A stent is a wire mesh tube that is used to help hold open an artery. To simple understanding this concept think of a plumber or a mechanic. With a plumber sometimes they have to replace a certain area of a pipe that connects the water or like a mechanic replacing a certain area of piping (like the muffler piping connected infront of the muffler than can either can be replaced or just welded with piece of piping welded just to save money. Well a stent opens the artery that was clogged and its put in that place to reinforce that area of the artery to remain open to allow blood to get to that heart from that coronary artery and it will stay there life to keep the artery permanently patent to prevent the blockage from happening again with the synthetic mesh piece. Description Stents are used to hold open diseased coronary arteries (these arteries supply blood to the heart), as well as diseased arteries of the peripheral vascular system (PVS). Peripheral means away from the heart the PVS is the arteries that supply blood to the rest of the body (again away from the heart all the way down to the hands and feet). There are variety of stents currently available. For a surgeon to find out if you even need one, first usually a angiogram is performed and this is a catheter simply from the femerol artery or from your arm to the coronary arteries. If the MD sees you show a blockage 80% or more an angioplasty is performed which is a balloon at the end of this catheter that blows up and decompresses to give the effect like punching gloves. The balloon inflates and deflates over and over again till the blockage breaks open free and then a stent is put in that area to help keep it open permanently (patent). Some stents have been compressed onto the outside of an angioplasty balloon catheter and delivered by inflating the balloon in the desired location. Other stents are “self- expanding” spring-loaded devices, which expand automatically upon deployment. Stents remain in arteries permanently. The tissue lining the arteries actually grows over the metal mesh to cover the inner lumen of the stent. Stent procedures have become very common like tonsillectomies were in childhood. Stents are sometimes used as an alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery, if the patient is a candidate. Stents are often used in combination with balloon angioplasty. One leads to the other depending on what the angioplasty displays for the surgeon on the T.V. in when they are doing the procedure and if the come up to a blockage high enough to perform the angioplasty followed with a stent it will be done. Stents are used in cases of “restenosis”, which refers to the re-closing of arteries after balloon angioplasty. In carefully selected patients, the use of stents can dramatically reduce restenosis following balloon angioplasty or other catheter-based procedures. Stents are used frequently to hold open the arteries that have been damaged, torn, or dissected by balloon angioplasty or other catheter-based procedures. Like plumber or mechanic, get it. Stents allow angioplasty to be done in patients with severe and long-segment obstruction of coronary arteries. As soon as the I initial part of the block is widened, a stent is place, which holds it open allowing further opening to proceed. Stents have also allowed angioplasty to be performed in patients with blocks of multiple vessels, and in multiple blocks in a single artery. Risks Risks include the standard risks of an interventional, catheter-based procedure, which should be specifically discussed with your doctor. Lesions treated with stents can “restenosis” (re- narrow with in weeks to months after the procedure) similar to restenosis associated with angioplasty. This is why patients after having a stent put in they are on a medication for example like Plavix for life to prevent this occurrence from happening. It is a anti platelet medication, meaning it doesn’t allow clotting to happen in the stent so blockage doesn’t reoccur through clotting. Many new technologies are being tested to reduce the problem of restenosis. These technologies include coating and coverings for the stent, new materials, and radiation. These new technologies are primarily experimental at this point and will reach soon to the market if not already. Technology allows the medical field to continuously expand and this will be replaced at one point but isn’t yet. Just give it time. At one point we had no CABG (coronary artery bypass) but now the stent in certain cases is replaced by angiograms to further expanding to angioplasties and stents furthering allowing the surgery to take place 1x hopefully if the patient is compliant in diet, exercise, and following the doctors orders with meds, activity and follow up visits (which are so vital).   A lot is up to the patient in caring or themselves to prevent having this take place again. Follow up Instructions Your doctor will recommend blood thinning medications following your stent procedure. These agents are usually given for one month post procedure along with aspirin and then continued indefinitely. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics for a period of time after the stent procedure, to be taken anytime you have a medical or dental procedure. Preventing infection. MRI tests should not be done for at least eight weeks without your doctor’s approval. Metal detectors do not present a problem. Stents appear to be safe in the long-term; there are no long-term complications associated with a permanent stent.

