnant.

FREQUENT URINATION

If you experience that you are urinating more frequently, this might be another of the pregnancy symptoms that confirm that you are pregnant. As early as two weeks after conception, you might find yourself experience this pregnancy symptom. The pressure of the literally reducing size of your bladder is the cause of this. Your uterus beings to rise up into the abdomen, and this annoying pregnancy symptom is the result. Rising levels of the pregnancy hormone progesterone stimulate the bladder muscles, so that it feels full, even though you might not need to urinate. Of all of the pregnancy symptoms, and signs of being pregnant, women sometimes find this to be the most annoying.

CHANGES IN TASTE AND SMELL

Don't be surprised if you experience this pregnancy sign and symptom. Many women claim that certain foods make them feel queasy - while others experience a craving for other foods. Another sign of this pregnancy symptom, is a strange metallic taste.

CONSTIPATION

Another of the annoying signs and symptoms of being pregnant, constipation occurs.

CONFIRMING YOUR PREGNANCY

Two weeks after conception, your baby is no bigger than a pinhead, comprised of a few balls of cells. As it begins to develop in the lining of the uterus, the placenta begins to form and produce necessary pregnancy hormones. Below are some ways to confirm that the pregnancy symptoms and signs of being pregnant that you have noticed are accurate, and that you will be having a baby.

HOME PREGNANCY TESTS

Being very accurate, these tests can be purchased at a local drugstore, and can confirm pregnancy by detecting the level of HCG in your urine. Your health care provider may rely on this test, and may only repeating testing if complications arise. If you receive a positive result, you may want to make an appointment with your doctor so that they can confirm you are pregnant and begin follow-up.

OFFICE URINE TEST

Similar to that of a home pregnancy test, and office urine test confirms pregnancy by also detecting the level of HCG in your urine. Being nearly 100% accurate, this test does not require you to urinate first thing in the morning. This type of test also can determine that the signs and symptoms of being pregnant hold true, and that your pregnancy symptoms are right.

PREGNANCY BLOOD TEST

In order to assist dating your pregnancy, your healthcare provider may also perform a pregnancy blood test. This particular pregnancy test can give you a positive or negative result, and once again detects the level of HCG. This time, it detects that level in your blood, and depending on your pregnancy symptoms, helps them determine what kind of care to give you. Pregnancy blood tests are useful if there are any concerns about miscarriage, or if there are indications that an unusual pregnancy is occurring.

INTERNAL EXAM

Four to six weeks after conception, your doctor can receive indefinite proof by examining you internally. Certain signs like the thickening of vaginal tissues and the softening of your uterus will confirm that the pregnancy symptoms are right on!

Therapeutic Manipulation

What Exactly Does it Mean?

Therapeutic manipulation refers to any technique by which a disease or disorder is treated using the remedial use of the hands, especially by a skilled practitioner. Some of these techniques include:

Acupuncture Massage Physiotherapy Chiropractics Myopractics

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures in the world. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, acupuncture began to become better known in the United States in 1971, when New York Times reporter James Reston wrote about how doctors in China used needles to ease his pain after surgery. The term acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.

Massage Massage is now one of the most popular forms of alternative therapy, whether it's for stress relief, muscular therapy or even emotional healing. But with so many different types of massage available, it can be hard to know what's right for you? The most basic form of massage is Swedish. The gentle soothing stimulation of the soft tissue and muscles is a wonderful means of calming nerves and improving overall circulation.

Physiotherapy Physiotherapy is a science-based healthcare profession which views movement as central to health and well being. Core skills used by physiotherapists include manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and the application of electrophysical modalities. Physiotherapists believe it is of crucial importance to take note of psychological, cultural and social factors which influence their clients. They try and bring the patients into an active role to help make the best of independence and function.

Chiropractics Chiropractics is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism. These important functions are controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves of the body. The skull protects the delicate tissues of the brain. The moving bones of the spine protect the vulnerable communication pathways of the spinal cord and nerve roots. If the nervous system is impaired, it can cause malfunction of the tissue and organs throughout the body. Chiropractic is the science of locating offending spinal structures, the art of reducing their impact to the nervous system, and a philosophy of natural health care based on your inborn potential to be healthy.

