Category Archives: Preventative Medicine

Last week we started talking about financial New Years resolutions, and your first step was to create a budget. When creating a budget, many people find that an awful lot of their spending is going towards debt. Lets start off with how to deal with that.

1. Pay off bad debt: Notice I said bad debt. Not all debt is bad, such as a mortgage in a low interest rate environment. Bad debt is high interest, nondeductible debt such as credit cards etc. The two best ways to attack your debt are paying off the smallest balances first and then adding all of the previous payments to the next highest balance, etc. Its called the snowball effect. The other way is to pay off the highest interest debts first then the next highest and so on. This is my preferred way since you end up paying less in interest overall with this method. Whichever way you choose, just get rid of the debt. In my opinion this is the number one obstacle to financial success.

2. Get a check-up: Not a financial one, but rather a medical one. Go see your doctor and get a yearly check-up. Why am I including this on a financial checklist? Because poor health can cost a lot of money. The healthier you are, the less money youll spend on healthcare, which can potentially mean more retirement income. Preventative medicine is a lot cheaper than treating a chronic condition after its developed. Plus, youll feel better too.

3. Rebalance your portfolio: We have seen a big run up in the stock market in recent years, which means that the portfolio you designed five or ten years ago probably looks nothing that today. An unrebalanced portfolio is likely much more heavily invested in equities today than you may have intended, which translates to more risk than you planned for. Its easy to let it ride when the market is doing great, but understand that a severe correction could hurt you more than you intended.

4. Consider a Health Savings Account (HSA): An HSA lets you contribute up to $3,550 for yourself or $7,100 for your family and can be used to pay for medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. That could translate to up to a 37% savings on those expenses.

5. Look at what professionals are there to support you: These include your financial advisor, your CPA and attorney. Yes they cost money but are worth it. A good CPA makes you money, not costs you money. The same goes for a tax smart financial advisor.

6. Review your estate documents and beneficiaries: While you might not need these during the course of your daily life, when that life comes to an end, you want to make sure youve made smart decisions regarding your planning in order to minimize the impact to your family when you're incapacitated or gone.

7. Review your budget for waste: Since we started this series with creating a budget, lets end it with reviewing one that you have. Now that you know what youre spending your money on, look at what expenses you can eliminate in order to free up more money in order to increase your savings and investments.

I hope this helps make 2020 for best financial year yet!

T. Eric Reich, CIMA, CFP, CLU, ChFC is president and founder of Reich Asset Management and can be reached at 609-486-5073 or eric@reichassetmanagement.com.

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Reich Asset Management, LLC is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation.

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Financial new year resolutions, part one The Reich Report - Press of Atlantic City

Soldiers must be ready and capable to conduct the full range of military operations to defeat all enemies regardless of the threats they pose. But bad sanitation can keep them from the mission.

According to a 2010 public health report from the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health, "Influenza and pneumonia killed more American soldiers and sailors during the war [World War I] than did enemy weapons." The pandemic traveled with military personnel from camp to camp and across the Atlantic in 1918, infecting up to 40 percent of soldiers and sailors. In this instance, the enemy came in the form of a communicable disease.

Preventative measures and risk mitigation work to impede history from repeating itself, keeping the Army both ready and resilient. One such preventative measure implemented in Jordan was a week-long Field Sanitation Team (FST) Certification Course last month at Joint Training Center-Jordan.

U.S. Army Spc. Shelby Vermeulen, with 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry Regiment, 96th Troop Command, Washington Army National Guard, works through the steps of water purification during a Field Sanitation Team Certification Course.

(Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shaiyla Hakeem)

U.S. Army Sgt. Matthew A. Kolenski, with 898th Medical Detachment Preventative Medicine, 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support) "Desert Medics," has been an Army preventative medicine specialist (68S) for more than seven years. He said 68Ss and FSTs help mitigate unnecessary illnesses, allowing soldiers to focus on their mission.

U.S. Army Spc. Shelby Vermeulen, with 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry Regiment, 96th Troop Command, Washington Army National Guard, drops a chlorine tablet into water during a Field Sanitation Team Certification Course.

(Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shaiyla Hakeem)

Army regulations require certain units to be equipped with an FST, preferably a combat medic (68W), but any military occupational specialty can fill this position. The 40-hour certification covered areas such as improvised sanitary devices, testing water quality, identifying appropriate food storage areas, placement of restrooms, controlling communicable diseases, proper waste disposal, dealing with toxic industrial materials and combating insect-borne diseases.

U.S. Army Spc. Shelby Vermeulen (center), with 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry Regiment, 96th Troop Command, Washington Army National Guard, tests a water sample for chlorine residuals during a Field Sanitation Team Certification Course.

(Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shaiyla Hakeem)

The goal of the course was to "enable soldiers to maintain combat readiness and effectiveness by implementing controls to mitigate DNBI [disease non-battle injury]," said Kolenski.

He said environmental testing and figuring out how to mitigate problems before they start can drastically decrease DNBIs. These injuries can include heat stroke, frostbite, trench foot, malnutrition, diarrheal disease -- anything that can take a service member out of the fight. Sometimes reducing risk can be as simple as washing hands or taking out the trash.

"If you reduce the trash, you'll mitigate the flies, which reduces the chance that you'll get a gastrointestinal issue," explained Kolenski, "Because you can't fight if you're in the latrine [restroom]."

A week-long Field Sanitation Team Certification Course, spearheaded by U.S. Army Sgt. Matthew A. Kolenski (far right), with 898th Medical Detachment Preventative Medicine, 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support) "Desert Medics," was held from Dec. 9 - 13, 2019 at Joint Training Center-Jordan.

(Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shaiyla Hakeem)

Hazards are identified by sampling air, water, bacteria, pH levels, chlorine residue in water and bugs in the area.

"It was interesting to learn about the different standards for food facilities and rules on the preparation of the food," said U.S. Army Spc. Shelby Vermeulen, with 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry Regiment, 96th Troop Command, Washington Army National Guard, who serves as a combat medic at JTC-J.

This article originally appeared on United States Army. Follow @USArmy on Twitter.

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How the Army keeps one of its most lethal enemies from striking again - We Are The Mighty

Medical Technology is now available on all devices! Read it here for free in the web browser of your computer, tablet or smartphone.

To kick off the new decade, we find out how technological innovations are revolutionising hearing aids, speak to industry insiders to understand how 3D printing is changing dentistry, and examine the challenge of regulating implants as the market continues to expand and new technologies continue to blur the boundaries between what is and is not a medical device.

Sticking with implants, we delve into the complicated world of transhumanism and biohacking to find out how rising interest in tech implants could impact medical devices, explore ways that tech can unleash preventative personalised medicine with Verita, and learn more about a computerised kidney, which is helping to shed light on dehydration.

Plus, we take a look at the current state of the medical tourism industry to see how technology is impacting such a profitable sector, find out how combining wearables and drugs could help to treat Alzheimers, and as always we get the latest industry analysis and insight from GlobalData.

Timeline: the evolution of hearing aidsHearing aids have come a long way since the weird and wonderful vacuum tube contraptions of the 1800s, but its only within the last few decades that a truly transformative wave of fashionable, functional devices have started to appear. But how did this happen?Chloe Kentlooks back at the history of digital hearing aids, from the first devices of the 1990s to the innovative AI-powered technologies of the present day.Read more.

Open wide: how 3D printing is reshaping dentistryThe dental 3D printing market is expected to reach $930m by the end of 2025, and its application across different procedures is far-reaching, from the development of dentures to Invisalign retainer braces.Chloe Kentspeaks to Digital Smile Design directorGeorge Cabanasand Formlabs dental project managerSam Wainwrightto learn more about how 3D printing could help us all smile a little brighter.Read more.

Regulating implants: how to ensure safetyAs the implant market expands and new innovations become a reality, the challenge of regulating these new technologies is getting harder. With biohacking implants already being performed in tattoo studios, how will regulators ensure the safety of patients?Abi Millar reports.Read more.

From grinders to biohackers: where medical technology meets body modificationA new generation of patients are demanding medical interventions that not only make it easier to manage medical conditions, but also enhance their day-to-day lives. Engineers and researchers have responded with futuristic innovations that push the boundaries of biohacking.Chloe Kentrounds up the bizarre and brilliant innovations that could be the future of medicine as we know it.Read more.

Q&A: how tech can unleash preventative personalised medicine with VeritaVerita Healthcare Group is a company with fingers in many pies, but one of its key focuses is on bringing preventative healthcare to the masses through technology.Chloe Kentcatches up withJulian AndrieszandJames Grant Wetherillto find out more about the companys latest digital health acquisitions and what it sees in its future.Read more.

No filter: understanding how medicines impact dehydrationComputer models of a kidney developed at the University of Waterloo could tell us more about the impacts of medicines taken by people prone to dehydration.Natalie Healeyfinds out more.Read more.

Medical tourism: how is digital tech reshaping the industry?Medical tourism is a large and growing sector that is being driven by high costs and long waiting times in developed countries. But how is the rise of digital technology and Big Data influencing the development of medical tourism hotspots around the world?Chris Lofinds out.Read more.

