Chris Hartzog » Health

Music and the Brain

chartzog — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:27:43 +0000

The AP published an interesting article recently describing the links found in the brain between music and words including the possiblity that intense therapy with music might improve speech in not only stroke patients, but in individuals with autism as well. It’s nice to know that what my wife and I have known instinctively for years….using music to help our autistic daughter process and understand language better….is now being backed up by science. This also adds more meaning to the work I do with music with nursing home residents, especially those experiencing memory loss such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Add some music and suddenly non-responsive folks start smiling, or tapping a foot or finger or sometimes even singing.

The full article published on Yahoo News, titled, “Research finds brain link for words, music ability”, can be found here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100220/ap_on_sc/us_sci_words_and_music

Music for Caregivers

chartzog — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:38:16 +0000

My mission is to provide “Music for Caregivers” to integrate into the lives of people living in nursing homes and to those with physical, developmental or neurological disabilities living in our world.

This page and web site is a place for anyone interested in bringing music into a care-giving environment. Care-giving environments can be such places such as a nursing home, a convalescent center, a group home, a hospital or to individuals living in the community. This is dedicated to all those people with either physical, neurological, or developmental disabilities and for all those that are all too often forgotten and hidden away by our self-absorbed culture.

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
And have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
Your walls are ever before me.

Isaiah 49:15-16

I have answered God’s call to stand up for the rights of these our brothers and sisters and most importantly come to them simply as a brother with his guitar and his voice. A little music can brighten one’s day, lift spirits, revive memories, and reduce depression and feel less lonely. All this is possible with no prescription and no side effects.

If you would like me to play at your nursing home or for your group, please contact me. Click here to Email Me

Resources For Caregivers

chartzog — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:34:13 +0000

With the aging of our population there has been a increased need for caregivers, either professional, or those who fill the role out of love due to an aging spouse, parent or loved one. There is also a large population of caregivers of disabled children, afflicted with various things such as autism, mental retardation, Down’s Syndrome or other disorders. At any rate, it is important that you as a caregiver proactively do things to take care of yourself and work to avoid caregiver burnout.

As a caregiver myself, I have created this page as a resource for other caregivers to use as a starting place to begin to find ways to help yourself. For if you are able to help yourself stay healthy, you will be better able to take good care of your loved one or those in your care.

Here are some useful sources of information that you might want to check out.

Music For Caregivers

Did you know that music is a great stress reliever? It is also a wonderful way to connect with both the elderly and the young. Beyond that it is plain old fun and enjoyment that can be worked into many aspects of your day.

American Music Therapy Association – Fact Sheet on Alzheimer’s and music therapy.
American Music Therapy Association – Fact Sheet on autism and music therapy.

Music is a power and a language that crosses all borders and generations.

Great Music for Stress Relief

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Various studies have shown that if you listen to classical music while eating will cause you to eat less, enjoy your food more, digest more easily and attain other health benefits. I have always loved Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It is one of my very favorites to enjoy over dinner.
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe Many of the world’s great composers are on this album including, Pachelbel, Mozart and Beethoven. This album is perfect for the practice of mental imagery or meditation and can also soothe you to sleep.
Michael Powers A great Seattle area jazz and blues guitarist, Michael Powers, is constantly coming out with new and better music. One of my favorites is 20 Songs for 20 Years.
Abbey Road (Remastered) Who can compare with The Beatles? So much has been said about the Beatles, that I doubt I can add anything new. I can only say that one of my favorite albums is Abbey Road.
Duets: An American Classic Tony Bennett just never stops. As an eighty year old, his voice is incredible. This CD is loaded with top performers including Paul McCartney, Sting, James Taylor and Barbara Streisand. Be sure to buy this album! It will make you smile.
Musicians Who Support Autism Awareness Here is a list originally provide by “Autism Connections” MySpace site.

