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Urgent Care Clinics Expanding Across the United States

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When it comes to finding quick and affordable care for the injured and ill, many people have begun to realize that emergency room care may not be necessary for every medical problem they and their loved ones experience. Instead, urgent care centers are becoming a preferred option for many due to their convenience, affordability and quality care for non-life-threatening injuries and illness. Recently, Maine became the latest state to benefit from these medical walk in clinics: the state welcomed its 23rd urgent care facility in late December.

Across the United States, the number of urgent care centers has reached an estimated 7,000 centers, and shows signs of continued growth: from 2009 to 2014, the urgent medical care industry grew 8%, and experts project that it will expand an additional 6% over the next five years. Many urgent care professionals believe that this is because they offer care for the injured and ill which is comparable to what a patient would receive at a hospital: when treating a broken bone, for example, urgent care doctors would splint the injury, perform an X-ray, prescribe painkillers and refer the patient to an orthopedic surgeon, just as a doctor in an emergency room would. The difference is that patients with more serious problems, such as a heart attack, will be transported to a hospital instead of treated onsite. Additionally, urgent care clinics are considerably less expensive and often take less time to treat patients due to shorter waiting times.

Because of these benefits, urgent care clinics have become a popular presence in many states, with Maine becoming only the most recent to take advantage of this new type of medical care. The state’s newest urgent care facility was opened in Scarborough in late December; while the staff says that business has been slow to start, they hope to reach an average of 30 patients a day. With clinics like the one in Scarborough prepared and eager to offer care to the injured and ill, it is no surprise that these medical centers have become so popular across the U.S. Have you ever visited an urgent care center?
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Can Chocolate Cause Acne?

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If you have acne, you have likely done a lot of research to try to find the best skin care tips and techniques to achieve a better complexion. As part of your research, you have likely found a lot of contradicting information on different acne treatment products, procedures, and above all, foods. Most dermatologists agree that your diet affects the health of your skin, but no one seems to be able to definitively prove that products like chocolate cause breakouts. Now, a French study claims to have found a link between a daily consumption of chocolate and sweets and acne in teenagers. Is this the proof that you’ve been looking for? Should you supplement your dermatologist acne treatment by cutting out chocolate?

Not yet. The study, conducted at Henri Mondor Hospital, has a number of flaws. While the researchers found a link between a daily consumption of sweets and acne in teenagers, they aren’t actually sure what sweets the participants were eating. They also asked few other questions about the participants’ diets and lifestyles, making it impossible to prove definitively that a certain food was causing the breakouts. In the end, the study merely reaffirmed something almost everyone already knows: eating sweets everyday isn’t great for your body.

When it comes to eating a diet that promotes healthy skin, dermatologists typically recommend that patients avoid eating high quantities of foods with a high glycemic index, such as white bread, pretzels and potatoes. Sugars and saturated fats should also be eaten in moderation. No studies, however, have been able to definitively prove that chocolate causes acne, although some dermatologists do say that dark chocolate is healthier for your complexion. If you have acne, don’t try avoiding chocolate: instead, talk to a skin specialist near you about finding the right dermatologist acne treatment for you. For more about this, go here.

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Tips for Using a Dry Rub in Your Kitchen

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Most home chefs know that spices and seasonings are an important part of almost every dish: if used in the right quantities and in the correct combinations, spices can turn any recipe into a flavorful, delicious experience to share with your friends and family. Moreover, with the wide variety of options available, ranging from dill spices to fennel pollen and fennel seeds, there is no shortage of great recipes and uses for these versatile products. One of the most common methods, however, is as a gourmet dry rub for fish and meat. But how do you know which exotic spices for sale will make the best dry rub? How do you use this product? How should it be stored? Fortunately, gourmet dry rubs are subject to an extremely broad set of rules, helping even the most amateur chefs get creative in the kitchen. Follow the tips below to use this technique in your cooking!

What is a Gourmet Dry Rub?
A rub is a mixture of spices, seasonings and herbs, designed to coat and flavor the outside of a piece of meat, fish or poultry. There is no right or wrong combination of ingredients when it comes to making a dry rub; instead, it is all a matter of personal preference. However, if you are uncertain which flavors will blend well together, there are a number of pre-mixed dry rubs for sale.