Myopractics As an advanced form of bodywork, Myopractic integrates together the soft tissues and skeleton to achieve deep relaxation and relieve chronic pain. Based on the same system of training as that in the Bowen Technique, Myopractic employs postural assessment as a guide to its treatment plan for clients aiming to restore the body's structural integrity back towards its ideal state. Myopractic shows that where there is a bone or joint misalignment, then there is a muscle that is responsible. Once the muscle disorder is corrected, the skeleton will respond correcting the misalignment.

Effective pain management is an increasingly diverse field and manipulative therapies are only one field to consider. Pain management is a matter of personal choice and a case of finding what works well for your individual needs. Effective management of pain can often make the difference between living a life governed by debilitating pain and leading a relatively normal life.

Potassium and Its Benefits to the Human Body

Potassium is a mineral that serves a variety of purposes within the body. Despite its importance to so many of the body's functions and systems, most people do not consume the standard recommended daily levels of this essential mineral. This is unfortunate as long-term deficiency can contribute to and even directly cause a variety of health problems and complications not only to the body but to one's lifestyle as well.

Helping to regulate the body's fluid levels is one of the mineral potassium's greatest functions. Not only that but it also has a great part in regulating the blood pressure. It also helps to keep the heart thumping steadily and regularly and is also essential to the nervous system. Potassium works to promote the proper functioning of the tissue that makes up the nervous system. It also serves to enhance muscle control plus the growth and health of cells particularly through its importance in waste product removal. This mineral is also vital to the kidneys in their waste removal tasks. Potassium also plays an important role to mental function as well as to physical processes. It helps to promote efficient cognitive functioning by playing a significant role in getting oxygen to the brain.

Failing to meet the standard recommended daily intake levels can lead to a variety of negative consequences for both physical well being and mental health. Physical symptoms can include muscular cramps and twitching, muscular weakness, even actual muscle damage, poor reflexes, fatigue, fragile bones, irregular heartbeat and other cardiovascular irregularities, kidney failure, lung failure, and cardiac arrest. Mental symptoms can include nervous disorders of various types, anorexia, insomnia, a slowdown of cognitive processes, and depression.

There are certain health situations that can make a person more susceptible to suffering from a deficiency of potassium. These include alcoholism, health conditions requiring the use of certain types of diuretics, periods of high stress and illnesses or conditions that result in extended periods of diarrhea and vomiting. Some situations of our own making can contribute to potassium deficiency. These include excessive caffeine intake and a diet made up of mostly processed foods. Consuming excessive amount of salt daily can also attribute to the decrease of potassium in the human body.

Our bodies are complex systems in which there is a delicate chemical balance that keeps everything functioning as it should. Disruptions to the system are going to have consequences with some being more severe than others. Some of these consequences can take the form of disease or irreversible damage. Prevention is always better than trying to cure illness or repair damage. One of the most important parts of prevention is good nutrition. Making sure that you regularly consume the standard recommended daily intake levels of the vitamins, mineral and other nutrients your body needs is the first vital step in keeping a healthy physic and mind.

But because of today's lifestyle and diet, it is very hard therefore to intake the proper daily amount of potassium necessary for a normal life. For this concern, nutritional supplements are the solution. They offer an efficient and reliable means of meeting not only our daily potassium needs but also other daily dietary requirements need by the system. Because the balance of nutrients is so important to achieving the optimum standards of performance and health, you may want to consider setting up a consultation with either a licensed nutritionist or your health care provider to create a personalized supplement plan; one that will be best suited to your individual dietary need and health goals.