Triple combo: calming Alzheimers agitation with ai, wearables and a novel drugBioXcel Therapeutics is developing an acute agitation drug, BXCL501, for Alzheimers disease. To improve management and prevention of agitation, the company is leveraging an existing wearable device and developing AI algorithms to predict and prevent aggressive agitation.Allie Nawratexplores this novel, triple combination initiative to prevent and treat symptoms of Alzheimers.Read more.

In the next issue of Medical Technology we take a look at the need for a more proactive approach to encourage health screening uptake, and explore ways that AI could help to make healthcare more human-centric.

Also in the next issue, we find out how a combination of virtual reality and haptics is being used to help virtually train surgeons to perform complex procedures, examine the potential of smell-powered diagnostics, and investigate the rise of chronic illness groups on social media platforms.

Plus, we examine how the uncertain future of Ehtylene oxide could impact device manufacturers, speak to Medidata about the companys merger with Dassault Systmes, and take a look at the recall of Bayers Essure contraceptive implant.

Link:
The future of implants in the latest Medical Technology - Verdict Medical Devices - Medical Device Network

Young adults who smoke a combination of combustible cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are almost twice as likely to suffer a stroke as those who only smoke e-cigs, and nearly three times as likely to have a stroke as non-smokers, according to a study which appeared in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

In this 2019 study, researchers analyzed a sample of 161,529 participants from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. The population of interest were all between the ages of 18 and 44. They used logistic regression to examine the link between e-cig and combustible cigarette smoking while adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidities (with or without history), as well as concurrent use of both e-cigs and combustible cigarettes.

Following analysis, the results showed that dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes was associated with 2.91 times higher odds of stroke versus nonsmokers (AOR=2.91, 95% CI=1.62 to 5.25) and 1.83 times higher odds versus current sole combustible cigarette users (AOR=1.83, 95% CI=1.06 to 3.17).Its long been known that smoking cigarettes is among the most significant risk factors for stroke. Our study shows that young smokers who also use e-cigarettes put themselves at an even greater risk, said lead investigator Tarang Parekh, MBBS, MSc, Department of Health Administration and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA in a press release.

This is an important message for young smokers who perceive e-cigarettes as less harmful and consider them a safer alternative. We have begun understanding the health impact of e-cigarettes and concomitant cigarette smoking, and its not good.

Our findings demonstrate an additive harmful effect of e-cigarettes on smokers blood vessels, hearts and brains, added Mr. Parekh.

Mr. Parekh cautioned that people should consider this study as a wake-up call for young vapers, clinicians, and healthcare policymakers. There is an urgency to regulate such products to avoid economic and population health consequences and a critical need to conduct further research on the benefits and risks of smoking-cessation alternatives.

Originally posted here:
The Risk of Stroke is Significantly Higher for Young Adults who Use Both E-Cigs and Combustible Cigarettes - DocWire News

While the new year rings in a laundry list of intimidating healthful resolutions, one goal we can easily achieve in 2020 is to reinstate our relationship with plants.

Whether enjoying a tulsi-based tea to help with a cold, taking a lemon balm bath to support Seasonal Affective Disorder, or adding a few drops of CBD oil to our skin for pain relief, plant-based medicines are seemingly endless. You probably already have ingredients in your pantry (or medicine cabinet) right now.

Cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, garlic, ginger, chamomile, and echinacea can all be used to support a healthy lifestyle. Through alocal community education program called Reciprocal Roots, those interested in wellnesscan learn how to properly infuse the beneficial components of plants into teas, salves, oils and tinctures.

Prior to the early 1900s, we had an herbalist in every house, she said during a recent interview. We called them mom and grandma. The deep relationship between humans and nature coupled with generations of sitting bedside with the sick led to a rich history in herbal remedies for both preventative and diagnostic care.

Grohmanmakes it easy to learn, hosting seminars at several locations across Western New York including Singer Farm Naturals in Appleton, Crazy Train Apothecary in Lewiston, The Schoolhouse Wellness Center in Lockport and Burning Books in Buffalo.

During classes, new and returning students gather around atable, sipping Kristins tea and talking plants. Each week is different, sometimes delving into a topic such as Herbal Support for the Winter Blues or focusing on one plant for the evening. I teach a healthy balance of phytochemistry along with anatomy and physiology. Being an herbalist is just as much understanding the human body as it is understanding plants. If you dont understand how your body works, then you dont know how to treat it,she explained.

Hand-outs, flip charts, and herbal samples adorn the large table. Some students bring binders with years of notes. Some are sitting down without a pen and taking it all in. Everyone is brimming with questions and Kristin has the answers. Her students include children, teens, adults, business owners, retirees, men, women and even a pharmacist. She stands at the head of the table and presents information about the chemistry of plants, its reactions with our body, and even touches on the safety of herbal interactions with prescribed medications. If she doesnt know the answer, she finds it after class and follows up with the class.

