MedpageToday.com
Published: May 31, 2013
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
Probiotic supplements are a cheap, safe, and effective way to prevent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, according to a systematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration.
In a case-analysis of 23 trials involving 4,213 people, prophylactic probiotics reduced the risk of C. difficile diarrhea by 64%, compared with people given no treatment or placebo, reported Bradley Johnston, MD, of The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto, and colleagues.
Specifically, the incidence of C. difficile diarrhea was 2.0% in the probiotic group compared with 5.5% in the placebo or no treatment control group (RR 0.36; 95% CI 0.26-0.51).
The findings add to a growing body of evidence that prophylaxis with probiotics confers protection against diarrhea in people taking antibiotics. That protection comes via a variety of mechanisms -- improving the microbial balance of the host, counteracting disturbances in intestinal flora, and reducing the risk of colonization by pathogenic bacteria, the researchers wrote.
Read more
.
May 31, 2013
The 1 Equation Investors Need to Know to Understand the World Today
From TheAtlantic.com
And why it says investors should walk away from risk.
MOHAMED A. EL-ERIAN MAY 22 2013
4 Global Transitions/4 Global Experiments = 1 Unusual Market
Confused about the markets? Don't be. All you need is the above equation to understand the recent past, the present and what may lie ahead. Let me explain.
Five years after the financial crisis, the global economy is attempting four major, multi-year transitions. Each is consequential; and, together, they speak to historical re-alignments.
Each of these transitions is complex and uncertain. Put them together -- as is the case today -- and the result is, to use Chairman Ben Bernanke's insightful formulation, "an unusually uncertain outlook."
Read more.
And why it says investors should walk away from risk.
MOHAMED A. EL-ERIAN MAY 22 2013
4 Global Transitions/4 Global Experiments = 1 Unusual Market
Confused about the markets? Don't be. All you need is the above equation to understand the recent past, the present and what may lie ahead. Let me explain.
Five years after the financial crisis, the global economy is attempting four major, multi-year transitions. Each is consequential; and, together, they speak to historical re-alignments.
- The first transition is from assisted growth to genuine and more inclusive growth, especially in the West;
- Second, from central banks purchasing financial stability to economies developing more lasting structural stability;
- Third, from tired China-US relations and a financially-fragmented Eurozone to new regional and global economic arrangements which re-align incentives or, at the very minimum, reduce current tensions; and
- Fourth, from increasing social inequality and political dysfunction to institutional, political and social renewal.
Each of these transitions is complex and uncertain. Put them together -- as is the case today -- and the result is, to use Chairman Ben Bernanke's insightful formulation, "an unusually uncertain outlook."
Read more.
May 30, 2013
A Lone Voice Raises Alarms on Lucrative Diabetes Drugs
From NYTimes.com
By ANDREW POLLACK
Published: May 30, 2013
Dr. Peter C. Butler heads endocrinology at U.C.L.A. and is a former editor of Diabetes,
the American Diabetes Association journal.
LOS ANGELES — Dr. Peter C. Butler initially declined a request by the drug maker Merck to test whether its new diabetes drug, Januvia, could help stave off the disease in rats.
“I said, I’m not interested in your money, go away,” Dr. Butler recalled.
Merck no doubt now wishes it had. When Dr. Butler finally agreed to do the study, he found worrisome changes in the pancreases of the rats that could lead to pancreatic cancer. The discovery, in early 2008, turned Dr. Butler into a crusader whose follow-up studies now threaten the future of not only Januvia but all the drugs in its class, which have sales of more than $9 billion annually and are used by hundreds of thousands of people with Type 2 diabetes.
“I knew some stuff that I thought was a worry and I was obliged to pursue it,” said Dr. Butler, the chairman of endocrinology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Read more.
By ANDREW POLLACK
Published: May 30, 2013
Dr. Peter C. Butler heads endocrinology at U.C.L.A. and is a former editor of Diabetes,
the American Diabetes Association journal.