Nursing Education

Nursing Education – The Importance Of Critical Thinking

In the nursing profession, more now than ever, the ability to think critically is essential. The responsibilities of a Registered Nurse have increased over the years. In correlation with this increase in responsibility comes the additional increase in educational prerequisites and core requisites required to achieve a degree in Nursing. The ANA (American Nursing Association) Standards has set forth the framework necessary for critical thinking in the application of the “nursing process". The nursing process is the tool by which all nurses can equally become proficient at critical thinking. The nursing process contains the following criteria:

1. Assessment

2. Diagnosis

3. Planning

4. Implementation

5. Evaluation

It is in the application of each of these processes that the nurse may become proficient at critical thinking. It is important to look at the components that describe critical thinking in nursing, The table below lists components that define the critical thinking process. There is much more that goes into critical thinking than what is listed in the table. The table is a rough draft of the process.

CRITICAL THINKING COMPONENTS

Entails purposeful, informed, outcome focused thinking, that requires careful identification of specific problems and other physiological and psychological factors that affect the clients position on the health and wellness continuum.

The process is driven by the client, the client’s family and other health team members who are also collaborating in ensuring essential client care.

Specific educational knowledge base and level of experience in applying that knowledge in client care. (Nursing School to graduate nurse to experienced nurse) As the level of experience of the nurse increases so will the scientific knowledge base that the nurse applies.

Proficiency in the application of the institutions standards, policies and procedures.

Application of the humanistic standards of caring in conjunction with the nursing process, to holistically treat the clients response to an actual or perceived illness.

Constant evaluation and re-evaluation of the nursing process to determine the clients level of wellness

Nurses learn critical thinking via application with experience. Experience is the best teacher. But it is equally important to know that the process is being applied correctly. Many institutions will ensure that this pathway is followed by enlisting new nurses in a eight to ten week orientation program. During this time the new nurse will learn about the polices and procedures of that institution and what type of documentation is used for charting purposes. Also, the new nurse will have an experienced mentor who they will follow and who will evaluate their performance as well.

Documentation is an essential part of the critical thinking process for the nurse. Every institution places emphasis on documentation. It is said, “that if it is not documented, then it was not done". Since the nursing process is a scientific process. In scientific research, all things are documented. In this documentation, researches can look back to see if the results were due to interventions and whether or not the interventions were successful or have to be altered. The documentation process helps the nurse accomplish the same goals. Many times procedures are used that have unproven efficacy.

In it is this framework of critical thinking and documentation that such procedures can be either continued or eliminated, depending on the efficacy of the research. In other words, does the procedure actually improve, help or otherwise jeopardize the client’s health. An example of the critical thinking process and scientific reasoning is in the efficacy of taking a rectal temperature of new born infants. Currently, this procedure is still widely accepted. However the scientific approach is to ask the following, is the procedure safe, is it necessary, and can an axillary temp be used in place of the rectal temp? In answering these questions, the nurse can better evaluate whether the efficacy of taking a rectal temp on a infant should be continued.

This is just one example of how the critical thinking process is used within the nursing profession. The scientific approach using critical thinking helps the nurse develop evidence based practice. It is through “evidence based practice" that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) rates the performance of hospitals. Further research is still continuing in delineating the intricacies of the nursing process and the integration of critical thinking. All health care professionals are encouraged to pursue this type of research in their practice to ensure the quality of client care and enhance the validity of their profession.

Medical and dental treatment

Medical and dental treatment and coverage in Oaxaca, Mexico

When I first gave up the practice of law in Toronto in favor of early retirement in Oaxaca, I assumed that the years I would add to my life by leading a much more stress-free existence in Mexico, would be lost by the inferior health care system to which I would be exposed, subjected and restricted. This, then, is my assessment of the extent to which my presuppositions have been accurate, together with information and advice for both vacationers to and would-be ex-patriot residents of Oaxaca.

Aside from the small, private hospitals, often referred to as clínicas, there are four publicly funded and insurance - based hospitals in the city, as well as a hospital just outside of the city offering specialized treatment for a number of serious ailments. There is the Red Cross facility available to all, often used for emergency treatment only. The civic hospital provides free services or treatment at a modest cost based on a sliding scale respecting means. ISSSTE is a federally funded facility restricted to government employees who are members of a union. Finally, there is IMSS, a federal insurance program available to ex-pat residents and Mexican citizens alike, with an extensive network of clinic doctors and a large hospital. It’s funding is provided in large part by business owners. Aside from these hospitals, there are several, small, easily accessed clinics scattered throughout suburban and rural neighborhoods.

