Between Untested Therapies & Intrusive Politics,
RN Says Individuals Must Take Responsibility for Their Health

There's plenty of information about women's physical and health-care needs. Unfortunately, some of it is incomplete, or based on opinion and conjecture, or it's just plain bad information, says registered nurse Iyalode Edwards.

"Women tend to be more vigilant about their bodies than men, and there is a huge marketplace of literature, products, studies, politics and other opinions on women's health," says Edwards, author of "Multiple Orgasms Made Simple: 'How to Do It' Sex Secrets All Women Should Know!" (www.multipleOmadesimple.com).

"Not all of it makes sense."

It's only natural that women are more focused on their bodies than men because women have the more complex anatomy, she says. But old ideas from a society based in patriarchy, along with today's health market issues, can create confusion. Edwards, who has more than 35 years experience as a registered nurse, clarifies three points about which she sees the most misunderstanding among her patients:

• Untested therapies: Several years ago hormone replacement therapy was all the rage, used almost as a cure-all for post-menopausal women suffering a variety of symptoms. After a few decades, however, a large percentage of those women started suffering ovarian and breast cancer, in addition to other complications. More recently, vaccines for the human papillomavirus have been touted to girls and young women as the new preventative measure against cervical cancer. But thousands of girls have experienced a wide range of side effects, including seizures, strokes, dizziness, fatigue, weakness, headaches, vomiting, weakness, joint pain, auto-immune problems, chest pains, hair loss, appetite loss, personality changes, insomnia, tremors and menstrual cycle changes. Be wary of new cure-alls. Adverse effects are sometimes not revealed until they've been in use for a significant amount of time.

• Health through pleasure: A 2011 survey by Jane Magazine found that, while more than 87 percent of men aged 18 to 26 years old experienced orgasm "most or all of the time" during sex, only 46.8 percent of women could say the same thing. Not only could that percentage be much higher for women, it could be more meaningful, too. "The truth is, if you have all your sex organs intact and can achieve the first level of climax, then you can achieve it multiple times during the same encounter," Edwards says. "You just need information, and there has been too much misinformation disseminated." Sexual satisfaction comes with several health benefits, including improved cardiovascular functioning, sounder sleep and a deeper bond with a partner.

• The politics of women's health: As imperative as it is to know more and listen closely to one's body, it is also important to stay connected to current events since women's health care has become a political football, she says. Comments from multiple elected officials seem to be narrowing the definition of rape, and there are many who support limiting women's care in insurance plans, to name a few public debates. "I want women to be more aware of their bodies," Edwards says. "Unfortunately, the rhetoric of many politicians seems to be pointing backward regarding our health."

About Iyalode Edwards, R.N.

Iyalode Edwards is the author of "Multiple Orgasms Made Simple," a straightforward, step-by-step how-to guide that includes physiological explanations for sensations women experience. Edwards is a registered nurse with more than 35 years of experience. She informally interviewed a number of women and physicians as part of her research.

Former Liberal Says Loyalties of the Poor are Misguided
By: Virgil Brannon

With young mothers being showered with expensive poverty and bouquets of dependency; when too many males are making more babies and not raising them; when a large percentage of our youth are graduating from high school not prepared for college, and when the doors of the unemployment office are open, but no one is willing to hire, how can we afford four more years of entitlements?   

How can this government raise taxes on the rich -- the ones who create jobs? This will stop businesses from growing and expanding. If you raise their taxes, the community programs they support - the Little League teams and the civic projects -- will suffer. Students who have put in hard work to get to college, who rely on business-funded college scholarships, may not be able to go. If these businesses fail to produce jobs, more people will fall into poverty and the need for entitlements will prevail.

When you raise taxes on businesses and the rich, you prevent companies from hiring new faces, and force them to turn away the old ones. With no jobs and no recognizable alternative presented by this administration, how can Americans become self-sufficient? As long as the Democratic Party is buying the votes of the economically poor households with free money, poverty will become the new norm because the party is using entitlements to sway votes.