“When young men and women do marry, they typically smoke less, drink less, and use illegal drugs less. For example, single men drink almost twice as much as married men of the same age. In a recent national survey, one out of four young single men (ages 19 to 26) say their drinking causes them problems at work or problems with aggression, compared to about one in seven married guys the same age.”

Maggie Gallagher serves as Director of the Marriage Program at Institute for American Values and co-authored The Case for Marriage with Linda J. Waite

“The perception that this outbreak is an African problem is troubling. Many Americans have been vocal online about their belief that the U.S. should shut down its borders until the outbreak is under control and others have expressed their fear about people coming from that area of the world.  Certainly, the physicians who deal with global epidemics are not worried about the potential for a problem here in America.”

Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as Fox News Channel’s Senior Managing Editor for Health News.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is the human disease caused by the Ebola virus. Symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pains, and headaches. Typically nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this point, some people begin to have bleeding problems.^[1]

The virus may be acquired upon contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal (commonly monkeys or fruit bats).^[1] Spread through the air has not been documented in the natural environment.^[2] Fruit bats are believed to carry and spread the virus without being affected. Once human infection occurs, the disease may spread between people as well. Male survivors may be able to transmit the disease via semen for nearly two months. In order to make the diagnosis, typically other diseases with similar symptoms such as malaria, cholera and other viral hemorrhagic fevers are first excluded. Blood samples may then be tested for viral antibodies, viral RNA, or the virus itself to confirm the diagnosis.^[1]

Prevention includes decreasing the spread of disease from infected monkeys and pigs to humans. This may be done by checking such animals for infection and killing and properly disposing of the bodies if the disease is discovered. Properly cooking meat and wearing protective clothing when handling meat may also be helpful, as are wearing protective clothing and washing hands when around a person with the disease. Samples of bodily fluids and tissues from people with the disease should be handled with special caution.^[1]

There is no specific treatment for the disease; efforts to help persons who are infected include giving either oral rehydration therapy (slightly sweet and salty water to drink) or intravenous fluids.^[1] The disease has high mortality rate: often killing between 50% and 90% of those infected with the virus

A Nigerian nurse who treated a man with Ebola is now dead and five others are sick with one of the world’s most virulent diseases, authorities said Wednesday as the death toll rose to at least 932 people in four West African countries.

The growing number of cases in Lagos, a megacity of some 21 million people, comes as authorities acknowledge they did not treat Patrick Sawyer as an Ebola patient and isolate him for the first 24 hours after his arrival in Nigeria last month. Sawyer, a 40-year-old American of Liberian descent with a wife and three young daughters in Minnesota, was traveling on a business flight to Nigeria when he fell ill.

Ben Webster, a Red Cross disaster response manager in London, said it is “critically important” that people displaying symptoms are identified quickly.

“It’s impossible to say whether this specific situation could have been avoided, but there is certainly more likelihood of travelers coming from an Ebola-affected country in the region and authorities need to be aware, even if the infrastructure and situation is challenging.”

In Saudi Arabia officials say a man who was being tested for the Ebola virus has died. The 40-year-old returned on Sunday from Sierra Leone, where at least 286 people have died from Ebola, and was then hospitalized in Jiddah after showing symptoms of the viral hemorrhagic fever.

There have now been at least 1,711 cases of Ebola this year, which has no proven vaccine or treatment, according to new figures released Wednesday by the World Health Organization. More than 932 people have died in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria as of Aug. 4, WHO said. In announcing the new deaths, WHO noted in particular that “community resistance remains high” in Liberia. Many fearful family members are refusing to bring sick relatives to isolation centers, preferring to treat them at home and pray for their survival as no proven cure or treatment exists for Ebola.

The difficulties in quarantining sick people are complicating efforts to stop Ebola’s spread.

Fear of the unknown is what creates a culture of fear and prejudice surrounding a health crisis – much like outbreaks of other diseases we’ve seen in countries around the world.

It would be doing the medical community, who are working so diligently to find a solution — as well as the world at large — a disservice to let the same sort of ignorance and misinformation cloud the Ebola crisis.

