A Major Healthcare Problem That's Easily Preventable

November 2, 2005 -- Each year tens of thousands die simply because they fail to take medications on time as prescribed, with more than 125,000 deaths occurring in the cardiovascular area alone, and accounting for billions in excess healthcare costs.

In late 1999, Presidential Candidate and New Jersey Senator, Bill Bradley was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat, which the senator attributed to his forgetting to take his heart medication. The episode led to a barrage of questions about his health, which some believe seriously marred his bid for the presidency. Six years later, we seem to be no better informed; fully half of the 1.6 billion prescriptions written each year are taken incorrectly.

The Pillbox Pager Company is making it known that forgetting to take one’s medication is one major healthcare problem that is easily preventable. Their mission is to provide an easy-to-operate, multi-alarm pillbox to as many at-risk individuals as possible…and at the most affordable price possible ($12.50 for most and even less for those who cannot afford even that).

The product, The Pillbox Pager Deluxe, allows people to arrange pill medication anywhere, and the med reminder can be set to alarm up to six times daily. Currently, the product can be purchased online at http://www.pillboxpager.com and could be available at participating pharmacies as early as February of 2006. The website also showcases vital medication safety information, common problems when it comes to taking medicine, reasons for noncompliance, and practical ways of getting the most out of your medications.

The Pillbox Pager Company was birthed out of a need to address the serious problem of medical noncompliance, and its product, the Pillbox Pager Deluxe. The American Pharmacists Association and the medical and social services community at large all stress the importance of medical/patient compliance. The company distributes and sells only the Pillbox Pager Deluxe. The company also welcomes the participation of businesses and individuals who wish to make a gift of the Pillbox Pager Deluxe to loved ones or anyone in need. For more information, please visit http://www.pillboxpager.com.

Topical Scare and Anti-Aging Treatments You May Consider

Anti-Aging Skincare Treatment Rejuvinol Helps Smooth Skin Without Botox

A promising product buzzing in the beauty industry is Rejuvinol. This product's promise is it improves your facial appearance without more radical options like surgury or botox injections.

It boasts expensive ingredients to help ease the appearance of aging skin. This product is something you should investigate further if you are looking for something to revive a more youthful appearance. You can find this topical product at the the Health and Fitness Source

neaclear Liquid Oxygen Scar Advantage Voted the Best Topical Scar Treatment

In an independent survey of Chicago-area physicians, neaclear liquid oxygen Scar Advantage was chosen as the best topical scar treatment. The survey’s objective was to find the topical product that doctors felt most comfortable in recommending as a first line treatment for new or old scars, noticed the best patient scar maturation and flattening, and most commonly recommended to their patients.

November 3, 2005 -- In an independent survey of Chicago-area physicians, neaclear liquid oxygen Scar Advantage was chosen as the best topical scar treatment. The survey’s objective was to find the topical product that doctors felt most comfortable in recommending as a first line treatment for new or old scars, noticed the best patient scar maturation and flattening, and most commonly recommended to their patients.

neaclear’s Scar Advantage is starting to create a big stir in the medical community. Among the biggest supporters are some of the most biggest names in plastic surgery, dermatology and primary care medicine. The powerful combination of liquid oxygen, Vitamins C & E, chamomile and watercress is what distinguishes this scar remedy from its competitors. This proprietary formula promotes natural healing while supplying hydration, nutrients and energy.

“neaclear’s Scar Advantage is the most effective topical scar treatment ever created,” says Dr. Sam Speron, plastic surgeon and consumer advocate. “neaclear’s Scar Advantage applies gentle pressure and is clear so no one notices you are pampering your scar. My patients notice that it is easy to apply, works quickly and relieves scar itchiness.”

Scar Advantage Key Benefits:
• nourishes the skin and provide a healthy environment for healing.
• brush application makes it easy to use.
• dries quickly to form a flexible film, leaving no residue.
• applies gentle pressure to the site to encourage flatness of scar.
• the ultimate scar treatment - liquid oxygen, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamins A & D, cortisone & silicone.

For more information, visit: Necclear Treatment .

Weight Loss Market Trends – Online vs. Off-line Dieters

Best Diet for Me releases 3rd qtr. online dieters report.

Tampa, FL November 1, 2005 -- Marketdata Enterprises, the market research firm that operates www.BestDietForMe.com, now the #4 traffic diet website on the Web, has just released its latest quarterly report of online dieter behavior, revealing some key trends. BestDietForMe offers a Free diet analysis “matching service” and tons of useful content.

