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How  can  nurses  and  care  workers  work  more  efficiently  together?

How can nurses and care workers work more efficiently together?

Nursing support and care workers provide assistance support and care to people with a variety of health issues, for their welfare and that of the community. Be it in medical facilities or the home. This job can be both mentally and physically challenging. For example, in Japan, there is a shortage of care workers and nursing support. This is because of the aging society whereby the year 2025, one person among 5 will be aged over 75 years, and one in 5 people will be diagnosed with dementia.

This will make it a highly dåifficult job to endure, especially because the wages for a nursing position are also below the industry average. Despite that, the Japanese government is severely understaffed when it comes to caring workers. The labor shortage is also expected to worsen with time. Japan has for a long time has a homogenous culture, whereby they believe in keeping the bloodline pure. Essentially not interracial marriages are accepted by Japanese families. Making it one of the countries with the lowest numbers of foreign labor and favorable immigration and work policies for foreigners.

There are several care facilities for the aged around the globe. For those who experience dementia, among other chronic illnesses that require around the clock monitoring, often find themselves in care homes. Here they interact with nurses and care workers who work together to help in the care of their patients and administer medication as prescribed. The responsibilities of nursing support and care workers are similar.

Both of them help patients with tasks such as bathing or showering, eating, and dressing. If they work from home they may participate in housework such as cleaning and ironing to facilitate better health for the patients. This can be done by observing hygiene or performing chores that contribute to the betterment of the patient. Most of the time, people who need the support of a care worker fulltime experience mental health challenges, cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.

Additionally, they may experience acute long-term impaired health, that prompts them to seek the help of a nurse at home, or care workers at a facility. The two can group together to share knowledge on best treatment practices and knowledge of medication for certain diagnoses. They can also group together to share experiences that would make the work easier, and also to rally for the better work environment, pay etc.

What are antioxidants

What are antioxidants

Antioxidants refer to a substance that removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism such as the skin or even fruit. An example of an antioxidant is vitamin C or E. Oxidizing is dangerous because it causes living organisms to undergo a reaction in which it chemically combines with oxygen. For example, after biting an apple, or slicing an avocado when it is exposed to oxygen it tends to turn brown after some time. This process is called oxidization.

When women use foundation makeup on their skin, the shade of the foundation may change to turn a shade darker or two even sometimes to an orange tinge due to oxidization, in the course of the day. When antioxidants are consumed they prevent oxidization from taking place. This may be of significance especially for the treatment of cancer and heart disease where it plays a role in decreasing or protecting cells from the damage of free radicals.

Free radicals are present in heart disease cancer and other diseases as well. Free radicals are unstable chemical compounds the can damage the cells in your body badly. These radicals occur as a result of metabolic processes that normally take place in the body. They can also be caused by external sources such as through smoking. Now the good news is that it can be controlled to some extent by maintaining a healthy diet, but not entirely. People who have lived a healthy lifestyle can still get a cancer diagnosis. While the body might have its own immune system defense in place, it can do with a boost and this is where the antioxidants come in.

Scientifically speaking, antioxidants bind themselves to free radicals, making them ineffective in damaging parts of your cells. Vitamin A and selenium are also good sources of antioxidants other than vitamin C and E. However, there are several compounds and foods that are lesser known to have antioxidants beneficial to the body. Like any other component related to cancerous treatment, it is difficult to know for sure how beneficial antioxidants are to the body for every individual.

This is because of the complex metabolic process. When food is consumed, it first has to go to the intestine where it is absorbed before moving to the required organ, in enough amounts to create a significant change in the areas being affected by free radicals. Aside from that, there are several interactions that are nearly impossible to pinpoint the specific importance of one antioxidant to your health.

The alternative is to select foods that have antioxidant benefits and consume them. To be sure of their significance on the body, do your research on foods high in antioxidants. For example, tomatoes have been linked to a lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer because of their potent antioxidant lycopene component. This translates into making tomato soups, consuming them raw or cooking them while making your stews among other meals. To boot, they are also delicious and tomato slices go with just about anything. If you include the tomatoes found in salsa and guacamole, it is highly encouraging.

It has been advised that foods high in beta-carotene seem to be associated with a lower chance of breast cancer. For coffee lovers, the beverage is known to be rich in antioxidants and has one of the highest concentrations of any other food. Therefore, that morning coffee is a go to, and this reason right here can excuse your addiction. To make it more potent, brew your own at home with organic grain to get all the benefits. However, your usual java house coffee will do, it will just have more added sugar and sweeteners and all sorts of other ingredients to give you the right kick. This is okay too, once in a while.

