As medical expertise has advanced, so has the overall understanding of medication and its application. Partly due to this, life expectancy has increased dramatically in recent generations. As a result, chronic conditions that require year after year care are more common than ever. To properly deal with that, people are in constant need of tips for long term medicine taking.

Medication has allowed many people to live longer and more productive lives. Keeping cholesterol levels and blood pressure readings in check, for example, often requires a constant monitoring and care. Sometimes diet and exercise are not enough. As prescriptions mount, it is more imperative than ever to keep track of the pill consumption.

Many people have resorted to using pill organizes to control daily intake. These convenient containers have separate sections for day of the week and time of day. By filling these up prior to the beginning of the week, a person can keep better track of consumption.

Many people feel more comfortable using two pill dispensers. These can be used on a rotational basis. Once the container for the current week has been emptied, a person can switch to the new, full dispenser. Establishing the habit of filling the empty medication holder is a good discipline to put into practice.

Many health care providers are participating in the planning and organization as well. Often, doctors will try to minimize the amount of prescriptions that are being written. A single capsule or tablet, in some instances, may take the place of several different ones that a patient might be currently using. Likewise, physicians will often look for ways to wean patients from some drugs if diet or exercise is proving to be successful.

Help from families is always a good way to ensure that a patient is being properly medicated. There are times when it can become difficult for someone to remember what pills to take and when to take them. This is often the time when a family member steps in to take on that responsibility. One unfortunate potential byproduct of aging is forgetfulness. A fading memory and the taking of drugs are not a good combination.

Home health care providers are also helping out a lot in this area. Sometimes people lose the capacity to properly medicate. When this happens, the home care specialist takes over that duty. Of course this task is usually one of many that the care giver is responsible for.

An indirect result of the effort to help with proper drug taking is the dilemma of patient dignity. Advocates of the elderly will stress the importance of independent living. There are several studies that link longer life with maintaining a certain degree of independence. The care giver has the responsibility of finding the right mixture of patient self reliance and patient safety.

Applying the right tips for long term medicine taking is not always an easy thing to do. Every person is different and what works for one might not work for another. The important thing is to try to incorporate as many different strategies as possible.

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Many people get confused about their medications. First of all, many medications have long, hard to pronounce names. In addition, the name for the generic equivalent is often listed on the medicine bottle which may add even more confusion. Then you must take into account that one month your pills may be orange and round, while the next month the same medication is all of a sudden green and rectangular. (Different pharmaceutical companies may manufacture the same medications and pharmacies often change which pharmaceutical company they purchase a particular medication from based on which one gives them the best price.) Finally, if you take multiple medications and, God forbid, you get them at different pharmacies, you could truly be headed down a dangerous path.

Each year, countless people are hospitalized, and many even die because of confusion about their medications. Taking too much of a drug can literally be fatal in many instances, while not taking enough may be just as deadly. The following are some guidelines to decrease your risk of adverse medication reactions.

o Get all of your medication filled at the same pharmacy. Many pharmacies have computers that immediately alert them if an attempt is made to fill a prescription that has a potentially dangerous interaction with another one that person is taking. It is literally impossible for even the most brilliant physicians to keep up with every potential drug interaction know to man. If you have ever seen how thick a PDR (Physicians Desk Reference) is you will understand the incomprehensible amount of information it contains, and new drugs are being developed each day!

o Write down a list of all of your medications and keep it with you at all times. Do not forget to include the dosage (i.e. 10 mg), the frequency with which you take it (i.e. twice daily), and WHY you take it. Many medications are used for more than one condition and knowing exactly why you are taking the medication can go a long way toward avoiding confusion in the future.

o Read the information that your pharmacist gives you with each prescription and after you have finished, tuck it away in a safe place in case you need to refer to it in the future. If you have further questions, research your medication yourself online.

o When you get refills, make sure you do not take them until you finish the pills from the old bottle. This is of paramount importance. Many times patients take a pill from both bottles not knowing they are doubling up on medication. This is especially easy to do if the refilled medication looks different from the original one.

