Better than Black Friday Sales from Walmart, Best Buy and Target ALL put together?  The biggest shopping day of the year is here again, and while major retailers across the nation look to battle it out with pricing wars, one renowned Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon has decided to join the festivities.  Payman Simoni, M.D., recognized for the innovative Simoni Face Lift procedure, is hosting the first ever plastic surgery Black Friday Event.  As the U.S. economy slowly recovers, this event will help to make once pre-recession affordable plastic surgery treatments more affordable again for at least this one day of the year.

“People want to look their best during the holidays,” said Dr. Simoni. “With all the money people will be spending on gifts, parties, and travelling it becomes a bit harder to spend time and money on themselves. With our Black Friday Sale we will be making it easier for our patients look fabulous during this holiday season,” he concluded.

Deals being offered include 20 to 50% off on most injectables, cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery procedures. Patients can save on Botox, Dysport, Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, Latisse, Obagi products, The Simoni Lift, rhinoplasty, liposuction, laser resurfacing, E Matrix RF treatments, VASER, Velashape among others. All procedures will need to be booked on Friday, November 27, 2009 with a 30% down payment required at the time of booking.

Less than a month ago, Dr Simoni hosted the first ever Dysport Party in the country.  Injectables like Dysport, Botox, Juvederm, or Restylane are well known for being the most affordable alternatives to their longer lasting surgical counterparts.  The current economic down-turn has rendered these once affordable treatments difficult for most people to afford.  The release of Dysport as the first true competition to Botox has pushed the industry to provide rebates to sway consumers toward their products.

Payman Simoni, MD is a dual board certified plastic surgeon and the founder of Simoni Plastic Surgery, a Beverly Hills plastic surgery practice. He is the creator of the revolutionary procedure, the Simoni Lift, a one-hour comprehensive face lift that is performed without the need for general anesthesia. His revolutionary procedures have been featured in or on The New York Times, The View, Reuters, CNN, EXTRA, KTLA, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, OK! Magazine, GMTV, 10 Years Younger, Telemundo, and The Orange County Register.

Black Friday Deals:

Note:  All these specials are only valid for Friday, November 26th, 2009

Injectables:

Botox- Over 50% off: $6.75 per unit (reg. $16)*

Dysport- Over 50% off: 130 per syringe (reg $320)**

Juvederm- $200 off: $450 per syringe (reg $650)

Restylane- $200 off: $450 per syringe (reg $650)

Radiesse- $250 off: $600 per syringe (reg $850)***

Cosmetic Products:

Latiesse $99 (reg. $125)

Obagi CRX kit- $60 off: $260 (reg. $320)

Obagi NuDerm System Kit-  $40 off: $170  (reg. $210)

Plastic Surgery Procedures:

20% off all plastic surgery procedures:

• (stackable with other promotions and discounts, laser and radiofrequency treatments are included)
  • only applies to the new surgical bookings.  Previously booked procedures may not benefit from this offer.  Procedures must be completed by December 31st, 2009. 30% down payment is required to book the procedure date

Contact Dr. Simoni:

50 North La Cienega Blvd, Suite 150
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: 310-360-1360

* 40 units minimum, After $50 mailing in rebate

** 2 syringe miniumum, After $75 mailing in rebate

*** Non surgical nose job and non surgical eyelid lift not included in this offer.

Life used to be so simple. Children would get up, go to school, and when they returned, play outside until the sun went down. Weekends were filled with sports tournaments, wild adventures and explorations in nature. As video games started becoming popular, there was still more time spent outdoors. With just one TV, the kids could only play so much “Space Invaders” on their Atari 2600.

As technology got both cheaper and more advanced, children started seeing less and less sunlight. They may have been playing sports on their video game systems, but making a running back run for a 90 yard touchdown really doesn’t fall into the category of exercise for the gamer. Video games are only one factor in why the overall population has gotten heavier and less healthy. Gaming and social media used on our phones and PCs have certainly slowed us down and made life more sedentary.

Technology continues to push boundaries though. The Nintendo Wii is a perfect example of how we can push the limits and boundaries. This gaming system has done amazing things in terms of providing both entertainment, but also a bit of exercise. Occupational therapists are using the Wii with seniors. They are “bowling” or “playing tennis” for the first time in decades.