Kristin, along with the help of her husband, Kanjo, a Buddhist priest, are actively growing thereach of Reciprocal Roots. They haveheldtwo herbal conferences where vendors, guests, and speakers from around the United Statesgathered atSinger Farms to share knowledge and break bread.

Outside of community events, Reciprocal Roots offers retail products that are balanced to be safe and effective for anyone who wants to consume them.Shopperscan find teas, elixirs, tinctures and their magazine at Singer Farm Naturals and during select Lockport Community Markets. For a more personalized experience, Reciprocal Roots offers consultation services, where Kristin recommend recipes, blends, and practices specific to the needs of an individual. Their next endeavor is a large scale, strategically planned, medicinal garden for community use this year. On the distant horizon: a full herbal school with lots of land to cultivate.

I just want to educate. I want people to have their health be in their own control, Grohman said. I want everyone to know the biggest lie they have ever been told is that they are separate from nature. We know it deep in our DNA that plants are medicine. Thats scientific. We have receptors that match the phytochemistry of plants and turn on switches of healing in us. They restore us. They do not deplete.

For more information on events and services, check out the Reciprocal Roots Facebook page or email Kristin at reciprocalroots@gmail.com.

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Herbs for Health: Lockport herbalist teaches the roots of wellness - Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

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The state of Yap is scattered across the Pacific Ocean, its coral atolls and volcanic islands spanning some 600 miles. Home to 11,000 people, Yap, part of the Federated States of Micronesia, hovers just north of the equator, roughly 1,000 miles east of the Philippines.

Last summer, the states health authorities found themselves in a bind. Dengue fever, a painful mosquito-borne disease, was spreading on the main island, and clinics on outer islands urgently needed preventative medical supplies. But Yaps main means of transportation, a diesel-burning cargo ship, wasnt working.

Grist / Fourleaflover / Getty Images

Fortunately, there was a backup plan. In early September, hospital staff loaded packages onto two 50-foot, double-hulled sailing canoes, called vaka motus. Ten sailors then zipped between Yaps islands, hoisting sails and using wooden paddles, ducking into aquamarine lagoons when storms raged. Small engines burning coconut oil gave an extra boost, while solar panels replenished batteries to charge communications equipment. Within two weeks, theyd dropped medical supplies to more than a dozen far-flung islands.

It was the perfect way to do it, said Peia Patai, a vaka captain who led the operation. Although the dengue outbreak still persists in Yap and other Pacific Islands, health officials said the vakas helped close an urgent transportation gap.

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Patai oversees a fleet of vakas for Okeanos, a nonprofit that builds canoes and trains people to sail them. The foundation operates six vaka motus between Yap and Pohnpei, also in the Federated States of Micronesia, plus Palau, Marshall Islands, and Vanuatu. Okeanos has also built eight larger vaka moanas, operated by independent voyaging societies, which can sail the open ocean.

Ive got big dreams, Patai said by phone. I want this to grow from two canoes to maybe 10 canoes per country. I want them to start using canoes for sea transportation like the olden days.

Rui Camilo

For thousands of years, navigators in the Pacific used stars, ocean currents, and wind patterns to guide vessels across vast ocean expanses. Early canoes were sculpted from tree trunks and lashed together with coarse fibers from materials such as coconut palm seeds. But centuries of colonization and disease eroded the canoe-based cultures. Today, many remote islands like Yap rely on oil-guzzling freighters to deliver goods and shuttle passengers; not every place can accommodate airplanes.

In recent decades, a pan-Pacific revival has flourished as navigators preserve and reclaim traditional sailing methods. Patai, who is from the Cook Islands, first learned celestial navigation in 1991, after serving in the Australian Navy. Hes since earned the title of master navigator. Patai says he feels a responsibility to pass this knowledge to younger generations not only to honor the past, but also to prepare for the increasingly dire outlook for island nations.

For me, the only way for us to go into the future is to relearn our past, he said.

Peia Patai, master navigator, Okeanos fleet commander, age 53When I was young, you could walk on the reef and collect seashells. Today, there is no more reef; its all been covered by water. Water is rising, the weather is totally changed. Typhoons are coming late. Its not something that we can ignore.Whenever a cyclone comes, weve learned to accept it and live through it, and once it finishes, you recover. Our people have always been very strong in those kinds of changes, and I think we will learn to adapt to [climate change]. We just have to start making the changes, and hope that those changes will continue to improve.Thats the only way we can have a better future, not for us, not for me, but for the younger generations, my childrens children. Sean Grado

The Pacific Islands are acutely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which today include increased droughts, water scarcity, coastal flooding, and more powerful storms. Facing existential threats, including the disappearance of entire islands, leaders of these low-lying nations have played pivotal roles in securing international agreements to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The most vulnerable atoll nations like my country already face death row due to rising seas and devastating storm surges, Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, told delegates at the United Nations climate conference in Madrid in December.

