General Medicine and Individual Patients

Just read about an interesting study of asthma. It indicated that children born in the fall tend to have asthma more than children born any other time of year.

OK. I have one child born in April suffers from allergies and one born the end of August and she suffers from asthma - not enough to slow her down much. But as she gets older she has more lung infections pneumonia and bronchitis. She showed no signs of asthma until she was a young adult.

The conclusion of the study was that children born in the fall suffer from more cold and flu and cold weather illness than other babies because they are exposed to more cold weather illnesses.

Ok so the child born in the spring suffers from allergies because she was born in a time of new growth and blowing seeds.

Oh yes, the recommendation for these new babies - more vaccines and medicines to prevent any illness to avoid asthma. Gee, I wonder who funded this study.

Maybe the real problem is just a generalization of people. Putting people in classes or boxes according to when they were born or who their parents were. There is little or no individual treatment anymore.

When I go to the doctor for my annual physical, I am not Sharon with this complaint or that. I am boxes on a check list. Age, gender, weight, blood pressure, how many children, past illnesses and surgeries. These tests are due for your age. These symptoms are normal for your age group. Test results are all within the wide normal range. Go away now and come back in 6 months or a year so I can collect my fee.

I asked my doctor a simple question and was put off with make an appointment and we can talk about that. That question was outside the scope of the definition of this appointment and the set insurance fee that went with it.

Oh, I do so much miss going to a military doctor. They had their drawbacks too, but not being able to talk to them was not one. They had no set criteria for what could be discussed during an appointment. You could ask questions and get answers, even if the answer was I don't know. Ok so there were a few that said that is not my area make an appointment with another department.

I want a doctor who sees me as an individual. A doctor who sees each of my children and my husband and my mother-in-law and every other person who comes in their office as an individual. Fine, look at the norms for that age, gender and general physical appearance, but don't just blindly apply them.

A few years ago I got a new pair of glasses. Along with being blind as a bat, I have an astigmatism. The new glasses just weren't right. I took them back to the shop and asked them to recheck the glasses. The answer was the lens were within parameters. I went back to the doctor. She checked them and said the astigmatism correction was slightly off. I went back to Eye Masters and told them one lens was slightly off. The first answer I was given was they were within the standard + or - range.

I asked for the manager and explained that I could not see properly through the glasses and why. He never questioned or defended, he simply took the glasses and went to the back to see what they could do with the one lens. Yes it was fixed. It was not too difficult a proposition to align the lens properly. I was happy and could see. It did not matter that the error was within acceptable for them limits. It was not acceptable for me. And yes, I still go to them for all my glasses.

Generalizations are good as a starting point. But then, you must start breaking it down into smaller pieces that may or may not fit your puzzle. Your symptoms fit something, don't allow your doctor to put you in a category and dismiss you. Those test results should not stand alone but be combined with a consideration of your symptoms. Just because you fit somewhere in a + or - group doesn't mean it is right.

Ouch, that ended on a rather angry note. My goal is to give you information but it is also to inspire you to be better each day. Anger has a place, but it is a small space.

until next time - smile
Sharon
Answersforyourhealth.com

Reasons not to take a Walk

I have heard a lot of reasons not to take a walk. They are reasonable reasons but not insurmountable reason. Once you apply a little out of the box thinking, they turn from reasons to excuses.

Reason 1. I might have to go to the bathroom and with no bathroom readily available, I would have an accident.

Valid -- Do you have a potty problem? It could be either bowel or bladder -- makes no difference.

First, does taking a walk make your bowel more active. It should and in fact could eliminate the need for those laxatives you have been taking. I can understand not wanting to be a mile from home when the need to move your bowels strikes.

You could go for a walk after your normal elimination.

You could go for a walk in a mall, making small circuits that keep you close to the bathroom until after your bowel has moved.

You could walk in your home. Can't get much closer than that. Just keep moving through the rooms for at least 10 minutes. You could set the kitchen timer. Don't stop to pick up anything. If you feel the need to go to the bathroom, you are right there and can pick up your walk again. Or at that point you could go outside and walk around the block.

Reason 2. This is also valid - I might stumble and fall. Or I might slide and fall on the ice.

I can easily understand reason 2. I have taken 2 pretty nasty falls in my neighborhood. The sidewalks are so uneven that tripping is a real problem. I now walk in the street. I can't do that with the grandchildren, so some sidewalk walks are necessary.

Wear good shoes that are closed front and back to reduce the incident of slides and stumbles. Tennis shoes are a good choice.

Much as you would like to just look at the scenery - keep an eye on the ground in front of your feet.

The safer option is to walk at the mall. But you can't drive to the mall -- ok back to walk around the house. Set the timer and just know that you will keep walking until it dings.

Go for 10 minute walks - I find that longer than that in a house-walk is just too boring. If you are lucky enough to have a treadmill, so much the better and the longer if you want. You will get just as much benefit from three 10 minute walks as from a 30 minute walk.

Treadmills are good if you have the available floor space. That might be as good Santa present.

You can throw in some aerobics in your house-walk if you have some steps. Put on some music and you can do a few dance steps and swirls if you have the floor space. You don't want to knock over a lamp. If you just can't miss that TV show, hey how much will you miss walking around the rooms near the TV.

A 19th century Jesuit priest called Anthony de Mello wrote a book called 'One Minute Wisdom' that upset the church. They didn't like that it mixed Eastern and Western philosophies.

Here is a short quote from that book

To the disciples who were always asking for words of wisdom the Master said, "Wisdom is not expressed in words. It reveals itself in action."

But when he saw them plunge headlong into activity, he laughed aloud and said, "That isn't action. That's motion."

courtesy http://www.kickstartdaily.com


Well your house-walk may not bring you wisdom, but it will bring you health with motion. And the action part - that is putting an exercise plan into practice. Wisdom would indicate the need for health.

until next time Smile
Sharon
AnswersForYourHealth