Music Library

Create your own personal stress relief music collection and sort it into categories. Here are a some category ideas to get you started:

For your work out
For housework and chores
For dinner
For driving
For meditation and prayer

Preventing and Dealing with Burnout

The Caregiver Manual – Comprehensive resource for caregivers, including articles on how to decrease stress, find support, and balance your time. (Strength for Caring)
Family Caregiving 101 – Offers advice, information, and support for caregivers. Includes a directory of resources, including financial advisers, support groups, and elder care organizations. (National Family Caregivers Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving)
Recognizing and Coping With Caregiver Burnout – This page, linked to a page on “Getting help to prevent burnout,” is on a terrific, comprehensive Canadian site about caregiving. (Peel Public Health)
Preventing Caregiver Burnout – Part of a handbook and resource guide for caregivers in Florida. Examines the signs of caregiver burnout and how to handle it. Includes tips for caregivers who are themselves challenged by age or infirmity. (Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas)
Information Library – 100 fact sheets and publications on numerous caregiving issues. (Family Caregiver Alliance)
Tips for Caregivers – Provides information to help caregivers prevent burn-out and relieve the stresses of caregiving. (National Family Alliance)
Tips for Family Caregivers – Ten important tips for caregivers. (National Family Caregivers Association)
Online Guide to Caregiving – A comprehensive collection of articles and tools to assist caregivers. (AARP Magazine)
Advice for Caregivers / Terminal Illnesses – Contains articles that present advice for caregivers faced with terminal illness patients. (Terminal Illness)

Locate a Caregiver

Family Caregiver Alliance’s Family Care Navigator, provides a state-by-state resource intended to help you locate services for family caregivers and resources for older or disabled adults.

Them Old Colitis Blues

chartzog — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:19:56 +0000

Well, I know this ought to be a song and that my output on this site has slowed down recently, especially in comparison to what my original goals, objectives, plans, schemes and dreams laid out for me in my mind to get accomplished. And, for a while, I debated about whether to make a post on this topic or not since it is not related to my music or to disabilities causes and I also didn’t want to appear like I was whining.

But upon further reflection I wondered is whining really such a bad thing….I think everybody wants to whine sometimes, especially when you are in pain, like if somebody where standing on your foot with high heels….”Wooouuuulllddd yooouuu PPLLEEAASSEE get OFFFFF my FOOT!” So, in that sense some temporary whining actually serves a useful purpose: It gets them off your foot, stops the pain and teaches them about body space awareness, all in one breath….or maybe 5 or 6 if you have asthma.

Anyway, I thought I would share some of my health journey with you in case there is someone out there that reads this that can benefit from it.

For my entire life, I have had a “touchy” stomach. There always seemed to be something that would cause me stomach pains and associated trouble. But beginning last summer things got much worse and I started having severe abdominal pain, urgency, diarrhea and most concerning of all – bleeding, a lot of bleeding — Enough to make me anemic, not to mention to initially freak me out at the sight of it. My first reaction was to think I was dying and that I must have colon cancer. Unfortunately, it took multiple doctors and many tests to get an accurate diagnosis of what in the hell was going on inside my body.

My diagnoses have oscillated between ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and Celiac disease. As of today, they have pretty much ruled out Crohn’s disease, thank God, and pegged me as ulcerative colitis and celiac disease. I am still in the middle of this struggle and as of today I am not “cured” or in remission, so what I am writing is a bit of a journal documenting my travels and travails. The western medicine doctors I have seen have mainly wanted to treat me with either surgery (remove part or all of my colon) and/or powerful drugs that have dangerous side effects. I have tried some acupuncture, and it was actually giving me relief, but my insurance does not cover it and at $100 per visit, I quickly ran out of money.

I September I began reading a book called, “Breaking the Vicious Cycle” by Elaine Gottschall which describes the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) that she developed initially to treat her daughter who had ulcerative colitis. I began following the SCD and I was starting to see some real improvements in my symptoms.