When you compare the latest boxing game on the Wii console to the Xbox or PS3, a gamer can actually get a workout and break a sweat. With the other systems, the most exercise you get is some practice in finger dexterity. The gaming companies have seen the opportunity here and have even come out with games built specifically for adults to use as part of an exercise regimen.

It’s not all fun and games with the Wii though. There has been a rash of Wii-related injuries mostly in the areas of the neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist. For some people, playing a game of Wii tennis may be the most exercise they have had in a long time. Like anybody who isn’t normally active, there will tend to be soreness and stiffness in the muscles afterward. One other issue is the “lack of resistance.” You are not actually rolling a 16 pound bowling ball. You aren’t throwing a 96mph fastball, and chances are you don’t often throw left hooks that put people on the canvas. The actions tend to be over-exaggerated because of this and definitely cause injuries as the action/resistance do not actually match.

The British Chiropractic Association has actually developed what they call a “Wii Warm Up.” It consists of four stretching exercises:

1) Shoulder Shrug – Slowly shrug your shoulders towards your ears. Hold for 2/3 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 3 times. Because it is easier to relax a muscle after you’ve tightened it, you will relax the muscles in the shoulder and allow the blood to flow into the arms.

2) Wrist Stretch – Slowly stretch the wrist backwards, hold for 2/3 seconds, then slowly stretch is forwards and hold for 2/3 seconds. Repeat 3 times. This exercise prevents tightening of the wrists.

3) Make a Fist – Hold the arm at right angles from the elbow. Make a fist and tense it, and the whole of your arm. Hold for 2/3 seconds, then relax and let the arm flop to your side. Repeat 3 times. This will help the blood flow and tone the muscles.

4) Neck muscle stretch – Try to make a double chin, to stretch the muscles at the base of the neck. Hold this position for 2 to 3 seconds and repeat 3 times. Always stretch very slowly.

So what do we do to keep Aunt Trudie from tennis elbow or little Jimmy from needing Tommy John Surgery? Here are a few options:

• Moderation – Everything in life must be done in moderation, including playing with your Wii. Constantly doing the same motions over and over can result in injury if care is not taken.
• Form – Just like in the actual game itself, proper form does matter. Guidelines are created for a reason. Please keep them in mind while playing.
• Supervision – Please keep an eye on how much your children (or  friend/significant other) play. Unhealthy behavior is something we all want to avoid.

If you hurt yourself more than the typical soreness and stiffness of muscles, chiropractic care can help you in a quick non-invasive way. Speak to a chiropractor today.

For further information about this topic, please contact Dr. Lynn Kerew directly at drlynn@lynnkerew.com or visit her website at http://www.lynnkerew.com .

Sugar has been a part of mankind for centuries. While consumption of sugar was controlled in the last century, the past few decades people have been consuming colossal amounts of sugar. Can’t blame people, sweet stuff tastes great. But too much sugar is not good for health. One can readily see the effects of too much sugar in our society- obesity is rampant in North America and rest of the Globe. So now some people have changed to using artificial sweeteners sometimes called low calories sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners have one big difference compared to sugar- no or very few calories.

Artificial sweeteners are either natural substances or synthetic but are much sweeter than sugar. Since they are very sweeter, only a tiny amount is required to generate the same measure of sweetness.
There are a lot of people who use artificial sweeteners as part of their weight loss plan. Many diabetics also use artificial sweeteners because the substance makes food sweet without raising blood sugar levels. However, this does not apply to sugar-free milk products like yogurt which can increase blood sugars based on the carbohydrate in the food.

There are many foods tagged as sugar free and these often include artificial sweeteners like sorbitol or Mannitol. Both these sweeteners contain a fair number of calories and can rapidly increase blood sugar. One should also be aware that many sugar substitutes contain a lot of calories that may make it difficult to control blood sugars or lose weight.

In the USA, the following artificial sweeteners have been approved for use in a variety of foods and include aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame and sucralose. The FDA has established an acceptable daily intake for each of these sweeteners. The ADI levels are in general many times less than the least amount that may cause health fears.

