US activists praise Senate for lifting HIV travel ban (AFP)

AFP - Gay advocates and commentators have hailed a vote by US senators to repeal a travel ban on HIV-positive visitors or immigrants to the United States.

Health care folks -- doctors, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, physical therapists, health educators and writers -- use special words. You may know what their words mean or you may not. If you don't know what the words mean you could harm your health. Lack of understanding, or health literacy, is a big problem in the US. The numbers are upsetting.

A National Adult Literacy Survey found that 44 million Americans are health illiterate -- they don't understand health words.

According to the Center buy bulk l arginine aketoglutarate aakg Health Care Strategies, 66% of Americans, 60 years old and older, have poor health literacy skills.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says emergency room patients who lack health literacy skills are twice as likely to be hospitalized.

The American Medical Association (AMA) found that 90 million Americans do not understand what their doctor tells them.

Forty-two percent of Americans do not understand the words on prescription medicine bottles.

So you can see why the AMA and the AMA Alliance are working together to improve health literacy. What is it? The AMA Council of Scientific Affairs defines health literacy as "the ability to read and comprehend prescription bottles, appointment slips, and the other essential health-related materials required to successfully function as a patient."

In other words, you can read, understand, and use health information.

Even if you know lots of health words there are probably some you do not know, words that affect your health. What can you do? The Partnership for Clear Health Communication says you should ask questions and has an "Ask Me 3" program. The three questions you should ask:

1. What is my main problem?
2. What do I need to do?
3. Why is it important for me to do this?

Use the "Ask Me 3" plan when you talk with health care folks. Ask more more questions if you don't understand your health problem and treatment plan. You may also ask for a brochure, pamphlet, reminder card, or diagram. Your medical center may have a library and you can get information there.

Many medical centers offer free health courses and you may as well take advantage of them. Sign up for a course about fixing heart healthy meals, using exercise equipment, pain management, breast self-examination, life after surgery, and others. While there is lots of health information on the Internet, you should find out if this information is reliable before you use it.

The AMA and AMA Alliance are training health professionals and volunteers in health literacy. For example, your doctor may ask you to repeat directions. Your doctor is not doing this to make you feel bad, she or he is doing this to make sure things were explained right. Your doctor may give you a chart that shows when you take medicine. Again, she or he wants to make sure things were explained right.

For more information about health words go to www.askme3.org and print out a free brochure from this site. You may also wish to read "Medical Check-Up: What Does Your Doctor Need From You?", published on www.ezinearticles.com and the "American Medical Association Guide to Talking to Your Doctor."

Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. She is a member of the Assocation of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundation Web site ("School Corner" heading) and the Health Ministries Association Web site.

Gene Mutation Puts Some Kids at Risk for Tobacco Addiction (HealthDay)

HealthDay - THURSDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- People with certain commongenetic variations that affect their nicotine receptors seem to be athigher risk for becoming life-long nicotine addicts if they begin smokingbefore they turn 17, a new study says.

Your pH level should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 - 7.45 ). A range below or above this can cause complications and disease. If your pH is below 7.0 it means that your body is too acidic. Interestingly, blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma or death.

Factors such as emotional stress, toxic overload from foods and chemicals, immune reactions and an acid forming diet, cause the pH level to decrease. Basically anything that deprives your cells of oxygen and nutrients will create an acidic environment. In response, your body tries to compensate by using alkaline minerals. If your body does not contain a sufficient amount of minerals, your cells create a build up of acid to protect your organs.

An acidic imbalance:

• Causes fatigue and illness
• Decreases energy production in the cells
• Stunts the repair of damaged cells
• Limits the ability to detoxify heavy metals
• Encourages tumor cells to thrive
• Hinders the body's ability to absorb minerals and nutrients

Acidosis is more common in America because of our diet, which is high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy. In addition, Americans eat more acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.

Beer: pH of 2.5
Coca-Cola: pH of 2.0
Coffee: pH of 4.0

Americans take more drugs for ailments, which are acid forming; and use artificial chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Equal and Aspartame.

Below is a list of acid producing foods.

Foods High in Acid:

Vegetables Corn, Lentils, Olives, Winter Squash

Fruits Blueberries, Canned or Glazed Fruits, Cranberries, Currants, Plums, Prunes

Grain Products
Amaranth, Barley, Bran (wheat & oat), Corn, Cornstarch, Hemp Seed Flour, Kamut, Oats (rolled), Oatmeal, Quinoa, Rice (all), Rice Cakes, Rye, Spelt, Wheat, Wheat Germ, Noodles, Macaroni, Spaghetti, Bread, Soda Crackers, Flour (white & wheat)

Beans and Legumes
Black Beans, Chick Peas, Green Peas, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Pinto Beans, Red Beans, Soy Beans, Soy Milk, White Beans, Rice Milk, Almond Milk

Dairy
Butter, Cheese, Ice buy bulk glucosamine hcl Ice Milk

Nuts and Butter
Cashews, Legumes, Peanuts, Peanut Butter, Pecans, Tahini, Walnuts

Animal Protein
Bacon, Beef, Carp, Clams, Cod, Corned Beef, Fish, Lamb, Lobster, Mussels, Organ Meats, Oyster, Pike, Pork, Rabbit, Salmon, Sardines, Sausage, Scallops, Shrimp, Scallops, Shellfish, Tuna, Turkey, Veal, Venison

Fats and Oils
Avocado Oil, Butter, Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Flax Oil, Lard, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil

Sweeteners
Carob, Sugar, Corn Syrup

Alcohol
Beer, Spirits, Hard Liquor, Wine

Other
Catsup, Cocoa, Coffee, Vinegar, Mustard, Pepper, Soft Drinks, Aspirin, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Drugs, Pesticides, Herbicides, Tobacco

Learn what foods balance your pH level. Click here.

Click on this link to learn how depression is linked to food choices and what foods help with depression.

Here is a list of foods that are high in fiber. Click the link to see the list, which includes grams of fiber. The Institute of Medicine recommends consuming 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories.