Doctor's Visit a Pain for Overweight Women Info

i read article from www.medicinenet.com Overweight women have a message for doctors and nurses: If you want us to feel good about coming to see you, treat us well.

That means having gowns that fit, armless chairs in the waiting room, and a respectful attitude - not a demeaning lecture, eight overweight women report in October's Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Those women live in western Texas, but overweight and obese women elsewhere can probably relate, note associate professor Emily Merrill, PhD, RN, FNP, of Texas Tech University's School of Nursing in Lubbock, Texas, and assistant professor Jane Grassley, PhD, RN, of the College of Nursing at Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas.

Merrill and Grassley interviewed the women at length about their experiences in the health care system. The women told stories of feeling dismissed by doctors and nurses, of literally not fitting in at doctors' offices, feeling stigmatized for their weight, and yet refusing to give up on their care.

Poor Treatment at Doctors' Offices

Those stories included a woman whose care was delayed as a nurse "was running around the office [saying], 'We need a bigger [blood pressure] cuff. She can't fit the other."

Another woman recalled that when she gave birth to her son, she weighed 215 pounds. She said she felt hurt when the doctor told her to "just relax and envision yourself on a beach like a big ol' whale beached."

Then there was the chiropractor who told a 230-pound woman seeking arthritis relief that "all you need to do is lose weight," without taking X-rays or completing the exam. The women also said they felt that they weren't believed when they said they had tried to lose weight.

It's not that all doctors and nurses were unwelcoming. In general, the women felt comfortable with their primary care doctors, but several said they dreaded going to see specialists for the first time.

The women indicated that they wouldn't give up on getting medical care. But other overweight women may not be so persistent in the face of discouraging experiences, according to the report.

Merrill and Grassley urge nurses to "use their influence ... to provide appropriate space, furniture, equipment, and supplies including examination gowns, blood pressure cuffs, examination tables, and adequate scales for weighing," and to understand how overweight women may feel about how they're treated.

How many of Doctors Prescribe Placebos

More than half of doctors offer fake prescriptions to make patients feel better and that's OK, most doctors say. This artcle source www.medicenenet.com you can get information.

The findings come from a survey of 679 internists and rheumatologists. Doctors in these specialties often see patients with chronic illnesses or chronic pains that are difficult, if not impossible, to cure. Sometimes fake medicine -- placebos -- make such patients feel better.

Fake drugs can have very real benefits. It's called the placebo effect. In clinical trials, many patients who receive placebos do better than real-world patients who get no treatment at all, notes study researcher Jon C. Tilburt, MD.

"Twenty to thirty percent of the benefit seen in rheumatism drug studies are due to the placebo effect. Real changes in health go along with the belief that patients will get better," Tilburt tells WebMD.

Tilburt and colleagues asked the doctors a series of questions, each a bit more blunt than the last:

• If a clinical trial showed a sugar pill was better than no treatment for fibromyalgia, would you recommend sugar pills to fibromyalgia patients? Yes, 58% of the doctors said.
• Do you ever actually recommend treatments primarily to enhance a patient's expectations? Yes, 80% of the doctors said.
• In the last year, did you recommend a placebo treatment to a patient? Yes, 55% of the doctors said.

What did the doctors actually tell their patients? Over two-thirds of those who prescribed placebos told patients they were getting "medicine not typically used for your condition but which might benefit you."

Is it "appropriate" to fool patients this way? Yes, 62% of the doctors said.

"I don't think doctors have anything but the patients' best interest in mind when they give a placebo prescription," says Tilburt. "They are thinking about both the physical and psychological well-being of the patient."

The hard-to-accept truth is that doctors don't have proven treatments for many of the ills that plague their patients.

"With untreatable conditions or chronic conditions when we have run out of treatments, doctors are willing to try virtually anything -- if they are convinced it is safe -- to make the patient feel better, even if the mechanism is a psychological mechanism," Tilburt says.

Placebo Prescriptions: Right or Wrong?

Is it right for doctors to prescribe treatments they believe are not biochemically effective?

Here's the official policy of the American Medical Association:

• Use of a placebo without the patient's knowledge may undermine trust, compromise the patient-physician relationship, and result in medical harm to the patient.
• A placebo must not be given merely to mollify a difficult patient, because doing so serves the convenience of the physician more than it promotes the patient's welfare.
• Physicians may use placebos for diagnosis or treatment only if the patient is informed of and agrees to its use.

That last point seems tricky. How can a fake drug work if a patient knows it is fake?

