Can you imagine: clothes that's not only stylish but has SPF and also fights acne! Unbelievable but true! A smart company SunSoul created a line of clothes “blumod” that, as they claim, will help blemished skin. How? With the help of “professional light treatment technology”! SunSoul specializes in clothing made from what they call Fluorescent Therapeutic Materials. The latter provides
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How to Help Malina
I was doing a recent training when Martha, a therapist asked me: "Pat, I know you say not to blame the kids for their behaviors. However I am a firm believer in the kids needing to take responsibility for what they do. So what do you do when a kid just will not take responsibility for what she did and keeps blaming others?"
When I asked her for further clarification, the situation got worse, in my mind. Martha told me that a fifteen year old girl named Malina was on a plan that she had to earn her weekend pass with her mother by maintaining good behavior in school. Last week, Malina had a major outburst in school, tipping over tables and completely disrupting the classroom. So, she lost her pass. When Martha attempted to talk with her about this incident, Malina would not admit that it was her own behavior that caused the pass to be withdrawn. She blamed her therapist, her teachers, everyone else.
What’s wrong with this (very common) picture?
1. I don’t think I said that "we should not blame the kids for their behaviors." I actually do not think that blame is a useful concept here. I think we should help the kids understand their behaviors, and teach them the skills they need to act in new, more helpful ways.
2. I do not believe that children should have to earn their home passes. If the home situation and the child are safe, they should go. The ties between the child and her family are essential for both recovery and the child’s future. We should do everything possible to enhance them, and nothing to interfere. If the child is actually unsafe (such as suicidal) the family should be welcome at the agency and, when possible, transportation provided for them. Home passes should not be part of a reward system.
3. Okay, so Malina was on this plan, and she blew it. What are we asking of her when we ask her to "take responsibility for her behavior"? We are asking her to admit that she did the one thing she did not want to do, and in the process disappointed herself and her family once again. We are in her mind asking her to admit she is a no good, worthless person who will never change. How can she possibly be able to do this?
4. Why do we even think that "taking responsibility" is such a good idea? I guess it is because we feel a person needs to admit something before they can change it and as long as they are blaming others they will not try to change themselves. There is of course some truth to this. Yet, there are many gentle, face saving ways to discuss an incident and the factors that contributed to it.
Most importantly- what will help Malina to stop turning tables over when she gets upset? Not mere increases in motivation. The "earn your home pass" plan is designed to make Malina want to behave better. And I’m sure it did, I’m sure she wanted to earn the pass. But the problem is, she does not know how. She is not able to be different yet.
5. So what can we do? We can look carefully at the incident in school, with Malina in any way she can participate. Not in a blaming way- let’s discuss this and get you to admit you were wrong. Instead, to understand what happened. What upset Malina? Where did the incident start? What did she first feel? What were the warning signs that she was getting upset? What alternatives did she have then? What help could we have given her at that point? This discussion is a search for better understanding, looking for patterns. It is a path to interventions both we and Malina can do to avert a meltdown next time. Was Malina frustrated by work she didn’t understand? Did another girl make fun of her? Was she agitated because she hadn’t heard from her mother in several days? No- these are not excuses for her behavior. They help us understand the skills she needs to handle such events in the future without making things worse. What can we do to make it easier for Malina to ask the teacher when she needs help? What skills and sense of self worth does Malina need to withstand peer teasing, and how can we help her build them? How can we teach Malina techniques (such as the ones we know and use daily) to get through anxious situations? These are things she has never learned in her disrupted upbringing, and we are here to teach them to her.
This thinking will actually bring us forward in our treatment. Making her earn her home pass undermines the only fragile support she has and increases her anxiety. Forcing Malina to admit that what she did was wrong will leave her feeling more shamed, more stupid, and in fact more likely to do the same thing again. Working with her to determine why she acted this way, and to teach her other alternatives, will (after many repetitions) create real and lasting change.
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When I asked her for further clarification, the situation got worse, in my mind. Martha told me that a fifteen year old girl named Malina was on a plan that she had to earn her weekend pass with her mother by maintaining good behavior in school. Last week, Malina had a major outburst in school, tipping over tables and completely disrupting the classroom. So, she lost her pass. When Martha attempted to talk with her about this incident, Malina would not admit that it was her own behavior that caused the pass to be withdrawn. She blamed her therapist, her teachers, everyone else.
What’s wrong with this (very common) picture?
1. I don’t think I said that "we should not blame the kids for their behaviors." I actually do not think that blame is a useful concept here. I think we should help the kids understand their behaviors, and teach them the skills they need to act in new, more helpful ways.
2. I do not believe that children should have to earn their home passes. If the home situation and the child are safe, they should go. The ties between the child and her family are essential for both recovery and the child’s future. We should do everything possible to enhance them, and nothing to interfere. If the child is actually unsafe (such as suicidal) the family should be welcome at the agency and, when possible, transportation provided for them. Home passes should not be part of a reward system.
3. Okay, so Malina was on this plan, and she blew it. What are we asking of her when we ask her to "take responsibility for her behavior"? We are asking her to admit that she did the one thing she did not want to do, and in the process disappointed herself and her family once again. We are in her mind asking her to admit she is a no good, worthless person who will never change. How can she possibly be able to do this?