“I said, I’m not interested in your money, go away,” Dr. Butler recalled.
Merck no doubt now wishes it had. When Dr. Butler finally agreed to do the study, he found worrisome changes in the pancreases of the rats that could lead to pancreatic cancer. The discovery, in early 2008, turned Dr. Butler into a crusader whose follow-up studies now threaten the future of not only Januvia but all the drugs in its class, which have sales of more than $9 billion annually and are used by hundreds of thousands of people with Type 2 diabetes.
“I knew some stuff that I thought was a worry and I was obliged to pursue it,” said Dr. Butler, the chairman of endocrinology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Read more.
May 29, 2013
Side Effects Prompt Patients To Stop Cholesterol Drugs
From Shots - Health News From NPR
Side Effects Prompt Patients To Stop Cholesterol Drugs
by NANCY SHUTE
April 03, 2013 5:03 PM
With one-quarter of adults over age 45 taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, it figures that more than a few people would have trouble sticking with the program.
More than a few, actually.
A big new study of statin use in the real world found that 17 percent of patients taking the pills reported side effects, including muscle pain, nausea, and problems with their liver or nervous system.
That's a lot higher than the 5 to 10 percent reported in the randomized controlled trials that provided evidence for regulatory approval of the medicines.
This study, which was published in Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at more than 100,000 people who'd been prescribed statins from 2000 through 2008 at two academic medical centers.
Read more.
Side Effects Prompt Patients To Stop Cholesterol Drugs
by NANCY SHUTE
April 03, 2013 5:03 PM
With one-quarter of adults over age 45 taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, it figures that more than a few people would have trouble sticking with the program.
More than a few, actually.
A big new study of statin use in the real world found that 17 percent of patients taking the pills reported side effects, including muscle pain, nausea, and problems with their liver or nervous system.
That's a lot higher than the 5 to 10 percent reported in the randomized controlled trials that provided evidence for regulatory approval of the medicines.
This study, which was published in Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at more than 100,000 people who'd been prescribed statins from 2000 through 2008 at two academic medical centers.
Read more.
May 28, 2013
Power Profile: Pamela & Jim Lee
From MarketAmerica.com
Pamela & Jim Lee
Director
Luck is nothing more than preparation meeting opportunity.
Think about it. All we really have are two basic choices: work for a living, or customize a life. If you want financial and time freedom, research Market America's proven business system; it'll let you customize your life.
We were owned by two very successful businesses — the eastern-most hotel and tavern in the States and the only tavern in a college town. After five years of traditional business ownership, we found it wasn't the American dream, it was the American nightmare. We had lots of cash flow and no time to enjoy it, employee issues that never stopped, and state liquor inspectors who troubled us at every turn. It was a constant grind.
When Market America was first introduced to us, we were both very skeptical. In fact, we spent over two years trying to figure out how it wouldn't work. We were sure that it was just another one of those MLM things. Over those years a strange thing started happening. The person who introduced this business to us was actually making an ongoing income from Market America.
On Sept. 6, 2000, we had our life wake-up call. One of our bartenders didn't do his job at the end of the night. Our tavern went up in flames. In 13 hours, we lost a six-figure income, 41 people lost their jobs, and three couples lost all their belongings as well as their apartments. It was time to make a choice: work for a living or customize a life. We chose to customize our life.
By following Market America's proven business system we have been able to help not only ourselves, but many other folks to customize their lives. That is really the big secret of Market America. You just have to help other folks reach their dreams and you'll automatically reach yours. In short, follow the system, invest in people and you'll really customize your life.
Pamela & Jim Lee
Director
Luck is nothing more than preparation meeting opportunity.
Think about it. All we really have are two basic choices: work for a living, or customize a life. If you want financial and time freedom, research Market America's proven business system; it'll let you customize your life.
We were owned by two very successful businesses — the eastern-most hotel and tavern in the States and the only tavern in a college town. After five years of traditional business ownership, we found it wasn't the American dream, it was the American nightmare. We had lots of cash flow and no time to enjoy it, employee issues that never stopped, and state liquor inspectors who troubled us at every turn. It was a constant grind.