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One-third of all Americans say that alcohol causes problems in their families, according to psychologist Dr. Lawrence Metzger. At least ten million Americans, or one out of every ten drinkers, are problems drinkers or alcoholics.

Most alcoholics have an inherited, genetic predisposition to the problem. About half the alcoholics in the United States come from families where alcoholism was prevalent. If one of your parents has a drinking problem, your chances of becoming an alcoholic are 30 percent higher than those of a person whose parent doesn’t have a problem. Your risk is five times higher if both your parents are alcoholics.

Though sometimes viewed as a weakness of will or lack of moral fiber, alcoholism is actually a disease, much like diabetes. Both are chronic and progressive. Chronic means that there is no cure, that the physical sensitivity to alcohol will last as long as the person remains alive. And progressive means the symptoms will increase in number and seriousness as long as the disease is untreated.

For alcoholics, what began as an enjoyable activity eventually, over a period of years, starts causing problems, from bouts of uncontrollable drinking to serious and life-threatening health problems that can include gastric ulcers, liver disorders, heart disease, dysfunctions in the immune system, sexual dysfunctions, and destruction of brain tissue.

If you think that you or someone you know has a drinking problem, contact a local hospital or alcoholism treatment program for professional assessment. The next step may be Alcoholics Anonymous, the highly successful (and free) 12-step program that combines self-responsibility with a strong support group.

Depending on how advanced the drinking is, checking into a three- to four-week inpatient hospital or private recovery program might also be beneficial. Such a program, Dr. Metzger notes, provides medical support in the event of serious withdrawal symptoms like seizures, puts space between the drinker and the people and places that may have promoted the drinking, and offers valuable education and counseling. However, the cost of such a program can be as much as $10,000 a month, which is very impractical especially when your family is on a tight budget.

But you should also know that there are no shortcuts to regaining the perfect health condition that you have before alcohol took possession of yourself. The process of quitting alcoholic tendencies will start from abstaining from it until your body can let a day pass by without craving for any alcoholic beverages. Little by little, you will be able to live a life free from any urges to taste alcohol and that’s the time when you can say life is just beginning for you.

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Nicotine acts in the brain through the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Acetylcholine is accountable for attention, language comprehension and intelligence. When inhaled burning tobacco 90% of the available nicotine is absorbed into the body. Introducing nicotine to our body causes an increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, raising oxygen need but not levels present.

Direct effects of smoking are positive mood changes, alertness, and an ability to give more attention to activities. Nicotine activates the brain circuitry regulating feelings of pleasure. The effects go away in a few minutes, causing smokers to use frequently throughout the day to maintain pleasurable effects caused by nicotine. Short term effects are the primary reasons why so many smokers continue to smoke. Fast to act and fast to dissipate. First an upper causing alertness, then a downer when withdraw begins ten to twenty minutes after the last dose.

Coffee may help reduce the risk of a number of diseases and conditions; the best kept secret about coffee is that it delivers more antioxidants than green tea. Roasting creates beneficial compounds which are unique to coffee. Published studies found the caffeine in coffee improves performance and endurance. It also boosts concentration, reduces fatigue and heightens alertness. The reason is caffeine’s effect on brain receptors, enabling better energy uptake. Coffee cuts the risks of liver cirrhosis by 80%, is helpful in managing asthma Coffee also can help stop headaches, and offsets damage of smoking and alcohol use (Inaba & Cohen, 2005).

Conclusion

Bob is on an elevator starting in the basement each morning. When Bob does not stick to his routine of drinking and smoking signs of withdrawal will intensify, repair will begin as will cravings. Smoking has increased the amount of Acetylcholine receptors throughout his body. By drinking coffee Bob is stimulating his concentration, reducing fatigue and improving his alertness. Bob’s brain receptors are working better than they were before his coffee and smoke. His elevator is on a much higher floor than fifteen minutes ago; regardless of the negative effect nicotine is having on every organ of his body (Inaba & Cohen, 2005, p. 147).

Bob’s nicotine habit compromises his health and lifespan. His coffee drinking may offset health risks. The question we need to ask is: whose decision is it to live this way?

