Lions HealthFirst Foundation

The Lions Healthfirst Foundation will be staging a very special, and unusual type of benefit, on Thursday, October 20, at the Riviera Hotel

2011-09-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Lions Healthfirst Foundation will be staging a very special, and unusual type of benefit, on Thursday, October 20, when a group of comedians come together to hold the First “Laugh-a-thon,” in the Starlite Room at the Riviera Hotel & Casino.
International star, and a resident of Las Vegas, Rich Little, who donates his time and dollars to a lot of charities, has agreed to make a special appearance for this first-of-a-kind fund raiser. “I think it’ll be a lot of fun, making people laugh their way to greater health,” Little commented.
Host for the evening, which will include a silent auction, will be another nationally known comedian, and also a local, the wonderful Cork Proctor. Brian Hoffman will also be performing his impersonation of Red Skelton. Plus other local comedians will be joining in the fun. Everything is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and run to 8:00 p.m.
The theme for the event is, “Come and laugh your way to better health.”
There will be short presentations by Dr. Alvin Lin and Dr. Annabel Barber, discussing the subject of laughter is the best medicine. Their topic is titled, “Joy of Stress,” and how you can laugh at problems, and not allow stress to ruin your life.
You will learn how a daily dose of laughter will help improve your health, add years to your life, and help you avoid “hardening of the attitude,” a silent killer that takes the fun out of life. You will take home simple exercises in “Laughing Yoga” a tool that you can use immediately to change your life for the better.
To purchase tickets, priced at $40.00 in advance, and $50.00 at the door, contact the Lions Health First Foundation at 702-739-6393 or visit our web site: www.lionshealthfirst.org. Tickets may be purchased online.

LIONS IMAGING CENTER ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF HEALTH SCREENING TESTS FOR SENIORS

2011-01-21T10:59:00.001-08:00

Las Vegas, January 21, 2011 - The Lions HealthFirst Foundation recently completed a health study on 20 local Lions Club members in ages ranging from 55 to 75.They were tested for early warning signs of cancer, stroke, aneurysm and other abnormalities in vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, gall bladder and thyroid gland.

An ultrasound screening of the carotid arteries, abdominal aorta, thyroid gland, liver, kidneys, gallbladder and spleen produced the following results.

• All 20 people had issues with their carotid arteries; ranging from a mild thickening of the carotid arteries to build up of plaque resulting in a narrowing of the arteries.
While there were no cases of serious blockages, these were early warning signs of possible problems. Mild thickening of the arterial wall is associated with age, but also precedes more serious problems including blockages.

• Ten out of 20 people had issues with their thyroid gland, ranging from nodules, tumors and enlargement of the gland. The thyroid regulates metabolism, body weight, energy and more.

• Five out of 20 had issues with their gallbladder, primarily the presence of cysts or stones. Gallstones may become a serious health problem requiring emergency surgery.

• Six out of 20 had issues with their kidneys, ranging from kidney stones to cysts.

• Two people had liver problems, one had an enlarged spleen and one had a small aneurysm in the abdominal aorta.

Why should everyone over 50 have a preventive health screening? Early detection of serious health problems is the major benefit. These tests serve as a baseline from which the family physician can monitor a person’s health.

The Lions HealthFirst Foundation serves the community by providing ultrasound screening for risks of stroke, aneurysm and cancer.

Our Imaging services are available to the general community, as well as employers, special groups such as Rotary Clubs, Masons and other non-profit organizations.

Anyone interested in learning more should contact Mitchell Milgaten at 702-739-6552.

The Mission of the Lions HealthFirst Foundation is to make people aware of undetected health problems and, if problems are found, to encourage them to seek follow-up care with a family physician. We provide the highest quality imaging technology. We offer a convenient, affordable, confidential and accurate non-invasive screening process.

There are 28 Lions Clubs, with over 1,400 active members in Nevada. Our Lions members wish to thank everyone who contributes to this important work. Lions Clubs also fund and operate the Lions SightFirst Foundation in Las Vegas and help fund the Lions Burn Center at UMC.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with nearly 1.35 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in 202 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.