But in the middle of this, my gastroenterologist referred me to see an allergist for food allergy testing, and lo and behold I found myself going down yet another path. Since this did not involve any long term risky drugs or surgery, I decided that I should at least see what the allergist could do for me. The allergy testing and consult with the doctor were interesting and promising. Since this has been going on for so long and I have been given so many different opinions, I am not getting my hopes too high. The short story is that my allergy testing showed me to be allergic to just about everything on earth and consequently, the allergist theorizes that my colitis is allergy induced inflammation. Therefore, the treatment he recommends is that I undergo a round of immunotherapy to desensitize me to the allergens. He thinks if his theory is correct that he can “cure” me. BTW, like any experiment where we need to control the variables, this meant that I had to discontinue the SCD so we could have reliable results on the effects of this allergy stuff. The down side of course is that after quitting the SCD diet, my symptoms started intensifying again. Uggh.

The immunotherapy will require me to receive three injections a week for the next two months, so I am going to be at the doctor a lot. I hope they have free Wi-Fi!

Like I said, I am getting kind of jaded and I will believe it when I see the results. I know that I am going to do every alternative thing I can before I submit to surgery or hard core drugs. In case it helps you reading this, here are a few colitis/Crohn’s resources that I have looked at or intend to check out:

Non-drug, Non-surgery Options:

Specific Carbohydrate Diet http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/index.htm
Elaine Gottschall’s Specific Carbohydrate Diet website http://www.scdiet.org
Low dose immunotherapy http://www.food-allergy.org/epd.html
Fecal transplants (Human Probiotic Infusions):
http://www.cdd.com.au/html/expertise/diseaseinfo/clostridiumdifficle%20.html
http://www.jinipatelthompson.com/phpBB3/topic309.html

Traditional medical treatment:

Crohn’s/Colitis Foundation http://www.ccfa.org/

Congressional Inquiry: Washington State Schools Use of Restraint and Seclusion

chartzog — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:06:12 +0000

Thanks to the Washington State Fathers Network for providing this notification.

Congressional Inquiry: Restraint and Seclusion

Deadline: Friday, August 14, 2009

National Protection and Advocacy has a Congressional inquiry regarding the use of restraint and seclusion in Washington schools and wants to hear of any examples of abusive situations.

Washington state’s protection and advocacy organization (Disability Rights Washington www.DisabilityRightsWA.org) is interested in any situation in a public school within the last two school years (07/08 and/or 08/09) where restraint and/or seclusion (including but not limited to time out rooms) was used in a manner in which the parents or someone else at the school deemed inappropriate and abusive.

Please do not include any personally identifying information if you wish to remain anonymous. Send all responses via email or snail mail (USPO) by Friday August 14, 2009 to:

Mark Stroh, Executive Director
Disability Rights Washington
315 – 5th Ave South, Suite 850
Seattle, WA 98104

MStroh@DR-WA.org

Do Schools Abuse Disabled Students?

chartzog — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:44:36 +0000

It’s no surprise to me, but the GAO released a report detailing how public schools use abuse to deal with disabled children, including those with autism.

There is an article on this in the Washington Times and there is a video news story by MSNBC.

Just watching this video gives me post traumatic stress and makes me want to cry! Yes, I can say from personal experience the GAO investigation is correct. Some of these very same things were done to our daughter beginning in 1st grade. Since she entered school, the school district has put her in a box, locked her in a “cell”, hit her, sat on her, dragged her on the ground and ripped her skin off her body, sent her home with cuts, lacerations and bruises and turned over to police and had her handcuffed. Is there any wonder she doesn’t like going to school?

Have you had similar experiences?

I love this Doctor!

chartzog — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:47:14 +0000

I don’t know where this originated, but this is great and worth a laugh.

Q: Doctor, I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it… don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!

Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!! …. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables
be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It’s the best
feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! ‘Round’ is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:

‘Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways – Chardonnay in one hand – chocolate in the other -body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO HOO, What a Ride’

AND…

For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION:

Eat and drink what you like.
Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Get Off The Sofa – Start Walking Day

chartzog — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:46:28 +0000

Today is the day. It is National Start Walking Day.

http://twitpic.com/2up6u

Do your body (and mind) a favor and go for a walk today. Then do it again tomorrow.

I find walking incredibly relaxing for both my body and mind.

Here are some other helpful web sites for you:

American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053117

Puget Sound Heart Walk: http://pugetsoundheartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=297217

“Fit Friendly” Seattle Area Companies: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3062040

This Is It – World Autism Awareness Day

chartzog — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:30:22 +0000

Well, it is finally April 2^nd. The second annual World Autism Awareness Day. Here are some resources to help you become more aware:

Autism Speaks press release

My site’s entry portal into background information and resources for autism, developmental disabilities, dementia, Alzheimer’s and related topics.

A list of great autism support resources that you might find helpful.

A growing list of musicians who support autism awareness. Comment or email me your additions and I will be happy to add them to the list.

And finally, but not least, a list of some of the charities, associations and foundations related to autism.

Autism Awareness Day April 2nd

chartzog — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:30:24 +0000

Oh my gosh, it almost caught me off guard. I realized that tomorrow, Thursday April 2nd is coincidentally enough the 2nd annual World Autism Awareness Day. Below is what Autism Speaks has posted on the event:

Autism Speaks to Celebrate Second Annual World Autism Awareness Day with an Array of International Events on April 2

New York Stock Exchange Bell-Ringing, Yoko Ono Lennon Event at the UN, and “Walk on the Web” Highlight Global Awareness Activities

NEW YORK, NY (March 12, 2009) – Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, today announced a series of national and international events to mark the second annual celebration of World Autism Awareness Day, a global effort to heighten awareness about a disorder affecting millions of individuals and families around the world. WAAD is a result of a resolution passed unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly in 2008, making autism one of only three health issues to be recognized by the UN with its own “day.” The April 2 events will take place on multiple continents and in venues ranging from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to the United Nations and the Worldwide Web.

Autism Speaks Co-Founders Bob and Suzanne Wright, together with Autism Speaks Board Member Alison Niederauer – who has a son on the autism spectrum and is the wife of NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan Niederauer – will join other families affected by autism to kick off World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) at the New York Stock Exchange, where they will ring the opening bell for the second consecutive year.

“Last year’s WAAD events were a remarkable success, and we are confident that the scope of this year’s activities will help elevate autism as a topic of international discussion and exploration,” said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. “On this day, we will highlight the tremendous contributions of individuals with autism, as well as the strength and dedication of their families. Together, we are inspiring compassion, inclusion and hope by building a global autism community whose voice is finally being heard.”

Later that morning at the United Nations, artist Yoko Ono Lennon will unveil an original work called “Promise Piece” that she created for, and was inspired by, WAAD. “Promise Piece” is a unique work of art, done in a style Ms. Ono has been working in for more than two decades, in which a larger work is broken apart into smaller pieces. The 58 signed puzzle pieces will be auctioned throughout the month of April, with the caveat that they are to be “re-united” and re-assembled when the cure for autism is found. The event will be sponsored by the Chilean Mission.

“I am proud to partner with Autism Speaks in promoting awareness and advocacy for children with autism,” said Yoko Ono. “World Autism Awareness Day is not only a day to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, but also to celebrate another big step towards healing our world.”

To raise awareness about autism in various nations, several first ladies and dignitaries have recorded WAAD public service announcements. They include: Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, wife of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; Dr. Liri Berisha, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Albania; Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt; Mrs. Sarah Brown, wife of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Mrs. Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos, First Lady of Panama; Ms. Dalia Rabin, daughter of former Prime Minister of Israel; Mrs. Touré Lobbo Traoré, First Lady of Mali; and Señora Margarita Zavala Calderón, First Lady of Mexico. The ads will air on CNN on April 2 as well as in countries around the world, raising awareness about World Autism Awareness Day’s events and advocacy and services available around the globe.