The perception that this outbreak is an African problem is troubling. Many Americans have been vocal online about their belief that the U.S. should shut down its borders until the outbreak is under control and others have expressed their fear about people coming from that area of the world.

“There has even been noticeably fewer international flights to these countries, leading to lower revenues and financial inflows,” the World Bank said this week.

a multitude of independent voices to relay all kinds of misinformation about the virus on social media. It’s actions like these that are putting America in harm’s way.

Panic is what has caused many people in African villages to have limited access to health care workers who can help contain this outbreak.

We don’t want a panic to make Americans lose sight of what is important. Let’s keep using our technology and science to help find a cure for Ebola and continue to help our brothers and sisters in Africa.

This is why it’s more important than ever to make as much information about screening and outcomes as we can available to the American public.

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

Lao Tzu

Now,how do we reach that, you say?In review of part 1 (yesterday’s article),we now know from yesterday’s article Part 1 – the basics of how the brain waves operate withhow the brain waves work with a healthy brainas opposed to unhealthy brain but now we need to know how do we reach that steps of keeping the brain healthy andthere are a few steps to take. Those steps will train yourbrain wavesto become balanced more effectively in both motor and cognitive function. This includes the following:1.)Diet (foods you eat on a routine basis 24 hours/7days week on your routine diet foods, with including exceptions of occasionally treats when you are in ideal weight range or ideal body mass index range) 2.)Balance both rest and exercise 3.)Learning healthier habits (from types of foods you eat including all the food groups, when to eat, how large a meal, how many times a day, what exercise keeps you healthy, and how the body works with our metabolism).4.)The hardest and most promising ingredient, if it’s reached, is you areeffectively training & practicing the healthy habits of daily living with having all brain waves workingappropriately. To obtain this goal you need to know the area(s)that need to be improved to make your life a healthier one.   You know what your routine lifestyle is like nowand what health habits you’re not doing now. (Ex. Either needing to sleep more=8hrs a dayis healthy, or increase your cognitive/problem solving more with the brain from reading to crossword puzzles daily to looking at the news daily or even college classes register for or take up a hobby=ceramics to simply learning how to play an instrument, or just simply eating better foods).At first this may take discipline but then it becomes a natural way of living or just a routine you adaptedin your life style. You know yourself better than anyone else and if you feel you need a little help to get in the right direction in reachinga healthierstatethan you came to the right blog for a helping hand. Our diet plus Dr. Anderson’s guidance with his book “Dr. A’s Habits of Health” will help increase the brain’s function with learning what healthy habits are and you choosing what changes to make for your life regarding diet, exercise & habits. First doing this you need to learn this knowledge in steps using an outlined, structured, and time period that is suitable for you. So set a goal for yourself that you find reachable.Most importantly, you actually practicing the healthier habitsforever which become a breeze for you when you understand the logic behind the diet and healthy habits we teach you. Learning proper eating, proper health habits routinely is not just for 6 months or less but for life with understanding why you’re making the change so you’ll be more inclined todoing them.Brain wellness.com even further expands my article with the following;itagrees that the following are important in your life advertising to learn about 11 DOMAINS of brain health:

To learn all about foods, food groups, with supplements, our metabolism, how fast foods work as opposed to healthy ELEVEN (11) DOMAINS OF BRAIN HEALTH™ 1. Nutrition and Hydration: Memory Preservation Nutrition® 2. Physical Exercise 3. Mental & Cognitive Stimulation including Cognitive Education/The Serper Method™, Memory Techniques & Medication Management 4. Management of Stress and Depression 5. Social Engagement & Support 6. Sleep needed for brain health 7. Balanced Chi (Energy) 8. Music (listening to and playing music) and Other Creative Arts & crafts, story-telling. 9. Spiritual Practices – Pray, Meditate, Forgive, Let Go, Be Kind & Loving, Practice Gratitude, Be Positive 10. Humor, Fun, Laughter & Joy 11. Sense of Meaning and Purpose in Life

If you want to learn healthy habits to bring into your routine day to day schedule with learning about all 4 food groups, how to eat the foods you like 5-6 times a day every 3 hours to 4 hours a day, and for those who even want to learn how to lose weight safely and effectively. Yes you’re interested, than what are you waiting for click onto heathyusa.tsfl.com.   We are not just a diet to lose weight but much more. All these ingredients will help keep your brain healthy and even enhance it depending on what you choose to achieve (the ball is in your court). The key is to live a healthy life with all your body systems. This consists of diet, exercise or activity and practicing healthy habits routinely in your lifethat will help prevent or assist you in treating illnesses/diseases (not add to them like obesity and anorexia can). Ending result it makes you feel great both inside and out. The better we treat ourselves regarding health the higher the odds we will live a longer, more active and healthier life. There is not just one food to eat or one type of exercise to do or one healthy habit to perform that will keep you healthy; there are choices. Come onto my website which is no fee, no charge, no hacking, it will just let you check us out to look further in understanding how to take a shape for your life with Dr. Anderson and even myself as your health coach in helping you learn what these healthier habits or changes are for a better life that will help keep your brain and overall body healthy (again, mind and body). It allows you to make all the decisions in what you want to do regarding what to eat (diet), do as exercise/activity, and practice as healthy habits added in your life. We just provide the information and even the healthy foods in your diet; you decide if you want them. I eat them 5 to 6 times out of the day with one meal my meat or fish (high protein) and vegetable (lean and green) to help keep my metabolism on a steady rate.I have lost over 20 lbs. and find it to be cheaper than the foods in the supermarket. You make all the choices. Wouldn’t you want less disease/illness for yourself and for even others throughout the nation including the future generation.Well than click on over and take a look with what Dr. Anderson and myself provide. We both have been in the health care system; Dr. Anderson over 30 years and myself over 25 years.Dr. Anderson is the co-founder and medical director of “Take Shape for Life”; so click on to http:// healthyusa.tsfl.com. Thank you for reading my blog. I know you will benefit from it, and from my blog you will learn daily about health, disease and illness caused by just bad habits, poor diet and no exercise/activity in your life. So don’t stop reading my blogarticles and I hope to hear from you soon at my website under comments.Listening to other mind perceptions is an open mind.

Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.

Lao Tzu

Let’s start with how the brain operates; think of the human body as a car for a moment. The brain of the car is a computerized disc that allows a lot of the operations to take place in making the engine and more run proper and safely when the key is turned on (if that car is at least late 1980’s or newer). The battery is like the nervous system allowing connection of electrical currents tomany parts of the car enabling them to do their job (Ex. lights turned on at night).Well we can’t live without the brain (sort of like the computerized disc in the car).   Our nervous system works with the brain in allowing currents to be sending messages to our body parts to function (sort of like our car battery). To provide a MD with accuracy in evaluating how your brain is operating orif dysfunctional (Ex. Seizure disorder, Alzheimer disease-dementia, etc…) he or she uses a tool that is called an electroencephalogram (EEG) and he looks at your brain waves (alpha, beta, delta, & theta waves). Well how the car is diagnosed is through a diagnostic scanner that connects to your car telling the mechanic how the car is functioning, to see why certain car lights are on at the dash board when they shouldn’t be (ex. Like when the brake light or engine light or temperature light is on)well the doctor uses as a diagnostic tool also to evaluate these brain waves of the human body called an electroencephalogram (EEG). Well during certain times ofhuman functioning the brain shows certain brain waves which gives information to MD’s on the patient’s brain normality regarding its function. There are the 4 traditional brain waves that researches in 1930-1940 have identified. These brain waves show us what is going on in the body.The following is a breakdown of what these waves represent in action:Alpha-appear when you are relaxed and calm. Beta-appear when we are actively thinking or actively doing problem solving             Delta-appear during sleep                                                                                                                                      Theta-are associated with deep relaxation (like a hypnotic relaxation), in sleep, and visualization.     These brain waves are measured in what we call Hertz=Hz, for abbreviation. So Alpha=(8-13 Hz), Beta=(13-38 Hz), Delta=(below 4 Hz) Theta=(4-7 Hz). Since these brain waves were introduced into medical profession, other types of brainwaves have been identified and the traditional 4 have been further subdivided into 2 other groups; they are:1)Sensory Motor Rhythm- This involves with some brain and motor function and 2)Gamma rhythm- This is more involved with mental activity of the brain.Our overall brain activity is a mix of all the frequencies at thesame time, some in greater quantities and strengths than others.