For the vacationer, and the ex-pat with a VISA permitting residency in the country, the most common means by which to obtain emergency treatment is through Red Cross, IMSS (which accepts patients without coverage on a pay-per-service basis) or a private hospital. However, the last of these three is the only one in which you can be reasonably reassured of being attended in a timely fashion by extremely competent and efficient personnel.

WHAT TO DO AS A VACATIONER

If you do not have out-of-country healthcare coverage, by all means go out and buy it before leaving for your trip. However, it’s advisable to first inquire of your credit card company, to ascertain if in fact you already have at least some coverage simply by virtue of, for example, having a gold or platinum card. You can then make a more informed decision concerned whether or not to purchase coverage, and if so at what level. On the other hand, a broken leg, gastrointestinal problem or other non-life threatening ailment can be attended by a private doctor or clinic without breaking the bank. Of course for an outlay of more than $100, it’s nice to be reimbursed.

If you intend to make a claim to your private carrier, credit card company or government funded health care plan, ensure that you not only keep all receipts, but request a written diagnosis and treatment plan, and that the prescriptions you are given indicate for what purpose each medicine is being prescribed (i.e. antibiotic, analgesic, etc.). Many doctors provide all required information simply as a matter of course. Accepted practice, at least except for when narcotic medications are being prescribed, is for the pharmacy to return prescription forms to you. Often medical plans require translations of each document that is presented to them as a prerequisite for processing and reimbursement. When in doubt, submit all documentation with your claim, making sure to determine if originals are required, and keep copies. Frequently, as is the case with Ontario, it’s a two step process. Treatment receipts and diagnosis is submitted to the provincial plan. Once you’re notified of the portion not covered, prescription receipts together with a request for reimbursement for the amount not covered by the province, is submitted to one’s private plan. In theory, between the two plans, 100% reimbursement is achieved.

You can ask the manager of your hotel or bed and breakfast to do you a favor by translating each of your supporting documents, to save you the trouble upon your return home. Make a note of the then prevailing rate of exchange, and submit a calculation to your plan with your documentation, to more easily facilitate payment. When a member of a clerical staff is processing your claim, he’ll be less inclined to put yours aside for another day or week if it already contains all the necessary and relevant data, organized in a readable format.

Concerning where to go in the event of illness or emergency, your accommodations host should be able to make recommendations for English speaking physicians with private practices, and for private clinics. Regarding competency of the former, while there is a medical school in Oaxaca, many doctors travel out-of-state for their post-graduate training such as to universities in Mexico City or the US, and regularly attend conferences and upgrading courses. Some travel abroad within the context of their specialization training. Indeed the Oaxacan populace appears to take notice of and prefer those physicians who are able to display foreign diplomas.

Our personal experience with emergency treatment over the past 10 years has been nothing but positive for ourselves, our family and our guests, at hospitals Carmen and Molina, both downtown … in terms of competence, speed with which one is attended, and the presence of English speaking ER doctors. On the other hand, we cannot recommend the emergency departments at the civic hospital or IMSS because of delays in receiving treatment, and at minimum in the case of IMSS unavailability of competent medical personnel 24 hours a day to attend to even a commonplace emergency (i.e. suturing). Having said this, many excellent surgeons with private practices perform surgery at the non-private hospitals where there tends to be the more state-of-the-art and sophisticated equipment.

The normal range in price for a consultation with a family doctor, specialist or dentist, is $20 - $50 (all figures are stated in US dollars and are approximate for 2008 unless stated otherwise).

PURELY ELECTIVE AND COSMETIC PROCEDURES

Over the past several years Oaxaca has become a popular destination for Americans and Canadians seeking both plastic surgery and extensive dental work. Word has spread of the competence and quality of work of both nip-and-tuck and dental surgeons, and of course of their extremely reasonable charges relative to those paid to hometown practitioners. Many foreigners, as well as Mexicans from Mexico City and other regions of the country come to Oaxaca for face lifts, breast reductions and augmentations, liposuction and other appearance enhancing procedures. A friend who attended for plastic surgery in Oaxaca by a well-known plastic surgeon a couple of years ago, recently commented that she had read an article in a Canadian magazine indicating the cost for the same procedure which she had performed for $500, was $3500 - $5000 at home. In effect she had a free trip to Oaxaca, and returned home with extra money in her pocket.