The AMA policy says doctors should explain to patients that they can better understand their condition if they try different medicines, including a placebo. If the patient agrees to this, the doctor does not have to identify which medicine is fake, nor does the doctor have to get the patient's specific consent before giving the patient the fake treatment.

There's nothing wrong with this approach, says medical ethicist Arthur Caplan, PhD, professor of bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"It is ethical to use treatments that are low risk and have few side effects if you can relieve people's symptoms," Caplan tells WebMD. "Placebos are especially useful in the treatment of the psychological aspects of disease. Most doctors will tell you they have used placebos."

But doctors do often prescribe placebos the wrong way. In today's world, a doctor can't write a prescription for a sugar pill. The doctor has to prescribe something -- and every active medicine carries some risk of side effects.

"What you can use as a placebo is complicated. I have seen people dispensing antibiotics as placebo for mothers who want something for their kids' flu," Caplan says. "Not only does this not help, but it does build up drug resistance and may have some serious side effects for the child."

Most doctors use relatively harmless drugs, such as baby aspirin, as placebos. Clearly, great care must be taken to ensure that the placebo drug's risk is less than the benefit of the hoped-for placebo effect.

"We know it is wrong when doctors give potentially harmful medicines in a manner that may not be warranted," Tilburt says. "If I think it will actually have only a placebo effect, I should not give a patient a sedative. The compulsion by doctors to benevolently promote patient expectations can play out in a way harmful to patients."

In the end, Tilburt suggests, the effectiveness of a placebo treatment may well hinge on the trust patients have in their doctors.

"Maybe it isn't about taking a pill at all," he says. "Maybe it is the relationship between the doctor and the patient that makes the real difference."

Tilburt, formerly with the bioethics department of the National Institutes of Health, is now assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. The study appears in the Oct. 24 online first edition of the journal BMJ.

SOURCES: Tilburt, J.C. BMJ, online first edition, Oct. 24, 2008. American Medical Association: "Placebo Use in Clinical Practice," policy H-140.869. Jon Tilburt, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Arthur Caplan, PhD, professor of bioethics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Go to Pain Management

What about pain management? How get info pain management? I read article From information that full him from the website www.medicinenet.co, this article so give basic information for you.

Introduction to pain management

Pain management can be simple or complex, depending on the cause of the pain. An example of pain that is typically less complex would be nerve root irritation from a herniated disc with pain radiating down the leg. This condition can often be alleviated with an epidural steroid injection and physical therapy. Sometimes, however, the pain does not go away. This can require a wide variety of skills and techniques to treat the pain. These skills and techniques include:

• Interventional procedures
  
  
• Medication management
  
  
• Physical therapy or chiropractic therapy
  
  
• Psychological counseling and support
  
  
• Acupuncture and other alternative therapies; and
• Referral to other medical specialists

All of these skills and services are necessary because pain can involve many aspects of a person's daily life.

How is pain treatment guided?

The treatment of pain is guided by the history of the pain, its intensity, duration, aggravating and relieving conditions, and structures involved in causing the pain. In order for a structure to cause pain, it must have a nerve supply, be susceptible to injury, and stimulation of the structure should cause pain. The concept behind most interventional procedures for treating pain is that there is a specific structure in the body with nerves of sensation that is generating the pain. Pain management has a role in identifying the precise source of the problem and isolating the optimal treatment.

Fluoroscopy is an X-ray guided viewing method. Fluoroscopy is often used to assist the doctor in precisely locating the injection so that the medication reaches the appropriate spot and only the appropriate spot.

New Drug May Boost Weight Loss Efforts Info

I read information from www.medicinenet.com, An experimental diet drug may prove to be twice as effective as currently available weight loss medications if results from an early study are confirmed.

Researchers did not compare the drug tesofensine head-to-head with currently approved weight loss medications. But researcher Arne Astrup, MD, of the University of Copenhagen tells WebMD that the weight loss in the study was roughly double that reported in trials of these drugs.

Danish biopharmaceutical company Neurosearch A/S, which hopes to market tesofensine as a weight loss drug, paid for the study.

"Normally the drugs now on the market give you at best a weight loss of 5 kilograms (11 pounds) with diet and exercise," Astrup says. "In this study we doubled that weight loss."

Tesofensine Targets Appetite Centers

Astrup says the drug works on three different appetite regulatory centers of the brain -- the neurotransmitters noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin.

The phase II study, reported today in The Lancet, included 203 obese patients whose average weight was about 220 pounds.

All the participants were placed on a calorie-restricted diet and all were asked to increase their physical activity to between 30 minutes to an hour a day.