When Market America was first introduced to us, we were both very skeptical. In fact, we spent over two years trying to figure out how it wouldn't work. We were sure that it was just another one of those MLM things. Over those years a strange thing started happening. The person who introduced this business to us was actually making an ongoing income from Market America.
On Sept. 6, 2000, we had our life wake-up call. One of our bartenders didn't do his job at the end of the night. Our tavern went up in flames. In 13 hours, we lost a six-figure income, 41 people lost their jobs, and three couples lost all their belongings as well as their apartments. It was time to make a choice: work for a living or customize a life. We chose to customize our life.
By following Market America's proven business system we have been able to help not only ourselves, but many other folks to customize their lives. That is really the big secret of Market America. You just have to help other folks reach their dreams and you'll automatically reach yours. In short, follow the system, invest in people and you'll really customize your life.
May 26, 2013
Failure is the Key to Success
From BeingJRRidinger.com
By JR Ridinger
No matter what business you’re in – you’re always going to experience setbacks and unforeseen challengers that can serve as roadblocks along the path to success. It can be easy to get discouraged, but you have to remember that nothing great was ever accomplished without effort and sacrifice.
The people who find the greatest success in life often do so because they have the ability to transform setbacks and failures into opportunities to learn and grow. One person who has always been noted for this ability is Michael Jordan – who always looked at the positive aspects of failure.
Read more.
By JR Ridinger
No matter what business you’re in – you’re always going to experience setbacks and unforeseen challengers that can serve as roadblocks along the path to success. It can be easy to get discouraged, but you have to remember that nothing great was ever accomplished without effort and sacrifice.
The people who find the greatest success in life often do so because they have the ability to transform setbacks and failures into opportunities to learn and grow. One person who has always been noted for this ability is Michael Jordan – who always looked at the positive aspects of failure.
Read more.
May 22, 2013
For a Good Job After College, Go Here
From Yahoo Finance blog
For a Good Job After College, Go Here
By Rick Newman | The Exchange
Many colleges across the country boast of a small-town atmosphere or a peaceful, bucolic setting. But those things could actually impede your hunt for a good job once you graduate.
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York helps confirm what many recent college grads already know: Big cities (along with a big-city education) can provide better job opportunities than smaller ones.
Fed researchers specifically wanted to find out if big cities offer recent grads two types of advantages: The ability to land a job that actually requires a college degree, along with one that’s related to the field they studied in school. The answer to both questions is yes. The Fed’s research shows that recent grads are about 6% more likely to get a college-level job in a metropolis such as New York than in a medium-size city such as Syracuse or Dayton. And they’re about 9% more likely to get a job in a field they majored in.
Read more.
May 21, 2013
Vitamin D Boosts Quality of Life in Crohn's
From MedPage Today
Vitamin D Boosts Quality of Life in Crohn's
By Nancy Walsh, Staff Writer
Published: May 20, 2013
Reviewed by F. Perry Wilson, MD, MSCE; Instructor of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
ORLANDO -- Patients in remission with Crohn's disease who took vitamin D supplements had clinically meaningful improvements in quality of life, a researcher reported here.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, patients receiving the supplements whose blood levels of 25-dihydroxyvitamin D were at or above 30 ng/mL had mean scores on the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire of 187.3, compared with mean scores of 163.2 among those not taking the supplements and whose blood levels remained below that cutoff (P<0 .0001="" dublin="" in="" ireland.="" md="" of="" p="" raftery="" said="" tara="" the="" university="">
"That 24-point increase in quality of life score exceeded the 20-point increase that is considered clinically meaningful to patients and physicians," she told MedPage Today at the annual Digestive Disease Week.
Read more.