So what is the meaning of all this? The answer is Balance with having Flexibility. This generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working. We don’t want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency. Just like the car, if you’re constantly in overdrive or the opposite it will stress the overall engine and its associated parts to the point that the car is no longer running effectively orproductively. This is the same with the brain; it should not constantlybe in cognitive thinking or problem solving 24 hours/7days a week, but not a zombie either.Living your life in keeping yourbrain waves balanced along with eating a balanced diet anddoing regular exercise (2 to 3 times a week up to daily) with rest will help you maintain a good weightthat is beneficial for your mind and body. Same principle as the car just constantly doing one of these activities, staying in the same gear or activity mode will hurt you (Ex. Prevent vitamin deficiency like calcium deficient which puts bones at risk of getting a fractured or broken bone. From too much work out with no rest=sprain or injury of the body.   Without staying within a healthyweight can put you at risk for anorexia or obesity and both can cause injury to the body, like anemia or cardiac/diabetic diseases.) How do you make or manage a healthy brain?Well, first being able tocontrol the brain throughbalance and flexibility with resilience; that is the capacity of humans to come out of an extreme shock, damage, injury and trauma followed by getting back to a normal life (like run with the ball but don’t drop it.)Simply it is saying we bounce back positive after a negative stress in our lives (deep depression, become hateful or resentful, drink heavy to increasing or a smokerwith increasing packs smoked/day rather than quitting cold turkey=unhealthy for the brain and their overall body).   This is surely not saying it’s easy but that is why brain training yourself with healthy habits will help you deal with stress in your life better. Stay in a negative state, this keeps your brain in the same mode (Ex. Depression) and become stagnated. It can be hard to get out of especially the longer you stay in it;and it brings yourself down further into the negativity (depression, lack of confidence in oneself). So whatever stresses, injury, emotional hard time, pain, or fatigue that is due to never balancing your life (brain waves) you need to take the step to support your health both mentally and physically by directing your brain waves to something else positive in particular. It may not always be simple but no matter the hardship there is someone else in this world in the same boat as you or worse off than you. The more you think along those lines the easier it gets in dealing with life. Without brain balance, flexibility with resilience we holistically cannot function effectively; just like the car without the battery or computerized disc in today’s vehicle the car won’t function properly, unless it runs on electricity but it still won’t function correctly if the computerized disc is not working. We need all our brain waves balanced to sustain our wellness and health. Again, this generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working (like being healthy). We don’t want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency.

Well now you know how the basics of how the brain operates, how the brain waves have to operate to stay healthy but now we need to know how do we reach that step and that’s tomorrow’s article Part 2 but if you want to know how to get healthier for your brain and the body overall right now than go to my website http://healthyusa.tsfl.com/. , otherwisesee you tomorrow for Part 2.

There are 2 types of strokes:

1-Hemmoragic-a blood vessel that bursts in the brain causing lack of oxygen to be supplied to the area of the brain (a lobe) where the vessel ruptured.  Lack of oxygen to any area of the body tissue=starvation to the tissue; where in this case is the brain=a stroke.

2-Blockages-These blockages caused by the following: blood clots, athero-sclerosis, a common disorder, it happens due to fat, cholesterol, with even tar from smoking, or other substances that build up in the walls of the arteries forming hard structures called plaque and in time creating a blockage in the vessel interfering with blood supply providing oxygen to tissue and if blocked in the brain=high probability of a stroke occurring if not taken care of.   “Recommended related to Heart Disease” by Web MD which states that atherosclerosis is the key cause of heart attacks & strokes including it’s the number one killerin the United States.  Risk Factors for atherosclerosis include high blood pressure (b/p)=arteriosclerosis, blood level of high bad cholesterol (LDL), blood level of low good cholesterol (HDL), smoking, diabetes, and history of heart attacks in your nuclear family.  Definitely a healthy diet, having exercise in your life, and your weight within the therapeutic body mass index level will help prevent, if not treat, atherosclerosis.

                                                                                                                                                                              The Risk Factors of this disease, especially diet & sedentary lifestyle:
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