In New York City’s Central Park, Autism Speaks and the Ad Council will sponsor a unique awareness event to highlight the 1 in 150 prevalence rate for autism.

The World Health Organization and the Qatar Mission will host a panel luncheon on the subject of autism at the United Nations on April 2. Bob Wright will be a participant in the panel discussion, which will be attended by permanent representatives and other UN officials.

The day will conclude with the premiere of the contemporary dance piece “beyond.words” by dre.dance, a New York-based contemporary dance company at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. The special performance combines dre.dance’s propulsive choreography with interpretive actions gleaned from typical autism spectrum behavior. Artistic Directors Taye Diggs and Andrew Palermo created the piece to shed light on the beauty and spirit of individuals with autism. This fundraising event supports the work of both organizations and includes admission to the performance, a post-performance reception and a post-performance question and answer period with Diggs, Palermo, the dre.dance company and representatives from Autism Speaks. For tickets, contact Eileen McDonough at emcdonough@autismspeaks.org or call 917-475-5060.

This year, Autism Speaks has teamed up with Wubbzy – star of Nick Jr.’s whimsical animated preschool television series “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” – to promote WAAD. Autism Speaks and the Ad Council produced television and web banner public service announcements (PSAs) featuring Wubbzy. A special web site, Walk with Wubbzy on the Web, is a “virtual walk” that is an extension of Autism Speaks’ Walk Now for Autism, which takes place in more than 75 communities across the United States, as well as in Canada and the United Kingdom. The Walk with Wubbzy on the Web site provides ideas about how people can celebrate World Autism Awareness Day in their local community, and also accepts donations to fund autism awareness and research efforts. Last year’s Walk Now on the Web raised more than $40,000.

The WAAD web site, www.worldautismawarenessday.org features links to autism organizations, autism information that can be printed in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Korean, Russian and Spanish, and a list of worldwide WAAD events. To date, there are events planned in more than a dozen countries, including Aruba, Bahrain, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, the U.K. and the U.S.

On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139 declaring April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in perpetuity. This UN resolution established WAAD as one of only three official disease-specific United Nations Days, with the goal of bringing the world’s attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of people with autism, and features community events around the world where individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced.

About Autism
Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The prevalence of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

About Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks funds more than $30 million each year in new autism research, in addition to supporting the Autism Treatment Network, Autism Genetic Resource Exchange, Autism Clinical Trials Network, Autism Tissue Program and a range of other scientific and medical programs. Notable awareness initiatives include the establishment of the annual United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and an award-winning, multi-year national public service advertising campaign with the Ad Council. Autism Speaks’ family services efforts include the Autism Video Glossary, a 100 Day Kit for newly-diagnosed families, a School Community Tool Kit and the distribution of community grants to local service providers. Its government relations division has played a critical role in securing federal legislation to advance the federal government’s response to autism, and has successfully advocated for insurance reform to require insurers to cover medically-necessary autism therapies. Each year, Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism fundraising events are held in more than 70 cities across the country, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom.

About the Co-Founders
Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Senior Advisor at Lee Equity Partners and served as vice chairman, General Electric, and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than twenty years. He also serves on the board of directors of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and RAND Corporation. Suzanne Wright has an extensive history of active involvement in community and philanthropic endeavors, mostly directed toward helping children. She serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations and is also Trustee Emeritus of Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

Rockin’ & Ridin’ For Autism

chartzog — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:10:23 +0000

Hi everyone — This is a shameless plug for a great autism charity: Rockin’ & Ridin’ for Autism. I added the link to RRFA’s web site along with a picture of their cool banner to my page, Autism Support. Won’t you please stop by their site and support autism awareness?

