Forums: Health Insurance Cooperative

A month before the massive salmonella outbreak in eggs was discovered, one Democratic politician was warning another Democrat of the inherent dangers of holding up the "Food Safety Enhancement Act," legislation which very well could have reduced the harm of such an outbreak. A recall on eggs nationwide was announced after hundreds of people were sickened by salmonella that was found on the shells of the eggs. One benefit of the Food Safety Enhancement Act is that it will allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to order a mandatory recall of foods that are suspected to be tainted. Currently,...

A nine-year-old boy didn't know he was allergic to bees, but his 18-week-old dog could sense this. When the boy was attacked by a swarm of bees, it was the pup that took charge and saved the boy from a possible severe reaction. Richie didn't know he was allergic to bees until he was stung on his feet while outside playing with his puppy Pinky. The pup seemed to have a sixth sense and knew that Richie not only had an allergy, but he also had a blood condition that didn't allow his blood to clot properly. Both these issues...

Feeding obese mice omega-3 fatty acids reduced inflammation that can lead to diabetes, a new study finds. By studying fat tissue in the mice consuming fish oil, researchers found omega-3 fatty acids seem to act on a particular receptor on cells, GPR120, which, when activated, blocks inflammatory processes. Chronic inflammation can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Therefore, "if we can fix the inflammation part, it's possible that we could prevent insulin resistance or even ameliorate diabetes," Talukdar explained.

Changing Kim Jong-il's Appearance in Recent Years Oct, 2006 Jun, 2000 vs Oct, 2007 2008 Mar, 2009 May, 2010 Aug 27, 2010 Photos from Latest Trip to China In the following four pictures, you can see a woman wearing orange-colored dress. Media suspect that she is Kim Ok, the latest consort(wife?) of Kim Jong-il. Some S. Korean media even venture to speculate that Kim Jong-eun, the designated heir, is actually Kim Ok's son, not Ko Yong-hee(the previous consort(wife?).)

Soy does not lower cholesterol, does not prevent heart disease, and does not deserve an FDA-approved soy heart-health claim. This amazing announcement comes from none other than the American Heart Association (AHA) published in the Jan. 17, 2006, issue of its journal Circulation. Athletes at Risk Not long before this announcement, University of Colorado researchers reported in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation that soy worsens cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease that is very much on the rise, afflicting 1 in 500 Americans. Cardiomyopathy, defined as a weakening of the heart muscle or change in structure...

Monday August 30, 2010 Later Abortions Linked to Psychological Problems: Study Springfield, IL, August 27, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A study of women who had abortions has found that women undergoing later abortions face increased psychological risks, are more likely to be ambivalent about having an abortion and are more likely to need counseling and support.   The results came from an online survey of 374 women who answered a detailed questionnaire about the circumstances leading to their abortions, their previous mental health history, or physical or sexual abuse and emotional state following abortion. The small study is the first...

Graham Miles, 66, said that through sheer willpower he regained the use of his body after he was left completely paralysed except for his eyes by a stroke in the stem of the brain which connects it to the body. His recovery is such that he can now walk, talk and even races cars. But while it has amazed doctors and his family and friends, it has also reopened the debate about assisted suicides and the assumption that completely paralysed patients can never recover. Mr Miles, a father-of-two, believes he overcame the devastating condition by tapping into the "extra capacity"...

One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink actually tend to die sooner than those who do. The standard Alcoholics Anonymous explanation for this finding is that many of those who show up as abstainers in such research are actually former hard-core drunks who had already incurred health problems associated with drinking. But a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that - for reasons that aren't entirely clear - abstaining from alcohol does actually tend to increase one's risk of...

Scientists in China have developed a probe that could be used to test how well a patient will respond to certain drug treatments. The new probe measures the activity of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), an enzyme that metabolises drugs and other toxins containing aryl amines and hydrazines. The activity of NAT2 differs between individuals, which affects how well a drug will work, and dysfunction of the enzyme has been linked to breast cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases. A simple measure of NAT2 activity could help ensure patients are given drugs that they can metabolise effectively with minimal side effects. Xuhong Qian and colleagues...

As some of you already know, I’m currently unemployed and hunting a new job. This has actually proven to be more work than having a job. It’s the first time I’ve been out of work for longer than a week or two, and it’s frustrating. The whole process of applying for unemployment, wallpapering the town with job applications and stressing over bills is frustrating to say the least. For me, it’s uncharted territory.