Overall Weight Loss Market Trends

1) Convenience Is Key…

NutriSystem has been doing exceptionally well this year, by using a blend of short form TV and print ads. The average customer lasts 9.5 weeks on its plan. NutriSystem expects to triple sales from 2004—to $150+ million. What this diet company is packaging and selling right now is essentially convenience. They’ll deliver 5 weeks of food (breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks) to your door, incl. shipping, for $280. This eliminates some traditional obstacles that diet centers have long faced. You don’t have to drive to weekly meetings or to the center to pick up your diet food. There are no embarrassing weigh-ins. You can order anonymously, online, 24/7. Apparently, that’s a winning combination for many dieters.

2) Most Weight Loss Companies Are Doing Well…

The thing that impresses BestDietForMe.com analysts is that this year seems to be different than past ones. The Summer is usually the slow diet season. Not in 2005—most diet programs have been filled to capacity right through the Summer months and into the Fall.

3) A Blend of Traditional and Online Advertising Works…

NutriSystem and eDiets don’t just advertise online anymore. Even eDiets now runs TV commercials, realizing that you can’t get all your customers online. Another new phenomenon we’ve seen is the tie-in between weight loss related TV shows like “The Biggest Loser” and the websites they operate (which sells a diet program).

4) Diet Companies Bridge Gap Between Weight Loss and Other Women’s Interests…

More diet websites are branching out into complementary products and services for dieting women, to more fully leverage their website’s space and to keep visitors at their sites longer. Topics you’ll now see advertised on leading diet websites include: Dating/personals, Sex and relationships, Skin care products, Laser hair removal, womens’ Healthcare Products and drugs.

5) Diet Pay-Per-Click Ads Get More Expensive, Competitive…

www.BestDietForMe.com analysts noted that during the 3rd quarter, the bids on many popular weight loss key words increased. It’s now more expensive to run large paid search campaigns. New diet websites will find it more difficult to break through and be noticed. In addition, major systems such as Google raised the price of ads significantly by moving the minimum bid from 5 to 10 cents per click. This is forcing many diet sites to migrate to less costly systems and to more closely examine where they advertise, as they seek more relevant traffic focused on dieting.

3rd Quarter Findings – Online Dieters

BestDietForMe.com examined a sample of 20,456 dieters that completed the website’s online survey, from July 1 to September 30. Following are several key findings:

• Method - Most dieters overall are do-it-yourselfers—estimated by many at 70%. The BDFM data show this as well. This is the #1 preferred diet program format or location. If we combine the “home/online/telephone” and “celebrity plan or bestselling diet book”, the do-it-yourself group represented 56% of BDFM visitors in the 1st quarter. This share rose to 59% in the 2nd quarter and 63% by the 3rd quarter.

• High blood pressure is the leading Medical Condition affecting online dieters. Headaches and migraines combined also rank high on the list.

• Nearly 41% of online dieters have Special Foods Needs, sensitivities, or allergies.

• Diet Budget - An overwhelming 62% wants to spend less than $250 on a diet plan. However, in the 3rd quarter, there was a notable shift to spending more on a diet plan. The share of online dieters willing to pay $500 or more rose. This may signify that as the diet season matured, dieters got more desperate and signed up for structured plans.

• Diet Food Home Delivery - This is a small but growing share of the dieting population, as more companies emerge and expand to national distribution rather than select metro areas only. These services typically cost $10-40 per day. Interest in home delivery rose to its highest point so far this year—6.1% by the 3rd quarter.

• Support - At least 44% of all online dieters need some form of Psychological Support, whether they want it or not. Of the three psych areas, nearly 70% need Emotional Eating support as part of their diet program.

The Quarterly Online Dieter Research Report is priced at $895, and includes 9-month 2005 data (1st 3 quarters). Annual subscription is $2,995. The 3rd quarter report is 54 pp. long, tracks 112 metrics, contains 36 tables and charts, and is accompanied by insightful commentary and analysis—for online dieters and the overall weight loss market. Call for details.

About Bestdietforme.Com/Marketdata

www.BestDietForMe.com is operated by Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., an independent analyst of the U.S. weight loss industry since 1989.

Author and Speaker Robyn McGee writes a keeping it real guide for black women's weight and body image.

Author and Speaker Robyn M. McGee Tackles Weighty Issues in Her Book Hungry For More Foreword by Joycelyn Elders, M.D, Former U.S. Surgeon General

Author and Speaker Robyn McGee writes a keeping it real guide for black women's weight and body image.

