I came across an interesting post done by an American woman where she compares her experiences of the American versus the UK health system.
She makes very interesting conclusions
a)The NHS looks like a a very socialist – soviet style – health care model.
b)At least health care in the UK is not dictated to you by someone else, you are free of your own decisions. In the US insurance companies force you to do all sort of stuff
c)There are a lot of delays in the UK but just about the same as in the US
d)Thank god in the UK you can choose your own doctor.
e)You don’t receive bills from the hospital. Free means free.
f)Brits truly believe that health care is a human right and are happy to have a system that covers everyone, all the time.
e)A private system is healthy and alive in the UK. Both public and private systems can coexist.
f)Brits do not have to worry about care being tied up to employment. They don’t have to worry how they will bring health care to their family. This stimulates productivity !
g)The government answers to the people in a way that US insurance companies never do because the government has a public duty.
h)There is an emphasis on preventative care and the simplest way this happens is that people actually go to see their doctor when they are sick.

Finally the author concludes “I can sum up my experience of the British and American health care systems in one simple sentence:  given a choice between the two systems, I’d choose the NHS in a heartbeat.  And though this is the experience of only one single person out of millions, unlike so much of the propaganda and hysteria surrounding the current health care debate, it is the absolute Gospel truth.”

I came across this simple post about sleep quality and i thought the finding were good to repeat here. The author propose a few points of Reflexion to make sure we take care of our sleep.
In order :
a) One of the biggest mistakes people make in corrupting their sleep is to use their bedroom for activities other than sleep or sex. If your bedroom also functions as a command station for your life and work, the likelihood of your sleeping being poor is rather high.
b) Going to sleep should be a process whereby you begin to disengage from the day to enter into sleep. Having regular (as much as humanly possible) sleep and awake times will assist with setting your sleep routine.
c) Avoid spicy food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol at least 4 to 6 hours prior to your sleep time
d) Avoid exercising 2 hours before sleeping, since this may stimulate your body and make sleeping more difficult.
e) Establish a pre-bedtime ritual that will help focus you on sleep

I read the following article that describe the seven stages of the Alzheimer disease. I thought that was informative.

Stage 1 : No noticeable cognitive impairment

1. In earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease, there are no visible impairment in memory or other brain functions even under close examination of a qualified physician.

Stage 2 : Very mild decline in cognitive function

2. The second stage is still early in the process, and it may not be evident to close family and friends or a doctor. It is more akin to age-related memory loss and is noticeable generally only by the one suffering from the disease. It is characterized by having trouble recalling names, places, or where belongings such as purse or house keys where last placed.

Stage 3 : Mild decline in cognitive function

3. This is really the first stage in which a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be performed. The symptoms are more pronounced, though a diagnosis may not always be possible in this stage. It is characterized by the inability to retain new information, decreased performance at work and an inability to organize or make plans. Also, memory lapses become much more pronounced and noticeable by family, friends and coworkers.

Stage 4 : Moderate decline in cognitive function

4. At this stage of Alzheimer’s disease a diagnosis is clear and steps will begin to treat the symptoms. Patients in this stage exhibit symptoms such as the inability to perform tasks such as keeping up with their finances or making any sort of complex plans. Also, some memories of personal history will be forgotten and new associations will generally not be retained.

Stage 5 : Moderately severe decline in cognitive function

5. This is considered the mid-stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Those suffering in this stage will generally require daily help with many normal activities. Memory gaps will be wider and more severe, though major information such as deep-seeded memories and knowledge of family and their names will still be recalled. However, things such as address or the date (including the month or even the season) may be forgotten on a regular basis.

Stage 6 : Severe decline in cognitive function

6. This stage of Alzheimer’s disease will result in a severe memory loss and almost complete disappearance of the awareness of the person’s immediate surroundings. Memory of close friends, family and children will have begun to fade, including their names and faces. A person in this stage may also need help with activities such as bathing and using the toilet. It is in this stage where hallucinations may begin as well as wandering away and becoming lost.