Dr. Derrick Desilva is a practicing internist from New Jersey. He has been practicing medicine for several decades and is on the teaching faculty at JFK medical center in Edison, NJ. Over the year, Dr. DeSilva has spoken on many medical subjects and is both nationally and internationally known for his view on preventive medicine. Dr. DeSilva has his own radio talk show called, “Ask the doctor” which airs on WCTC radio in New Jersey (1450 AM) as well as his own TV show ” To your own health” which airs regularly on news 12 New Jersey.

Dr. DeSilva is an author of several books and has appeared on numerous medical segments on CNN and ABC night line. Over the years, Dr. DeSilva has been instrumental in developing formulations of many different natural products which can help prevent illnesses. One of his recent discoveries is Bacteral.

Dr. DeSilva’s philosophy of medical practice has always focused on prevention. He has combined the best of oriental and western medicine to develop safe principles to heal the patient. He has always strived to treat each patient on an individual basis rather than to apply a generalized band aid formula of “take a pill and call me later.” Dr. Desilva combines conventional medical practice with many Asian medical therapies like acupuncture, aromatherapy, guided imagery, hypnosis, massage meditation, yoga, and reflexology for the best patient care.

Some of the classic natural formulations created by Dr. DeSilva include the super anti oxidant vitamins- mineral nutrient formula, the Carni Q gel with alpha lipoic acid and vitamin E, liquid calcium/magnesium and the omega 3 MLC fish oil. The latest product which Dr. DeSilva is going to talk is Bacteral- which is a two step natural colonic cleanser combining herbs and probiotics.

Dr. Derrick Desilva has been named as one of the best doctors in New York and New Jersey several times in the past decade.

Dr. DeSilva is considered to be the premier experts on vitamins and natural health in the country and wants you to know about a remarkable new product that can help cleanse your colon, get rid of toxins, boost your health, increase your energy level and hopefully even extend your longevity by many years.

The problem

The colon or the large bowel plays a vital role for our well being and prevention of many illnesses. Besides being an organ which stores toxins and waste products, the colon also has important immunological properties. It plays a critical role as a first line defense against a variety of bacteria, germs and viruses. When this barrier is broken down, germs and bacteria can invade insides of the body and make you very ill.

There are millions of individuals all over the globe who suffer from recurrent bowel problems that range from diarrhea, constipation, nausea, bloating and abdominal pain. In the majority of cases, the cause of abdominal discomfort is never discovered and the condition becomes chronic. In other cases, the cause of abdominal pain may be due to gallstones, gastritis, pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory bowel disease. When there are significant bowel problems, the individual feels nauseated, has no appetite and this results in poor absorption of valuable nutrients and essential elements. When the deficiency of these essential minerals and vitamins becomes chronic, the cycle continues and the symptoms continue to worsen. Often people develop other medical problems related to loss of these vitamins and nutrients such as eczema, dermatitis, joint pain, depression, muscle pain, constant fatigue and emotional problems.

Experts in the field of alternative health care belief that one of the causes of chronic bowel problems is build up of toxins and mucoid plaques in walls of the bowel. It is believed that toxins which line the bowel wall are released into the systemic circulation contribute to the nausea, bloating and general fatigue.

This cycle of poor appetite and release of toxins from the bowel walls is not easily diagnosed nor is it readily treated by conventional medical therapies. For this reason, many individuals have been turning to alternative health care for their bowel problems. The alternative health care practitioners now have developed various colonic cleansing formulas to help ease the bowel problems.

When bowel problems occur, the longer one waits, the worse the symptoms appear and are hard to reverse. There are a lot of colonic cleansing formulas on the market, but the majority do not address the immune system or the role of colon as a barrier in preventing absorption of toxins. Many colonic cleansers are in fact gimmicks designed to get rid of your money only.
What about eating yogurt and related products?

There is no doubt that eating yogurts and probiotics can help you fight of colonic bugs naturally, but these products are not strong or fortified with enough strength to kill or remove all toxins. Experts in the field of colon cleansing indicate that yogurt and similar products must be consumed in massive amounts and yet they can only clean 20% of your colon of all toxins. Moreover, eating yogurt 3-5 times a day can be monotonous and expensive. Finally eating a lot of dairy products also adds to weight gain.

