Health related websites and their effectiveness

Healthcare Websites

Soda Consumption and its link to obesity in California

The soda sugary drink consumption has increased tenfold along with its availability. California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) confirms that the overall exposure and consumption of soda and sugary drinks amongst children is extremely harmful. The even recently released fact sheets that supported the related harms as well as their concerns towards increasing soda consumption. After reading the article, it became quite clear that the increase in the soda consumption was an after-shoot of the media promotions of unhealthy diets and junk consumption. Increasing attractive advertisements also gave the food industry the opportunity to exploit the increased attractiveness and thus penetrate the market for huge profits.

CCPHA also pointed out the trends of limited physical activities that were also decreasing the overall health of the children. This is also a major concern and makes me realize the overall healthy impact that not only the correct diet but also the right amount of physical activity can make.

Child and Teen Health

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disease that normally is triggered early in children at an early age. ADHD has a different effect on different children and has a different impact thus as well. The primary aspect of ADHD that surface is that children become hyperactive and thus cannot have a standard non-hyper social contact without taking some treatment for it. Drinking and driving amongst the youth is one of the leading reason related to car crashes. The overall blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that is legal is 2 and anyone having a BAC of 2 or below it is believed to have drivable skills. Anyone having a BAC over 2 is believed to lose basic driving skills like concentration, alertness, decision-making sense and executing driving maneuvers. Shingles is a treatable disease and there are shots and vaccines available for its treatment. Shingles usually happens in people who have had chickenpox as a child; the virus remains dormant till old age and can be revitalized resulting in shingles -- blisters and rashes -- which are painful even after disappearing. Girls who are sexually abused as young children are more vulnerable towards increased drug abuse and dependence at an older age. The overall dependence upon alcohol is also increased. Most of the mental health disorders like schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have dedicated medications for treatment. These medications can be used simultaneously with therapy as well and are used to primarily treat adverse effects of the disorders.

Cancer Health Disparities

The factors that lead to cancer health disparities, according to NCI, include incomplete or inconsistent stats, insufficient clinical results and access, insufficient access to good food for a healthy diet, insufficient training opportunities and awareness of cancer disparities and how to deal with them as well as insufficient community programs to counter cancer disease and disparities amongst others.

Herbs

The five most useful herbs for me were carrots, mint, lemon, coriander leaves and raddish. I know that I primarily find them useful for my skin as their consumption is good for in its texture, tone and overall moisture. Also, these five herbs are most useful in terms of providing me necessary energy as well as keeping my stomach in check. Carrots especially are good for preventing iron deficiency in me. Coriander leaves, mint and raddish are good for my metabolism and digestion. And lemons are good for killing the bacteria on the upper layer of my skin.

Hospital Compare

Regional Medical Centre for San Jose

The reason that I feel that Regional Medical Centre for San Jose provides the best care is because of the fact that it is an acute care hospital and is generally close in distance to a majority of the city's main areas. Furthermore, all of its performance measurements that matter in terms of treatment, services and medical care are near to the average measurements and percentages of the entire region which is a good average to maintain. Furthermore, the overall death rates and complications are in the lower ranges of the national rate.

Health Information on the Web

Sacramento Public Library

I will most likely use the Sacramento Public Library as it is the online library that I can access online as well as physically or offline. It gives me all the facilities of a digital library and allows me to have access to my personal account and information so that I can always update irrespective of my geographical location or time zone. Also, it has not only access to many online libraries but it also has access to university libraries and allows me to browse through, read and buy the most recent books as well. The library also is a brilliant user of social media to conduct events which is a big attraction for me as it allows me to interact with others library users as well as like-minded people. It also allows me to contribute in volunteer work and have an active social life, not just inside the library but also outside it.

Dietary Supplements

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dietary supplement? The dietary supplement, as defined by the congress, that an individual takes from the mouth as part of his/her diet in order to supplement or enhance it. The dietary supplements include combinations of individual supplements of vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, acids, enzymes as well as metabolites amongst other things.

What is a "new dietary ingredient" in a dietary supplement? These are basically the components that make up the supplement.

What is FDA's role in regulating dietary supplements vs. The manufacturer's responsibility for marketing them? Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) initiated by President Clinton in 1994 was the first of its kind to take the dietary supplements structure a step forward and in the right direction towards extraordinary daily diet supplementary requirements in individuals. The main responsibility under FDA for any and all companies is to ensure that the supplements they are distributing or endorsing are safe for use. Only those supplements need FDA approval that fall under the new dietary ingredient category

When must a manufacturer or distributor notify FDA about a dietary supplement it intends to market in the U.S. DSHEA requires that the FDA must be notified for the manufacturing of any all supplements that fall under the category of new dietary ingredient. Whenever such a supplement is meant to be marketed within the United States, it cannot be marketed until and unless it has received the FDA approval first. The criteria of a component falling under the new dietary supplement are the responsibility of the manufacturer and/or distributor.

General Observations

Quackery within the context of healthcare and medical treatments is merely restricted to the promotion, misinformation or fraud of a certain medical treatment. Quackery is thus not related to the alternate modes of medication. Quackery is also not always deliberately promoted but also includes those individuals who are misinformed and on an individual level spread that misinformation in their family or friends. Quackery also includes a bad judgment call once by a doctor that becomes a general belief. Also, any and all medical practices that are conducted for attaining medical and health gain are not labeled as quackery either. Basically quackeries are those unproven actions that are taken for medical gain but can sometimes be more unsubstantial as opposed to useful.