November 2, 2005 -- If you are an African-American woman, chances are you are considered to be fat. Statistics show 70% of African-American women are classified as overweight or obese. Is this a result of the classifier or the classified? In reality, it is both. Due to their genetic makeup, very few adult, African-American women are able to wear a size 2 and because they are constantly compared to the skinny women society parades before us as ‘supermodels’, their self-image is always under attack. This constant barrage of being subliminally reminded they are not beautiful because they don’t have the correct body dimensions is not only physically unhealthy, but also mentally and emotionally draining. Robyn M. McGee faced this fatal reality firsthand.

“My sister Cathy always loved a good party. The last time I saw her, she was hosting a friends wedding” McGee reveals. “With her head thrown back in laughter, Cathy held a champagne glass in hand and was surrounded endless bottles of wine and enough food to feed ten armies.”

Cathy was always conscientious about the full bosom, wide hips and thick legs in which most black women are born. Cathy was a beautiful and accomplished black woman. She was married, having four children and owned her own business. Still, Cathy was dissatisfied with her looks. Her lifelong obsession with her weight compelled her to indulge in the wrong foods, at the wrong times all for the wrong reasons. Once she was considered one hundred pounds overweight, Cathy qualified for gastric bypass surgery. Her desperate quest to be thin proved to be deadly.

“As I look back, I realize that Cathy’s struggle was not with her weight, but with feelings of inadequacy,” declares McGee. “If she’d understood that her perceptions were obscured by the societal norms and popular culture, she would have appreciated the dimensions that God gave black women and celebrated what she was rather than chasing something she wasn’t.”

In Hungry for More: A Keeping-it-Real Guide for Black Women on Weight and Body Image, author and speaker, Robyn McGee offers a holistic approach to weight and health by addressing their social and cultural implications. With foreword and praise by former U.S. Surgeon General, Joycelyn Elders, M.D., Hungry for More is a straight-talking, informative book that encourages readers to take control of their health and utilize practical ways they can combat obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle. McGee believes that without first addressing the deficiencies in our perception; no diet or surgery can be successful.

“Unless you change what’s in your heart and mind, no amount of surgery will make you feel whole. Without psychological change to go with your physical change, you could risk gaining all of the weight back.”

McGee is the Director of Women’s Resources at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Keeping her sister’s memory at the forefront, she is both sympathetic and upfront in conveying to readers the importance of honoring themselves by making healthy lifestyle choices, being patient and diligent, seeking help when necessary and remembering that they are much more than a number on a scale or dress size.

Hungry for More: A Keeping-it-Real Guide for Black Women on Weight and Body Image is due to be released in December 2005 by Seal Press, an imprint of Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.

Advance Praise for Hungry for More:

"Hungry for More is deliciously informative, real satisfying food for the soul, and a must read for all women."—Josefina Lopez, Chicana activist and author of Real Women Have Curves

“With the obesity epidemic among African-American women on the rise, this book provides very valuable information for black women who want to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Following much of the advice in this book will lead to a higher quality of life.” —Alvin F. Poussaint, MD. Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Judge Baker Children’s Center, Boston MA

“I promise this book will make you feel full. McGee dares to go where few authors do – into the heart, stomach and pulse of the African-American female battle with hunger and weight. This is a personal and urgent account of how women are destroying ourselves – and how we can turn the tide away from hunger and obesity into freedom and power.” —Eve Ensler, Playwright

“This insightful book comes at a critical time: when more and more women are dying to be thin. After losing her own sister to gastric bypass surgery, Robyn McGee set out on a mission to get to the bottom of Black women’s with obsession with their weight. The result: A fascinating read. This is a great book to give to your sister, your mother, your best friend, and, even better, yourself. —Pamela K. Johnson, West Coast Editor, Essence Magazine

About the Author

Robyn McGee is a longtime activist and women’s rights advocate. She is currently Director of Women’s Resources at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and she frequently lectures on women’s issues and popular culture.. Her work has been published in Seventeen, The Black World Today, and Fireweed Feminist Journal. She lives in Southern California, with her daughter. For more information, visit Robin Writes.

Does this Former Navy Seal have the Ultimate Fitness Plan for You?

Can't Fit Fitness into Your Schedule? Former Navy SEAL and Fitness Author has a Fitness Plan for Beginners to Busy Executives

Former Navy SEAL and fitness author, Stew Smith has written over thirty fitness guides to help the military and law enforcement excel in fitness standards and achieve their goals. Surprisingly, many ordinary people are using these programs to get into the best shape of their lives.