4. Why do we even think that "taking responsibility" is such a good idea? I guess it is because we feel a person needs to admit something before they can change it and as long as they are blaming others they will not try to change themselves. There is of course some truth to this. Yet, there are many gentle, face saving ways to discuss an incident and the factors that contributed to it.
Most importantly- what will help Malina to stop turning tables over when she gets upset? Not mere increases in motivation. The "earn your home pass" plan is designed to make Malina want to behave better. And I’m sure it did, I’m sure she wanted to earn the pass. But the problem is, she does not know how. She is not able to be different yet.
5. So what can we do? We can look carefully at the incident in school, with Malina in any way she can participate. Not in a blaming way- let’s discuss this and get you to admit you were wrong. Instead, to understand what happened. What upset Malina? Where did the incident start? What did she first feel? What were the warning signs that she was getting upset? What alternatives did she have then? What help could we have given her at that point? This discussion is a search for better understanding, looking for patterns. It is a path to interventions both we and Malina can do to avert a meltdown next time. Was Malina frustrated by work she didn’t understand? Did another girl make fun of her? Was she agitated because she hadn’t heard from her mother in several days? No- these are not excuses for her behavior. They help us understand the skills she needs to handle such events in the future without making things worse. What can we do to make it easier for Malina to ask the teacher when she needs help? What skills and sense of self worth does Malina need to withstand peer teasing, and how can we help her build them? How can we teach Malina techniques (such as the ones we know and use daily) to get through anxious situations? These are things she has never learned in her disrupted upbringing, and we are here to teach them to her.
This thinking will actually bring us forward in our treatment. Making her earn her home pass undermines the only fragile support she has and increases her anxiety. Forcing Malina to admit that what she did was wrong will leave her feeling more shamed, more stupid, and in fact more likely to do the same thing again. Working with her to determine why she acted this way, and to teach her other alternatives, will (after many repetitions) create real and lasting change.
Beauty Ingredient: Syn-ake
Photo by Pedro Marinello Kairath at Flickr.comWhat only cosmetic industry doesn’t resort to to provide us with the most modern effective anti-aging solutions. They even turn to snakes in search of inspiration! Syn-ake is a chemical modeled on the paralyzing snake venom of a southeast Asian temple viper. Syn-ake as you probably already guessed is actually meant to sound similar to “snake”. The
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A Parable: Symptoms are Adaptations
Once upon a time a man named John decided to go for a kayak ride in a near by river. Unfortunately, he greatly underestimated the strength of the current, and shortly after he set out he capsized, He was tumbling down the river, being injured as he banged into rocks, when he spotted a large log near him. With considerable effort, John was able to grab the log, and he held on to it for dear life. Clinging to the log, John continued to be swept down the river. He still crashed against things but with the log he was able to keep his head above water and survive. Finally, the current ejected John and the log into the middle of a large, tranquil pond. The log got caught on a rock in the middle of the pond.
There were some people on the beach at the edge of the pond, and they saw John out in the middle. The called out to him: "Hello! You are safe now! It is not very far to shore! Just swim over here- the water is calm, it’s not that deep, you will be fine!"
But John could not let go of the log.
**********************************************************************************
Why is John clinging to the log when he is so close to safety?
What will the people have to do if they truly want to help John?
**********************************************************************************
They will have to swim out to him, and they will have to give him something like a life preserver to replace his log.
**********************************************************************************
In what ways are you swimming out to your clients?
What life preservers are you giving them?
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There were some people on the beach at the edge of the pond, and they saw John out in the middle. The called out to him: "Hello! You are safe now! It is not very far to shore! Just swim over here- the water is calm, it’s not that deep, you will be fine!"
But John could not let go of the log.
**********************************************************************************
Why is John clinging to the log when he is so close to safety?
What will the people have to do if they truly want to help John?
**********************************************************************************
They will have to swim out to him, and they will have to give him something like a life preserver to replace his log.
**********************************************************************************
In what ways are you swimming out to your clients?
What life preservers are you giving them?
Beauty Review: Clarins Stretch Mark Control
Promise:Helps Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks, Promotes Skin Elasticity and ComfortProduct Profile in Short:Three targeted actions help prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks while comforting skin during pregnancy or periods of weight fluctuation.Close-up on Active Ingredients:Aqua, Cyclomethicone, Catearyl Alcohol, Carpylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononenoate, alcohol,
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Playing the Victim
Overheard at a Risking Connection® training: "Well, you know Jeff. He just likes to play the victim."
Questions:
What is wrong with talking this way?
How do we understand this behavior?
What can we do about it?
What is wrong with talking this way? Why did I cringe when I heard it? It is because of the blaming quality- the statement that Jeff likes to play the victim, as though it is a deliberate choice he makes every day among the many delightful possibilities open to him. Although minor in itself, it leads to an annoyance with the boy, a frustration that he doesn’t see how much better his life would be if he would just stop this.
How do we understand this behavior? When asked to describe Jeff further, the staff member said that he constantly uses his past abuse as an excuse for not trying or for failing. He also picks on other kids (instigates, to use a residential favorite word) and then blames them for whatever fight begins. So why would a kid do that? It is because he sees absolutely no possibility of success through competence. In other words, he has no confidence at all that he could succeed on the basis of his talents and natural skills. He has had no experience of being loved or appreciated for who he is. All the goodies of life and of relationships have come to him in the context of his problems, of reparations for his abuse, of sympathy for being picked on. That is the only way he knows to engage others.