Conclusively, although antioxidants have shown to be of importance for keeping free radicals at bay, there is no conclusive evidence to pinpoint their immediate impacts on any diseases directly.

Should  cigarettes  and  other  tobacco  products  be  outlawed?

Should cigarettes and other tobacco products be outlawed?

Cigarettes are a harmful substance. Just like alcohol, although they are both legal. Manufacturers make these products while making the users fully aware of the dangers of using them. They even use images to dissuade users from smoking or drinking, while also outlining the risks they expose themselves to. However, this is mostly done out of requirement as it is a regulation in most countries, and it is also illegal to advertise the wrong information.

This is done to let the users know that they are putting themselves at high risk of chronic illness should they continue to use the drug. Most of these drugs often lead to diseases such as cancers of different forms but for smoking, it is especially lung cancer. More than that, it also leads to several respiratory diseases with the overall result in becoming a smoking addict. While tobacco is an addictive substance, it is regulated legally, unlike other addictive drugs and substances.

Smoking a long history, dating back hundreds of years. Our ancestors did it, and in some parts of the world it was considered as part of the culture, and thus accepted for both men and women to smoke. This is true especially in Europe and parts of the Americas. In some parts, it was considered a practice done only by men and especially older men. Women were not allowed to partake in the smoking ritual. The smoking practice differs depending on various backgrounds, and the history behind it.

Since it has largely been an accepted way of life, reversing the norm would be difficult and met with public outcry. Instead, the governments impose higher taxes on goods such as cigarettes (or tobacco in general), and alcohol to reduce the negative effects it sometimes has on a society. Banning it altogether will effectively reduce foreign investment through the cultivation of tobacco firms, the creation of manufacturing plants and the tax that these major corporations pay to be able to operate in foreign countries.

It would be a poor call for the economies of several countries and this is one reason why they are not banned. Another reason pertains t the fact that, politicians often own stakes and the government as well, in national breweries and tobacco plants. Making profits from their citizens’ bad habits. Therefore, banning cigarettes and tobacco use wouldessentially be self-harm since their companies participate in the supply chain procedure.

Additionally, prohibition does not work. Especially when it comes to massively consumed substances such as tobacco and alcohol. Even in countries where it is banned to indulge like the middle east, there is still smuggling of these goods despite their religious affiliations. BY prohibiting tobacco and alcohol consumption, the governments indirectly give power to gangs and cartels, or even worse terrorist access to a large market; with high yields and high demand. In other words, giving them a way to control their economy through the society.

It is a hard job to balance between vice and vanity, but regulation, in this case, is the best alternative. By controlling it through tax, the number of people who use tobacco is reduced due to the high cost of purchase, and as a result, there will be fewer cases of illness related to cigarette smoking. Unfortunately, among disadvantaged communities, smoking is more prevalent. Known to suppress appetite, more and poorer people seek to suppress their needs and forget their problems by engaging in vices and substance abuse.

Quitting smoking, however, is a difficult task. Smokers who decided to quit are faced with challenging withdrawal symptoms and often have a shaky appearance. Whilst there are several companies that have tried to assist in the process to help quit smoking ‘gently’ it is a matter of mind over anything else. The determination to stop smoking is what keeps them going and helps them to maintain their ‘cold turkey’ routine until it is no longer a temptation.

Why  are  so  many  children  now  tested  to  be  deficient  in  vitamin  D,  and  how  does  this  affect  them?

Vitamin D Deficiency in Children

The most natural source of vitamin D is the sun. The fact that children today more often test for a deficiency in vitamin D simply means that the children are not going out more. They are staying indoor more and losing out on the outdoor adventures while still young. This happens for a number of reasons, but especially because digital devices keep children indoors, playing games online, and on their gadgets.

With the increasing number of games being released, it is inevitable that younger people are pulled in to play the games, and enjoy the new graphics, and the dynamics of the game. The games are more inclusive and diverse. Which spells out to mean that, each individual can create their own character and enjoy playing with their friends online. There is definitely peer pressure to stay indoors and get in the know on the latest games, and build your own online environment and reputation when it is all your peers talk about.

For those between the ages of 3 to their preteens, having the outdoors experience is important for their growth. Not just because it is important to strengthen their immunity, it also helps in their physical development. There are more reasons as to why children are becoming more vitamin D deficient. This includes the round the clock cartoon channels, and modified video streaming to cater for your kids specifically such as YouTube kids and Netflix. It becomes difficult to get the kids out when their favorite cartoons are on all day or at the click of a button.

The signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include getting sick often or being more susceptible to being infected for diseases. This also makes it harder for your wounds to heal. This leads you to stay sick longer, and even become more infected. Overall, it also leads to fatigue for the individual due to the deficiency. More so a person can experience hair loss and weakened bones. Hair like your nails has keratin. Therefore, not only will you have weak hair, but you will also have weak nails that break often or even turn to a yellowish color.

Someone who has vitamin D deficiency may also suffer from muscle pain. Very little vitamin D poses a high health risk even when there are no symptoms showing. Low vitamin D in the blood has been associated with a high risk of death from a cardiovascular disease. This alone is a scare for both parents and adults alike. Depending on your lifestyle, perhaps you do not get enough sunshine. To tackle vitamin D deficiency eating certain foods can add some vitamin D value to your body.

A good source of vitamin D includes a variety of protein foods which includes seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs and legumes such as beans and peas. Nuts are an additional source, as well as seeds and soy products. Fatty fish are good for more than just omega 3 fatty acids, it is also good for vitamin D by eating salmon, tuna and some mackerel. There are also small amounts of vitamin d found in beef liver and the egg yolk specifically.

Vegan options for vitamin D are also available. The options are such as almond milk, which Is fortified with vitamin d and chanterelle mushrooms when they’re raw. Orange juice is also a great source for fortified vitamin D, as well as soy yogurt which is fortified with vitamin D. to reduce the number of children with vitamin D deficiency, they should engage in outdoor games as per their school schedule, and as part of physical fitness undertaken by their immediate guardians and parents.

This will overall improve their help and open their minds to creativity and innovation through sports and crafts outside the confines of their homes, to explore nature for their own good.

Is  there  an  “obesity  gene?”

Is there an “obesity gene?”

Some people believe, if you have fat parents, then you will become fat as well. Others believe that there is an obesity gene. They believe a hereditary illness obesity can be passed down to children if it exists among immediate relatives and parents in specific. However, there are cases whereby children or siblings may be completely opposite. A child is born with tendencies to have a chubbier or fuller shape, while the mother or parents remain with a lean shape. The same can be said for siblings. One can be heavier in shape, while the other one slim.

It may also be important to note, that differences in height and physical features such as hair color and eyes may exist even in fraternal twins. This shows they could even be born together, and look different. This the bares the question, is there really an obesity gene, or is it speculation?

According to Wikipedia, Obesity is a medical condition and it comes into play as a result of the environment and some genetic factors. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that genetics do play a role in obesity. There are various genes that control appetite and metabolism and are predisposed to lead to obesity under certain conditions. Now depending on the population examined, the influence of genetics can vary widely. It can range from 6pc to 85pc.

As recently as 2006, conclusive evidence was found to link 41 different sites on the human genome that have been linked to the development of obesity when a favorable environment is present. It is also fair to note that the involvement of genetics in obesity can be attributed to between 40-70pc. Being a very high percentage, it would not be wrong to say that there is an obesity gene. Some of these genes may also influence the obese individuals to weight loss and weight management. The genes that influence obesity in an individual are called obesogenic or leptogenic genes.

For a long time, obesity has been attributed to eating too much and not observing exercise, or a proper diet at all. However, now obesity can be rightfully linked to the evidence of genes causing this condition. The gene ankyrin-B could be causing millions of people globally to add weight unknowingly. Through the gene that causes fat cells to suck up the glucose faster than normal which results in individuals gaining weight to become double their size.

After research was conducted in mice to confirm this, when a metabolism is aging, or one is consuming a high-fat diet then obesity becomes inevitable. This is because ageing metabolism is often slower. Meaning food and sugar takes longer to be processed, hence the additional pounds. If the individual does not mindfully consume, then adding weight just becomes a natural case of cause and effect.

Fault-free obesity is the term being used by researchers while addressing the weight gain people experience from the obesity gene. The gene is believed to have assisted our ancestors during times of famine to store fats and prevent starvation. However, today with numerous fast food, and plenty of food found in the grocery store without much ado to actually do the sourcing, the ankyrin-B variants are now fueling the obesity epidemic. While we do have this fat storing gene, today it is not contributing to our survival. On the contrary, it is contributing to the risk of heart attack and heart disease among other illnesses. A paradox on its own.

This gene is present in every bodily gene and acts as a tether for important proteins to remain inside the cell’s membrane. However, beneficial as it was years ago. It has also been linked to a number of diseases including autism, diabetes, premature aging, an irregular heartbeat and muscular dystrophy (a condition where a body organ wastes away). This clearly presents the case that, human being indeed do carry an obesity gene.

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