May 20, 2013
College Is Going Online, Whether We Like It Or Not
"As for the students, the price of the debt is often not worth the benefits. According to economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 17 percent of students are in default, compared with 10 percent in 2004. And a large portion of those defaulting are over 30 years old, which means that the problems with student debt don't disappear with age."
from theAtlantic.com
Skittish college professors won't stop the digital disruption of higher education.
ZACHARY KARABELLMAY 17 2013, 1:07 PM ET
from theAtlantic.com
Skittish college professors won't stop the digital disruption of higher education.
ZACHARY KARABELLMAY 17 2013, 1:07 PM ET
The United States has a problem: rapidly rising student debt. It also has a solution: online education. The primary reason for spiraling student debt is the soaring costs of a college education at a physical college. Online education strips away all of those expenses except for the cost of the professor's time and experience. It sounds perfect, an alignment of technology, social need and limited resources. So why do so many people believe that it is a deeply flawed solution?
Because it means massive swaths of higher education is about to change. Technology has disrupted many industries; now it's about to do the same to higher ed.
May 19, 2013
Market America Has the Solution to Long-term Unemployment
"All too often we look to others for employment, when in reality the opportunity to find real entrepreneurial success lies within each and every one of us. It’s simply up to us to wake up, and realize that we all have the ability to take control of our financial destiny, and build lasting success with a global entrepreneurial opportunity unlike any other – the UnFranchise Business." - JR
From BeingJRRidinger.com
By JR Ridinger, Presiident and CEO of Market America
17 May 2013
I recently came across this interesting article from The Atlantic, which highlights a growing issue in the job market – long term unemployment. It seems that the longer you remain unemployed in this economy, the less chance you have of landing a job. Unemployment can be a vicious cycle, as millions of Americans are currently trapped in the long-term unemployment rut.
Rand Ghayad, a PhD candidate in economics from Northeastern University, recently did an eye-opening study on long-term employment, and discovered the true nature of this issue. According to Ghayad’s study, employers are simply shying away from those who’ve been unemployed for more than six months – and the longer you go without a job, the harder it is to get one again.
This is a truly disturbing scenario, especially in the land of opportunity. It’s been called the land of opportunity because for centuries people have been coming here to forge their own success through ingenuity, creativity, passion, and hard work. I feel that even though we may be experiencing difficult economic times, the fundamentals of opportunity and success are still alive and well in this great nation. You just have to know where to look for it.
Opportunity is always knocking in America, but only those who answer the call will unlock their potential and help open the doors of opportunity for others. After all – isn’t that what America is all about in the first place? I feel that part of the issue is the very concept of employment. The idea that you spend your life toiling away so that someone else can sit pretty is what’s always made the 45 year plan so unappealing to me, and to me its part of a larger, more fundamental problem.
Read more.
From BeingJRRidinger.com
By JR Ridinger, Presiident and CEO of Market America
17 May 2013
I recently came across this interesting article from The Atlantic, which highlights a growing issue in the job market – long term unemployment. It seems that the longer you remain unemployed in this economy, the less chance you have of landing a job. Unemployment can be a vicious cycle, as millions of Americans are currently trapped in the long-term unemployment rut.
Rand Ghayad, a PhD candidate in economics from Northeastern University, recently did an eye-opening study on long-term employment, and discovered the true nature of this issue. According to Ghayad’s study, employers are simply shying away from those who’ve been unemployed for more than six months – and the longer you go without a job, the harder it is to get one again.
This is a truly disturbing scenario, especially in the land of opportunity. It’s been called the land of opportunity because for centuries people have been coming here to forge their own success through ingenuity, creativity, passion, and hard work. I feel that even though we may be experiencing difficult economic times, the fundamentals of opportunity and success are still alive and well in this great nation. You just have to know where to look for it.
Opportunity is always knocking in America, but only those who answer the call will unlock their potential and help open the doors of opportunity for others. After all – isn’t that what America is all about in the first place? I feel that part of the issue is the very concept of employment. The idea that you spend your life toiling away so that someone else can sit pretty is what’s always made the 45 year plan so unappealing to me, and to me its part of a larger, more fundamental problem.