Its a fight to the death for anyone not prepared to flee, she said. As a nation we refuse to flee. But we also refuse to die.

Reviving canoe culture, Heine and others believe, could help Pacific Islanders navigate the rough waters ahead. The boats reduce the islands dependence on ships fueled by imported fossil fuels, and they serve as an important tool when disaster strikes, helping people move more nimbly, be it to flee storms or aid neighbors in need. Similar efforts are underway in other parts of the world, including the Pacific Northwest, where the Quinault Indian Nation, the Heiltsuk Nation, and others are combining cultural revival with climate resilience.

Heine has called for adding vakas to each of her countrys 24 island communities, which could operate like an inter-island ferry service. Marshall Islands and four other nations Palau, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia are seeking nearly $50 million from the U.N.s Green Climate Fund, to build what they call indigenous community resilience through vaka networks in Micronesia.

Each vaka motu can hold up to three tons of cargo, or a dozen passengers. By building vessels, enlisting sailors, and producing biodiesel from coconuts, advocates also aim to develop local economies, particularly in areas reliant on subsistence farming and fishing. (Okeanos, a partner on the funding proposal, says its founder, Dieter Paulmann, has spent $25 million since 2006 to build and operate vakas, train crews, and do community outreach.)

Natalia Tsoukala

Vakas alone cant replace the trans-ocean freighters that haul thousands of tons of cargo across the world every day to do that, well need other sustainable shipping solutions. However, canoes are still an important piece of a more resilient future for these isolated communities, says vaka captain Iva Nancy Vunikura.

Iva Nancy Vunikura, vaka voyager, Okeanos captain, age 37In 2011, I hopped into a canoe and learned the ropes as I sailed. It was supposed to be a six-month journey, but turned into eight years. I got to connect back to my roots. Now Im sharing what Ive learned along the way.Anybody that comes on the vaka, we teach them how we look after the canoes, how we look after the people, how we work with the communities. This knowledge needs to be unlocked, as it has laid dormant for too long.Before, I didnt know much about my own culture. Now I can tell you stories of our forefathers. I belong to a proud family of traditional voyagers from the Pacific. Jess Charlton

She recalled how in 2015, in the wake of Cyclone Pam, she and other sailors, including Patai, delivered emergency supplies of food, water, and medicine to the outer islands of Vanuatu. They brought root cuttings of tapioca and kumura (sweet potato) so people could replant crops and rely less on imported, packaged foods. The vakas shuttled supplies for months as damaged diesel ships underwent repairs.

We might be small, but were doing something that contributes to how we live, Vunikura said from her home in Fiji.

Vunikura, a former rugby player for the national womens team, sailed for the first time in 2011. She worked on Okeanos 72-foot vaka called Uto Ni Yalo (Heart of the Spirit, in Fijian), touring 15 Pacific nations to promote sailing culture and ocean conservation. She has since logged over 60,000 miles on traditional sailing canoes, and now works with adults and children across the region.

Recently, she spent five months training a dozen men in Yap, where she says women dont traditionally sail. The Okeanos team had to first secure permission from a chief so Vunikura could participate.

We cant just come in and say I want to do this. We need to respect the custom and culture, she said. It was hard for me. But they accepted it and so I broke the barrier, you know? We need to be working as one.

Anthony Tareg

Among the biggest challenges to building a pan-Pacific vaka network is navigating cultural differences among Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian communities, Patai said. You have to find out how people think, he noted. Another difficulty is getting people to work on the vakas long-term, rather than treating it only as a hobby.

Steven Tawake, operations coordinator, Okeanos Marshall Islands, age 33Growing up, our elders would tell us things like, when the spiderwebs are very low to the ground, it means strong winds are coming. Or when the ants are taking food to the trees, it indicates heavy rain is coming. When I started sailing in 2009, I recalled what our elders told us, and said, Oh, this is all part of navigation. Sharing the knowledge of sailing and navigation especially when we teach young ones is something that will keep our heritage alive.In 2017, I was sailing a canoe [to Saipan] from Yap, about 600 miles away. I encountered very strong winds, and I was struggling with my crew. I reached Saipan, and an old lady from the Caroline Islands called me. In the Carolinians, the women are the keepers of navigation knowledge. She sat down beside me, and she started singing chants to me. Other ladies came, and I was in the middle of them. It was something lovely. Okeanos

For the Okeanos crew, there may be ample opportunity to sail in the coming year. In the Federated States of Micronesia, the health department in Pohnpei has signed a contract for 100 days of sailing charters to bring doctors, medical personnel, and sick patients between the main island and six outer islands. In the Marshall Islands, the government is providing an annual subsidy to partially cover the costs of crews, insurance, and maintenance of the vakas there. Late last month, an Okeanos team helped nurses carry out tuberculosis screenings in remote island communities.

