A study has found that children whose mothers had low exposure to sunlight during their first three months of pregnancy may have a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis later in life. Sunshine is the main source of vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to a higher risk of MS for a long time. Experts have suspected that an expectant mother's lack of exposure to sunshine may affect the unborn child's central nervous system or immune system. This might lead on to developing MS at a later stage.
The research study looked at the records of 1,524 MS patients born between 1920 and 1950 in Australia. It discovered that more of them born in the months of November and December rather than other times of the year. The logic is that their first trimester happened during the winter months of April to June which is obviously the period when pregnant women in the southern hemisphere stateside to escape the cold. This means that they would have had reduced vitamin D levels because they would not have been exposed to as much sunlight. There were far fewer MS patients who were born in May and June which means that their first trimesters were in the early summer months of September to November.
The researchers explained that Vitamin D may be especially crucial for the development of the fetus's central nervous system.
"Vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of multiple sclerosis might also need to be considered during in utero development," they said in the paper.
Friday, 30 April 2010
News: the older generation ignore better health plans
A study being released Thursday by Avalere Health, a major consulting firm, looked at the health plans that seniors pick, according to the plans' scores on a government rating system designed for consumers. The ratings, available on Medicare's website, assign one to five stars for quality, with one signifying poor performance and five excellent.
The analysis found that 47 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are in plans that rate three stars or two — medium to fair quality. Just 23 percent were signed up in plans that rate four or five stars — very good to excellent quality. Many of the rest were in plans not yet rated.
"There is obviously a wide variance in performance," said Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere, which specializes in crunching health care data for government and industry. "These ratings are about to become much more important. When you start linking quality to payment, you can bet the plans are going to be very motivated to bring the scores up."
For years, private plans have enjoyed generous payments from the government, currently averaging 9 percent more than the cost of care in traditional Medicare. The government's benevolence enabled most plans to offer lower out-of-pocket costs and extra benefits, compared with traditional Medicare. About 11 million seniors are signed up, nearly one-fourth of Medicare recipients.
That's about to change under the health care overhaul. Payments are being trimmed back starting next year for all plans, to correct what Obama says is wasteful overspending. However, beginning in 2012, the law directs Medicare to award bonuses to plans that score four stars or better.
The payment shift means that high-quality plans will find it a lot easier to keep offering extra benefits, while others will struggle. Indeed, Medicare's own analysts predict an exodus from Medicare Advantage back to the traditional program after the cutbacks begin.
The government's rating system evaluates plans according to several measures, including customer service, prevention and medical care for people with chronic health problems. An insurance industry spokesman did not challenge the Avalere study but raised questions about Medicare's rating system.
"Some of the criteria are not objective, meaning that health plans may not be able to move up in the ratings," said Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans.
The analysis found that 47 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are in plans that rate three stars or two — medium to fair quality. Just 23 percent were signed up in plans that rate four or five stars — very good to excellent quality. Many of the rest were in plans not yet rated.
"There is obviously a wide variance in performance," said Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere, which specializes in crunching health care data for government and industry. "These ratings are about to become much more important. When you start linking quality to payment, you can bet the plans are going to be very motivated to bring the scores up."
For years, private plans have enjoyed generous payments from the government, currently averaging 9 percent more than the cost of care in traditional Medicare. The government's benevolence enabled most plans to offer lower out-of-pocket costs and extra benefits, compared with traditional Medicare. About 11 million seniors are signed up, nearly one-fourth of Medicare recipients.
That's about to change under the health care overhaul. Payments are being trimmed back starting next year for all plans, to correct what Obama says is wasteful overspending. However, beginning in 2012, the law directs Medicare to award bonuses to plans that score four stars or better.
The payment shift means that high-quality plans will find it a lot easier to keep offering extra benefits, while others will struggle. Indeed, Medicare's own analysts predict an exodus from Medicare Advantage back to the traditional program after the cutbacks begin.
The government's rating system evaluates plans according to several measures, including customer service, prevention and medical care for people with chronic health problems. An insurance industry spokesman did not challenge the Avalere study but raised questions about Medicare's rating system.
"Some of the criteria are not objective, meaning that health plans may not be able to move up in the ratings," said Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans.
Friday, 16 April 2010
Low vitamin D
Low vitamin D: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which means that is able to be dissolved in fat. Vitamin D and Health Health Risks from Excessive Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained from sun exposure and food and supplements and is biologically inert and must undergo 2 hydroxylations in the body for in order to work. Along with calcium, vitamin D also helps to protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D also has other roles in human health, including the modulation of neuromuscular and immune function and reduction of inflammation. Low Vitamin D - Health Problems Linked to Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficient has been linked to mortality, heart attacks, aging and other conditions. In some developed countries, low vitamin D. has led to milk and other foods being fortified with vitamin D. Our need for vitamin D increases with age because our skin synthesis declines. To use of Sunscreen and dark skin pigmentation also reduce skin synthesis of vitamin D.
I hope the information would be helpful to you above and help you to avoid Low vitamin D.
I hope the information would be helpful to you above and help you to avoid Low vitamin D.
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficient continues to be a topic that is spoken about frequently in many areas of both the formal and alternative medical industries. When it comes to vitamin D, people may not be in the habit of testing for Vitamin D deficient or, if they are testing themselves, people may not be familiar with no vitamin D treatments. How do you know if you are getting enough vitamin D? That is a very good question because vitamin D is so important to us. This has led to the daily application of children with cod liver oil, and a policy to fortify milk and cereal with vitamin D as well, in order to avoid low vitamin D. While some vitamin D is supplied by the diet, most of vitamin D is made in the body. You can take a supplements if you wish to try and avoid the effect of low vitamin D.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Vitamin D deficient
Vitamin D deficient: I have created this blog so that you will know theCauses, Symptoms and Health Risks. I hope that you find it useful.
Vitamin D is essential for our healthy bones, and a lack of it can create serious medical problems for us. Vitamin D deficient has been a hot topic in both the conventional and alternative medicine worlds lately because Vitamin D deficient is common and seems to be connected to so many health concerns. Lack of vitamin D has been associated with such conditions as osteoporosis , depression, heart disease and stroke, together with cancer, diabetes , parathyroid problems, and also immune function even weight loss. Vitamin D, it would seem, is absolutely crucial to our health and well-being. Low vitamin D should be avoided at all costs. There are, indeed, supplements that you can take to augment your supply of vitamin D and this is one way to avoid Vitamin D deficient.
Vitamin D is essential for our healthy bones, and a lack of it can create serious medical problems for us. Vitamin D deficient has been a hot topic in both the conventional and alternative medicine worlds lately because Vitamin D deficient is common and seems to be connected to so many health concerns. Lack of vitamin D has been associated with such conditions as osteoporosis , depression, heart disease and stroke, together with cancer, diabetes , parathyroid problems, and also immune function even weight loss. Vitamin D, it would seem, is absolutely crucial to our health and well-being. Low vitamin D should be avoided at all costs. There are, indeed, supplements that you can take to augment your supply of vitamin D and this is one way to avoid Vitamin D deficient.
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