The books and eBooks, written by former Navy SEAL and online personal trainer, cover nearly every military and law enforcement physical fitness test(PFT) there is. Now - overweight, diabetics, and busy business people can get fit with these special programs.

"Originally, the audience I was writing for were strictly military men and women, but over the past few years, people from all walks of life have been using my military fitness books to lose weight,get fit,and fit fitness into their busy lives." says author Stew Smith as he sends his weekly fitness articles to www.military.com.

The list of downloadable fitness guides range from beginner/sedentary fitness designed for people who do not exercise and/or fighting diabetes to fit but busy executives who need a quick but challenging program to schedule in their day.

Stew Smith adds, "The list continually grows as I train more and more people with special needs." To date there are over 30 books and eBooks. Here is an abbreviated list:

Army Special Forces
Basic Army PFT
Navy PFT
Navy SEAL
US Coast Guard
Marine Bootcamp
Marine OCS/TBS
Marine RECON
Air Force Special Forces
Law Enforcement Training
Public Safety Diver Fitness
and Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Workout Programs for Men and Women - and the special feature of the month - The Busy Executive Workout Program.

"In the same week, I receive thank you calls from a 40 year old mother of three who dropped eight dress sizes using the Beginner Program. Most surprising to me, was the young soldier back from Iraq recovering from battle wounds who said the Beginner program got him back on track and motivated to get back in shape again." Stew says proudly.

Bottom line the programs work. They are simple and do not require gym equipment - making them perfect for hotel room workouts while on travel. They are basic calisthenics, dumbbell, and cardio workouts that will help the user lose weight, get in shape, and give one bragging rights to say - "I match the fitness standards of a Navy SEAL - can you?"

See: Stew Smith Fitness for the complete list of programs and fitness articles to help you find a fitness goal to achieve. And of course just email Stew if you have any questions about the programs.

Ground Breaking Book Claims it Busts Myth of Breast Implant Surgery

Book reveals new world of options to women looking to increase their breast size.

CALIFORNIA ) November 1, 2005 -- A newly released book explodes the common notion that implant surgery is the only way for women to increase their breast size, revealing over 25 alternative techniques, involving massage, simple exercise, diet, herbs and creams.

“To All Women Who Want to Enhance Their Breasts Naturally But Don’t Know How to Start,” describes and details virtually every known breast enhancement technique from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each technique, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost, and potential impact on insurance coverage.

The book is now available for a risk-free 30-day review by visiting the web site: Enhance Your Breast .

“It’s about time someone wrote a book outlining all of the different options women have to enhance their breasts,” said Cynthia M. Goodman, Chief of Plastic Surgery Division at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, California. “Yvonne’s extensive research on the subject will really help any woman and I will definitely recommend it to my patients.”

“In an age where the only publicized way to enlarge your breasts is the “Pamela Anderson way” – through implants,” said Lee, “I want women to know that there are dozens of other choices. However, I want women who are contemplating augmentation surgery to know that this book contains the critical information they need as well.”

Lee’s book is the result of over 600 hours of researching and cataloging dozens of options for women looking to achieve size and shape augmentation to their breasts. It includes special diet and exercise programs, massage techniques and a comprehensive list of the benefits and properties of breast enhancement creams and pills.

The book chronicles modern and ancient techniques from around the world and Yvonne points out that the techniques can help women of any age.

In addition to the information in her book, Lee offers a website which will contain updated information on a regular basis, and readers can opt for personal consultation services with the author as well.

Contact: Yvonne Lee 1-323-319-2430

Why is it So Hard for Women to Find Dieting Success? Behind the “Skinny Fat Chick” Phenomenon

You started every dieting method you can think of—whether it’s drinking weight loss shakes, eating nothing but grapefruit, or avoiding carbohydrates—only to find yourself back to your old habits in a few weeks. Maybe you bought weights, an exercise bike or a treadmill, only to find them in a corner collecting dust or piles of laundry months later. And even if you do follow these diet and exercise plans’ special techniques to help you ditch those extra pounds, their results don’t seem to last very long. Sometimes you even end up gaining weight instead of losing it. So why do these diet plans always seem to fail?