Our personal experience with dental treatment has been extremely positive. Cost tends to be about a third to a half of American and Canadian prices, for example for crowns and bridges, implants, root canals, gum and bone work, etc. While the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) has not yet arrived in most Mexican cities, a dentist with a gentle touch can more than make up for that lack of temporary high while in the chair.

RESOLVING THE EX-PAT CONUNDRUM

Get whatever coverage is made available to you both in your homeland and in Mexico, subject of course to affordability.

To my thinking, with IMSS coverage costing under $400 annually for a couple, why not go for it regardless of what other coverage you already have. Then supplement IMSS with international coverage for catastrophic injuries unless you have other similar insurance from another source. Our Oaxacan friends tend to disagree, but theirs is a different mindset where insurance in general has historically not been stressed or valued, be it home, car or health.

Some American acquaintances swear by IMSS since it provides regular care including preventive procedures, all dispensed by government employed physicians including specialists, together with lab tests, medication and hospitalization. There are restrictions the first year of enrolment, and there are caveats. The level of cleanliness in the clinic environment tends to be below the standard to which most of us have become accustomed growing up in the US and Canada. Many physicians have not received the quality of medical education of their private counterparts. The medications provided through the clinic pharmacy are often not the best available in the marketplace for treatment of a particular ailment, because of cost. Often the wait to see your designated doctor or for your lab tests can be long, requiring a half day commitment for each step in the process: visiting a general physician, going for one set of tests, then for another, and finally seeing a specialist.

So why bother with IMSS at all, with all these downsides? It’s a failsafe, another form of assurance that you’ll be cared for in the event of a lengthy and serious illness. As suggested earlier, often it’s the largest hospitals such as IMSS which have the best equipment, and surgeons with private practices who perform some of the surgeries. And there is no additional cost for hospitalization once you have full IMSS coverage. While attending a private clinic is more akin to your experiences before moving to Mexico, if you must remain in hospital for a lengthy period of time, the cost of doing so in a clinic could be prohibitive…just like back home.

Visiting private physicians, and even biting the bullet and getting your tests done at privately owned laboratories, reasonably assures you of a familiar quality of care. Coupled with IMSS coverage, you can now be confident that you’re covered in almost all respects. In the event of a protracted hospital stay you can afford to be there for as long as necessary. The best locally available equipment will be used in your diagnosis and treatment, and you have a reasonable likelihood that attending surgeons are those who split their time between private practice and clinic work, and performing procedures in one or more large hospitals.

We maintain IMSS coverage, but rarely use it, preferring to tap our Oaxacan social networks for referrals to specialists to the extent they are required. And in any event, after having been resident in Oaxaca for a few years, those of us who are in our fifties or older have already been introduced to a broad range of specialists. As strange as it still is to be a Canadian and subscribe to the pay-as-you-play philosophy of medical care, it serves our purposes, with the IMSS safety net just in case.

Under certain circumstances you may not want to rely on even the best Oaxaca has to offer. Indeed the stream of Oaxacans traveling to Mexico City flows briskly and wide. The middle and upper classes with contacts in the nation’s capital, there quickly seek out the best in terms of physicians and state-of-the-art equipment, for diagnosis and for treatment of life-threatening diseases.

Even doctors working in Oaxaca at the IMSS and ISSSTE hospitals can make arrangements for patients to receive treatment not available here, to be attended in Mexico City or other larger centers. However, the process can be slow. We know of one case, that of a two-month-old baby with heart problems, who was finally sent to Puebla for surgery at ISSSTE, only to die before the procedure could be performed.