Participants were treated with either a placebo, 0.25 milligrams of tesofensine, 0.5 milligrams of the drug, or 1 milligram of the drug daily.

In all, 161 of the participants completed the six-month study, with average weight loss ranging from a low of around 5 pounds in the placebo group to 28 pounds among patients taking the highest dose of the tesofensine.

But patients on the highest dose of the experimental drug also showed significant increases in blood pressure.

Because of this, patients who participate in a planned phase III study of the drug will be treated with the 0.5 milligram dose, which rivaled the higher dose in terms of weight loss in the phase II trial but elicited only a slight increase in pressure over placebo.

A spokeswoman for Neurosearch A/S tells WebMD that the phase III trials are planned for both the U.S. and Europe. Assuming the trials are positive, the company hopes to have the drug on the market within four years.

Carier Job, Education May Buffer Against Dementia

The participants' memory and cognitive skills were tested, and their brains were scanned to look for changes and damage. They were then followed for an average of 14 months, during which time 21 of those with mild cognitive impairment developed Alzheimer's disease.

Among people with the same level of memory impairment, those with more education and more mentally demanding jobs had significantly fewer brain changes and damage than those with less education and less mentally demanding occupations.

It included 242 people with Alzheimer's, 72 with mild cognitive impairment, and 144 with no memory problems. People with mild cognitive impairment have memory problems beyond what's normal for their age but not the serious memory problems associated with Alzheimer's disease.

This was true in both those with Alzheimer's and those with mild cognitive impairment who developed Alzheimer's, which suggests the cognitive reserve is already in effect during the mild cognitive impairment that precedes Alzheimer's.

"The theory is that education and demanding jobs create a buffer against the effects of dementia in the brain, or a cognitive reserve," study author Dr. Valentina Garibotto, of the San Raffaele University and Scientific Institute and the National Institute of Neuroscience in Milan, said in an American Academy of Neurology news release.

"Their brains are able to compensate for the damage and allow them to maintain functioning in spite of damage. There are two possible explanations. The brain could be made stronger through education and occupational challenges. Or, genetic factors that enabled people to achieve higher education and occupational achievement might determine the amount of brain reserve. It isn't possible to determine which accounts for our findings," Garibotto said.

The study was published in the Oct. 21 issue of Neurology.

-- Robert Preidt

Two Deaths Spur Delta Crib Recall Information

Delta Enterprise Corp. of New York is recalling nearly 1.6 million drop side cribs after two babies suffocated when the cribs' drop side detached.

That news comes from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Delta crib recall includes 985,000 cribs with Delta's "Crib Trigger Lock with Safety Peg" drop side hardware and about 600,000 cribs with Delta's "Crib Trigger Lock with Spring Peg" drop side hardware.

If you have a Delta crib, check the model number, which is located on top of the mattress support board.

Here are the model numbers for the recalled Delta cribs with the "Crib Trigger Lock with Safety Peg" drop side hardware, which were sold between 1995 and December 2005: 4320, 4340, 4500, 4520, 4530, 4532, 4540, 4542, 4550, 4551, 4580, 4600, 4620, 4624 (production dates 01/06 through 11/07), 4640, 4660, 4720, 4735, 4742, 4750 (production dates 01/95 through 12/00), 4760, 4770, 4780, 4790, 4820, 4840, 4850, 4860, 4880, 4890, 4892, 4900, 4910, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-6, 4930, 4940, 4943, 4944, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4958, 4963, 4968, 4969, and 4980.

Here are the model numbers for the recalled Delta cribs with the "Crib Trigger Lock with Spring Peg" drop side hardware, which were sold from January 2000 through January 2007: 4340, 4343, 4520, 4600, 4620, 4624, 4625, 4629, 4660, 4665, 4720, 4750, 4751, 4850, 4855, 4857, 4880, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-2B, 4925-6, 4980, and 8605.

None of the recalled cribs are currently in stores.

Free Delta Crib Repair Kits

Delta is providing free kits to repair the recalled cribs. For more information, call Delta's recall hotline at 800-816-5304 after 5 p.m. today or visit Delta's crib recall web site.

Meanwhile, the CPSC urges parents with the recalled cribs to find a safe, alternative sleep environment for their child.

Even if you don't have a recalled crib, the CPSC has these tips for parents:

• Make sure to tighten the crib's hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy.
• When using a drop side crib, make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly.
• Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Any disengagement can create a gap and entrap a child.
• Don't try to repair any side of the crib, especially with tape, wire, or rope.