What about colonic enemas?

There are hundreds of colon cleansers/enemas which have been developed to help cleanse your bowel. These colon cleansers often known as colonic enemas or hydrotherapy can help you wash out the colon but do nothing to the bacteria lodged higher up in the stomach. Further, the colonic cleansers kill both good and bad bacteria and the procedure is also associated with rare but real complications.

The proponents of this type of therapy recommend colonic enemas for a wide variety of medical disorders including diabetes, cancer, heart problems, arthritis, hypertension, indigestion, obesity, psoriasis, a variety of skin disorders, biliary tract problems and so on. In fact, there is no data that colonic enemas can treat or prevent any illness.

Finally colonic enemas require that one go to a clinic or a spa, have a tube inserted into the rectum and the procedure is costly when done on a regular basis. For many people, inserting of tubes in the rectum is uncomfortable and painful.

What about minerals and potions?

We also have a wide variety of herbs, lotions, potions, liquids and gels which can detoxify colon bugs but the majority of these products are untested. The health supplement industry is very poorly regulated and most products do not even have labels of what the final product contains. There is also a big concern for quality and quantity of the same product in different stores. Finally, many herbs and nutrients from the Orient have been known to contain contaminants and fakes, and counterfeits are not unheard off.

For the majority of products above, there is no scientific data to back any of the statements made by the vendors and so it is a “buyer beware” market out there.

Why not use laxatives to cleanse the colon?

Most health care professionals use traditional treatments like laxatives, suppositories, or addition of dietary fiber to help cleanse bowel. However, conventional health practitioners believe that use of laxatives on a daily basis is not recommended. It can lead to addiction, loss of bowel function over the long run, dehydration, loss of essential electrolytes and nutrients. Further, prolonged use of laxatives results in tolerance to the drugs. Laxatives also do not kill bacteria nor do they improve the immune system of the gut. Finally regular use of laxatives is prohibitively expensive

The breakthrough

In the last few years, intense research at Swiss laboratories has come up with a product called Bacteral’s intestinal solution. The product has been in preparation for some years but had to be extensively studied for effectiveness and now finally it is released for sale to the general public. Dr. DeSilva has had some experience with the product and will go into details about the formula.

What is Bacteral’s intestinal solution?

Bacteral’s intestinal solution combines the best of colonic cleanser, probiotics and herbs. It is a unique formula to treat many problems of the colon at the same time. After use, the results of Bacteral’s intestinal solution are immediate. Within days, one will feel clean, energetic and vibrant. The solution can help you get rid of excessive gas, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloating and prevent acidity. Moreover, there are other benefits of Bacteral’s solution. In the long run, Bacteral can help prevent the common cold, reduce your allergies, protect you from common viral infections and protect you from many serious colonic diseases like diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, celiac disease or chronic constipation. All this adds years to your life.

Can Bacteral help one lose weight?

Dr. DeSilva’s short term experience with the product indicates that in certain people Bacteral works great as a weight loss agent. Bacteral somehow inhibits the appetite center in the brain and also prevents absorption of excess food. The great thing about Bacteral is that one starts to feel satiated by eating little food and thus this limits overeating and consequently to weight loss. Bacteral does not work instantly for weight loss and must be taken on a regular basis. Dr. DeSilva recommends that it be combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise to achieve the maximum benefit from Bacteral.
Do I have to see my physician once I take Bacteral?

Well, Dr. DeSilva does mention that Bacteral is not a panacea for all your health problems. One should always see a physician when in doubt and get the proper diagnosis. When all serious illnesses have been ruled out, Bacteral can be taken to prevent a wide variety of illnesses.

In the long run, Bacteral solution will help you save unnecessary trips to the emergency room for abdominal pain. The product will cut down your medical bills as you will definitely not have to see your health care provider every few months. Finally, bacterial will cut down your costs of expensive prescription medications that you would need to cure your common cold, constipation or diarrhea.

How does Bacteral work?