The solution, unless you have quality foreign coverage perhaps as part of your retirement pension plan, is to buy insurance which will pay for treatment in Mexico City, or better yet throughout the world as long as you can make your way to one of the participating top-of-the-line hospitals. In my case, I have a low annual premium, with high deductible which is waived in the event of accident. Again, it’s a failsafe mechanism in the event of, for example, a serious car accident, or cancer, stroke, heart attack, or other catastrophic ailment which would otherwise not be affordable. Oaxaca has less than the best of diagnostic equipment and treatment facilities. My plan provides for a $10,000 deductible, $2,000 annual premium, with member private hospitals in Oaxaca, Mexico City and elsewhere in the republic, and of course abroad including the US, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester being a participant.

In summary, my medical coverage and plan for treatment is the following. We have our regular family physician, who, along with our Oaxacan friends, refers us to specialists in which we have the utmost confidence, and to whom we pay per visit. The same holds true for dental treatment. We have IMSS coverage which we reluctantly (because we don’t use it) renew on an annual basis, but believe it’s worth the price in the event we need extended hospitalization, or to have surgical procedures performed not available in private clinics. And I have my catastrophic coverage which hopefully I’ll never need to access.

Medical care and coverage can be inexpensive, and just as easily it can be costly. It’s a matter of the individual or family having a philosophy, or set of priorities, before electing to move to Oaxaca. You have to determine how you want to lead your life in terms of balancing having less disposable income as a result of medical and insurance costs, with having greater peace of mind in knowing that whatever is thrown your way will be looked after as best possible given your new life in a foreign land. If you cannot achieve a level of comfort in the resolution of these issues and decisions, then perhaps the move is not for you.

Acne A Skin

Acne: A Skin Condition Common Among Teenagers

Acne is a skin condition that many individuals have. Despite the fact that individuals of all ages can develop this common skin condition, there is one group of individuals who are more likely to develop it. That group is teenagers. Teenagers are more at risk for acne, especially when they begin to hit puberty. For that reason, there is a good chance that you may be the parent of a teenager who has an acne problem, whether that problem is large or small.

If you haven’t already noticed, times have changed. Unfortunately, this has led to appearance concerns among many teenagers. Although you might not necessarily think that acne is a big deal, it may be to your child. That is why it is extremely important that you talk to your child about their acne, especially if they have a severe case of it. Acne may go away on its own, but it might not. If your child constantly has problems with acne, it may be a good idea to schedule a visit with a healthcare professional.

When seeking treatment for your child’s acne problem, you will likely find that you have a number of different professional options. Most primary care physicians, also commonly referred to as family physicians, should be able to treat acne. This treatment will often include an over-the-counter medication or a prescription medication. The type of action taken will likely depend on how severe your child’s acne problem is. In addition to their primary care physician, you may also want to take your child to see a dermatologist. A dermatologist is a medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions.

Aside from being prescribed medications or given another treatment plan, you and your teenager will likely learn more about acne. Your healthcare provider, whether it is your primary care physician or a dermatologist, should provide you with information on acne. This information should not only include how to treat it, but how to manage acne outbreaks, as well as how to prevent them. Although this important information should automatically be explained to you, it might not be. When it comes to treating acne, it is important to learn more about it; therefore, if it is not automatically explained, you need to ask.

Regardless of which type of medical professional you are speaking with, a primary care physician or a dermatologist, you will likely learn, as mentioned above, that acne is not uncommon in teenagers. It fact, it has been stated that over half of all teenagers will develop a problem with acne, at one time or another. You may also learn that acne not only includes zits, but it also includes blackheads and whiteheads. You should also learn how and why acne develops. It is even possible that your healthcare physician may have also determined an exact cause for your child’s acne problem, such as unclean skin, clogged pores, or greasy health and beauty products.

As you can easily see, you and your child can learn a lot by meeting with a healthcare worker. Despite the fact that you are advised to seek professional assistance, it may not be possible. Whether you are without insurance or you cannot afford a doctor’s visit, your child does not have to suffer from acne. There are a number of over-the-counter medications that may be able to help reduce or completely eliminate the number of blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples that your teenager has. While prescription medications may work more effectively and quicker, over-the-counter medications are great alternatives. These relatively low-cost medications can be purchased from most department stores, drug stores, or grocery stores. The amount of time it takes for your child’s acne to clear up, if it even clears up at all, will all depend on what type of product you are using.