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Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT, is a common medical treatment that can relieve the symptoms of menopause. It is also sometimes used to lessen aging symptoms in men. Although it can be helpful, hormone therapy also comes with many health risks. For this reason, every person should discuss the decision to use hormone treatment with their doctor.

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment that consists of medication prescribed to women by a family physician. The medication is designed to counteract the effects of menopause. These medications contain female hormones like estrogen and progestin, which is a man-made version of the naturally occurring progesterone. Hormone therapy can alleviate many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and vaginal symptoms. Although usually used to treat women, a form of hormone therapy for men is also available to treat low levels of testosterone.

History of the Treatment

Hormone therapy has been around since the 1930′s, when estrogen was used to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. In the 1960′s, doctors found more reasons to use HRT and family physicians began prescribing it more often. Throughout the next ten years, doctors used hormone therapy to treat everything from hot flashes to depression. It was approved by the FDA to treat menopause at first. In the 1980′s it was also approved to treat the loss of bone density. By 2002, it became apparent that hormone therapy can cause serious health problems and the frequency of prescription went down greatly.

Benefits to Hormone Replacement

There are a few benefits to using hormone replacement therapy in the short term. Women seem to gain protection against the loss of bone density, colorectal cancer and heart disease. Studies show that this lowers the chance of fractures and broken bones. The decrease in heart disease occurs when hormone therapy is started at the beginning of menopause. Of course, benefits also include the reduction in menopausal symptoms like mood swings and trouble sleeping as well.

Shortcomings of the Therapy

There are a number of side effects that have decreased the use of hormone therapy medication by family physicians over the past ten years. Taking estrogen medication without progestin increases the risk of uterine cancer. Long term use of hormone therapy is linked to abnormal mammograms, a higher risk of blood clots and an increased chance of certain cancers. For some, the benefits can outweigh the risks of hormone therapy, although family physicians usually recommend it only when menopause symptoms are too difficult to live with.

Hormone replacement therapy has decreased over the past ten years, although it is still an effective treatment for some individuals. HRT can reduce menopausal symptoms and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Still, the side effects and health risks associated with the process make it necessary to carefully consider the therapy before choosing it for long term treatment.

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Weight and appearance now define social and economic opportunities, whereas surname, old school tie and family network used to. Celebrities, movers and shakers and the wealthy are active participants in the wellness revolution today, establishing a beachhead in diet, exercise, vitamins, nutritional supplements and reversing the ageing process. People are actively pursuing healthier lifestyles but don’t have the time for it and there is an upsurge in interest in cosmetic alterations and anti-ageing treatments.

What is wellness? It’s about prevention rather than cure. Curing being the prevail of the medical or the sickness industry. People don’t necessarily choose sickness but can actively choose wellness. The medical industry tends to treat the symptoms, not the underlying problem but very often people have neglected themselves for too long, offering little alternative. Even pharmaceutical companies are more incentivised to spend R & D resources on treating rather than curing ailments, and certainly have little interest in prevention. Because of their economic might they exercise a great deal of influence in the medical fraternity. Health-care funding is a R40 billion+ industry in South Africa alone.

In an increasingly chronic stressful environment, people have less time and look towards “a pill for every ill” solution instead of focusing on the discipline required to establish a sound physical infrastructure. Food, diet and exercise are often neglected. In the USA, 61% of the population are overweight and in ill health. This situation is matched in other developed countries and it is reasonable to assume that a similar picture is emerging in advanced developing nations like ours. The processed and fast food industries have grown exponentially but there is an increasing movement towards healthier lifestyles. This is reflected amongst the wealthier echelons of our population and mirrored by the growth and success of the gym/fitness sector.

Many modern maladies are explained away as a consequence of the ageing process but more and more people will come to realize that stress-related ailments, headaches, body pain, fatigue, arthritis and thousands of other common ailments can be combated by a focus on lifestyle choices. Many existing holistic health practitioners are seen as fringe and also often don’t exploit proven business practices but in the USA, the burgeoning wellness industry represents a turnover of $200 billion pa and some anticipate it will grow to $1 trillion within the next 10 years. Around the world the size of the opportunity is enormous for business minded operators.

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