Bacteral is a herbal colonic cleanser that gradually cleans the bacteria from your both your large and small bowel. Unlike laxatives, Bacteral does not kill the good bacteria which reside in the colon. The product has been formulated such that it sticks to the bowel wall and gently removes all the toxin and bacteria while protecting the surface of the colonic wall. Unlike traditional colonic cleansers/enemas, there are no stringent or rigid rules when taking Bacteral. Simply drink it with some water. It is preferable that you do not take food at the same time. The product should be taken at the same time everyday for a few weeks for the best results. The herbal concoction works right away and does not have any side effects. The next step is the use of the probiotic formulae which enhances growth of good bacteria and gets rid of the bad organisms- this allows you to recover faster from illnesses. The probiotic formula has a vast number of good bacteria that helps you fight off the bad bacteria and gets rids of the toxins in the colon.
Unlike colonic enemas, there are no rectal tubes placed inside the body. There is no pain or side effects.

How is Bacteral different from colonic enemas or hydrotherapy?

Colonic hydrotherapy has been hyped up to have a lot of medical benefits. The technique essentially gets rids of a lot of waste and toxic products from the intestine, but does it make anyone healthier or cure any diseases?

Most of the reports about colonic hydrotherapy and its purported medical benefits are anecdotal. In fact most reports of its success are only reported by people who either practice this treatment or by the manufacturers of colonic equipment. A lot of anecdotal reports claim that after colonic hydrotherapy individuals feel better, energized, have less pain and some in fact claim to have lost weight. None of these reports have been scientifically verified or even compared to a control population.

While there are plenty of case reports on the benefits of colonic irrigation, there are no randomized clinical trials. Case reports generally are meaningless in medicine.
How often do you take Bacteral?

From Dr. DeSilva’s experience the maximum benefit is obtained by taking Bacterial on a regular basis. If one is ill, has a cold, indigestion or constipation, then Bacteral can be taken once a day for several days to fight off the bug or relieve constipation. Bacteral can also be taken as a preventive aid. You take the recommended dose on a daily basis and this will help you fight off nausea, abdominal cramps, help you lose weight, clear your skin, relieve joint pains and make you feel young and robust.

Dr. DeSilva has seen many of his patients show marked improvement after Bacteral. Many of his patients have claimed that after regular Bacteral consumption they feel energetic, robust and feel clean and healthy.

What type of medical problems can be treated with Bacteral?

Dr. DeSilva feels that consumers should first understand that Bacteral is only a supplement and not a substitute for conventional medical therapies. Even though work from Europe shows that Bacteral can be used to treat wide variety of bowel problems including diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids and indigestion, it is best to discuss this with your physician first. Unlike colonic enemas, Bacteral does not involve any type of invasive procedure- just the drinking of commercialized herbal and probiotic formula.

When does one feel better after Bacteral?

To enhance the effects of Bacteral, Dr. DeSilva recommends that one also combine regular exercise and a healthy diet for maximal benefit.

Most individuals feel relieved after a single session but in order to maintain the health benefits, Bacteral must be taken on a regular basis. The benefits of Bacteral are accumulating with additional treatments. Dr. DeSilva strongly believes that the therapy works best if it is undertaken on a regular basis. Plus, it also depends on what type of medical disorder one has developed- some individuals may require prolonged therapy.

When the treatment starts to work, one may start to feel rejuvenated, have regular bowel movements, and even lose excess weight.

How long should I take Bacteral?

Dr.  DeSilva says that the duration of therapy with Bacteral depends on the disorder that you have. Bacteral should be consumed once or twice a day for several weeks. During this time, the ingredients in Bacteral can help neutralize toxins and help rid of excess waste products like bacterial organisms, heavy metals, and parasites.

The herbal products in Bacteral can help restore bowel motility, increase tone of bowel muscles, and help strengthen bowels. When the treatment works, one may feel rejuvenated, energetic and re energized. Remember Bacteral cleansing formula is not a substitute for conventional medical therapy. If you have any type of bowel disorder, it is best to first get it diagnosed by your physician and then discuss your choice of therapy. While Bacteral is very safe, always read the labels and buy products that contain natural products.

The latest news on HIV from Thailand indicates that the HIV vaccine is effective in only 31 percent of individuals. This phase lll clinical trial involving more than 16,000 adult volunteers did demonstrate that the vaccine was safe but its effectiveness was not as expected.