So, what can we do about it? The road to change is through helping Jeff experience other types of competence and success. And this will be difficult, as he will be afraid to try things and will quickly revert to his old standby methods that have worked so well. But with patience staff can support him into positive experiences, achievements, maybe even triumphs. These must include positive interactions with peers, fun, play, every day social back and forth. He doesn’t know how to do this, staff must teach and model. It will take many repetitions for Jeff to believe that people like him for other reasons than his problems.
When Jeff experiences the possibility of competence and fun, we will notice that he "likes" to play the victim much less.
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Questions:
What is wrong with talking this way?
How do we understand this behavior?
What can we do about it?
What is wrong with talking this way? Why did I cringe when I heard it? It is because of the blaming quality- the statement that Jeff likes to play the victim, as though it is a deliberate choice he makes every day among the many delightful possibilities open to him. Although minor in itself, it leads to an annoyance with the boy, a frustration that he doesn’t see how much better his life would be if he would just stop this.
How do we understand this behavior? When asked to describe Jeff further, the staff member said that he constantly uses his past abuse as an excuse for not trying or for failing. He also picks on other kids (instigates, to use a residential favorite word) and then blames them for whatever fight begins. So why would a kid do that? It is because he sees absolutely no possibility of success through competence. In other words, he has no confidence at all that he could succeed on the basis of his talents and natural skills. He has had no experience of being loved or appreciated for who he is. All the goodies of life and of relationships have come to him in the context of his problems, of reparations for his abuse, of sympathy for being picked on. That is the only way he knows to engage others.
So, what can we do about it? The road to change is through helping Jeff experience other types of competence and success. And this will be difficult, as he will be afraid to try things and will quickly revert to his old standby methods that have worked so well. But with patience staff can support him into positive experiences, achievements, maybe even triumphs. These must include positive interactions with peers, fun, play, every day social back and forth. He doesn’t know how to do this, staff must teach and model. It will take many repetitions for Jeff to believe that people like him for other reasons than his problems.
When Jeff experiences the possibility of competence and fun, we will notice that he "likes" to play the victim much less.
Confidential STD Testing
There are now a lot of private clinics that perform confidential STD testing. These STD testing clinics can give precise and trustworthy STD testing but still be in private. This type of STD testing does not need their patients to sign in their individual information. This service is greatest suited for those who are undergoing from sexual diseases and do not wish for disclosing their true characteristics. Furthermore, the results of your tests can be attained even on the telephone if you do not want to come individually to gather them. You may too be given the chance to prefer the doctor who will give you treatment.
These types of clinics can give reliable service and get rid of any hesitation, discomfiture and disturbance that the patient encountered due to the sexually transmitted disease. With the exception of testing, they can also give reproductive health screenings, cancer discovery test, counseling and treatment. Patients that were expressively and psychologically stressed out with the circumstances may be given counseling sessions first previous to undergoing treatment. Counseling can assist organize the patient for what may happen throughout the treatment.
Treatment will contain physical examination, laboratory testing and follow ups. Earlier than a doctor can give the essential treatment to a patient, he or she needs to know what kind of disease has infected the patient. Through physical examination and laboratory test, the doctor might decide the disease. Urine or blood samples will be evaluated. Typically local STD testing can make available results in a few days. But now, with personal clinics, results may be got the same day.
Anyone who is infected with STD, whether he or she has complete treatment, are required to make follow up checkups with the doctor. This is to monitor the patient's health condition and if re-infection has reoccurred.
Quick Fix: Sooth Red Irritated Skin
Be it a hot summer day or freezing winter weather, smokey bar or a peeling session gone wrong, but as a result you have a situation with red stressed skin. What can you do and what will work quick?! To sooth red irritated skin soak a cloth or a towel in cold milk and apply to your face. Repeat several times. Milk Protein has soothing effect on the skin. Cold constricts blood vessels and relieves
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Local STD Testing
You have to declare that protected sex is the responsibility of each person. Zeal in researching in the wish to get together information related to STD must be a habit. You must know that there is a lot of information and at the same time half truths about STDs. This reality relates that you require having proper common sense and the eagerness to examine the information that you can find related to STD. Definitely it is factual that Local STD Testing is one of the most realistic solution in stopping the development of the disease. This is necessary to work on particularly for all sexually active individuals apart from age. While it is correct that sexual activities are the main causes of STDs, there are also cases wherein the disease can be convey through blood transfusion and the use of unsterile needles. Once you have made up your mind that you are interested to be tested for STD or Local STD Testing, the most excellent choice is to go to local STD testing laboratories.
You see, times are somewhat hard nowadays and the savings that you can get when you resolve for local STD testing can be used in other expenses. This is sensible particularly for those whose earnings are just adequate for daily expenses and the need to use for STD testing would actually impair their budget.
What Can Local STD Testing Give?
Identical to all other types of STD testing location, your local STD testing clinic can give you with suitable testing for Gonorrhea, Genital and Oral Herpes, HIV, Chlamydia, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B and C. While it is right that antibiotics can treat infections, STDs like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can grounds great harm to the organs when left unprocessed for an extensive time. This can surely occur when no symptoms are present to attract you to go for STD screening. It is critical that you obtain diagnosis during the early phases of the infection with the aim of prevent lasting harm to the human body. This is an important part in the job of keeping the body safe and in its healthiest condition.