Menu from Spices, Herbs Boost Health for Diabetics

Spices may do more than flavor your food: New research suggests a shake of this and a pinch of that could also boost the health of diabetics.

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Researchers bought 24 herbs and spices and found that many appear to have the power to inhibit tissue damage and inflammation brought on by high blood-sugar levels in the body.

The study didn't examine the direct effects of spices on diabetics. Also, spices are typically used in small amounts, making it unclear if those who eat them would get much benefit.

Still, "this gives people a tool to work with in terms of keeping their health as they want it to be," said study co-author James Hargrove, an associate professor at the University of Georgia.

Hargrove and his colleagues were intrigued by spices because they're rich in antioxidants, which are thought to protect cells from damage. "One can put a lot of antioxidant power into meals by using spices" without making people fatter, he said. "Because of the way they're prepared, herbs and spices tend to have low calorie contents."

In addition, spices are cheaper than many other food products, he said.

The researchers decided to look into the anti-inflammatory properties of spices. "We said, 'Let's just go to Wal-Mart, get all the McCormick brand spices we can find, and check those. That was as complicated as our study design was."

The findings appear in a recent issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food.

In laboratory tests, the researchers found that many of the spices and extracts appeared to inhibit a process known as glycation, which has been linked to inflammation and tissue damage in diabetics.

The spices that seemed most likely to help diabetics included cloves, cinnamon (previously pegged as a possible blood-sugar reducer), allspice, apple pie spice and pumpkin pie spice, Hargrove said. Top herbs included marjoram, sage and thyme.

Other spices and herbs were "still rich compared to other foods" when it comes to the effect, he said.

Lona Sandon, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, said that while research does suggest that spices are high in antioxidants and may reduce blood-sugar levels, it's difficult to make recommendations about how much to use.

Even so, "I say add as much herbs and spices as your taste buds and tummy can take," she said. "They add flavor and fun to foods without adding calories or fat. Their potential for promoting health outweighs any risks, unless, of course, you have an allergy to a particular spice."

SOURCES: James Hargrove, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Foods and Nutrition, The University of Georgia, Athens; Lona Sandon, ME.d., R.D., assistant professor, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, and national spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association, Dallas; June 2008, Journal of Medicinal Food

The Female Condom Will Circulate in Balikpapan Sumatra Indonesia

Balikpapan, on Saturday — the National Office of the Family Planning Co-ordination (K3BN) Balikpapan would menyosialisasikan the new contraception implement, femdom (female condom), the condom for the woman. "His plan would disosialisasikan in the Harapan Baru Valley compound (LHB) KM 17, the" headword "of" K3BN" Yusuf Wahab in Balikpapan, on Saturday (18/10). In 2008 K3BN budget for for the contraception implement like the spiral (IUD), the implant (implan), suntik, the pill, the condom, and femdom of Rp 200 million. "In the meantime, the budget" of the "whole, as paying the official and for the socialisation agenda, of Rp 4.2 billion," he revealed. Yusuf explained, for the number of socialisation whole of the use femdom, in fact the use figure of the condom in Balikpapan was still low.

From the use data in 2007, only 241 participants in prepared FAMILY PLANNING used the condom, the contraception implement that most of his users were suntik totalling 5,735 participants and the pill totalling 2,561 participants.

The socialisation target of the contraception implement not only to the fertile age couples, but also the commercial sex workers. "Because, apart from to prevent pregnancy, the contraception implement could also avoid the spread" of the "venereal disease," said Yusuf. Femdom that currently circulates in Balikpapan was the product from DKT Indonesia..

The condom have material the foundation of the latex was imported directly from India and had the foam or the sponge that was closed to absorb sperm. It was long that this condom 17 cm with the diameter 6,6-7 cm and to prevent nested him the illness, the same condom had the area of the elastic and flexible triangle.

About Best-Tasting Vegetarian Foods (cont.)

Whether you're following a vegetarian diet full-time or part-time, and whether you're eating more vegetarian foods because of health, budget, or ethical reasons, you probably want to know which vegetarian products are worth buying. I'm a practicing "part-time vegetarian," so I have tried all sorts of non-meat and alternative meat products. Some products I buy again and again, while for others, one taste was too many.

Vegetarian products generally fit into these categories:
• Meat substitutes, which are made to replace or look like popular meat or dairy products. Products like soy cheese and vegetarian versions of hot dogs,
breakfast sausages, chicken nuggets, ground beef, and burgers are included in this
grouping.

• Unapologetically vegan foods, which are not meant to look or taste like meat. This group includes frozen entrees that feature tofu or beans instead of chicken or beef, for example.