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Secondhand Smoke Tied to High Blood Pressure in Kids

2011-01-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

MONDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Young kids who live with a parent who smokes face an increased risk for developing high blood pressure while still children, a new study has found.

Warning that children with high blood pressure often become adults with the same problem, the researchers suggested that secondhand smoke poses a substantial and long-term risk to the cardiovascular welfare of young children.

"The prevention of adult diseases like stroke or heart attack begins during childhood," said the study's lead author, Dr. Giacomo D. Simonetti, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Children's Hospital at the University of Bern, in Switzerland. "Removing any avoidable risk factors as soon as possible will help reduce the risk for heart disease later on and improve the long-term health of children." And, he added, "Passive smoking is a risk factor. And an avoidable risk factor. So do not smoke because it is not healthy for you and for your children. Smoking increases your -- and your children's -- blood pressure."

Simonetti, who worked on the study while at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and his colleagues report their findings in the Jan. 10 online edition of Circulation.

The researchers noted that high blood pressure is the prime risk factor for heart disease. And according to the American Cancer Society, about 46,000 non-smoking Americans die from heart disease each year as a result of living with smokers and the secondhand smoke they produce.

To gauge the impact of secondhand smoke on young children, the research team examined data on 4,236 healthy boys and girls, 5 to 6 years old, who lived in southwestern Germany. Nearly 29 percent of the children's fathers and almost 21 percent of their mothers were smokers. For about 12 percent of the children, both parents smoked.

Even after accounting for other heart disease risk factors -- such as low weight at birth, premature birth, high body mass index and parents with high blood pressure -- parental smoking appeared to be an independent risk factor for high blood pressure among the children, the study found.

In fact, children exposed to parental secondhand smoke were 21 percent more likely to have the upper number of their blood pressure reading (the systolic figure, which corresponds to heart contractions) register at levels among the highest 15 percent of the population.

Mothers who smoked appeared to confer a worse impact on their child's blood pressure levels than smoking fathers, although the researchers said that likely reflected maternal lifestyle and the generally greater amount of time the mothers spent in the home.

Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a cardiology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, expressed little surprise at the findings. "We certainly know that secondhand smoke is dangerous and associated with adverse consequences," he noted. "In adults, there's certainly higher heart attack and stroke risk, as well as lung disease. And it's previously been known that secondhand smoke can be dangerous to children's lungs," he added. "This look at its impact on blood pressure just reinforces the notion that there's no acceptable exposure to secondhand smoke when it comes to infants and young children," Fonarow said. "And it's yet another reason why we need to protect them from exposure because it damages their lungs and blood vessels and can already manifest in harm to their blood pressure."

SOURCES: Giacomo D. Simonetti, M.D., assistant professor, pediatrics, Children's Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland; Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., professor, cardiology, department of medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; Jan. 10, 2011, Circulation, online

An important message for parents with sons or daughters entering college

2010-12-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

Getting a college education is one of the most stress-producing times in the lives of these young adults.

Just look at the numbers: according to an article in US News and World Report, “30% of college and university students drop out after their first year; half never graduate.

Why? Many reasons, the financial burden seems to be at the top of the list. However, parents sometimes overlook the critical medical needs of students. Emotional stress, fear of failure and peer pressure can damage the health and well-being of any student, especially if it goes unrecognized or untreated.

In addition to the stress of learning, students are prone to suffer from colds and flu, allergies, headaches, insomnia, mood-swings and sometimes even food poisoning. And there are more problems these young men and women face: the need for birth control, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, dealing with alcohol or drug consumption, and even weight control.

The Lions HealthFirst Foundation is working with Ching Kwong Ming (Dr. Peggy Ching) to introduce a special medical service for college or university students who are living far away from home.

Here’s something parents need to think about, "Should your daughter get HPV (Human Papaloma Virus) vaccination when she arrives in US to start College?" "Are you aware that HPV vaccinations are now offered to young men as well as young women?"

Other possible health issues parents should consider for their youngsters entering US universities.

