General health recipes

IMMUNE SYSTEM: IMMUNE CHEMICALS

Interferon, one of the substances secreted by various virus-infected cells, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of a rare cancer called hairy-cell leukemia, a disease that until recently had no treatment. Interferon also has been found in clinical tests to fight chronic leukemia, kidney cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma, the cancer peculiar to AIDS victims.
Another T-cell substance, interleukin, has been described by the National Cancer Institute as one of the major advances against cancer in a decade. The institute’s Dr. Steven Rosenberg reported in December 1985 that, with interleukin, advanced cancers in one patient had retreated completely, and 11 patients had at least a 50 percent reduction in tumor size. “Here, really for the first time, we can use the immune system to attack a broad array of cancer,” he says.
Besides interferon and interleukin, scientists have identified other powerful immune system chemicals. One, tumor necrosis factor, seems to destroy cancer cells without hurting normal cells.
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NURSES AND DIETARY COUNSELING: STEPS IN COUNSELING

The diet history
An adequate diet history tells the counselor about the patient’s food habits and provides the basis for all counseling that follows. The patient’s chart gives much information that is pertinent to the diet, and these items should be identified before the initial counseling session:
Age
Weight, height, changes in weight status; desirable weight
Present illness: symptoms, diagnosis, important laboratory findings
Digestion: appetite, chewing, swallowing, nausea, vomiting, distention, cramping
Elimination: normal, constipation, diarrhea
Physical handicaps: lack of teeth, mouth soreness, need for self-help devices
Social relationships: occupation, family, residence, ethnic background, religion
Income: adequacy, need for financial assistance
The aspects of diet that you will need to question the patient about include:
Meal and snacking patterns: when, where, with whom, when skipped; away from home:
how often, type of facility
Food preparation: by whom, facilities for shopping, cooking
Previous modified diets: self-prescribed or by physician; how long; why; results
Mineral-vitamin supplements: prescribed by whom; kind Food likes and dislikes; food allergies 24-hour recall of food intake
When the diet history has been completed the counselor makes an evaluation with the patient. For example, the good characteristics of the present pattern as well as the deficiencies might be compared with the Four Food Groups.
Motivation and goal setting
Without the patient’s interest, motivation, and decision making, any efforts by the dietetic-nursing team in counseling will be wasted. Fear of ill health is an important motivating factor for some people; for example, the patient recovering from a heart attack is more likely to stick to a low-calorie modified-fat diet than is a person who appears to be healthy. The pregnant woman is motivated to accept a better diet as something she is doing for the well-being of her baby. The adolescent girl is motivated in terms of her figure, and the boy in terms of vigor for athletics, and so on.
Realistic goals are necessary if diet behavior is to be changed. Losing 50 pounds in 8 months might seem like an endless task, but a goal of “six pounds this month” seems easier to achieve. A child who thoroughly dislikes a food cannot be expected immediately to consume a recommended quantity of that food; a better goal might be one or two bites of the food. The diabetic patient who has not been eating breakfast may have goals related to time of getting up in the morning, or development of menus that have appeal at breakfast time, or others.
Instruction
The patient requires information on a diet plan that has been individualized according to his circumstances; food lists that apply to his diet; how to use the food lists; food selection in the market; reading labels; and details concerning food preparation.
At each point in the instruction the patient should be encouraged to ask questions. Following the counseling session the patient will strengthen his understanding of his diet by writing out menus from food lists; keeping a record of what he eats during the day; reading labels to determine whether a food can be used on a given diet. Such activities should be checked by the counselor for any errors or misunderstanding.
Behavior modification is a process now widely used to change the individual’s habits to those that are more desirable. With respect to diet it consists of keeping a detailed record of all behavior related to food and then identifying the changes that must take place. The program requires skilled therapists such as psychologists, dietitians, and nurses; it would not be initiated by dietetic technicians or nurses not trained in these skills.
Follow-up
Successful dietary change almost always requires some follow-up to the initial counseling. Patients should have access by telephone to the dietitian, dietetic technician, or nurse to answer simple questions or to allay fears. Visits to the clinic as necessary help to assure the patient that he is following his diet correctly, to encourage continued adherence to the diet, and to provide opportunity for additional information. Many hospitals provide classes for patients on a given dietary regimen; for example, diabetic patients, or pregnant women, or patients on renal dialysis. Such classes provide a common bond of understanding between patients, as well as furnishing information concerning the dietary regimen.
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THE HOUSEHUSBAND/’AT HOME’ FATHER AND CHILDCARE

THE HOUSEHUSBAND/’AT HOME’ FATHER

Many fathers now take on the role of staying home to look after the house and children, either by choice or because of the current economic situation. This is very often extremely rewarding for the man and the children, and this role reversal certainly should not be negative in terms of the children’s growth and development. Despite the fact that such role reversals are occurring with increasing frequency, ness’ is threatened, and others find that their new role is rejected by their male friends. They may also find it more difficult, because of entrenched attitudes, to access the usual community support networks.