Since acne is relatively easy to treat, at least from your standpoint, you are advised to take action. Whether your teenager complains about their acne or if you think a problem may be in the process of developing, you are advised to get them the help that they need. Whether that help comes from a medical professional or an over-the-counter medication, your teenager will likely be please that action was initiated.

Republicans, and Healthcare Costs

An Overlooked Plan for Bush, Kerry, Democrats, Republicans, and Healthcare Costs

In an effort to assist our political leadership it would be wise to have a simple solution to a life threatening problem. The much talked about Medicare Medication benefits are going to waste if the medications are not taken properly. Since this month of October is “Talk About Prescriptions” we should recognize some basic facts. There are multiple steps available that will benefit all consumers of healthcare. (Aside from obvious unmet steps for physical activity such as of walking).

After doing some research the industry acknowledges,(in the Merck manual) that a significant percentage of admissions to healthcare facilities (Hospital and Nursing Homes) are due to the fact that seniors are not taking their medications properly. Perhaps there is easy solution for long distance family members. If one has the time to give a friendly reminder call and await their completion of their medications, checking of blood sugar, blood pressure, or other health regimen would be extremely helpful. The industry estimates from the heart disease management alone ‘medication compliance’ could save an estimated $100 billion each year if the medications were taken properly.

More info about this month is at http://ncpie.latticegroup.com/index.jsp. A sponsor behind this site National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), is one of the original patient safety coalitions.

There are numerous types of systems that utilize various compliance techniques with elders. The range involves passive systems and active systems or combination of the two types. The price ranges depending on how extensive or intrusive of a system one desires. There are medication charts, pill boxes, timers, alarm watches, pagers, telephone calls, personal visits, 24 hour surveillance systems that you can use to keep a constant eye on your loved one.

There also needs to be a complimentary understanding of alternative medicine and mainstream medicine. For this to be accomplished a dialogue must include all supplementation to normal food ingestion including herbs, vitamins, minerals, and other supplements suggested by anyone including prescription drugs. There is a chart available at http://ncpie.latticegroup.com/index.jsp. For those who are too busy to meet the demands of such a personal long distance care there is a ‘Personal Voice’ that can help you. You can call 1-USS-4-GET-ME-NOT=1-877-443-8636 or visit the web for more caregiver help at www.family-focus-working-caregivers.com.

Funding Fido’s Healthcare

Health insurance, car insurance, vacation insurance – why not pet insurance?

If you think about it – pet insurance makes sense. Whether your dog (or cat) is a purebred or a mutt, he’s bound to feel a little under the weather or have an accident (not on the carpet – one that’s a little more health related). And if you have health insurance, it’ll make paying for that emergency surgery or treating your pet’s chronic illness a little more palatable.

The cost of fishing a foreign body out of Fluffy’s stomach or correcting Fido’s hip dysplasia alone can run into the thousands – so if you can afford the monthly cost of health insurance, it’s definitely worth the nominal expense.

If you’re thinking about getting healthcare coverage for your pets, be sure to ask these questions of the insurance provider:

1. Are there age restrictions for coverage?
2. Will the premiums rise as my pet ages or when the benefits are used?
3. What is the deductible?
4. How much of the claim will the insurer pay (less the deductible, of course)?
5. Are there limitations on which veterinarian I can use?
6. Is there a restrictive schedule of benefits?
7. What is the term of the policy?
8. Does the policy cover chronic and hereditary conditions?
9. What is the cost?

When you’re finally ready to do a little research, check PETCO’s site (http://www.petco.com/Content/Article.aspx?PC=article&Nav=153&PetTypeID=1&TopicID=12&id=2556) – that’s where I found some of the most valuable information on the topic. But your vet’s office and your local Humane Society should also be able to offer some information to help you in your quest.

Of course, you should also do plenty of shopping around to find the right coverage for your pet – at the right price for your household budget. But instead of wasting time calling the insurance companies, check them out online. Most of them offer quotes in a matter of minutes