"Are you aware that in the State of California, (Nevada too) marijuana can be available to students legally? What if your child is exposed to classmates smoking Marijuana on campus? What should be done to protect him or her and avoid trouble with the law?"

Another health issue is, "Many of the college students in US are taking "smart drugs" to enhance learning. Would your son or daughter benefit from these prescription medications to stay competitive in class?"

Who is Dr. Peggy Ching and what service are Lions HealthFirst offering to foreign students?

Dr. Ching (Ching Kwong Ming) was born in Hong Kong. She attended True Light Middle school in Hong Kong before she immigrated to America and set up her medical practice in the city of San Francisco. She belonged to a HMO called Chinese Community Health Plan in San Francisco. It was one of the first HMO in this country that target exclusively to Chinese. Dr. Ching now lives in Los Angeles and continues to serve clients in San Francisco as well as those in Los Angeles, California.

Under Dr. Ching’s supervision we call our service: "Lions Health First Foreign Students/(Visitors) Concierge Medical Service"

We cater to foreigners with a student or visitor visa.

A brief list of our services include;

1) 24 hour Hot Line, with Physician Assistants, Registered Nurses or Medical Doctors available to answer phone inquiries on health questions.
2) Emergency visits, provide medical escort to emergency room. (Hospital fees are not covered.) But one of us will be there to make sure the appropriate treatments are taking place.
3) Doctor office visits, we schedule the appointments with the physicians and or specialists and provide transportation as needed and escort to the appointments.
4) Pharmacy services. We sent a runner to get the prescriptions filled and deliver the drugs.
5) Laboratory test and X-rays etc. We provide transportation and a practical registered nurse to escort the student for tests.
6) Visiting nurses and home health services, when the student is out sick.

Since LA and SF are the two major ports of entry for Chinese students arriving in the U.S., we offer a meet and greet when they first arrive. This includes a thorough physical examination, a health education session. (Mental health as well as general health, diet advise, skin and hygiene, (e.g. acne is a common health concern for male and female young adults), sex education (birth control, STD), alcohol and drug issues, etc.

Dr. Ching will be available by email and telephone to answer questions from parents determined to maintain the highest standards for health of their children, even if they are thousands of miles from home.

More to come.

Lion James Bartel

Get your medical questions answered

2010-11-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Get answers to your
medical or health related questions
from a Lions HealthFirst
board-certified physician

While common sense says you can’t stop the aging process, you can take steps to preserve your health and improve your quality of life.

Are you suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety or insomnia? Are you always tired, overweight, stressed out? Do you have issues you just don’t feel comfortable talking to your family physician about; such as low energy, low sex drive, or moodiness?

You should consider talking with one of our dedicated physicians who
are here to help you understand your health problem and make decisions that are best for you.

Other conditions that may require a “second opinion” include diabetes; high cholesterol; hypertension; and worries about age-related issues. Plus, if you take prescription drugs, with potential side-effects that might be worse than the disease - you should definitely talk with a Lions HealthFirst physician.

It’s time to be proactive with your health. Have a Lions HealthFirst
physician review your medical history, listen to your questions and concerns and explain your health and/or any medical issues in easy to understand language. We’ll even review your doctor’s opinion on treatment options on any medical issue, and review laboratory, radiology and pathology reports.

You’ll learn about alternative treatments. And have your drug prescriptions reviewed for conflicts or potential dangers.

Lions HealthFirst is an IRS approved nonprofit public health foundation established to serve the citizens of southern Nevada.

Call Sol Lee at 702-739-6393 to schedule an appointment with a Lions board-certified physician. Do it today.

Sincerely,
James Bartel

Executive Director

P.S. If you’re worried about your dad/mom’s health, bring them

Breast cancer and problems with mammograms

2010-10-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

A Lions HealthFirst Foundation special alert

BREAST CANCER MISTAKES MILLIONS OF WOMEN MAKE
A new study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that increased awareness and improved treatments rather than mammograms are the main force in reducing the breast cancer death rate.

The study, medical experts say, is the first to assess the benefit of mammography in the context of the modern era of breast cancer treatment.
While it is unlikely to settle the debate over mammograms — and experts continue to disagree about the value of the test — it indicates that improved treatments with hormonal therapy and other targeted drugs may have, in a way, washed out most of mammography's benefits by making it less important to find cancers when they are too small to feel.

As stated by the New York Times:
"In the new study, mammograms, combined with modern treatment, reduced the death rate by 10 percent, but the study data indicated that the effect of mammograms alone could be as low as 2 percent or even zero.
A 10 percent reduction would mean that if 1,000 50-year-old women were screened over a decade, 996 women rather than 995.6 would not die from the cancer — an effect so tiny it may have occurred by chance."
Sources: New York Times September 23, 2010
New England Journal of Medicine September 23, 2010; 363(13):1203-10

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Mammograms are often touted as a "life-saving" form of cancer screening, responsible for reducing breast cancer death rates by 15-25 percent. But this reported benefit is based on outdated studies done decades ago …

The New England Journal of Medicine is one of the most prestigious medical journals and it has now published the first recent study to look at the effectiveness of mammograms in years, and their findings are a far cry from what most public health officials and physicians would have you believe.
A Close to ZERO Percent Benefit …
In the latest study, researchers analyzed data from over 40,000 Norwegian women with breast cancer and found that those who had mammograms and were treated by special breast cancer medical teams had a 10 percent lower breast cancer death rate than women who had neither.
However, they also found that women over the age of 70 who were treated by the special teams had an 8 percent lower death risk from breast cancer, even though they had not received mammograms.

What this suggests, and what Dr. H. Gilbert Welch wrote in an accompanying editorial, is that mammograms may have only reduced the cancer death rate by 2 percent -- an amount so small it may as well be zero.
So the fact remains that there is no solid evidence that mammograms save lives.

Past research has also demonstrated that adding an annual mammogram to a careful physical examination of the breasts does not improve breast cancer survival rates over getting the examination alone.

Now, if mammograms were completely safe and capable of reducing your cancer death risk even a small amount, you might be able to make an argument for their use. But mammograms are not only ineffective … they're unsafe as well.
The Dangers of Mammography: Ionizing Radiation
The first problem with mammograms is that they use ionizing radiation at a relatively high dose, which in and of itself can contribute to the development of breast cancer. Mammograms expose your body to radiation that can be 1,000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray, which we know poses a cancer risk.

Mammography also compresses your breasts tightly, which could lead to a dangerous spread of cancerous cells, should they exist.

Dr. Charles B. Simone, a former clinical associate in immunology and pharmacology at the National Cancer Institute, said: "Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasizing an existing growth."

Dr. Samuel Epstein, one of the top cancer experts, similarly stated:
"The premenopausal breast is highly sensitive to radiation, each 1 rad exposure increasing breast cancer risk by about 1 percent, with a cumulative 10 percent increased risk for each breast over a decade's screening."
False Positives are Alarmingly Common
The second glaring problem with mammography is its unacceptably high rate of false positives.
If a mammogram detects an abnormal spot in a woman's breast, the next step is typically a biopsy. This involves taking a small amount of tissue from the breast, which is then looked at by a pathologist under a microscope to determine if cancer is present.

The problem is that early stage cancer like ductal carcinoma in situ, or D.C.I.S., can be very hard to diagnose, and pathologists have a wide range of experience and expertise. There are no diagnostic standards for D.C.I.S., and there are no requirements that the pathologists doing the readings have specialized expertise.

Dr. Shahla Masood, the head of pathology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, told the New York Times:

"There are studies that show that diagnosing these borderline breast lesions occasionally comes down to the flip of a coin."

Of course, upon receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, most women are afraid and even frantic to do whatever it takes to fight and remove the cancer. In the conventional medical arena, typically this means full or partial mastectomy, drugs and radiation.