CHILDCARE

Most families will need childcare at some stage, whether it is a few hours occasionally or regular daycare if both parents are working. There are many different types of childcare, and you need to decide which type will best suit your needs.

Some parents arrange for childcare in their own home. This has obvious advantages, with the child being looked after in familiar surroundings but is also the most expensive and difficult to organise. Family daycare is not dissimilar, with a small number of children looked after in a private home. Most daycare is in special registered premises (childcare centres or creches), and is either run privately or government subsidised. There is a welcome and long overdue trend for employers to provide daycare for the children of employees, either on site or close by.

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OUR MARITAL HEALTH/SEX AND PROBLEMS OF DAILY LIVING: SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO THE COUPLES REGARDING THE MONEY ISSUES

Here were some of the recommendations given to the couples regarding the money issues. Remember the warning of lackie Mason, who said,’ T have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.”

1. Money is a token, a token for trading a measure of some of your work or earnings for things you want or need. It has no meaning other than that. Do not allow its amount or use to symbolize anything more than that.

2 If you’re fighting over money, you’re not! When you fight over money, you are doing so because money provides a target for interpretation, misinterpretation, and “proving something.” Look deeper, because the money is not the issue.

3 Money relates directly to roles in the marriage. If there are problems with money, consider altering the roles. All role changes should be for a prearranged period of time followed by scheduled reassessment of how the new roles worked out.

4 When money problems are severe and arguments are getting bitter, sex will no doubt suffer. This is the time to reconsider goals, hopes, and aspirations for your marriage. When such dreams are vague, unshared, or forgotten, money and money issues seem to take on a life of their own. Couples may have a financial plan, but they need a shared life dream”, too.

5. The key first question in money management in marriage is not “Can we afford it?” or “Who will pay for it?” or “Who’s money is it?” but “What do we want to do and what do we need to do it or get it? ” After this question is discussed, then money can be the focus as a shared problem, a means to an end. Most couples want money to be able to “do” things, to “buy” time, rather than “get” things.

6. In a super sex marriage, all money is “us” money. It comes from and belongs to the marriage. Any other arrangement will prevent the type of intimate trust necessary for the type of sexuality that I am discussing. For a super marriage, all major purchases must be mutual, with intense shared review and discussion. Deferring to a partner on major investments will always come back to haunt you. It doesn’t matter who knows more about money. What matters is that both of you have feelings, and money issues are never separate from feeling issues.

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SUPER LOVE FOR SUPER SEX/LOVE-MAP LANDMARKS: DESCRIBE YOUR BEST CHILDHOOD

SAME-SEX FRIEND

Whom you choose to bond with depends not only on early experience of adult sex scenes, perceived parental sexual behavior, male/female sex-role interpretations, and sex play with boys and girls, it also relates to friendship patterns. Most of us had one special friend of the same gender, that one special playmate or school chum who shared our developmental joys and griefs. We often spent time talking, listening to one another’s lies, discussing one another’s life philosophies. This friend became a major point on our love map, a major determinant of some of the characteristics we would later look for in a marital partner. Do you remember such a friend?

One man reported, “Yes, it was Dennis. He was with me from early elementary school. We played together for hours. We formed a club, built a clubhouse, and were the only two members. We didn’t talk much about sex or anything like that. We just sort of shared the same terrors and hopes. One time we actually held hands. I’ll never forget it. We must have been about eight years old or so, and they were going to take blood tests, something about civil defense procedures. We were scared to death. We just held hands in line. I’ll never forget it.”

The special support from his boyhood friend became a key part of this man’s love map, and one that directly affected his later choice of a wife. His wife reported a similar incident, perhaps explaining in part the overlapping of love maps that I mentioned earlier and the impact of this overlapping on the sexual system.

‘ T never forget her. I just cannot think of her name, but she was always with me for about three years in school. She saved me many times. I remember not being able to jump rope worth anything.

The other girls laughed at me. She told them to stop, that I could do it if I wanted to, but that I was in training for ballet school and was not allowed to jump rope. Of course, this was a lie, but I would never have been fast enough or devious enough to think of it. She could always save me.”

This woman had selected a husband who did much the same thing in their marriage, supported her and covered for her. “He gets me out of any social event I really don’t want to go to. He is a good strategic liar,” she reported.

Her husband’s report supported this overlap theory. “She is always there for me. She even held my hand once in the waiting room at the dentist’s office. She did it beautifully. She held a magazine on her lap and put one on mine and we held hands under the magazines. I was scared to death, but she really helped me, and nobody ever knew about it.” A love-system bond is evident here, a map match that helped this couple find super marital sex.

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VENEREAL DISEASE – INTRODUCTION

The sexually transmitted diseases are on the increase and we should all be aware of what they are, how they are caused and what we can do to both treat and prevent them.