Stage 7 : Very severe decline in cognitive function

7. This is the final stage of Alzheimer’s disease where the symptoms are incredibly severe. The person suffering will no longer be able to recall any memories, though the most severe aspect of this phase is the inability of the person to communicate or physically interact with their surroundings. Virtually all aspects of their daily lives will require assistance. The ability to speak, to swallow, to smile, to walk or to sit up without some sort of support will be lost or severely impaired in this stage.

Our world is full of toxins. They are in the air we breathe, in the foods we eat, and in the water we drink. While our bodies naturally work to get rid of these toxins, the high levels of pollution that we have today can be overwhelming to our system and, as we age, more and more toxins build up. These toxins lead to illness, disease and even death. Luckily there is something that we can do to help our bodies and that’s to be sure to eat foods that detoxify the body naturally.

One thing that you can do if you want to help your body in the detoxification process is to be sure to pick organic foods whenever you can. Organic foods are grown without chemicals and pesticides so eating them will not add any extra toxins to your body. While non-organic foods might be less expensive, they are usually full of toxins from the pesticides used to grow them and when you eat the foods, toxins go right into your body thus adding an extra load on your detoxification system. Spending a little bit more on organic foods now will probably save you a lot of money in medical bills later on.

What to eat to detoxify your body

One merely needs to look at nature to find the foods that detoxify the body best. Fresh fruits and vegetables (organically grown, of course) are among the best detoxifiers. Onions, cauliflower and broccoli are particularly good and artichokes are well known for helping detoxify the liver.

When eating fruit for detoxification purposes you want to be sure to use fresh fruits either the whole fruit or in a juice but eat it by itself at least two or three hours before or after any other types of food. All foods are good including melons, berries, citrus fruits, bananas, apples and nectarines.

While we often think of parsley is just a garnish for our plates it actually is a great detoxifying food as it is a powerful tonic that flushes the kidneys.

Garlic is well known for its health properties in one of these is that it is a potent blood cleanser that aids in the detoxification process. Garlic is best eaten when it is raw – mash up a clove and wait 10 minutes for active chemicals to activate and added on top of your pasta or bread for healthy treat.

Along with fruits and vegetables, there is a variety of herbs that are wonderful for detoxifying the body. Milk thistle, dandelion, marshmallow, turmeric and ginger are but a few.

Making sure that you eat plenty of foods that detoxify the body as well as doing a periodic body detox will help to offset the accumulation of toxins that can be so harmful to your health.

Example of a diet to detoxify the body

Here is a suggestion for a detox diet that should last three weeks. You will find out that it’s not that strict.

First let’s start with what we’re trying to avoid. We want to avoid Caffeine, sugars, alcohool and any processed food.

Food Intake, you can have an unlimited Fresh Vegetables, pick and mix from any of the veggies in list.
Collard Greens , Dandelion greens, Mixed greens, Mustard greens, Red, yellow, and green peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Spinach, Carrots, Cucumbers, Celery, Radishes, Kale, Broccoli, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, Asparagus, Cabbage, Artichokes, Red beets

With these vegetables, make plenty of salads with unlimited fresh vegetables. Yes you can use balsanic Vinegar with Olive Oil for dressing.

In terms of fruit intake – Eat twice as many vegetables as compared to fruit during the day, pick from this list of fruits:
Apples, Oranges, Bananas, Grapes, Berries, Melons, Tomatoes. Do avoid avocados

Everyday, drink sring Water ( at least 8 glasses per day )

Yes you can eat meat : You can eat about twice daily ¾ oz of unseasoned lean meat, fish or poultry. Do avoid red meat, go for white.

In the salad you can add 1-2 eggs per day

In terms of drinking do have plenty of milk shakes, it will keep your blood sugar levels constant and prevent you from being moody. Have a shake 2 to 3 times a day.

In shops you can also find some capsules to flush away bad stuff from your system, for example Gastro Fiber capsule or Cleanse capsules. Go into a natural health shop and ask.

Finally to flush out toxins you need some exercise ! Walk 4 x per week ( 30-45 minutes )

Good luck and give me comments about this.