Imagine going through surgery, having one or both of your breasts removed along with receiving debilitating radiation treatments and toxic drugs, only to later be told that you never had cancer.
This scenario happens more often than you might think.
How Often do Mammograms Lead to False Positive Diagnoses?
Estimates suggest that 17 percent of D.C.I.S. cases found through needle biopsy (often the next step after a mammogram detects a mass) are misdiagnosed. The New York Times also reported on several other concerning findings about the frequency of misdiagnosis:
• A 2006 study by Susan G. Komen for the Cure estimated that in 90,000 cases when women were diagnosed with D.C.I.S. or invasive breast cancer, they either did not have the disease or they got incorrect treatment due to a pathologist error.
• A 2002 study at Northwestern University Medical Center found that nearly 8 percent of 340 breast cancer cases " had errors serious enough to change plans for surgery."
• Dr. Lagios, a pathologist at St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, reviewed nearly 600 breast cases in 2007 and 2008 and found discrepancies in 141 of them.
Mammograms also carry a first-time false positive rate of up to 6 percent. False positives can lead to unnecessary emotional stress and expensive repeat screenings, exposing you to even more radiation. Plus, as discussed earlier, they can sometimes result in unnecessary invasive procedures including biopsies, unnecessary surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and more.
The BEST Way to Lower Your Risk of Breast Cancer
will not prevent you from getting breast cancer, and the latest study shows they offer very little benefit in improving your chances of survival if you do have it. So the best strategy, which I encourage all women to embark upon today, is not to simply get your yearly mammogram and hope for the best -- it's to make lifestyle changes that will significantly cut your cancer risks in the first place.

Researchers estimate that about 40 percent of U.S. breast cancer cases, or about 70,000 cases every year, could be prevented by making lifestyle changes.

A healthy diet, regular physical exercise, and an effective way to manage your emotional health are the cornerstones of just about any cancer prevention program, including breast cancer, but you will also want to make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized.

Vitamin D, a steroid hormone that influences virtually every cell in your body, is easily one of nature's most potent cancer fighters. According to one landmark study, some 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancers could be prevented each year if vitamin D levels among populations worldwide were increased. And that's just counting the death toll for two types of cancer (it actually works against at least 16 different types)!

There's also research showing that by simply supplementing your diet with animal-based omega-3 fats like krill oil you may reduce your breast cancer risk by 32 percent, so this is another strategy I suggest you embrace.
What about Screening?
Effective cancer screening methods are important, but mammography is simply NOT a safe or effective cancer screen. Instead, I strongly advise you to consider the safer and more effective alternative of thermographic breast screening, especially if you are younger and have not already been diagnosed with, or undergone treatment for, breast cancer.

By measuring the radiation of infrared heat from your body, thermographic screening can detect signs of breast cancer as much as 10 years earlier than either mammography or a physical exam -- all without any ionizing radiation or mechanical pressure.

Its ability to detect the possibility of breast cancer, before any tumors have formed, is because it can provide a picture of the early stages of angiogenesis -- the formation of a direct supply of blood to cancer cells, which is a necessary step before they can grow into tumors of size.

Dr. Li presents compelling evidence that by including more anti-angiogenetic foods in your diet, you may be able to effectively starve cancer and prevent tumors from ever forming since they must have sufficient blood supply to thrive, just like all other cells.

Were you to undergo a thermographic screening and discover that angiogenesis is taking place, meaning that tiny blood vessels have begun sprouting to an area to feed cancer cells, you now have YEARS at your disposal to effectively "cure yourself" (although by conventional standards you're not yet ill) by implementing lifesaving lifestyle changes.

This would logically include increased amounts of anti-angiogenetic foods such as red grapes, berries, turmeric and broccoli, just to name a few.

What Is Your Posture Telling You?

2010-03-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

When most people hear the term posture, they remember being told to stand or sit up straight when they were kids. This article is not an effort to have you stand rigidly, just a look at how we hold our bodies and what it can tell us.

Posture comes from the Latin word ponere, meaning to place. It’s defined as “the position of the body; way of holding the body.” The important thing to realize about postural problems is that over the years they can lessen your quality of life to some extent—and, if ignored, are likely to worsen as you age.

Whatever postural problem may exist, it affects more of your body than you may realize. Since all your soft tissue is inter-connected (your muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue, etc.), a problem in one area of your body can (and in time, probably will) affect the area next to it. For instance, the muscles on one side of your lower back can tighten, causing your body to adjust by twisting slightly. This can begin to affect your upper back/shoulder area and/or your hip area as your body tries to compensate for this new position brought about by your tense lower back.