Once you set up meeting with a local STD testing clinic, you would be guided to the nearby sample collection area in which you would be instructed on whether you necessitate submitting blood or urine sample. You would also be given instructions on how to correctly obtain the samples depending on the STD test that is set down based on your condition. Subsequent to collection, the samples would then be subject for examination after which the results would be made obtainable within a few days. You would be given the option on how you wish for the results to be delivered; whichever by phone, email or going to the clinic again in person.
Departure for Local STD Testing is something that you should for all time think particularly if you have symptoms and you are confused what reason these symptoms. This is particularly applicable if you are presently not into a loyally monogamous relationship. If you are horizontal to having sexual activities with many partners, you should carry on routine STD testing.
Victor and Vicarious Traumatization
Victor is eight years old and in residential treatment. He was born to a teen aged mother with a severe trauma history. He has moved around a lot, several foster homes, treatment programs, back and forth to his mother. One difficulty has been that his mother always distrusts his caretakers and forms combative relationships with them. So it is hard for Victor to trust, because he loves his mother deeply. He has a low IQ and sensory issues. He cannot read.
Victor has developed one solid coping mechanism. When ever he is confused, ashamed, sad, upset or fearful, he becomes aggressive. He curses, attacks, spits, etc. He has got this down to a science- because he feels confused, afraid and ashamed often.
Luckily Victor also has a lovable side. Staff care about him a lot. They speak of him with affection and amusement. They go far out of their way to help him feel safe and comfortable.
Victor’s mother has moved to Mississippi, where she has relatives. The long inter-state compact process has been completed, and a plan arranged in which Victor will go to a foster home in Mississippi. In fact, one was located for him. The plan was that he would go there with his state worker for a long weekend, return and say his good byes, and go there to live. Victor was scared, and very excited about being closer to his mother.
Victor was going to be picked up at 5:00 a.m. At 10:00 p.m. the night before, the foster mother called the unit and cancelled the visit, mentioning a "family emergency". Later it turned out that she had not been told any information about the severity of Victor’s problems, and now that she knew more, she was not prepared to take him.
Since then, Victor has fallen apart, and the frequency and intensity of his aggression has increased.
This is why we get vicarious traumatization. Its not just that we read or hear the children’s histories, or that we sit with them and feel their pain from the past- although that would certainly be enough. It is also that we go through with them the terrible things that continue to happen in the present- the many ways the adults (including, at times, ourselves) are not able to provide safe, long lasting homes.
And we have to acknowledge that much as they love Victor, staff were in some ways looking forward to his discharge. It would be a relief not to be spit on, hit or bitten as often. Treaters totally understand why he is falling apart. And, it can be exhausting to deal with the depths of his despair. Especially when we do not ourselves see where there is hope for his future. Not to mention that it can be tiring just to hold a strong wiry little boy over and over again.
But here he still is. And there is as yet no alternative plan. And to give this boy safety, to stick with him, to be there as he survives all this, is certainly the most important thing we could be doing in the world.
So how can we bear it? The most important thing is to talk about it. We have to share all our complex feelings with each other. We have to be free to say that at times we get tired of him, just as we are free to say that our hearts hurt with his pain. Staff have to be commended over and over again for the difficult, repetitive, unending acts of caring they provide. Of course, we continue to advocate that the system give Victor what every child should have.
And we turn to each other with tears in our eyes, make a joke, take a break, have a meal, and return to Victor, and continue the heartbreaking work that will save his life.
read more...
Victor has developed one solid coping mechanism. When ever he is confused, ashamed, sad, upset or fearful, he becomes aggressive. He curses, attacks, spits, etc. He has got this down to a science- because he feels confused, afraid and ashamed often.
Luckily Victor also has a lovable side. Staff care about him a lot. They speak of him with affection and amusement. They go far out of their way to help him feel safe and comfortable.
Victor’s mother has moved to Mississippi, where she has relatives. The long inter-state compact process has been completed, and a plan arranged in which Victor will go to a foster home in Mississippi. In fact, one was located for him. The plan was that he would go there with his state worker for a long weekend, return and say his good byes, and go there to live. Victor was scared, and very excited about being closer to his mother.
Victor was going to be picked up at 5:00 a.m. At 10:00 p.m. the night before, the foster mother called the unit and cancelled the visit, mentioning a "family emergency". Later it turned out that she had not been told any information about the severity of Victor’s problems, and now that she knew more, she was not prepared to take him.
Since then, Victor has fallen apart, and the frequency and intensity of his aggression has increased.
This is why we get vicarious traumatization. Its not just that we read or hear the children’s histories, or that we sit with them and feel their pain from the past- although that would certainly be enough. It is also that we go through with them the terrible things that continue to happen in the present- the many ways the adults (including, at times, ourselves) are not able to provide safe, long lasting homes.
And we have to acknowledge that much as they love Victor, staff were in some ways looking forward to his discharge. It would be a relief not to be spit on, hit or bitten as often. Treaters totally understand why he is falling apart. And, it can be exhausting to deal with the depths of his despair. Especially when we do not ourselves see where there is hope for his future. Not to mention that it can be tiring just to hold a strong wiry little boy over and over again.