You started every dieting method you can think of—whether it’s drinking weight loss shakes, eating nothing but grapefruit, or avoiding carbohydrates—only to find yourself back to your old habits in a few weeks. Maybe you bought weights, an exercise bike or a treadmill, only to find them in a corner collecting dust or piles of laundry months later. And even if you do follow these diet and exercise plans’ special techniques to help you ditch those extra pounds, their results don’t seem to last very long. Sometimes you even end up gaining weight instead of losing it. So why do these diet plans always seem to fail?

According to Naweko San-Joyz, author of Skinny Fat Chicks (Noixia’s Reading Circle, 2005) it may not be the diet that’s the problem—it might be you. “Women diet to lose weight fast,” says San-Joyz. “When this does not happen, or the weight returns, the diet takes the blame. In truth, it is not the fault of the diet, but the misunderstanding of the woman that causes dieting failures.”

Women, San-Joyz believes, should view dieting as an education about their bodies and how they function. Unfortunately, most women choose to avoid healthy eating and exercise techniques in exchange for promises of quick results and drastic physical changes. This lack of knowledge and continual inability to find a sensible weight loss plan creates what San-Joyz terms “skinny fat chicks,” or women who damage their health with flawed dieting and exercise methods.

“Some women may destroy their dieting ambitions and end up heavier than they started,” she says. “At the other end of the scale, a woman may starve herself, sacrificing precious muscle mass in the process. While this woman may look skinny, she’s literally becoming skin, fat and bones.”

So how do you learn to maintain a reasonable diet and stay in shape long-term? San-Joyz says it’s as simple as addressing three critical issues: your identity crisis, educational crisis and celebration crisis. This means understanding why you want to diet, creating and using a sensible diet plan for yourself and learning to celebrate once you’ve figured out how to keep your body at optimal performance levels—not rejoicing because you’ve lost another pound. By embracing these principles, you learn not only to cultivate a healthy lifestyle, but also to continue staying fit for a lifetime.

Skinny Fat Chicks offers a wealth of advice on the pitfalls of unhealthy dieting, as well as a good deal of guidance in the mastery of sensible eating. But this isn’t a book about dieting—it’s a book about self-discovery and self-worth. “When you really get this dieting thing, you become a new woman, a more self-confident woman and a more self-reliant woman,” San-Joyz explains. “Dieting success happens when you stop panicking about how you look and stop torturing yourself with fad diets and start to create acts of self-love in your life. That’s the first step to dieting success: putting you and your needs first.”

Diabetes Management Tips by Charles Kassotis

Do you or someone you care about have diabetes? This common disease is usually progressive over several years' time, and it can create many kinds of health problems for those who have it. If you suspect you have symptoms of a diabetic nature, make a list of their type and frequency and let your doctor know right away. Symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, fatigue, and weight loss, among others. The sooner you get a firm diagnosis, the better outcome you are likely to have. Diabetes results from the body's reduced ability to make insulin. When this happens, body organs can be affected as the circulation slows, leading to slow wound healing times and loss of feeling in the extremities. Eventually, without treatment, diabetes can progress to organ failure, especially the kidneys and heart, as well as possible blindness, strokes, and other problematic conditions.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, ask your doctor about a personal management plan. Read all the information you can find about your condition, and ask your doctor any questions about things you don't understand. It may be helpful to borrow library books or visit online medical Websites to find out how others cope and what types of possible new cures or treatments are on the horizon.

Your doctor may advise you to change your diet to one that is low in sugar, fat, and salt. He or she may want you to begin a daily exercise program unless you already have one. You might have to do finger sticks for your blood sugar each day, perhaps after eating or at others times, to check blood readings. Depending on the status of your disease, you may have to take pills or give yourself daily injections. When your blood sugar levels get too high or too low, you could experience life-threatening complications.

It may be a good idea to wear a bracelet or necklace identification tag, so that if you should happen to pass out or become dizzy from blood sugar changes, someone will know how to help you. Carrying a small amount of sugar in the form of orange juice or a candy bar might be helpful if you begin to feel light-headed or your levels start to drop. Let coworkers and friends know about your condition so they can take appropriate steps if you experience difficulties from your diabetic condition.

Joining a support group could help to relieve anxieties and put you in touch with others who have been where you are. Their experience and insight can help you to adjust with a new diabetic diagnosis or a significant change in your condition. This could be particularly welcome if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, since this may impact the status of your diabetes.

Although diabetes is a complex condition and more needs to be known about its development and progress, there is hope and success for many who struggle with the side effects of this disease. Help is available, so don't hesitate to ask for and make use of it.


About the Author
For lots more information on diabetes detection and control, visit The Diabetes Directory at http://www.diabetesdir.com