In his book The Owner’s Guide to the Body, Roger Golten describes “average” posture: “Slouching, paunchiness, round-shoulders, flat feet, backache, neck and shoulder tension are symptoms of ‘averageness’, and a structure in collapse.”

It’s easier to observe “poor” posture in others because we are unlikely to be aware of our own habitual body positions. When you see someone bent over with severely rounded shoulders or with one shoulder higher than the other, you are probably observing a condition that has developed over the years. True, postural problems can be hereditary or disease-related, but often they are habitual in nature.

Identifying the factors that contribute to these postural imbalances can help you see which areas need to be addressed and changed. Be aware of occupational influences, such as how you sit at work, and how you hold your body during recreational activities or during sleep.

Other influences to consider include tight clothing and certain types of footwear, as well as furniture that doesn’t properly support the back.

If you think of your body as a structure with your feet as the foundation, your legs as the main weight-bearing framework, etc., you can get a better idea how important your posture is. A building that loses its stability begins to shift, the walls show the stress through cracking, and in time the dwelling becomes uninhabitable. When it comes to a body out of structural balance, those complaints in the back, neck and shoulder area might actually come from an earlier imbalance in the feet, legs, or hips.

By relaxing tension from head to toe, the many interconnected areas of your body have the opportunity to return to a more normal condition. Much emphasis today in the natural health field is on treating the whole person.

Reflexology sessions and meditation can help you to by helping to keep your body “tuned up” physically.

© 2006 Massage Marketing. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
***** ******

Some hints to help you avoid back trouble

• Prior to physical activity, spend a few minutes warming up (stretching, etc.)
• Select comfortable footwear. The higher the heel, the greater threat of back pain
• Remember to keep your back straight and bend your knees when lifting. You should let your leg muscles do most of the work and hold the object you’re lifting close to your body.
• Pushing a large object is preferable—it puts less strain on your lower back than pulling.
• When carrying anything on your shoulder, be sure to switch the weight to the other shoulder occasionally—let your shoulders share the load.
• Avoid sitting or standing in one position for long periods of time.
• When sitting, put your knees about an inch higher than your hips to help reduce the strain on your lower and upper back muscles.

Reference: The Complete Handbook of Health Tips

Eleven tips for avoiding a life-threatening stroke

2010-03-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Lions HealthFirst Foundation offers 11 tips for avoiding stroke, heart disease and other circulatory related problems.

Every 3-minutes someone in the U.S. dies from a stroke. Every year over 700,000 Americans over 50 die or suffer crippling disabilities from a stroke. There are 4.4 million stroke survivors with disabilities. Yet strokes can be prevented with early detection.

A stroke occurs when there's a disruption of blood flow to the brain. Strokes are the most common cause of neurological disability in the United States, usually resulting from atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) or hypertension. To avoid strokes the Lions HealthFirst Foundation suggests the following lifestyle changes.

One. Maintain a healthy body weight and lifestyle: Exercise aerobically four times a week for 30 to 40 minutes; eat lots of fruits, vegetables and high-fiber foods.
Two. Avoid fats, especially saturated fats found in meat, butter and beef shortening.
Three. Monitor your blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart and blood vessels work harder. Treat high blood pressure as recommended by your doctor.
Four. Check your cholesterol. Most malls and many senior centers offer cholesterol tests for a nominal fee.
Five. Test your blood sugar. Chronic high blood sugar is harmful to the arteries. Free blood sugar testing is often offered at pharmacies.
Six. Ask your doctor to check your blood hematocrit level. High hematocrits make a person more prone to strokes.
Seven. Stop smoking if you do. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to narrow and constrict, which impedes circulation.
Eight. Reduce or eliminate drug and alcohol intake. Abuse of either can cause strokes in teenagers and young adults.
Nine. Avoid constipation. Straining to move your bowels is hard on your heart and blood vessels.
Ten. Relax. Reduce your stress. Chronic stress causes the blood vessels to narrow, which makes blood pressure rise and the heart work harder. Take a yoga class, read a good book to your loved one, pray, meditate or do whatever else relaxes you and increases your sense of well-being.
Eleven. Take an aspirin every other day unless otherwise advised by your doctor. Aspirin helps your blood flow more easily.

