Senior Educators releases Medicare Advantage Guide to simplify navigation.  Although Part D enrollment is closed, savings are still available -- comprehensive plans offer new options for cutting costs & improving personal finance Although the annual Medicare Part D enrollment period has closed, one lesser-known prescription drug coverage option remains open for seniors. The so-called “Medicare Advantage” plans, which were expanded as part of the legislation that created Part D, provide health insurance through private insurers ... [full story]

MEDTRONICA Urology Channel www.urologychannel.com MEDTRONICA - The Web site www.urologychannel.com can provide guidance on a host of unsettling diseases and conditions, from erectile dysfunction and incontinence to cancers of the reproductive systems. CNS Photo.A useful Web site for information and guidance on a host of unsettling diseases and conditions, from erectile dysfunction and incontinence to cancers of the reproductive systems. LAUGHING MATTER Laughter really is contagious, but in a good way. Indeed, British researchers say ... [full story]

For some, a stuffy nose and sinus pressure are just pesky side effects from seasonal allergies or the common cold. For others, however, they are chronic problems producing a steady stream of irritation and suffering. Cari Caughey was familiar with that painful reality. Caughey said for years she would feel pressure building behind her eyes and cheeks, triggering intense pain that would leave her fatigued and in misery. BREATHING EASIER - Dr. Michael Vidas of ... [full story]

THE MOVE: Standing hip adduction/abduction with resistance. WORKS ON: Improving balance and strengthening the hip adductors (groin) and abductors (outside thigh and hip). SETUP: Securely anchor an elastic band to something 6-10 inches off the floor. Loop the free end of tubing around one ankle (resistance leg). Grasp a wall or sturdy piece of furniture for balance assistance, if needed. Balance on the opposite leg (support leg). As balance improves, progress to only two fingers ... [full story]

Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, has long been used to relieve minor pain, reduce fevers and decrease swelling. Derived from the inner bark of the willow tree, it's first recorded mention comes from the Greek physician Hippocrates in the fifth century B.C. Aspirin was first patented by Frederich Bayer Co. in Germany in 1896 and sold in powder form as a pain reliever. Today, aspirin is known to have blood-thinning qualities and, when consumed daily in ... [full story]

Oregon public health officials investigated a record 119 norovirus outbreaks in 2006, and already this year 13 potential new outbreaks have been reported to the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Public Health Division. Investigations into 87 of the outbreaks have been completed; they occurred in 18 counties and affected more than 3,000 people, according to Mel Kohn, M.D., state epidemiologist in ODHS. The previous year, ODHS investigated 58 norovirus outbreaks in 22 counties that ... [full story]

Study is part of a national consortium to find the best methods for resuscitation outcomes at the site of injury A study to determine whether a different type of resuscitation fluid than normal saline can improve survival rates in severely injured people will begin in the Portland metropolitan area this month. The study is the first as part of OHSU's partnership in the National Institutes of Health-funded Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC).The study was delayed so all ... [full story]

Greg Wolf knows how to think like E. coli. He knows what the microbes like to eat, where they like to hide, how they like to nestle in the creases of spinach leaves and on the rough surfaces of cantaloupe. He knows how they travel from one source to another.   CLEAN GREENS - Wash spinach in a colander using cool running, fresh water. CNS Photo.He knows the destruction E. coli can wreak in a human ... [full story]

MEDTRONICA Urology Channel www.urologychannel.com   MEDTRONICA - The Web site www.urologychannel.com can provide guidance on a host of unsettling diseases and conditions, from erectile dysfunction and incontinence to cancers of the reproductive systems. CNS Photo.A useful Web site for information and guidance on a host of unsettling diseases and conditions, from erectile dysfunction and incontinence to cancers of the reproductive systems. LAUGHING MATTER Laughter really is contagious, but in a good way. Indeed, British researchers say ... [full story]

While President Bush remains steadfastly against human embryonic stem cell research, limiting federal funding on moral grounds, nations around the globe are pouring millions of dollars into the field. In the United Kingdom, the government has committed to spending $1.3 billion on stem cell research in the next 10 years. Some of the money will support the construction of five manufacturing facilities to produce millions of pure stem cells for research.   STEM CELL FUTURE - ... [full story]

Nearly half of all U.S. high school students admit to recently drinking alcohol illegally, and most of them were binge drinkers, says a government survey published on New Year's Day. High school binge drinkers - defined as those consuming five or more drinks in a row - were more likely to have sex, fight, smoke or use drugs, the study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. High school students who drank moderately, ... [full story]

Getting in shape is probably near the top of many people's New Year's resolutions lists. However, for lots of folks, that's as far as it goes - a well-intentioned aspiration that never makes it into reality. Incorporating fitness into your life can seem like an overwhelming endeavor, especially for someone who hasn't exercised regularly. To make it worse, there's an abundance of conflicting information out there via buff celebrities and Internet fitness gurus.   WORKING OUT ... [full story]

Whether it's the start of flu season, food safety during family celebrations or close contact with family and friends who may be carrying germs, public health experts in the Oregon Department of Human Services say one simple action can protect your health: handwashing. Hands carry germs. It's common knowledge, right? After all, for years, mothers everywhere have drummed the message: wash your hands! But here are some important handwashing facts you may not know:  • ... [full story]