World health authorities estimate that there are

40 million new cases of syphilis and 200 million cases of gonorrhoea throughout the world each year. These two diseases are perhaps the most widely known and feared of venereal disorders, but there are a number of other conditions which are also spread sexually.

When the antibiotics came into general use, many thought this would mean the disappearance of these diseases but this has proved a false hope.

There are a number of theories as to why venereal diseases are increasing. The belief that they can be easily cured and are no longer a problem has led to complacency among the general public and also the medical profession.

The permissive society has meant an increase in promiscuity and an increase in sexual activity among the young. This coupled with greater mobility of the population has increased the risk and also the incidence.

Changing patterns of contraception, such as the Pill and easier abortion have changed the emphasis from man “taking precautions” to the woman.

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EMPHYSEMA – GENERAL INFORMATION

They can be used as tablets, as medicines, as injections, as suppositories or inhaled directly into the lung.

Cortisone can considerably reduce the symptoms of emphysema, and may be used continuously, or only intermittently for severe attacks of breathless-ness.

Considerable benefit has now been achieved in this disease — and in asthma as well — by using a cortisone derivative, beclomethasone. This is inhaled directly into the lungs, and acts locally.

Its main advantage is that very little of the drug is absorbed into the general circulation.

When the symptoms are severe, it may be necessary to use oxygen, but in any case of chronic breathing difficulty, oxygen must be used with caution — in some cases it can make the condition worse.

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SCARLET FEVER – GENERAL INFORMATION (SYMPTOMS; TREATMENT)

The temperature and the rash often last for five to six days. Once the illness has subsided, the skin peels. There are many complications from scarlet fever, but these are not seen so often now.

Pneumonia and ear infection are common. Nephritis, or inflammation of the kidneys, and rheumatic fever, which may affect the heart are serious, rare complications.

The early use of antibiotics, particularly penicillin, in most cases of streptococcal infection, appears to have caused a reduction in a number of cases of scarlet fever and also in its severity.

The symptoms of scarlet fever, such as fever and headache, are of course treated as in all of these illnesses by the use of either aspirin or paracetamol. Bed-rest is essential. There is no vaccine to prevent scarlet fever.

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DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN

The spleen has its area in the left iris, 20′-25′ in the sixth minor zone. A lighter colour in the spleen area is found with inflammation of the spleen (splenitis), and also in diseases of stomach and intestine. A darkened spleen area indicates a diminished function of this organ. This is found with blood stasis following myocardial weakness, and with liver complaints.

The spleen and liver have a close connection to one another. Patients in whom spleen and liver areas are darkened cannot sleep at night. A very dark spleen area enables one to diagnose the tendency to feverish illnesses.

An enlarged spleen is suggested when the spleen area in the iris is enlarged, when the

iris-wreath is contracted in towards the intestinal zone, or any existing cramp-rings are displaced inwards towards the iris-wreath.

At first, the tumour-signs in the spleen area are lighter, from the overactivity, but with functional insufficiency of the spleen, the spleen area becomes darkened and black points develop.

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SIGNS, HOME CARE, PRECAUTIONS AND TREATMENT OF ULCERS IN CHILDREN

Signs and symptoms

An older child with ulcers has upper abdominal pain before meals or at night, and the pain is often relieved by eating. Preschoolers with ulcers have pain near the navel; the pain comes and goes and is aggravated by eating. Children of any age may vomit bright red or dark brown blood or have blood in the stools (appearing as tarry stools). Ulcers are seldom the cause of ordinary stomachaches in children – although they often get blamed for such pains. The diagnosis of an ulcer can be made only by X rays (upper gastrointestinal series) or, less commonly, by endoscopy which involves viewing the stomach directly by means of an instrument passed down the oesophagus, the passageway from the mouth to the stomach.

Home care

Temporary relief for pain can be provided by giving the child an antacid by mouth. Other home treatment is not recommended. The child should be under a doctor’s care.

Precautions

• Not all black (tarry) stools contain blood. Iron supplements and some foods can cause black stools. The stool should be tested.

• Abdominal pain in a child who is under emotional stress is more likely to be caused by the stress than by an ulcer.

• Several members of a family may have ulcers because they share the family’s lifestyle and tensions, not because ulcers are hereditary.

Medical treatment

Your doctor will take a careful health history of your child, perform a physical examination, and may order X rays. Your child’s stools will be tested for blood, and a blood count will reveal any evidence of secondary anaemia. The doctor will probably prescribe antacids between meals and at bedtime or antispasmodic drugs before meals. The doctor will also advise you on changes in the diet and ways to relieve the child’s emotional stress.

Changes in the diet usually involve avoiding caffeine in cola drinks, tea, and coffee, and aspirin (including cold remedies that contain aspirin). Treatment usually can be discontinued in a few weeks or months.

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