Tips & Warnings
• A coated aspirin will help avoid gastrointestinal side effects.
• Ask your doctor if you should make any exercise and dietary changes, and discuss the suggested changes above before implementing them.
• If you have disturbances in your vision, have difficulty speaking or experience even minor, temporary paralysis in any of your extremities, go to your local emergency room immediately.
• If symptoms persist or if you have specific medical conditions or concerns, contact a physician. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
The Lions HealthFirst Foundation is a project of the Las Vegas International Lions Club. The Foundation is a public charity and IRS 501(c)(3) approved.

Lions Clubs International, is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with health and vision problems in over 200 countries. Worldwide, we have 1.4 million members. In Nevada we have over 1400 active members working to serve the community.

Since doctors normally cannot order diagnostic tests for preventive health purposes, we have created the Lions HealthFirst Foundation to provide FREE ultrasound screening to seniors with low income, who are without medical insurance or underinsured. And we provide inexpensive screenings for people burdened with high deductibles or co-payments.

For information about a free or low cost wellness screening, call 702-739-6393 and ask for Project Director Sol Lee.

The Importance of Massage

2010-02-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone is familiar with the phrase detoxification—or detoxing—but many don’t really understand how vital this process is to your health. Here are some basic points you should know:

To simplify, detoxification is the process of your body cleaning out any substances that aren’t needed or shouldn’t be in your body. And in today’s world, the incidence of exposure to unneeded or unwanted substances is substantial. Air and water pollution; pervasive chemical use; insecticides, pesticides, and antibiotics in our food; excessive use of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, various drugs and medicines—there is little doubt that we are all exposed to many things that are to some degree toxic to our bodies.

So what takes place within your body that makes this such an important health issue?

Physically, you maintain a healthy condition when your system gets adequate exercise, fresh water and nourishment. When unnecessary substances “invade” the body, they must be collected and removed. If the volume of toxins is too high (more than your body can handle), these substances will be stored in your body. This opens the door to illness and degenerative diseases.

Signs of toxicity include headaches, constipation, bloating, fatigue, and skin conditions (rashes, etc.), to name a few.

To cleanse your body of toxins and wastes requires more than regular bathroom visits—your body relies on the liver, kidneys, skin, lymphatic and circulation systems working in harmony to keep your system clean and functioning properly.

For instance, your skin disposes of many toxins through perspiration, and your liver removes wastes from the blood.

If your digestive system is sluggish, the waste putrefies and creates toxins that can be recirculated within your body.

Regular body massage can help.

One of massage’s greatest benefits is its contribution to the detoxification process. While massage is improving your circulation, increasing your flow of lymph, and encouraging all your various systems into more efficient operation, it is helping your body toward more effective elimination of toxins and waste.

Energy and your health

2010-02-18T11:59:00.000-08:00

How's Your Energy?

What a difference it makes in your everyday life to have plenty of pep! Your energy level can serve as an indicator of your current health condition, so it’s valuable to know what your body may be telling you.

Everyone has experienced a decrease of energy during an illness. When illness or injuries occur, the body contributes to healing by directing available energy in an effort to return to a state of health. You know when your body has done its job, because you feel your energy level return. But what about when you don’t seem to have the same spark you once did?

Many things can affect your energy level. For instance, digestion requires a lot of energy. When you eat certain foods or consume a large meal, it can make you feel tired. Those who get little physical exercise are more likely to have lower energy levels as well.

Below are excerpts from the book Tired of Being Tired, by Dr. Michael A. Schmidt, addressing some of the more pertinent points regarding energy and health.

“We are not healthy one minute and sick the next ... The progression from optimal health to disease is a gradual descent that passes through phases. The descent can take many years and involve many stressors. Likewise, the road back to optimum health is a continuum that takes time.