Topic: Health & Healing

Unique continuing education documentary targets drug industry influence.

Boston, MA -- Frustrated by the pervasive pharmaceutical marketing in health care and related conflicts of interest that exist, Elissa Ladd, PhD, APRN, and Clinical Assistant Professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, is heading up a new program which showcases a documentary entitled: PERx: Prescribing Evidence-Based Therapies. The film, featuring expert commentary from renowned medical opinion leaders, and accompanying interactive website (www.perxinfo.org) will be launched on Monday, June 18.

MayoClinic.com provides an overview of how health care providers distinguish and diagnose mental health issues and mental illness.

When a student writes dark, violent stories, when a harried adult yells at a store clerk, when a neighbor stops doing household chores -- are these symptoms of mental illness?

Recent survey finds that consumers, especially those with high deductible health plans, want more transparency in health care administration. More than half of consumers surveyed said that knowing what hospitals and doctors charge for specific treatments and exactly what insurers pay would influence where they seek care.

As U.S. consumers shoulder more of the cost of their health care, they demand more information about costs and quality of care, according to nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers (64 percent) responding to a nationwide survey. Nearly 85 percent said they believe that hospitals and physicians should be required to disclose the cost of medical services to the public. And more than half said that knowing what hospitals and doctors charge for specific treatments and exactly what insurers pay would influence where they seek care.

A video eulogy to the controversial Vander Eyk Dairy, “A Eulogy Written on a Country Pasture,” was released today by Amanda Rose, Ph.D., neighbor of the Vander Eyk Dairy and author of forthcoming "Rebuild from Depression," a book on food nutrients and depression. The video includes images of the confined cows at the Pixley, California, dairy and young heifers on the 10,000 acres of pasture land belonging to the Vander Eyk family.

A video eulogy to the controversial Vander Eyk Dairy, A Eulogy Written on a Country Pasture, was released on Friday by Amanda Rose, Ph.D., neighbor of the Vander Eyk Dairy and author of forthcoming Rebuild from Depression, a book on food nutrients and depression.

"Free from Dangerous Stress" promises relief for everyone burdened by the effects of stress, from anxiety and alienation to illness and aging.

A new book from Swedish author Ingrid Fredriksson, Free from Dangerous Stress explains the ins and outs of meditation and yoga, setting readers on a path to manipulating their own brains for a maximum health effect.

Individuals come to believe that illness, disease, sickness and injury just happen to us. Whoever said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure was absolutely correct and that age old axiom "If I’d known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!" also applies.

It all starts with PREVENTION!

All too often, we as individuals come to believe that illness, disease, sickness and injury just happen to us and that some outside source forces itself upon us. It’s at that time that we decide that we must do something special to fight for our health. Sometimes it appears that whatever has happened will continue to plague us forever and perhaps it may.

Scientific studies in the UK and Australia indicate that focused meditation techniques increase left-brain activity, altering perception and creating optimism. Meditation tool creator Laurie Desjardins explains how simple tools can help recreate these effects.

Two scientific studies have shown that certain relaxation techniques stimulate the left side of the brain, resulting in decreased anxiety and a happy disposition. Meditation tool creator Laurie Desjardins explains how meditation techniques can help recreate these effects in a modern hectic lifestyle.

"Sicko," "Side Effects," "Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety": Three films prompt change

The pharmaceutical industry dominates television's small screen with its parade of beautiful drug ads, but the big screen has become the medium of choice for those working to prompt change during the nation's health care crisis. Maverick filmmakers Michael Moore and Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau are among the health advocates leading this charge. Their films expose the issues American consumers are facing today as they navigate the broken health care system.

Addicts can now learn how to transform their lives by utilizing the technology from "The Secret." A holistic addiction treatment program has recently added "The Secret" to their holistic approach to the treatment and rehabilitation of recovering addicts. Addicts now have the opportunity to learn how to effectively change their thinking about themselves and others and as a result remain free of drugs and alcohol.

Relapse prevention has always been an important component of any treatment program for recovering addicts. According to most programs, helping addicts to prevent relapse is crucial to their recovery. However, given all of the current efforts to teach addicts about how to prevent relapse, approximately 70 to 90 % still relapse within one year after completing a traditional program. It is apparent that additional resources are still needed to reduce the extremely high rate of relapse for those seeking recovery.

Laurence Berkley, who has worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, incorporates Tai Chi, Yoga and martial arts in his DVD "A Samurai Workout."

A gateway to wellness and personal growth, Laurence Berkley’s invigorating mind-body-spirit techniques are gaining a national audience via DVD. After catching up with a few of his students, one understands why these ancient practices help to cultivate a balanced lifestyle, especially for baby boomers looking for a gentler exercise plan.