But here he still is. And there is as yet no alternative plan. And to give this boy safety, to stick with him, to be there as he survives all this, is certainly the most important thing we could be doing in the world.
So how can we bear it? The most important thing is to talk about it. We have to share all our complex feelings with each other. We have to be free to say that at times we get tired of him, just as we are free to say that our hearts hurt with his pain. Staff have to be commended over and over again for the difficult, repetitive, unending acts of caring they provide. Of course, we continue to advocate that the system give Victor what every child should have.
And we turn to each other with tears in our eyes, make a joke, take a break, have a meal, and return to Victor, and continue the heartbreaking work that will save his life.
Beauty Review: Dove Nutrium Moisture Body Wash
Tagline:Cares for surface skin ten layers deepPromise:Restores skin’s natural moisture while cleansing with body washProduct Profile in Short:• Repairs and maintains skin’s protective layer during cleansing • Unlike moisturizers in other body washes, Dove Body Wash with NutriumMoisture™ penetrates surface skin deep down to replenish and nourish • Clinically proven to significantly reduce dryness
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"Dirty" Electricity and ADHD
Could fixing your power sources help clear up ADHD symptoms?
We often hear about the health impacts of prolonged exposure to electrical and magnetic fields, including those involving cognitive deficits, neuro-developmental difficulties, and increased cancer risks. We would come to expect that some of these same invisible forces may also be at work with disorders such as ADHD.
In previous posts, we have covered how full-spectrum light exposure (within the context of seasonal affective disorders) can influence ADHD severity and symptomology.
In my reading, I recently came across an article from a few years back that caught my attention. This article was from the journal Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, and involved a phenomenon known as "dirty electricity". The authors posited that this type of electricity, which occurs when electricity passes through several types of electronic devices such as computers or microwaves, which creates a more "noisy" spectrum (think of the analogy of a river or stream that picks up waste and debris along the way of its course) than "clean" electricity, may be a factor in a wide array of diseases and disorders ranging from diabetes to multiple sclerosis, to asthma, to fibromyalgia to neurological dysfunction (including balancing difficulties as well as ADHD-like behaviors and symptoms).
Although ADHD was not the main concern of the article (which focused more heavily on the diabetic and MS complications associated with this dirty electricity), the importance of maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels to the brains of ADHD patients should at least warrant further investigation into the matter.
By no means do I believe that this "dirty" electricity is a predominant contributing factor to a child's (or adult's) ADHD, but I did want to at least make the blogosphere aware that this may be an overlooked area of treatable potential. Some of the results of the study were intriguing to say the least.
For example, the authors found that:
However, given the fact that abnormal glucose metabolism and blood sugar levels are typically depressed or less stable in the brains of ADHD patients as well as the possible connection between ADHD and areas involved with the balancing regions of the nervous system, the effects of electrical fields on the disorder may be larger than we previously realized.
**As an interesting aside, many of the brain glucose studies of ADHD patients have found that glucose metabolic differences are often more pronounced in girls and women with the disorder than boys or men. It stands to reason (at least on a theoretical basis, but not to prematurely draw any conclusions) that similar gender-based differences may exist with regards to blood sugar levels in the brain as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields of "dirty" electricity.
Again, to reiterate that this blogger has no affiliation with the filters nor receives any compensation for endorsement of these products, it may be useful to investigate how "dirty" the power in your home, school or office really is, especially if you or a loved one have ADHD or one of the related complications listed in the original article.
**For reference sake, the cost of a meter for measuring dirty electricity runs somewhere from 100 to 150 US dollars (at least based off of what this blogger has seen), and the filters are about 35 US dollars apiece (not surprisingly the companies often recommend sets of 20 for an average home, bringing the grand total up over 800 US dollars. Not a small sum, of course!).
As of now, this blogger is undecided whether the negative impact of dirty electricity is enough to warrant the pricey purchase of these power cleanup methods and devices. The main point for this post was simply bring a lesser-known phenomena of electrical pollution and highlight at least some of the theoretical basis for exacerbating attentional deficits and ADHD symptoms.
Given the widely-encompassing health risks covering various diseases and disorders (listed in the original article and beyond ADHD), it may be worthwhile to spend some time in more personal investigation on the topic.
Nevertheless, these little-known connection (such as those between power lines and blood sugar levels) should serve to highlight the fact that ADHD is a multi-faceted disorder, and its symptoms may be governed by an ever-widening array of influential factors.
read more...
We often hear about the health impacts of prolonged exposure to electrical and magnetic fields, including those involving cognitive deficits, neuro-developmental difficulties, and increased cancer risks. We would come to expect that some of these same invisible forces may also be at work with disorders such as ADHD.
In previous posts, we have covered how full-spectrum light exposure (within the context of seasonal affective disorders) can influence ADHD severity and symptomology.
In my reading, I recently came across an article from a few years back that caught my attention. This article was from the journal Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, and involved a phenomenon known as "dirty electricity". The authors posited that this type of electricity, which occurs when electricity passes through several types of electronic devices such as computers or microwaves, which creates a more "noisy" spectrum (think of the analogy of a river or stream that picks up waste and debris along the way of its course) than "clean" electricity, may be a factor in a wide array of diseases and disorders ranging from diabetes to multiple sclerosis, to asthma, to fibromyalgia to neurological dysfunction (including balancing difficulties as well as ADHD-like behaviors and symptoms).