Based on the final results by the trial sponsor, the U.S. Army Surgeon General, the prime boost combination of ALVAC® HIV and AIDSVAX® B/E only decreased the rate of HIV infection by 31.2% compared with placebo. Of those who received the vaccine, 51 contracted HIV, while 74 in the placebo group got infected — a difference of 23 people. Not a big difference by any means.

Analysis of the data using other statistical methods suggests that the vaccine’s perceptible minor effectiveness against HIV, could have been simply been due to statistical chance. Still, there are other research scientists who claim that the Thai study was clinically useful because it was the first large-scale HIV-vaccine trial to capitulate an affirmative result.

“The results are qualitatively similar along all three analyses,” said Seth Berkley, president and chief executive of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, who was at the Paris meeting. “Most of the skeptics would say that there’s a signal there” that indicates an immune response.

Discovering what triggers the immune response to HIV is key to future development of any vaccine. With HIV, researchers would like to know whether the obvious immune response is associated to antibodies or T-cells, the chief target of HIV in blood. But so far, finding the right trigger(s) has been exceedingly difficult.

Several years ago, Dennis Burton of Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., and several other researchers openly inquired about benefits of the Thai study. These scientists did indicate that the vaccine tested by the Thai researchers combined a failed vaccine and was deemed to have a very minimal chance of success.

“It has some, although albeit modest, results, some very encouraging results that can be used to guide further efforts in vaccine development,” Maureen Birmingham of the World Health Organization said.
Since the trial was conducted in Thailand, it is not known how individuals in other parts of the world may respond because there are different strains of HIV. Finally, the Thai trial included individuals from the general population and did not include a high risk group. Therefore, it is not known whether the vaccine would have shown a similar benefit in gay men, drug users or prostitutes who have a high risk of acquiring HIV.

Mercury has often been blamed for causing many medical disorders and families of children with autism have continued to blame excess levels of mercury in the environment as a cause of this developmental disorder. In the past there have been numerous studies showing elevated levels of mercury in individuals with autism. However, on closer analysis most of the studies were poorly controlled, had few patients and the overall quality of the studies was extremely poor. One of the reasons why mercury has always been a prime suspect of autism was because it was used as a preservative in some vaccines. However, the use of thimerosal was discontinued years ago and but newer cases of autism continue to be diagnosed. In fact, a federally funded study on vaccines containing mercury revealed no connection between autism and the measles mumps vaccine.

Now finally there is a study in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives, which found no differences in blood mercury levels between children who are growing normally and those diagnosed with autism.

Says Dr Patricia Mannin Courtney, medical director of the Kelly O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, “”This is an excellent study that has addressed a very important question for many families about the role of mercury in autism. It’s a very clear study that no differences in mercury were seen. Is it going to put the questions to rest? I think no. It’s another important contribution to the large body of knowledge on this topic, but I think it will still be an area of great controversy.”

In the present study, researchers followed 452 children between the ages 2 to 5 who either had autism/autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays other than autism (such as Down syndrome), or who were growing normally.

Extensive interviews were done with the parents about diet, use of dental amalgams, thimerosal vaccines and even personal care products. All children had blood samples taken on a regular basis. The initial results in fact showed that autistic children had much lower levels of mercury in their blood but this was clarified by the fact that many of these children consumed less fish.

After adjusting for all confounding variables, results of the study showed no difference in mercury levels between autistic children and normally growing children.

“Not only do we not see differences, but the values are pretty close to national averages,” said study author Irva Hertz-Picciotto, chief of environmental and occupational health and faculty member at the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. Since mercury does not stay in the body for more than a few months, Hertz-Picciotto added “clearly this does not tell us anything causal because all of the mercury represents exposure that had happened post-diagnosis.”

While the study did show that levels of mercury are not high in children who have already been diagnosed with autism, it is still not known whether prior exposure to mercury during pregnancy or during the first year of life may have initiated the disorder. But at least for now, there is no question that mercury levels are lower in people who have developmental disorders.