How can America survive if she refuses to stand with her founders on what has always made her great? America is the super power of the world, but now it has been downgraded by entitlements to maintain a status quo? There are Americans struggling to make ends meet; they are struggling to put food on the table. With no focus on any solutions, how can there be any progress? The quick way out of poverty is a job and education. A job gets you out of poverty, and education elevates you to the next level. But how can people remove themselves from poverty when the Democratic Party's system has been a failure from the start? What is so hard about showing those who think they cannot make it without entitlements that they can? What is so hard about showing them the long-term effects and consequences that Food Stamps and Welfare have on a them, and what is so hard about showing those who do not need entitlements the right way to stand on their own, without taking from others who are really in need? I know that most Americans would rather have a hand up than a hand-out.

When you make people believe they cannot achieve anything; make their goals become impossible to reach; and train them to believe that nothing is possible for them, failure thrives.  This leadership would rather we have less, settles for less, and be satisfied with receiving less. Struggling families and single parents who have just a little are not thinking that entitlements will kill their dreams, progress and growth while creating laziness. A young male without money or knowledge turns to crime and tries to take all that he lacks.

We have to show those who do not believe that they have a purpose; that there is something special about each of us in America and that there are plenty of opportunities for them to succeed. They need to know that America is the greatest country in the world, built on the belief that man can do anything and be anything, as long as he is willing to acquire the knowledge to put ideas into action. There is nothing that we cannot do when our minds are focused. We are all human beings, born for greatness, created by the greatest Scientist and Creator of the universe to be the most important species on this planet. We are the only species that has so many unique capabilities and talents. We have the ability to change things to make them better, and we can accomplish anything  because there  is  really  nothing  holding  us back.

But with 46 million people and rising still on food stamps and without hope and 60 million American votes without knowledge, when will the rest of us receive any Change? Either way, America cannot afford four new years of Entitlement while our neighbors suffer from choice in the Democratic Coma.

About Virgil Brannon

Virgil Brannon is the author of "Democratic Coma," www.democraticcoma.com. He is also a private investigator and the founder of I Am Vision Inc., a non-profit program that embraces and empowers youth with academic and leadership challenges. His goal is to promote the personal growth of socio-economically disadvantaged youth and their families by encouraging their dreams and providing members with a roadmap for success. Brannon attended Shepherd's Care Bible College and received his master's and doctoral degrees in ministry religious counseling.

'Care is Available in Every State,' says Former Physician

With all the talk about health-care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, it seems few people know coverage is available in every state as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, says Dr. Dixie Swanson, a former television health reporter and physician, and a lupus patient.

"People can apply for the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan, which will not deny you coverage because you have asthma, diabetes or some other condition, and will not charge you more simply because of it," says Swanson, the author of "The Accidental President Trilogy," (www.dixieswanson.com). "In Washington D.C. and 23 states - including Florida, Massachusetts and Texas - it's run by the federal government. Twenty-seven states run their own PCIP program."

Policies vary from state to state and premiums may vary, but coverage can cost less than $200 a month. But a shockingly low number of people know about the coverage, Swanson says. As of July 31, there were 82,000 people enrolled. Maine had only 42 enrollees; California had the most, 11,118.

"Getting and keeping health insurance is Job One for many patients with chronic illness. This is a real step forward," Swanson says.

Here are some important things to know about PCIP:

• You are eligible for PCIP coverage ONLY if you have been without insurance coverage for the past six months. If you have coverage - even if it does not cover your condition - you are not eligible, and if you're in a state high-risk pool, you're not eligible.

• Rules vary depending on who administers the plan. In states with the federally administered program, you must submit one of the following with your application: 1) An insurance company's letter denying you coverage from within the past 12 months, 2) An offer of insurance with a rider disallowing your condition, provided you didn't accept a policy, 3) If you're under 19 or you live in Vermont or Massachusetts, a letter from a doctor, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner stating your condition, and 4) If you're under 19 or you live in Vermont or Massachusetts, an offer of insurance that you didn't accept because the premium was too high (provided it's at least double the cost of a standard option PCIP premium),

• In states with the federally administered program, if you're application is accepted, you'll receive a letter within two to three weeks. If you submitted your application and all documentation before the 15th of the month, your coverage can start by the 1st of the following month (i.e. by Nov. 15, coverage starts Dec. 1). If you apply after the 15th, it will start by the first of the month after that (i.e. Jan. 1).