Read more.
May 16, 2013
Creating the Economy of the Future
From MarketAmerica.com
To understand how Market America is creating the economy of the future, it’s important to understand the economy of the present.
In this day and age of bankruptcies and bailouts, what is the current economy? Get an education, get a good job, work hard, and hopefully be able to retire at some point in the future and live the good life. Somewhere along the way, achieve your hopes and dreams and establish yourself and your family possibly? However, how real is this? For most people they fail miserably at these goals and fail at achieving these things for themselves.
What is the Economy of the Future?
First, it would be one structured around the idea that these goals would be realistically achievable for the average person. It would be an economy based around helping the average individual earn the income they need to accomplish the things that they want for their life. Rather than individuals working for someone else and hoping that this other entity takes care of them, in the economy of the future, individuals work for themselves, they own their own destiny and they are the masters of crafting their own lifestyle. Rather than having their income capped by someone else’s determination of their worth, or someone else’s artificial evaluation of what their “time” is worth, instead, in the economy of the future, an individual’s income is unlimited and is only “capped” by their own desire, their own willingness to do what it takes to make the income they want to achieve for the goals they’ve set out for themselves.
How do we craft the Economy of the Future?
Read more.
May 15, 2013
The UnFranchise® Way of Life
The UnFranchise® Way of Life
on July 7, 2012
Market America’s UnFranchise® Business System affords one of the best luxuries a business can offer—flexibility. If you are a parent, this is a huge convenience. Whether your children are daycare age or in school, any parent can benefit from the flexibility that is found in the UnFranchise® system.
Working from Home
Most parents want to stay home and raise their children, but often the downfall can be that they also need a steady income. Working from home allows time to spend with your children, while also earning an income. If your children are in daycare, working from home can save a lot of money. If your children are in school, working from home allows flexibility to volunteer at school functions or time to run errands during the day.
Read more.
May 13, 2013
Power Profile: Andy Webb
From thePowerprofiles.com
Success with Market America is a choice. It's the choice to follow a proven business plan for two to three years in order to secure your future, rather than working for 45 years in order to secure it for someone else.
It's the choice to ignore the nay-sayers and pursue your dreams. It's the choice to stretch beyond your comfort zone and create a lifestyle on your own terms, rather than to live on other people's terms. Once you commit to the necessary choices, the rewards are many!
Read more.
Success with Market America is a choice. It's the choice to follow a proven business plan for two to three years in order to secure your future, rather than working for 45 years in order to secure it for someone else.
It's the choice to ignore the nay-sayers and pursue your dreams. It's the choice to stretch beyond your comfort zone and create a lifestyle on your own terms, rather than to live on other people's terms. Once you commit to the necessary choices, the rewards are many!
Read more.
May 10, 2013
Does a Pepper a Day Keep Parkinson's Away?
Does a Pepper a Day Keep Parkinson's Away?
By Michael Smith, North American Correspondent, MedPage Today
Published: May 09, 2013
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
Peppers, a nicotine-containing vegetable in the same family as tobacco, are associated with a lower relative risk of Parkinson's disease, researchers reported.
In a population-based case-control study, consumption of nicotine-containing vegetables – mainly peppers – was inversely associated with Parkinson's, according to Susan Searles Nielsen, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The effect was mainly noticeable among people who had never smoked, and other vegetables had no association with the neurological disease, Searles Nielsen and colleagues reported online in Annals of Neurology.
Read more.
May 9, 2013
Building the Business with More Incredible Events in Spain!
From BeingJRRidinger.com
Written by JR Ridinger, President & CEO of Market America
08 May 2013
We are always working hard to help grow the UnFranchise Business and to help bring real entrepreneurial opportunities to people around the world, and this weekend we’ll be doing just that as I visit Spain for some very important business building meetings.