Although ADHD was not the main concern of the article (which focused more heavily on the diabetic and MS complications associated with this dirty electricity), the importance of maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels to the brains of ADHD patients should at least warrant further investigation into the matter.
By no means do I believe that this "dirty" electricity is a predominant contributing factor to a child's (or adult's) ADHD, but I did want to at least make the blogosphere aware that this may be an overlooked area of treatable potential. Some of the results of the study were intriguing to say the least.
For example, the authors found that:
- Fatigue among individuals in a building "sick" from dirty electricity is much more common than previously believed. Due to their size and range of appliances and power consumption patterns, schools are often prime candidates for being vulnerable to this dirty electricity phenomena. Fatigue and overall sickness in students and teachers may be significantly reduced if special electrical filters (called Graham/Stetzer or GS filters) are utilized. Similar results have been found in other related studies (please keep in mind that several of these are somewhat biased, i.e. published by the makers of these electrical filters. For reference, this blogger has absolutely no affiliation with Graham Stetzer and does not receive any type of compensation from the makers of these filters).
- Stress from electrical sources reduces the binding ability of insulin to its targets in the body, which can result in lower insulin sensitivity (much like the pattern of insulin resistance seen in the onset of type 2 diabetes).
- Furthermore, exposure to higher levels of electromagnetic fields results in an increase in production of "stress" proteins in the body. The degree of this varies, as a number of individuals carry more of a hypersensitivity to electrical fields than others. This high level of inter-individual variability makes it difficult to set concrete limits on safety concerns surrounding electromagnetic exposure.
- Additionally, the original article cited a case of significant improvement in balance and walking ability in and individual with multiple sclerosis following the "cleaning" of electricity in his area by using the electrical filters. Much like the phenomena of birds flying into more windows in areas near power lines (which can interfere with the bird's internal magnetic-based sense of direction), it is possible that cleaning up the power supply may have similar effects on humans.
However, given the fact that abnormal glucose metabolism and blood sugar levels are typically depressed or less stable in the brains of ADHD patients as well as the possible connection between ADHD and areas involved with the balancing regions of the nervous system, the effects of electrical fields on the disorder may be larger than we previously realized.
**As an interesting aside, many of the brain glucose studies of ADHD patients have found that glucose metabolic differences are often more pronounced in girls and women with the disorder than boys or men. It stands to reason (at least on a theoretical basis, but not to prematurely draw any conclusions) that similar gender-based differences may exist with regards to blood sugar levels in the brain as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields of "dirty" electricity.
Again, to reiterate that this blogger has no affiliation with the filters nor receives any compensation for endorsement of these products, it may be useful to investigate how "dirty" the power in your home, school or office really is, especially if you or a loved one have ADHD or one of the related complications listed in the original article.
**For reference sake, the cost of a meter for measuring dirty electricity runs somewhere from 100 to 150 US dollars (at least based off of what this blogger has seen), and the filters are about 35 US dollars apiece (not surprisingly the companies often recommend sets of 20 for an average home, bringing the grand total up over 800 US dollars. Not a small sum, of course!).
As of now, this blogger is undecided whether the negative impact of dirty electricity is enough to warrant the pricey purchase of these power cleanup methods and devices. The main point for this post was simply bring a lesser-known phenomena of electrical pollution and highlight at least some of the theoretical basis for exacerbating attentional deficits and ADHD symptoms.
Given the widely-encompassing health risks covering various diseases and disorders (listed in the original article and beyond ADHD), it may be worthwhile to spend some time in more personal investigation on the topic.
Nevertheless, these little-known connection (such as those between power lines and blood sugar levels) should serve to highlight the fact that ADHD is a multi-faceted disorder, and its symptoms may be governed by an ever-widening array of influential factors.
Gonorrhea Testing - When is it ordered?
A medical doctor may order the gonorrhea testing if you have symptoms for instance, local std testing for women; greater than before vaginal discharge, bleeding linked with vaginal intercourse, or burning and painful urination; or private std testing for men; pus discharging from the penis, a flaming sensation during urination, or inflammation of the rectal or anal area.Though, for the reason that lots of infected people does not have some symptoms, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the following:
- All sexually active females 25 years of age and younger must have a gonorrhea test each year in addition to anonymous STD testing.
- All other sexually active women who have no symptoms but are at greater than before risk for infection should be routinely screened at local STD testing.
- All pregnant women must do STD screening for gonorrhea.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that males who have sex with males be STD screened at least once a year for gonorrhea in addition to other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including Chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV.
Gonorrhea Testing
Gonorrhea Testing is used in two ways:
1. To identify the cause of symptoms
2. To monitor sexually active people
An eventual diagnosis is important for the reason that symptoms of gonorrhea can resemble Chlamydia clinically and the two disorders need different treatment.
There are more than a few methods available for gonorrhea testing, but the favored method of testing at present is the molecular test. This test is based on intensification of the DNA that is present in Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. Molecular testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae is presently the standard and is extensively utilized. The advantage of molecular tests is that they are usually more sensitive and exact than conventional culture and can consequently identify more positive specimens.
