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Why Self-Insurance Is the Answer to Our Health Care Mess Despite its current problems, the U.S. economy is still the envy of the world, largely because it is still more or less governed by an entrepreneurial spirit. The idea that a person with a new idea or a better idea can, as a general principle, succeed through hard work and yes, luck, is still a vital component of what used to be called “The American Dream.” It’s also in danger of becoming extinct. Thanks to the heavy hand of government and the rapacious nature of the lawsuit brigade, individual initiative is being taxed, regulated and sued – if not out of existence – then into the backseat of the American economy. Big business, in partnership with big government and big law, is attempting to level the playing field among existing actors and push the little guy, the future competitor, out of the way. Read the rest at FOXFORUM H1N1 flu vaccine danger minimal, but might not be necessary for everyone Not everyone agrees that th

GERD drugs lead to weight gain New research from Japan scientists shows that long term use of popular drugs to treat GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), seem to lead to weight gain. The study is the first to investigate the effect of GERD drugs on body weight, and show that patients taking the popular reflux drugs should be encouraged to take extra care not to overeat and manage weight. Read More Seafood Choice Update from Monterey Bay Aquarium The Monterey Bay Aquarium has published their list of seafood choices for sustainability and human health. Wild caught salmon, Alaskan to be exact, tops the list as one of the best seafood choices. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program offers consumers "Best Choices," "Good Alternatives," and which seafood should be avoided. Read More Eat phytochemicals before a meal to fight obesity A new study from University of Florida researchers shows that eating plant based foods that contain beneficial phyt

H1N1 Outbreak at Air Force Academy Provides Virus Insights Scientists have gained insights about controlling H1N1 flu spread from a major outbreak of swine flu that occurred June 2009 at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). They found that the H1N1 virus persists after symptoms of swine flu have disappeared, though questions remain about how long it can spread. Read More Older Brains Get A Quick Boost From The Internet Results of a new study show that older brains can get a quick boost from the internet. Changes can occur in just one week in key areas of the brain that are responsible for decision-making and complex reasoning. The findings from UCLA researcher s, show that first time internet users, in midlife and older, internet use can boost brain function quickly. Read More Mercury Levels Same in Normal and Autistic Children In a rigorous study, no significant difference in mercury levels in the bloodstream has been found comparing normal and autistic children. The finding

Photo: Brian Liau Researchers at Duke University have used embryonic stem cells from mice to develop a patch that could be used in humans to repair diseased hearts. Though the living cell patch is not ready for humans, the discovery is a first step toward finding a way to mend hearts that are damaged. The scientists grew heart cells in the lab using cardiac cells known as cardiomyocytes. A gel was used to encase the heart patch and hold it together, made from fibrin, a protein involved in blood clotting. They found that with helper cells called cardiac fibroblasts, the heart patch grows the same as in a developing heart. Read entire article

Breast cancer diagnosed earlier for women with BRCA gene University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers say women who possess the high risk BRCA gene for breast cancer are being diagnosed with breast cancer earlier, compared to past generations. The BRCA gene places women at high risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The high risk gene is now linked to diagnosis of breast cancer six years earlier than previous generations of women. Read more Antiviral drugs improve H1N1 flu outcomes According to a review of hospital admissions to ICU and deaths from H1N1 flu in 2009,seventy five percent of deaths from H1N1 swine flu have been seen in patients with one or more underlying health conditions. The study looks at patients hospitalized within 24 hours of onset of flu symptoms from April 2009 to mid-June 2009, finding that asthma, diabetes, heart, lung, and neurologic diseases, and pregnancy were associated with the majority of admission to ICU from H1N1 swine flu - b