I’ll be hosting a huge UnFranchise Business Presentation on Sunday, May 12 in Madrid, then another incredible UBP on Tuesday, May 14th, in Barcelona. These two events are an amazing opportunity for you to cross-pollinate and start building your business overseas!
May 8, 2013
Every one is in pursuit of a better life
Without a doubt, every individual is in pursuit of a better life for self and family. It can be said unequivocally and with no exceptions, everyone strives towards the good life free from financial worries and ill health.
Some will succeed effortlessly, some will fight with all they have to succeed and some will plain give up after a few set backs. Along the way, some will succumb into misfortune and fall into despair, never to recover.
Will we always be divided this way? Those who succeed versus those who fail? Those who have versus those who have not? Will there always be a line drawn between the rich and the poor and those in between?
Given the choice between wealth and poverty, it is obvious one would choose wealth - it is one's ticket to financial freedom and with it, better resources to achieve optimum health. And with wealth, one is in a better position to help others. One would assume it is better to give rather than to receive.
And when presented the opportunity, the tools and the means to achieve this better life within a shorter slice of time - why wouldn't one welcome that opportunity with both arms?
Do you have the answer - why so few embrace with curiosity and open arms a proven plan for success?
Some will succeed effortlessly, some will fight with all they have to succeed and some will plain give up after a few set backs. Along the way, some will succumb into misfortune and fall into despair, never to recover.
Will we always be divided this way? Those who succeed versus those who fail? Those who have versus those who have not? Will there always be a line drawn between the rich and the poor and those in between?
Given the choice between wealth and poverty, it is obvious one would choose wealth - it is one's ticket to financial freedom and with it, better resources to achieve optimum health. And with wealth, one is in a better position to help others. One would assume it is better to give rather than to receive.
And when presented the opportunity, the tools and the means to achieve this better life within a shorter slice of time - why wouldn't one welcome that opportunity with both arms?
Do you have the answer - why so few embrace with curiosity and open arms a proven plan for success?
May 6, 2013
Children on Track for a Heart Attack
From WSJ.com
By RON WINSLOW
Updated May 6, 2013, 2:48 p.m. ET
"The good news is that doctors believe health can be restored to young people's arteries with regular physical activity and a healthy diet. This includes cutting back on sugary beverages and foods high in carbohydrates such as potatoes, white rice and pasta."
A New Measure Finds Hardening of the Arteries Can Start Young; Cholesterol Tests for 9-Year-Olds
Do you know how old your kids' arteries are?
It's a potentially important question as scientists increasingly uncover links between healthy habits in childhood and risk for heart disease later in life. And there are growing concerns about the cardiovascular health of millions of children in the U.S. who are considered obese or overweight.
A new study suggests there is a simple way to assess a child's arterial health with a calculation based on an often-overlooked component of cholesterol: triglycerides.
The calculation is the ratio of triglycerides to HDL, or good cholesterol. It can be easily determined from a standard cholesterol blood test. In the study, based on nearly 900 children and young adults, researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found that the higher the ratio, the greater the likelihood a child would have stiff and damaged arteries.
Read more.
May 2, 2013
SHOP.COM is now Global!
The whole world is now your oyster!
SHOP.COM has gone global. Now you can have clients anywhere in the world!
If you have been waiting to own your own business that never sleeps, now is your chance!
Own your own virtual mall - shop.com/yourname
and have customers around the world.
SHOP.COM has gone global. Now you can have clients anywhere in the world!
If you have been waiting to own your own business that never sleeps, now is your chance!
Own your own virtual mall - shop.com/yourname
and have customers around the world.
May 1, 2013
Happy 21st Birthday Market America!
on May 1, 2013
This month, Market America is blowing out 21 candles on our birthday cake. Can you believe we’ve made it this far? Whether you’ve been with the company for 1, 5, or 21 years we want you to know how appreciative we are of the hard work that you do as UnFranchise® Owners. We’re proud to offer you the means of finding financial freedom and living the entrepreneurial lifestyle you’ve always imagined.
Read more from Market America blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)