• Foods for lacto-ovo lovers (lacto-ovo vegetarians are those who consume milk and egg products as well as plant foods). There are many dishes that are naturally meatless or can be made in a meatless version. Dishes like vegetable lasagna, cheese pizza, and vegetarian burgers that include cheese would fit into this grouping.
Thinking back to some of the products I've tried over the last couple of years and including products recommended by friends, here are some of the best-tasting vegetarian products that can be found in supermarket chains and specialty markets. Below that, you'll find some vegetarian recipes using these products.
Best Supermarket Vegetarian Foods Here are some favorites that are available in most major supermarket chains.

Morningstar Farms Meal Starters. You can use this instead of cooked ground beef. The first three ingredients listed on the label are textured vegetable protein, water, and corn oil How Does It Taste? It has a mild pleasant flavor and seems to work best when added to a mixed dish like chili, enchiladas, or casseroles.

Nutrition Information: 2/3 cup has 80 calories, 10 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 240 mg sodium. Calories from fats: 28%.
Gardenburger Breakfast Sausage (meatless). The first five ingredients are soy protein concentrate-hydrated, canola oil, ground flaxseed, vegetable gum, and salt. Each patty contributes .28 grams of plant omega-3s from canola oil and ground flaxseed.
How Does It Taste? It doesn't taste like pork sausage, but it's good for a non-meat sausage. It's even better when you include it in a breakfast dish with other flavorful ingredients.

Nutrition Information: 1 patty (43 grams) has 45 calories, 5 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 270 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 50%.

Amy's Cheese Pizza Pocket Sandwich (contains milk products). The first five ingredients are organic wheat and whole-wheat flour, part-skim mozzarella cheese, organic tomato puree, filtered water, and organic extra-virgin olive oil.
How Does It Taste? This is a nice-tasting alternative to the more processed pizza pockets on the market.

Nutrition Information: 1 pocket has 310 calories, 14 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 450 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 29%. (10% Daily Value for Vitamin A, 20% Daily Value for calcium)
Amy's All American Veggie Burger, made with organic vegetables & grains.The first 10 ingredients are wholesome enough: organic onions, organic mushrooms, filtered water, wheat gluten, textured soy protein concentrate, organic bulgur wheat, organic celery, organic carrots, organic walnuts, and organic oats.

How Does It Taste? It's a tasty burger with a great texture. I suggest pan-frying your burger with a little olive oil cooking spray. After it's cooked, add condiments like sundried tomato bruschetta sauce, or your favorite mustard or salsa.
Nutrition Information: 1 burger has 120 calories, 10 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 0 gram saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 390 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 22.5%. (15% Daily Value for Vitamin A)
Gardenburger (Original). The first five ingredients are cooked brown rice, vegetables(mushrooms, onions), water, rolled oats, and bulgur wheat (hydrated).
How Does It Taste?

This is Gardenburger's top-selling burger for a reason. It has the same great flavor and texture that helped define veggie burgers many years ago.
Nutrition Information: 1 burger has 100 calories, 5 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 5 grams fiber, 420 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 31.5%.

Boca Garden Vegetable Meatless Burger. The first five ingredients are water, organic textured soy flour, organic zucchini, organic red bell peppers, and organic textured wheat.

How Does It Taste? The mild flavor works well with stronger flavored toppings and condiments, like stone-ground mustard or spicy BBQ sauce.
Nutrition Information: 1 burger has 130 calories, 15 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 0 gram saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 400 mg sodium. (10% Daily Value for calcium)

Boca Italian Meatless Sausage (contains eggs). The first five ingredients are water, soy protein isolate, expeller pressed canola oil, textured soy protein concentrate, and egg whites.

How Does It Taste? The texture is far from a real Italian sausage, but isn't altogether unappetizing. The flavor is pretty good; I had no problem finishing the whole sausage. These would work well in dishes calling for whole or sliced Italian sausage, like marinara sauce for pasta.

Nutrition Information: 1 sausage (2.5 ounces) has 130 calories, 13 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 650 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 41%.

Boca Original Meatless Chik'n Nuggets. These nuggets are made with water, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, textured wheat protein and yeast extract. I suggest using the oven or toaster oven to warm them up instead of the microwave.
How Does It Taste? OK. They don't have a lot of flavor, so are best served with a dipping sauce.

Nutrition Information: 4 nuggets (3 ounces) have 180 calories, 14 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 500 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 35%.