• PCIP is designed to be temporary. The Affordable Health Care Act calls for private insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions beginning in 2014, at which time PCIP will not be necessary.

• To find out more, visit the plan's official website, www.pcip.gov

About Dixie Swanson

Dixie Swanson was a pediatrician for 10 years and the Family Health Reporter for NBC's Houston affiliate. She also spent time working for a Washington lobbyist with access to the White House.  Dixie is the author of "The Accidental President Trilogy - a Political Fable for Our Time."

Noted Doctor Warns of Threat to Patients; Offers Tips

More than 45 percent of physicians are experiencing at least one symptom of burnout, according to the first national study on the topic, and that concerns noted physician and professor of medicine emeritus Dr. Paul Griner, (www.DrPaulGriner.com), author of "The Power of Patient Stories: Learning Moments in Medicine." 

"Burnout can lead to misdiagnoses," Griner says. "As I emphasize in my book, it's vital to spend time talking to and listening to patients - thorough patient histories and observation and a good physical exam are often the difference between an accurate diagnosis and a wasted battery of unnecessary diagnostic tests."

Burnout can be characterized by, detachment, diminishing empathy and emotional exhaustion - all of which can impede a physician's ability to thoroughly and accurately assess patients, Griner says.

The Archives of Internal Medicine study, published in August, surveyed 7,288 physicians, and assessed them using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Nearly half, 46 percent, reported at least one symptom of burnout. Specialties that were most at-risk were family medicine, general internal medicine and emergency medicine -- those that benefit most from taking time to listen to patients because they are often the first point of patient contact, Griner says.

He notes that strategies to address this problem must recognize that burnout begins early in one's medical career, during medical school and throughout residency training.

With 59 years in medicine, as a practicing hematologist and internist, professor of medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, and senior lecturer at Harvard Medical School, Griner offers these suggestions for overwhelmed physicians:

• First, take care of yourself. It sounds simple, but it's something doctors repeat so often to patients, they've often ceased hearing the words: Eat well, get adequate rest and exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself physically is fundamental for coping with stress and the negative emotions, such as frustration and anger, that can come with working in any field.

• Take time to nurture relationships. Having meaningful relationships with colleagues and co-workers can make your work more gratifying. Take some time - even a few minutes a day - to get to know them. They can provide a sounding board, a sympathetic ear, or ideas for solving problems. And you can do the same for them. Devote more time (at meetings and lunch) to the rewarding aspects of medicine, sharing patient stories and humorous anecdotes, and less time on frustrations.

• Actively listen to your patients and pay attention to what's going on in their lives. It will not only help you give them better care, you'll find it makes your work more interesting and satisfying.

• Do what's necessary to achieve a work-life balance. If you are not spending relaxed time with your loved ones, having some fun outside of work, or enjoying interpersonal relationships, you are at a greater risk for burnout. Just as taking care of yourself physically is vital, so is taking care of yourself emotionally. If necessary, identify a colleague who seems to have achieved this balance and spend some time with him or her.

• Participate actively in health reforms that will return a greater level of control to physicians and their patients. These include payment for value and greater patient participation in decision-making about care. Reorganizing primary care practices to allow more time for complex patients and recognition by insurers that excessive hassle is bad for patients and physician are also vital. These changes should lead to more satisfied patients and physicians and less burnout.

Preventing burnout needs to start early, Griner says. Teachers must give medical students and residents the tools to cope with and reduce the stresses that cause it.

"This is not the first survey that's found a heightened level of burnout among physicians. We know it's a problem," Griner says.

"Doctors need to be in tune with their patients, asking, listening and connecting the dots. They can't do that effectively if they're burned out."

About Paul Griner, M.D.

Hematologist/internist Paul Griner has had a 59-year career in medicine. He is a professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and was a consultant at the Massachusetts General Hospital, senior lecturer at Harvard Medical School, and consultant to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Cambridge, Mass. He has written or co-written 130 journal articles, book chapters, and books on clinical medicine, medical education, and health policy. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and was president of a number of national medical organizations, including the American College of Physicians.