In men, a rapid method of gonorrhea testing that might be used in a clinic or doctor's office is the gram stain, which lets the doctor to look at a sample from the urethra for the presence of the bacteria by means of a microscope. This technique is not used on samples from women.
Gonorrhea Testing and Chlamydia Testing is usually done at the same time as the two organisms have comparable clinical signs and symptoms.
How is gonorrhea treated?
Gonorrhea is typically treated with a sole dose of an antibiotic. This can generally be taken by mouth, but from time to time an injection is necessary. For the reason that gonorrhea and Chlamydia repeatedly take place together, populace with gonorrhea might be treated together for diseases at the similar time. Not all antibiotics work beside gonorrhea, so your healthcare giver will recommend the finest one for you.
Vital information about treatment of Gonorrhea:
Vital information about treatment of Gonorrhea:
- Obtain all of the medicine recommended, even though symptoms head off.
- On no account, treat yourself with old, available antibiotics or other medicine from home.
- Do not split your individual medication with partners. A number of healthcare providers will give additional medication to make to your partners.
- Confirm your sex partners get treated as well so you don't get infected again.
- Don’t douche or use an enema.
- People must not have sex for 7 days after treatment. New or usual sex partners be obliged to also be treated before having sex once more or they may re-infect one another.
- Everybody should get tested again 3 months after treatment to be certain they have not been impure again since being treated.
How is gonorrhea treated?
Gonorrhea is typically treated with a sole dose of an antibiotic. This can generally be taken by mouth, but from time to time an injection is necessary. For the reason that gonorrhea and Chlamydia repeatedly take place together, populace with gonorrhea might be treated together for diseases at the similar time. Not all antibiotics work beside gonorrhea, so your healthcare giver will recommend the finest one for you.
Vital information about treatment of Gonorrhea:
Vital information about treatment of Gonorrhea:
- Obtain all of the medicine recommended, even though symptoms head off.
- On no account, treat yourself with old, available antibiotics or other medicine from home.
- Do not split your individual medication with partners. A number of healthcare providers will give additional medication to make to your partners.
- Confirm your sex partners get treated as well so you don't get infected again.
- Don’t douche or use an enema.
- People must not have sex for 7 days after treatment. New or usual sex partners be obliged to also be treated before having sex once more or they may re-infect one another.
- Everybody should get tested again 3 months after treatment to be certain they have not been impure again since being treated.
Gonorrhea Facts
- Gonorrhea is frequently known as GC or "the clap".
- Gonorrhea is the second mainly widespread sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States after Chlamydia, consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On the other hand, there are other STDs that physicians are not obligatory to report to the CDC that are also common, such as the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and herpes.
- It can be conveyed through any kind of sexual contact: vaginal, oral or anal.
- In women, the bacteria of gonorrhea often enter in the body during vaginal contact. Ejaculation in vagina or any other place by a male partner is not compulsory to spread gonorrhea in woman.
- In addition, Gonorrhea can be transmitted in further ways, counting oral sex and touching an infected person's genitals and then touching own eyes, but it is not spread by kissing on the lips only. Deep Kissing can spread Gonorrhea.
- The bacterium that reason Gonorrhea is called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. It increases in moist areas of the human body both in men and women. It cannot survive in open air.
- Ahead of a moist surface, the gonorrhea bacteria can only survive for a short time. They cannot stay alive or be transmitted from non-living objects or surfaces.
- Gonorrhea bacteria cannot straightforwardly hold on to membranes of the vagina in adult women, but be able in girls and teenagers.
- The uppermost rates of gonorrhea infection bring into being in women age 15 to 19 and men age 20 to 24 in accordance with the NWHRC.
- Men are more expected than women to be aware of symptoms of gonorrhea, for example hurting urination. Approximately half of women infected from gonorrhea do not know about symptoms, in accordance with the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC).
- Women are extra lying on front to complications of gonorrhea, for instance pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can make possible infertility.
- Over three-fourths of the Gonorrhea cases reported to the U.S. government take place in sexually active people of under age 30.
- Furthermore, people with gonorrhea frequently have Chlamydia, a different sexually transmitted disease that might make no symptoms.
- Following a 74% decrease between 1975 and 1997, gonorrhea rates are on the increase once more as said by the CDC. There was a 5.5% raise from 2005 to 2006.
- Almost 360K cases of gonorrhea were reported to the CDC in 2006. The condition often goes undiagnosed for the reason that numerous people experience no symptoms. The CDC approximate that an equivalent number of gonorrhea cases are not identified or reported.
Throat Gonorrhea Treatment
Gonorrhea infections of the throat are extra complex to treat when compared to Gonorrhea of the cervix, urethra, or rectum. Even though the similar treatments are suggested for infection of the oral cavity, they are healing less than 90% of the time. Spectinomycin is only fifty percent effectual against throat infection.
If you take spectinomycin, you will contain a throat culture three to five days after treatment to make sure cure. Co-infection of the throat with Chlamydia is atypical, but treatment for both infections is suggested in cases of oral gonorrhea.
If you take spectinomycin, you will contain a throat culture three to five days after treatment to make sure cure. Co-infection of the throat with Chlamydia is atypical, but treatment for both infections is suggested in cases of oral gonorrhea.