Before Applying the Dry Rub
Gourmet dry rubs need time and a little assistance to adhere to different fish, meats and poultry. Begin by making sure that all of the seeds, nuts, dried herbs and spices in your dry rub are thoroughly crushed; this will release all of their flavor,so don’t be afraid to grind the mixture yourself if necessary. Next, try lightly scoring the skin of the food you are using to help the dry rub adhere to the surface. The natural moisture of the food should make this possible, but if necessary, considering adding a wet ingredient, such as mustard, finely-cut fresh garlic, oil or unflavored yogurt to help the dry rub stick. Once applied, let the rub sit for anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours, depending on the desired flavor and the density of the mixture. The rubbed food should naturally be kept in a refrigerator for safety reasons.

Storage
Gourmet dry rubs can be kept for several months and used as needed, but only if they are properly stored. To prevent spoiling, keep the mixture in a tightly closed container: dry rubs can last as long as six months, while wet rubs will last several weeks. While it may be tempting to keep your dry rub for longer, remember that even the freshest spices, herbs and seasonings tend to lose their flavor after about nine months.

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Obesity America’s Silent Killer

Medical weight loss center

Being fit is in. Consumers are constantly bombarded with images of thin, seemingly happy people promoting the latest and greatest secret guaranteeing rapid weight loss. The ads are everywhere, online, in print, and on television.

However, buyer beware. Rapid weight loss may not be as healthy as you think. In fact, the secret to rapid weight loss is there is no secret. No miracle product or supplement can provide healthy weight loss. Only a comprehensive, diet, exercise, and emotional support plan can do that, which is why many people turn to medical weight loss programs for help.

Fad diets may provide temporary, fast weight loss albeit at the body’s expense. Your body’s cells and organs are not being nourished properly. Therefore, these diets are often difficult to adhere to, and the weight will only return with a vengeance. This up and down process can be physically, emotionally, and mentally frustrating and taxing, resulting in lower self-esteem and even depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, medical weight loss centers take an integrative approach to weight loss, reviewing the “big picture” instead of simply focusing on losing weight. Instead, medical weight loss solutions focus on lifestyle and overall health changes that will contribute to weight loss, such as developing a healthier relationship with food and reducing stress.

While fad diets do not provide healthy, long term weight loss solutions, diet as a whole plays an important role in weight loss. Simply put, the typical American diet is unhealthy. Chock full of genetically modified, sodium-rich, processed “food-like” products such high fructose corn syrup, Americans are the heaviest they’ve been in decades. Combined with living a more sedentary lifestyle, Americans are experiencing higher rates of chronic heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and obesity than ever before. So much so that is many consider it to be an epidemic.

However, a counter movement has also begun to offset higher rates of chronic disease. Americans are more conscious and concerned with where their food comes from and how it gets to their table than ever. As Americans continue to explore the links between food, well being, and weight loss, it’s hoped that incidences of chronic illness will decrease.

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Three Reasons You Need to Take Your Children to the Pediatrician

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Taking children to the pediatric office isn’t really anyone’s idea of a good time. Usually the kids are sick, or there are other sick, sniffling, miserable kids in the waiting room clinging to tired, weary-eyed parents who have clearly been sleep deprived for far too long. The reason that parents do it, and usually without complaint, is that pediatric care is essential for the health of children.

1. Vaccinations
One of the main reasons that you need to take your child or children to a pediatric physician is for vaccinations. According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), one vaccine can protect a child from up to five different diseases. Furthermore, only one in one million children ever suffer serious side effects from a vaccine.

2. Routine Pediatric Care
Another reason you need to take your children in to see their doctor is for routine care. It’s important to monitor a child’s health while he or she is still young to make sure that any diseases or problems are caught early enough for the most effective treatment, and that preventative measures are taken to keep the children healthy. Diseases in childhood can often last well into adulthood; in fact, 90% of obese children grow up to be obese adults.

3. To Manage Common Childhood Diseases
Pediatric care is also essential for managing childhood diseases. One of the most common is diabetes, which needs careful monitoring and care to ensure that the child stays healthy. Another is asthma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over seven million children in the United States suffer from it, and making sure that a child who has it knows how to manage it is important for their well being.

Do you have any tips for finding a pediatrician or a good pediatrics clinic? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section. More information like this.

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Relieves Pain of Chronic Disorders

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is an FDA-approved method for relieving the symptoms of chronic regional pain disorders. Patients who suffer from these types of disorders are immersed in a high-pressure chamber that provides greater oxygen availability, at an increased pressure. This treatment can relieve symptoms for a variety of chronic regional pain disorders, including Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, Lyme Disease, radiation necrosis, and more. Hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy generally lasts about two hours, during which most patients relax comfortably.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) is a chronic regional pain disorder that causes muscle atrophy, weakness, sensitivity to light touch and more, all of which can lead to depression. RSD treatments are often temporary, and focus on relieving the pain and symptoms. In that respect, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is one of the best treatments available, and can drastically alleviate the symptoms.