New Alzheimer’s Research Published

chartzog — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:45:47 +0000

The National Institutes of Health is reporting this month that researchers have made significant progress in coming up with a test to both diagnose Alzheimer’s earlier as well as to monitor the progress of the disease over time. “This effort may open the door to the discovery of an entire panel of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers that will not only predict those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but also reveal how the disease is responding to therapies,”

The full article can be viewed at the NIH website: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nia-17.htm

New for Disabilities – Reference Points

chartzog — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:19:49 +0000

I just learned about this and I thought I would pass it on:

REFERENCE POINTS:

New National Center For Parents with Disabilities and Their Families

REFERENCE POINTS is an activity of TATRA, a project of PACER Center:

Through the Looking Glass recently announced its new National Center for
Parents with Disabilities and their Families. This National Center is
funded by NIDRR, U.S. Department of Education. The Center targets three
national populations: parents with diverse disabilities; family members;
and, service providers and trainees who have a particularly critical
impact on parents. The Center’s activities focus on priority issues
facing parents with disabilities and their families: custody and
parental evaluations; family roles and personal assistance; paratransit;
and, intervention with parents with cognitive and intellectual
disabilities and their children. The overall goal of this project is to
improve the quality of life among parents with disabilities and their
families. Further information about the Center can be found at
http://lookingglass.org/ncpd/index.php

REFERENCE POINTS is administered by PACER Center http://www.PACER.org as
a technical assistance activity of the TATRA Project. The T ATRA Project
is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The Promise of Pineapple

chartzog — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:00:56 +0000

Do you have ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease? (I do.) Well, in my never ending quest of continuing education and health improvement, I discovered exciting new research is available from the National Institute of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the benefits of the pineapple extract, bromelain, upon the inflammatory process inherent with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease. This is really good news if you are not getting adequate relief from pharmaceutical treatment of your condition and/or simply don’t like putting drugs into your body on a daily basis. (I don’t.) Briefly, the researchers concluded:

The researchers report that bromelain reduced production of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that are elevated in IBD and play a role in the progression of IBD. The authors conclude that bromelain treatment could potentially benefit IBD patients if similar changes also occur when colon tissues are exposed to bromelain inside the body.

Now I understand why I felt so good vacationing in Hawaii…aside from the tropical clime, the beautiful women, Mai-tai’s and the beach, it had to be from all of the pineapple I was consuming. Don’t you agree?

The complete research article is available on the NIH website.

Now, go buy a pineapple….and maybe a few bottles of bromelain supplements!

Mahalo nui loa!

Dave Barry’s Colonoscopy Journal

chartzog — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:21:23 +0000

A friend sent me this today in an attempt to cheer me up and break my nervousness over my impending colonoscopy. BUT, I almost don’t need a colonoscopy NOW…..I think I just had one reading this.

ROFLMAO!! OH, I CAN BARELY BREATHE NOW!!

++++++++++++++++++++
This is from newshound Dave Barry’s colonoscopy journal:

…….I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenteritis, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis .

Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn’t really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, ‘HE’S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!’

I left Andy’s office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called ‘MoviPrep,’ which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America ’s enemies.

I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous. Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn’t eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor. Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons.) Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes – and here I am being kind – like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, ‘a loose watery bowel movement may result.’ This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don’t want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and star t eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.

After an action -packed evening, I finally got to sleep. The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, ‘What if I spurt on Andy?’ How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.

At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.

Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn’t thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.

W hen everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand. There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was ‘Dancing Queen’ by ABBA I remarked to Andy that, of a ll the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, ‘Dancing Queen’ has to be the least appropriate.

‘You want me to turn it up?’ said Andy, from somewhere behind me. ‘Ha ha, ‘ I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.

I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling ‘Dancing Queen, Feel the beat of the tambourine,’ and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.

Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.

ABOUT THE WRITER
Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Miami Herald.

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