Michael Angelo's Eggplant Parmesan (contains eggs and cheese). One container of this frozen entree actually contains 2 servings, so you'll need to serve it with some whole-grain pasta or bread and perhaps some fruit to round out the meal. The first five ingredients are organic tomatoes, eggplant, mozzarella cheese, water, and breadcrumbs.

How Does It Taste? Good enough to make me want to eat the whole container.
Nutrition Information: 1 serving (3/4 cup) has 160 calories, 11 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 500 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39%.

Best Vegetarian Foods from Whole Foods Market Here are some vegetarian favorites you can find at your local Whole Foods specialty market. O'Hana House Vegetarian Indian Curry Bite Size Won Ton (mini pot-sticker appetizers). The main ingredients in the won ton filling are organic tofu, organic cabbage, baby bok choy, green peas, and carrots. Seasonings include organic curry powder and organic soy sauce.
How Does It Taste? These brown nicely if you fry them in a nonstick pan coated with canola or olive oil cooking spray. They have a soft textured filling with a mild curry flavor.

Nutrition Information: 1 serving (about 6 pieces) has 80 calories, 3 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 230 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 17%. (10% Daily Value for Vitamin C)
Amy's Indian: Vegetable Korma. This is made with organic vegetables and rice, curried vegetables with rice, and dal.

How Does It Taste? Pretty tasty, and not too spicy. The small amount of food was surprisingly satisfying.
Nutrition Information: 1 entrée has 300 calories, 9 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 680 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 36%.