Beauty Review: La Mer SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid
Product Tag Line:A treatment that is light years ahead of its time.Promise:this high-powered treatment utilizes a unique sunscreen blend to provide broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection while keeping skin soft, comfortable and hydratedProduct Profile in Short:At http://www.cremedelamer.com I read:- Tourmaline and malachite gemstones absorb light energy, transforming it into beneficial green light to
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Marcus, Take Two
Thank you to everyone who participated- and please, continue to add your thoughts!
If we keep in the front of our minds the idea that symptoms are adaptations, we must wonder what doing the drawings and sharing them with his peers is accomplishing for Marcus. I can think of several possible theories, such as giving him power, expressing his pain, giving him one area in which he is in control and can have an effect on others.
Also, the drawings express a part of Marcus, however disturbing they are. If we just try to ban them, we are giving Marcus a message that we are turning away from his pain, and that we do not want to see, share or accept all of who he is and what he has experienced.
I do not feel that taking drawing supplies away from Marcus will help at all. For one thing, we won’t win on this one. There are many more pencils and pieces of paper in the world than we can ever confiscate. But more importantly, that is a response that tries to eliminate his behavior and not to understand it.
We need to take seriously the effect the drawings have on the other kids, the staff and especially the therapist. This is something we have to discuss as a team and make deliberate plans to give ourselves the stamina to take this on. For example, the therapist may wish to include a male staff at first when she talks with Marcus about the drawings.
Then, as noted by one of the comments, I think we should explore the pictures with Marcus, and not in a judgmental way. What is happening? What are the characters thinking and feeling? What is likely to happen next? The therapist can express her thoughts: "Really? I think the woman might be scared and angry." But all discussion should be from a very centered, calm place- tell me more. Explain how it feels. What does it remind you of?
These discussions should include NO MENTION OF THE NEED TO CHANGE. They are entirely exploratory.
Meanwhile, staff can talk with the other kids about how sometimes when people have had painful lives they draw painful drawings. Encourage the kids not to react, but just bring staff into the conversation if Marcus shows them a picture. Of course, Marcus’ showing them around would decrease if he got less reaction. Then staff would handle it matter-of-factly: you know, Marcus, better to save these for therapy- I’ll give this one to your therapist and you can talk it over with her.
Another area of treatment could be to offer Marcus other opportunities to have power and control, using his drawing. Could he draw some posters for an upcoming agency event (subject to review of course). Can he draw a picture for the unit illustrating some positive message, and can staff get it framed and hang it up? You get the idea.
Marcus has been hurt repeatedly over his life time. He has found a way to both express his pain and get strong reactions from others. His behavior will not change quickly. We must understand that the way that we feel in looking at these pictures is the way that he often feels in his life. And we must support each other in doing the long hard work it will take for Marcus to develop a new, kinder view of life’s possibilities.
Let’s continue this discussion- click on "leave a comment" to share your thoughts.
read more...
If we keep in the front of our minds the idea that symptoms are adaptations, we must wonder what doing the drawings and sharing them with his peers is accomplishing for Marcus. I can think of several possible theories, such as giving him power, expressing his pain, giving him one area in which he is in control and can have an effect on others.
Also, the drawings express a part of Marcus, however disturbing they are. If we just try to ban them, we are giving Marcus a message that we are turning away from his pain, and that we do not want to see, share or accept all of who he is and what he has experienced.
I do not feel that taking drawing supplies away from Marcus will help at all. For one thing, we won’t win on this one. There are many more pencils and pieces of paper in the world than we can ever confiscate. But more importantly, that is a response that tries to eliminate his behavior and not to understand it.
We need to take seriously the effect the drawings have on the other kids, the staff and especially the therapist. This is something we have to discuss as a team and make deliberate plans to give ourselves the stamina to take this on. For example, the therapist may wish to include a male staff at first when she talks with Marcus about the drawings.
Then, as noted by one of the comments, I think we should explore the pictures with Marcus, and not in a judgmental way. What is happening? What are the characters thinking and feeling? What is likely to happen next? The therapist can express her thoughts: "Really? I think the woman might be scared and angry." But all discussion should be from a very centered, calm place- tell me more. Explain how it feels. What does it remind you of?
These discussions should include NO MENTION OF THE NEED TO CHANGE. They are entirely exploratory.
Meanwhile, staff can talk with the other kids about how sometimes when people have had painful lives they draw painful drawings. Encourage the kids not to react, but just bring staff into the conversation if Marcus shows them a picture. Of course, Marcus’ showing them around would decrease if he got less reaction. Then staff would handle it matter-of-factly: you know, Marcus, better to save these for therapy- I’ll give this one to your therapist and you can talk it over with her.
Another area of treatment could be to offer Marcus other opportunities to have power and control, using his drawing. Could he draw some posters for an upcoming agency event (subject to review of course). Can he draw a picture for the unit illustrating some positive message, and can staff get it framed and hang it up? You get the idea.
Marcus has been hurt repeatedly over his life time. He has found a way to both express his pain and get strong reactions from others. His behavior will not change quickly. We must understand that the way that we feel in looking at these pictures is the way that he often feels in his life. And we must support each other in doing the long hard work it will take for Marcus to develop a new, kinder view of life’s possibilities.
Let’s continue this discussion- click on "leave a comment" to share your thoughts.
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