Lyme Disease is as well-known as it is despised. This too-common tick-borne illness can have devastating effects when left untreated, and the infection can spread even to the nervous system. Sufferers often report flare-ups of the disease, and the symptoms can continue to plague victims years later. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy provides relief and comfort, treating the pain and discomfort to allow patients to feel like themselves again.

The enduring torment of many chronic regional pain disorders does not have a permanent cure, but Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help improve patient quality-of-life. The constant ache and soreness, sweating, weakness, swelling: these are afflictions that do not have to be constant burdens. The treatment is safe, effective and, as most patients find, relaxing.

If you suffer from a chronic regional pain disorder such as RSD or Lyme Disease, talk to your doctor today. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is covered by most insurance, and the differences it will make in your life will be noticeable immediately. Take your life back now. To see more, read this.

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Three Things to Do Before Putting a Loved One in a Nursing Home

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Putting a loved one in a nursing home can be a tough decision, but in some cases, it may be the best choice for their health, safety, and quality of life. Many nursing homes allow a person a level of independent living while still ensuring that he or she is safe and getting the medical care that he or she needs. If you’re considering putting a loved one in an assisted living community, here are a few things you need to do.

1. Be Open About the Decision.
The first thing you should do is be as open as possible about the decision. It can be a tough realization for an elderly parent to come to, that they need help and can no longer live safely with the same amount of independence and to admit that they need help. Trying to force a parent into a long term care facility might make the process more difficult than just being open about your concerns and what needs to be done to help them.

2. Find a Place That Will Suit Your Parent’s Future Needs.
Admitting a parent to an assisted living community is usually a permanent move, so making sure that whichever facility you choose will be able to accommodate his or her future needs is essential. Having to move into a new place will be enough of an adjustment without having to pick up and move to another one in a few years.

3. Figure Out Finances.
Assisted living homes do cost money, so it’s important to plan well and figure out how it’s going to be paid for in the long term before actually making the decision. Again, putting parents in a home is a big decision, and you don’t want to disrupt their lives further by having to move them. Do your research and evaluate your resources before committing to a facility.

Do you have any other advice about what a person should do before putting a parent in assisted living? Feel free to let us know in the comments section. Continue your research here.

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3 Evidence-Based Hair Loss Solutions You Should Consider

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It seems like every time you turn the page in a magazine, there’s an ad for a new hair loss treatment. But the sad reality is that most of these treatments aren’t evidenced based, and won’t result in any hair regrowth at all. If you want to narrow your search to treatments that have been shown to be both safe and effective, here are the main three hair loss solutions you should consider:

  1. Medical Treatment:

    Much male pattern baldness is caused by something called miniaturization. This is a phenomenon in which strands of hair become thinner, shorter and weaker with each cycle of hair growth. Early on, one of the most common treatments for balding caused by miniaturization is medical (drug) treatment. There are two drugs that have been approved by the FDA for treatment of male pattern baldness. Arguably the most effective option is Propecia, a prescription that is only available for men. Another popular option, Rogaine, can be used by both men and women.

  2. Hair Transplant Surgery:

    There are two main kinds of hair transplant surgery (follicular unit extraction and follicular unit transplantation), but it’s best not to get bogged down in the details until you actually talk to a hair transplant surgeon and figure out if you’re a candidate for either one. In both cases, the surgeon removes donor grafts from one area of the head or body, and then implants them in a bald spot or along a receding hairline. Although the transplanted hairs themselves may fall out, the implanted follicles begin to produce natural hair growth on their own. This makes hair transplant procedures the most effective treatment available for people suffering from severe hair loss.

  3. Laser Hair Growth Stimulation:

    Don’t panic — these aren’t the same lasers that are used to remove hair. Low level laser therapy, or LLLT, has been shown to sometimes be effective in encouraging follicles to produce more or thicker hair. It’s thought that this works by energizing the hair follicle. There’s not as much support for laser treatment as there is for the previous two methods, so it’s often used in conjunction with other treatments in order to maximize results. As with all hair loss solutions, you should consult a respected hair loss doctor before proceeding.

Are there any other hair loss treatments you’ve been considering? Share your thoughts or ask questions in the comments section below.

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