Favorite Vegetarian Foods from Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs. The first five ingredients are textured vegetable protein (soy protein concentrate, caramel color), water, wheat gluten, soy protein, and canola oil.
How Does It Taste? The meatballs have an appealing, tender texture and a pleasant, mild flavor. They work well with high-flavor sauces or ingredients.
Nutrition Information: 6 meatballs (85 grams) have 140 calories, 16 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 560 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 38.5%. (6% Daily Value for calcium and 15% Daily Value for iron)
Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu. These are traditional Thai-style rice noodles in a peanut-based sauce with tofu, scallions, and carrots.
How Does It Taste? Pretty good. I like to sprinkle in some soy nuts or chopped peanuts for added flavor and crunch.
Nutrition Information: 1 container has 600 calories, 18 g protein, 114 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 840 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 11%. (45% Daily Value for Vitamin A, 10% for Vitamin C)
Trader Joe's Garden Vegetable Lasagna (contains milk products). This is made with Organic Vegetables and organic wheat flour.
How Does It Taste? Pretty good. I like to sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top for added flavor.
Nutrition Information: 1 container has 290 calories, 13 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 720 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 28%. (70% Daily Value for vitamin A, 25% for calcium, 60% for Vitamin C)
Trader Joe's Thai Vegetable Gyoza (pot stickers). One bag makes about 3 servings of 5 gyoza each.
How Does It Taste? Pretty good. If you like a little dark brown crust on the bottom of your pot stickers, preheat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a nonstick skillet, then place the frozen gyoza flat-side down in the pan and saute on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Pour in about 1/4 cup of water; reduce heat to medium and cover. The pot stickers are done when the water has evaporated.
Nutrition Information: Five gyoza have 270 calories, 5 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, < 5 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 600 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 33%. (35% Daily value for Vitamin A)
Trader Joe's Meatless Corn Dogs. These veggie corn dogs are made with soy protein concentrate, wheat gluten, egg whites, dextrose, canola oil, and other ingredients.
How Does It Taste? Surprisingly good -- my teenage daughters even like them. I have them in the freezer so they can make themselves a quick snack every now and then.
Nutrition Information: 1 corn dog has 160 calories, 9 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 560 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 20%. (6% Daily Value for Vitamin C)
Vegetable Masala Burger. The first five ingredients are potatoes, canola oil, carrots, green beans, and water.
How Does It Taste? This burger has a pleasant Indian flavor with hot spices. It has a slightly oily texture. I suggest serving it with high-fiber bread or bun to increase the fiber count for the meal.
Nutrition Information: 1 burger has 120 calories, 2 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 gram fiber, 360 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 60%. (8% Daily Value for Vitamin A, 15% for Vitamin C)
Vegetarian Recipes Made Easy
These four vegetarian recipes are a snap to make because they make use of the products listed above.
Meatless Meatball Marinara Sandwich
Ingredients:
Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs (or similar product)
2/3 cup bottled pizza or marinara sauce
1 whole-grain sandwich roll
Canola cooking spray
2 ounces reduced-fat cheese, soy cheese, or other cheese of your choice
Optional: Sauteed green bell pepper strips or caramelized onions (In a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, saute 1 cup thinly sliced green pepper or thinly sliced onion in 1 teaspoon canola or olive oil or canola cooking spray until tender).
Preparation:
1. Place frozen meatballs in a microwave-safe container; heat on HIGH for about one minute. Cover meatballs with the pizza sauce, cover the container and continue to heat in microwave for 30 seconds more.
2. Meanwhile, toast sandwich roll halves in the toaster or toaster oven or grill in a nonstick frying pan (after spraying the cut sides of the rolls with canola cooking spray) until nicely brown.
3. Lay half the meatball marinara mixture on top of each bottom roll half, then sprinkle half the cheese over each meatball mixture. Add sauteed green pepper or onions, if desired. Cover with the top side of the roll and enjoy.
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Nutrition Information: Per serving: 379 calories, 28 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat, 4.4 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 7.5 g fiber, 1229 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 30%.
Vegetarian Cheeseburger Pie
This is the lacto-ovo vegetarian rendition of the popular recipe from Bisquick. If you like, use soy-based cheese instead of the reduced- fat cheddar.
Ingredients:
2 to 2 1/2 cups Morningstar Farms Meat Starters (or similar vegetarian soy substitute for ground beef), partially thawed
3/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper or ground white pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk or fat-free half-and-half
3/4 cups Bisquick reduced-fat baking mix
1 large egg (use a higher omega-3 brand, if available)
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with canola cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, toss together the meat starters, green onion, pepper and oregano; spread mixture in the prepared pie plate.
3. In large mixing bowl, beat the milk or fat-free half-and-half, reduced-fat Bisquick, egg, and egg substitute with mixer on high speed until smooth (about 1 minute). Pour batter over the Meat Starters mixture and bake for 25 minutes.
4. Top the pie with tomato slices, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, and bake about 5 minutes more (a knife inserted in the center should come out reasonably clean.)
Yield: 6 servings
Nutrition Information: Per serving: 213 calories, 17 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 7.2 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 533 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 30%.
Meatless Italian Hero Sandwiches
Ingredients:
2 links Boca Italian Meatless Sausage, partially thawed
3 to 6 tablespoons nonalcoholic beer, light beer, or water
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 small green or red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 whole grain hoagie or hot dog buns
Preparation:
1. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan generously with olive oil or canola cooking spray. Add the sausage links and beer, reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer for about 6 minutes.
2. While the sausage is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender (about 8 minutes). After the first 4 minutes, add up to 1/2 cup water to the skillet as needed to help cook the vegetables.
3. Preheat oven broiler or toaster oven broiler. Split the rolls lengthwise in half; spray the cut sides with olive oil or canola cooking spray. Set under the broiler briefly just to crisp the bread (watch carefully). Cut the sausages lengthwise in half. Layer the pepper and onion mixture and the split links on the roll bottom. Cover with top of the rolls. Cut each roll crosswise in half for easier eating.
Yield: 2 servings
Nutrition Information: Per serving: 321 calories, 18 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, .9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g fiber, 861 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 30%.
Huevos Rancheros
Ingredients:
2 corn tortillas
Canola cooking spray
2 large eggs (use a higher omega-3 brand, if available)
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 links Boca Italian Meatless Sausage (or similar product), partially thawed and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (or use canned or cooked pinto or kidney beans)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (the white and part of the green)
2 ounces shredded reduced-fat cheese of your choice (sharp cheddar, Jack, or other)
1/4 cup salsa of your choice
1/4 large avocado, thinly sliced
Preparation:
1. Coat both sides of a corn tortilla with canola cooking spray; place in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When underside is lightly brown, flip tortilla over to brown other side. Remove from frying pan and repeat with the second corn tortilla. Set the tortillas aside.
2. With fork, whisk or electric mixer, beat eggs with egg substitute until well blended.
3. Add the meatless Italian sausage chunks to the same frying pan as the tortillas (adding another coat of cooking spray, if needed) and cook over medium-high heat until hot throughout and lightly brown in some areas. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low (if your stove runs hot); pour in the egg mixture and gently stir with the sausage pieces until egg is almost cooked throughout (1 to 2 minutes). Turn off the heat; stir in the black beans and green onions. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the egg mixture. Cover pan and let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese and blend flavors.
4. Place each prepared corn tortilla on a plate. Spoon half of the egg mixture on top of each tortilla, then top with half the salsa and half the avocado slices.

Yield: 2 servings
Nutrition Information: Per serving: 448 calories, 37.4 g protein, 36.4 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 233 mg cholesterol, 8.3 g fiber, 1318 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 34%.