Vunikura said she doesnt know exactly what her 2020 plans entail. But shell undoubtedly be climbing aboard a vaka and promoting sustainable sea transportation in the Pacific.

This is what I do for a living, she said. Somebody asked me, What action would you do towards climate change? I just simply pointed at the canoe and said, Im living my action by sailing this canoe on our oceans.

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To safeguard their future, Pacific Islanders look to the past - Grist

New year, new me, or so the saying goes. The start of a new year is a metaphorical clean slate and the perfect time to begin a healthier lifestyle. Its also a great time to be reminded of the monthly and annual health screenings you should be doing. Some screenings are performed by physicians at annual wellness visits, but there are also a few that you can perform yourself on a more regular basis. Both are essential if you are committing to your health through 2020 and beyond.

Doctors from a variety of specialties at Culpeper Medical Center - a Novant Health UVA Health System facility, explain some of these important screenings.

Skin Checks

Full-body skin checks are one of the most important preventative screenings you can do on your own. By thoroughly examining your body for new moles, dark spots or suspicious markings every three months, youre more likely to catch melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers before they have a chance to spread.

Early diagnosis usually means less invasive treatments, high likelihood of survival and lower chance that the cancer has spread, explains Shiv R. Khandelwal, MD, medical director of radiation oncology at Culpeper Medical Center.

The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, but also reports a five-year survival rate of 99 percent when nonmelanoma skin cancer is detected and treated early. Despite high survival rates, it is vital to protect your skin from sun exposure and visit a dermatologist annually, in addition to at-home skin checks.

Blood Pressure Tests

High blood pressure (hypertension) puts increased strain on your heart and blood vessels, which over time can put you at greater risk of heart attack or stroke. John Hardy, MD, a cardiologist at UVA Cardiology, recommends having your blood pressure checked by a physician at your annual wellness exam.

Patients with hypertension may need to have their blood pressure monitored more frequently, and may be prescribed medication to help lower it, says Dr. Hardy. Its important to get a reading at least yearly so your doctor can note any changes.

Bone Density Exams

Bone mineral density measures the thinness of a persons bones and their risk of fracturing. Culpeper Medical Center offers screenings using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) machine. This helpsstandardize a patients bone health to their demographic averages and determines the amount of bone density lost between screenings.

According to Pranav Patel, MD, chief of the department of medicine at Culpeper Medical Center post-menopausal women, tall and thin women, people with chronic kidney or parathyroid conditions, patients on long-term medication and smokers should have their bone mineral density read every two years. These are the populations most prone to osteopenia (thin bones) or osteoporosis (brittle bones), putting them at higher risk of fracture or traumatic fracture.

Mammograms

Although breast cancer can affect men, more than 99 percent of cases are in women. In addition to conducting monthly self-exams, all women should receive annual mammograms beginning at age 40.

Mammograms are very important, especially as women get older, says Jonathan Nguyen, MD, a breast-imaging specialist with UVA radiology group. We have the technology to detect abnormalities earlier than ever before, often before a woman would notice anything unusual in a self-exam. Through early detection, we can catch cancerous tissue and treat it before it spreads to another part of the body, which significantly improves outcomes and reduces mortality rates from breast cancer.

Culpeper Medical Center offers screening and diagnostic mammograms, as well as 3D mammography. This new mammography technology uses an X-ray arm to capture images of breast tissue one millimeter at a time and allows doctors to see fine details more clearly. All mammograms done at Culpeper Medical Center are read by UVA fellowship-trained breast radiologists, who can detect small cancers early in their progression.

Prostate Cancer

There is also a cancer screening specific to men: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures how much protein is produced by the prostate and can help determine risk of prostate cancer. Current guidelines from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force suggest that men ages 50-69 discuss periodic PSA screenings with their doctors.

Ali Mahjoub, MD, a medical oncologist with UVA Cancer Care, explains, recommendations for screening come on a case-by-case basis between a doctor and the patient and are dependent on risk factors. These factors include family history, race and age. Age is the number one factor, and we typically recommend routine screenings beginning at age 50. Diagnosis in men under 40 are very rare but we can encourage men to be screened at a younger age if they are in a higher-risk category.