Many physicians have noticed a drop in patients with the ongoing recession. There are much fewer paying patients going for elective surgical procedures. The hardest hit during the present downturn in economy are the cosmetic and plastic surgeons. There is a general decline in patients all over the country. While the declining numbers apply to most groups, Latinos in fact are lining up to have more cosmetic procedures than ever before. Numbers released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reveal that cosmetic procedures in minorities were up by 11 percent with more than three million procedures performed in 2008. However, cosmetic procedures in Caucasians did drop by 2 percent and have continued to drop throughout 2009. Among all ethnic groups in the US, the most significant growth in cosmetic surgery was among Hispanics.

Says President of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, “We’re seeing a rise in Hispanics opting for cosmetic procedures that coincides with the growth we’re seeing in the nation’s population,” he further adds that, “Less social stigma, as well as, advances in procedures allow patients to maintain their ethnic look. While the majority of patients continue to be Caucasian, the profile of the typical patient is changing.”

Latinos from South America have always opted for cosmetic surgery and it is believed that “siliconization” is one reason why many beauty queens come out of South America. Anecdotal reports from Hispanic women who have had cosmetic surgery indicate that they have the same ideals like their North American female counterparts- they want to look great and feel good at the same time.

One of the reasons for success of cosmetic surgery is the introduction of many minimally invasive procedures. All over the country there has been a significant increase in procedure like use of dermal fillers, facial rejuvenation with small incisions and use of Botox. The most commonly requested procedures among ethnic groups were Botox, dermal fillers and chemical peels. It should be noted that ethnic men now are fast catching up to their female colleagues and seek rhinoplasty/liposuction as their favorite cosmetic procedures.

When done well the results of chemical peels and laser skin rejuvenation can have a dramatic impact on people of all color. However, like all surgical procedures, complications do occur and can be permanent.

For many years it has been known that professional footballers suffer from a variety of injuries during their career. While most injuries happen during their active football playing career, there is now evidence that footballers also have a higher rate of dementia than the general population. The issue about head injury in sports athletes made news in September when 3 NFL players declared that they will donate their brains for clinical research after death.

The frequent head concussions and contusions that occur during a players football days do have a poor outcome in the long run. A recent study commissioned by the NFL Players Care Foundation demonstrated that there was marked cognitive impairment not only among the retirees but also those players who were less than 50 years of age. For many years, the long term health consequences of playing in the NFL were neglected and now the league has decided to learn more about its retired players. The plan is to respond to the medical and physical needs of retired players.

The survey looked at 1000 retired players and collected information by telephone interview on a wide range of physical and mental health disorders. In cases where the player was unable to give a history, family or proxy was selected. Dr. Weir’s study demonstrated that the rates of dementia were quite high among retired footballers and some degree of dementia was even seen in footballers younger than age 50.

Following these news, the NFL players association announced the debut of a Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Committee. The plan is to promote ways to make an early diagnosis, treatment and prevent concussion/traumatic brain injuries in active players. There are also plans to evaluate more players and follow them for a long term period to determine if there is any correlation between head trauma and dementia later in life.

Said the NFLs executive director, DeMaurice Smith, in a news release, “This committee was designed to bring both independence and expertise to the ongoing analysis of serious head injuries so we can better protect our players,”

The recent survey was only a cross sectional analysis and did not establish a direct relationship between dementia and football/head trauma. However, this study does raise more questions and warrants additional study to determine if any such relationship exists. This study could have inferences beyond the NFL- what happens to head injuries suffered by athletes at high school and/or college level football? Do head injuries occurring at such a young age need follow up and what is the treatment?

Says Dr Weir who undertook the study, “”Dementia is much more difficult to report in surveys in part because it affects the respondent’s ability to participate,” he further added that “We conducted interviews with a proxy reporter — generally the wife — of the players who were unable to answer for themselves. We did not administer cognitive tests and did not conduct neurological examinations.”
It has been known for some time that the most common complaints among retired NFL payers are development of arthritis and muscle/joint pain. While it may sound like playing for the NFL is all bad news, there is some good news. The survey indicated that these players also have much fewer heart attacks and strokes then non-sporting men of comparable age.

If you haven’t been hitched by the “whole grain” bug, then you will be soon! Continue Reading