Knowledge about Excess Drinking Shrinks the Brain

"The take-home message is that, if you drink a lot, you're going to hurt your brain," said Rajesh Miranda, an associate professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. "This is something we knew, but this is a huge study that quantifies that."

"It's not surprising that alcohol would cause shrinkage of the brain. That kind of thing has been observed in animal models and smaller studies," Miranda added. "The surprising thing is that they [the study authors] showed that even low levels of drinking are not protective, as people had seen in other cases."

The findings are published in the October issue of the Archives of Neurology.

Brain volume decreases naturally as people age, at a rate of about 1.9% per decade. At the same time, the brain acquires white matter lesions as it gets older. Both of these changes also accompany dementia and cognitive decline, according to background information in the study.

Moderate levels of alcohol consumption have been linked with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, leading researchers to hypothesize that restrained tippling might also slow declines in brain volume. Previous studies have also found that drinking alcohol in moderation is associated with improved cognitive function and a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

For the new study, led by Carol Ann Paul, of Wellesley College in Massachusetts, researchers conducted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and health exams on 1,839 adults (average age 60) participating in the Framingham Offspring Study between 1999 and 2001. None of the participants had evidence of clinical dementia or had suffered a stroke.

The men and women were asked how much alcohol they drank each week, then were classified as abstainers, former drinkers, or low (one to seven drinks per week), moderate (eight to 14 drinks per week) or high consumers of alcohol (more than 14 drinks a week).

Most participants (almost 38% of men and more than 44% of women) fell into the "low-consumption" category. Men were more likely than women to report being moderate or heavy drinkers.

Alcohol had no protective affect on the normal, age-related shrinkage in brain volume, the researchers found.

To the contrary, the more a person drank, the more their brain volume diminished. This relationship was somewhat more pronounced in women, although women tended to be lighter drinkers.

The gender difference could be explained by biological factors, namely that alcohol is absorbed faster in women and they tend to feel the effects of alcohol more than men, the researchers said.

The usefulness B Vitamins No Help for Alzheimer's

I read article about medical, this main article about B vitamins, so you can see and read full posting in below this :

Clinical trial findings crush hopes that high-dose B vitamins -- folate and vitamins B6 and B12 -- might slow mental decline in people with Alzheimer's disease.

The findings come from a study of people who already had mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's.

Over 18 months, Alzheimer's disease progressed just as quickly in the 202 patients who took high-dose B-vitamin supplements as in the 138 patients who took inactive placebo pills.

"This regimen of high-dose vitamin B supplements does not slow cognitive decline in individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease," conclude University of California, San Diego researcher Paul S. Aisen, MD, and colleagues.

Though the study looked only at people who already suffered Alzheimer's disease, Aisen says people should not take high doses of B vitamins to avoid mental decline -- at least until clinical trials show it works.

"I do not recommend high-dose vitamins for anybody unless they have a deficiency or an established indication for such treatment," Aisen tells WebMD. "Risk of Alzheimer's disease is not an indication for high-dose B vitamins."

Andrew Shao, PhD, sees it differently. He's vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs at the supplement industry trade group Council for Responsible Nutrition.

"Vitamins do not have the powerful effects of pharmaceuticals. They are subtle and take a long time to show an effect," Shao tells WebMD. "An earlier study of healthy older people who took B vitamins over three years did show a slowing of cognitive decline."

Fortunately, clinical trials are testing whether B vitamins can slow age-related loss of mental function, says Robert J. Clarke, MD, of Oxford University, England.

"Several large-scale trials are currently addressing this question and the results of several such trials are expected in the next few months," Clarke tells WebMD in an email interview. "It would be prudent to await the results of these ongoing trials ... before making recommendations on the use of B vitamins to avoid or ameliorate cognitive decline in cognitively intact individuals."

There are risks to taking any drug or supplement. One disturbing finding from the Aisen study was that Alzheimer's patients taking high-dose B vitamins suffered more depressive symptoms than those who took placebo pills.

"It was an unexpected finding and could be due to chance, but it is a possible risk, and it might mean in people who are not demented there also are risks to high-dose B vitamins," he says. "Without evidence of efficacy, I do not recommend this treatment to people who are worried about Alzheimer's disease."

B Vitamins, Homocysteine, and Alzheimer's

Folate (a form of vitamin B9), vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 reduce levels of homocysteine in the body. People with Alzheimer's disease tend to have high homocysteine levels. Moreover, evidence suggests that homocysteine makes the main ingredient in brain-clogging plaque -- amyloid -- more toxic.