These are just a handful of health screenings and services offered by the providers at Culpeper Medical Center. Each is recommended for different reasons and may be more applicable to certain genders, age groups and ethnicities. Your primary care provider may recommend additional screenings for you, depending on your individual risk factors for certain conditions.

For more information about the services offered at Culpeper Medical Center, a Novant Health UVA Health System facility, please visit novanthealthuva.org/locations/medical-centers--emergency-rooms/Culpeper-medical-center.

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HEALTH: Starting 2020 on the Right Foot | InsideNoVa Culpeper - Culpeper Times - Inside NoVA

Great hopes are being placed in a new vaccine that might be able to both prevent and cure dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Developed by Prof. Nikolai Petrovsky, director of endocrinology at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, after more than two decades of painstaking research and testing, this new vaccine's potential is so promising it's being hailed as the "breakthrough" of the decade in Alzheimer's research.

Petrovsky hopes human trials in the United States will start in the next 18 to 24 months. The vaccine was developed by Petrovsky but research is being led and funded by the Institute for Molecular Medicine (IMM) in California and the University of California in Oakland, which is the world's leading public research university system.

"With the vaccine, what we're doing is getting the immune system to make antibodies that can recognize those abnormal clumps of protein and will actually pull them out of the system and break them down," Petrovsky told ABC Australia. "It'll unblock the pipes and let the brain go back to normal."

The pipes Petrovsky refers to are the tens of billions of neurons in a healthy human brain. Neurons are specialized cells that process and transmit information throughout the body via electrical and chemical signals. They transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to body organs.

Alzheimers disrupts the vital communication among neurons, causing loss of function and cell death. Early on, Alzheimers destroys neurons and their connections in parts of the brain involved in memory. It later corrupts areas in the cerebral cortex that are responsible for language, reasoning and social behavior. Many other areas of the brain will eventually be damaged. A person with advanced Alzheimers loses his or her ability to live and function independently. The disease is fatal within five to seven years.

"Currently, we believe Alzheimer's disease is caused by a build-up of abnormal clumps of protein in the brain," Petrovsky said. "It's like they gum up the system, a bit like when your pipes get blocked and they don't work so well.

He said the same thing happens in the brain with Alzheimer's. A person with the disease gets these build-ups of clumps of protein between the brain cells and they start to interfere with the communication between the brain cells.

Petrovsky is confident the human trials will turn out well.

"It's an exciting time to be starting the new decade -- hopefully this is the breakthrough of the next decade if we can get it to work in the human trials," he added. "It's an exciting juncture."

Petrovsky said the vaccine was designed to both be a preventative measure and a cure. He said that in animal models, the vaccine was used to prevent the development of memory loss by giving it before the animal starts to get these build-ups of proteins.

"But we can also show that even when we give it after the animals have proteins, we can actually get rid of the abnormal proteins. It's actually designed to be both a prophylactic and a therapeutic."

Increasing levels of protein from brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression could slow down the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. Pixabay

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Alzheimers Vaccine: Human Trials Expected To Commence In 2 Years - Medical Daily

New research has developed a vaccine designed to prevent the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimers disease, and researchers hope this will be the "breakthrough of the decade," according to ABC News Australia.The researchers believe that this treatment is now ready for human trials.

RELATED:8 GREAT APPS FOR DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES

The vaccine is created to produce antibodies that both prevent and remove amyloid and tau proteins in the brain, the accumulation of which is believed to be the main cause of neurodegeneration in Alzheimers disease.

Many previously failed Alzheimers treatments have focused either on amyloid or tau protein reductions, but never both. However, research increasingly suggests it is a synergic relationship between the two toxic proteins that may be responsible for neurodegeneration.

The novel vaccine is actually a combination of two vaccines. AV-1959R targets amyloid aggregations, and AV-1980R targets the tau protein ones.

Nikolai Petrovsky, a scientist from Australias Flinders University and one of the team's researchers, told ABC News Australia the new treatment could be both preventative and curative.

"It's actuallydesigned to be both a prophylactic and a therapeutic," he said.

"In the animal models, we can both use it to prevent the development of memory loss by giving it before the animal starts to get these build-ups of proteins. But we can also show that even when we give it after the animals have proteins, we can actuallyget rid of the abnormal proteins," added the researcher.

Now,Petrovsky hopes human trials can startin the next 18-to-24 months."It's an exciting time to be starting the new decade hopefully this is the breakthrough of the next decade if we can get it to work in the human trials," he said.

The research is being led and funded by the Institute for Molecular Medicine and the University of California, in the US. And we can only hope it ends up being a total success.

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Novel Dementia Vaccine Could Be the "Breakthrough" of the Decade - Interesting Engineering

For many patients, navigating the medical landscape can be a challenge. While most individuals only require an annual checkup with their physician, more complex issues often require the attention of an internist.

Dr. Stephen Gist always knew he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. He has been practicing as an internist in Dallas, Texas, at Medical Specialists Associated for more than 21 years. Dr. Gist shares the ins and outs of internal medicine to give a better understanding of the profession.

Internal medicine has roots that go back centuries to Ancient India and China, where some of the earliest texts have been found, including the Ayurvedic anthologies of Charaka. Modern internal medicine can be traced back to the 1800s, when German physicians began incorporating different sciences to treat adults. Using bacteriology, physiology, and pathology, these physicians incorporated the knowledge they had to treat inner illnesses, which began to be known as innere medizin, or in common day English, internal medicine.

Internal medicine physicians are specialists that treat and manage complex medical issues for adult patients, explains Dr. Stephen Gist. Unlike family medicine physicians who manage a variety of patient loads, Dr. Gist explains that his patient load consists of patients with multisystem diseases or chronic illnesses that would benefit from specialized care that a single specialist would not cover adequately. His scope of practice covers a multitude of diagnoses that are not dependent on one disease process alone. Many internists practice in a clinic setting with hospital privileges to follow their own patients while some prefer to practice only in the hospital setting as hospitalists.

Dr. Stephen Gist

Although internists manage a wide variety of diseases and illnesses, some are common such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and heart and lung conditions. Internists help manage conditions through a multisystem approach, and can refer patients to subspecialists as needed, or when unsure of proper management plans for patients with worsening symptoms.

The path to becoming an internist generally takes a minimum of 11 years after completing high school. Most students will choose to take health or life science related courses during the first four years of undergraduate studies, during which time they will also study and sit for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). After completing this standardized test, students apply for admission to medical schools, which at most schools is another four years. During the first two years, students take a variety of basic science courses such as microbiology, pharmacology, and pathology to get a basis of medicine before beginning their clinical rotations for two years. During these rotations, students go through different fields of medicine such as internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and psychiatry. It is during this time that students get a better idea of which field of medicine they would like to pursue and apply to residencies in. Once accepted, internal medicine residency programs are three years in length, in which residents get further training in the field and begin to transition to independent physicians.

For internists, daily schedules can vary depending on their hospital patient load and scheduled appointments. Generally, internists prefer to round at least once daily at the hospital to check up on their admitted patients, and if need be admitting new ones. Most internists have privileges at one or two hospitals in the area of their practice, explains Dr. Stephen Gist. The rest of their day is generally spent seeing patients in their clinic. Many who work at academic centers may have medical students and residents that work with them, and their schedules are similar, although they also tend to set aside teaching time as well.

For many physicians, internal medicine is the stepping-stone to further specialization in one of the many subspecialties recognized by the American Board of Internal Medicine. After completing a residency in internal medicine, physicians continue their training as a fellow for usually a minimum of three years. For those who want to be board-certified in multiple specialties, training can include multiple fellowships. Some common specialties include:

Cardiology- Cardiologists specialize to treat diseases that pertain to the cardiovascular system, namely the heart and blood vessels. Common conditions they see and manage include heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, heart blockages, and irregular heartbeats. Cardiologists could take part in procedures as well, such as performing angioplasty and stent placements in their patients.

Nephrology- Nephrologists are specialized to treat and manage conditions in relation to our kidneys explains, Dr. Stephen Gist. Most common conditions include nephropathies, chronic kidney disease, and patients on dialysis.

Pulmonology- Pulmonologists are responsible for seeing and managing patients with a variety of lung disorders such as pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Many pulmonologists have dual specialization in both pulmonary and sleep medicine.

Gastroenterology- Gastroenterologists are responsible for seeing patients with issues related to the digestive system such as the stomach and intestines. Conditions such as intestinal bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and stomach ulcers can be diagnosed and managed. Gastrohepatologists are physicians that help manage conditions related to the liver.

Geriatric Medicine- Like pediatricians, geriatric physicians are responsible for seeing a specific age group, the elderly. Geriatricians are involved in both preventative medicine efforts in the elderly, as well as managing conditions that are typically seen in older patients.

Many of the conditions that specialists see and manage daily are ones that internists also see in their patient population, however usually when symptoms are not as severe. Dr. Stephen Gist notes that all specialists and internists work hard together to help their patients achieve the best health outcomes.

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What is internal medicine? Dr. Stephen Gist has the answer - AZ Big Media