IN YOUR DAILY DOSE today is research which may save your life. When you arrive at the hospital with serious infection, doctors have precious little time to identify the infection, where it is and initiate treatment. Any delays can have devastating consequences. Researchers may have developed a new device which shortens the time and improves the outcomes.

IN MAKING CHANGES you’ll discover what YOU can do to shorten the time it takes to diagnose an infection and get started with treatment.

IN FACT OR FICTION you’ll discover who cleans themselves all day, and it isn’t your teenagers!

In The News

Diagnosis of infections can be time consuming, expensive and may not be accurate, resulting in inappropriate treatments, spread of infection to others in the hospital and potentially increasing the risk of developing more antibiotic resistant bacteria.

A collaborative effort between engineers and scientists from the University of Arizona produced a new device that promises to diagnose these tissue infections faster, more efficiently and more cost effectively.

Commonly, doctors in the emergency room will use a PCR method of determining the pathogen or bacteria which requires treatment. Unfortunately, this method can take up to an hour and sometimes the doctor has 10 minutes to make a decision about antibiotics which should be prescribed.

This new device can identify the infectious agent in 3-4 minutes which vastly increases the probability of successful treatment. The process developed resulted from a deeper understanding of what happens at the molecular level in our bodies and within bacteria. In other words, this development could not have occurred without the past years of research and investigation into the function of the human body and bacteria.

SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150904194857.htm

Daily Health Tip

While this device may not be currently available in your hospital, there are things you can do to increase your potential for successful treatment.  Following some simple recommendations can change your outcomes and your future.

Making Changes

1. Use common sense when taking care of your body on a daily basis. Take a multivitamin, keep your skin clean and dry, drink enough water to stay hydrated, eat a well-balanced diet that supports your immune system and get 8 hours of sleep each night.

2. If you get a cut, no matter how small, wash it carefully with soap and water. Use an antibiotic cream, such as neosporin, to prevent an infection and keep the cut clean and dry.

3. If a cut begins to ooze green fluid, gets red, swollen and sore, or otherwise looks infected, seek medical attention sooner rather than later.  If you have a fever or there are signs of infection not immediately surrounding the cut, seek medical attention within the hour.  The sooner you are treated, the better the outcome.

4. If you have a high fever (over 102) for more than 24 hours, have a fever that isn’t responsive to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil), have trouble breathing, have chest pain, have abdominal pain or have trouble walking or talking, you should seek attention from the emergency room immediately.

5. The more you can tell your doctor about the history of what’s happening the better your treatment will be. The doctor can only work on the information they know. Tell them what happened, when and the history of any fevers, cuts, coughs, pain or troubles. Tell them what medications you usually take and which ones you have taken. Do you take any supplements? Have you tried to treat this before coming to the ER? If so, how?

Everything you do has an impact on your treatment and your future. While medicine has come a long way, it continues to be the PRACTICE of medicine. We don’t know all there is to know about the body and the bacteria we live with, but the more you can tell your doctor and earlier you are treated, the better your outcome.

My Daily Affirmation

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How am I able to balance being empathetic with teaching a firm lesson?

2. How do I respond when others abuse my approachable nature and try to take me for granted?

3. In which situations is it best if I avoid showing too much empathy?

Fact Or Fiction?

Cleaning and grooming is part of their everyday routine. But, did you know it can take up to 50% of their day and it’s not all about looking good?

You might think we’re talking about your teenage daughter, but you’d be wrong. Interestingly, cats can spend almost half their waking day grooming and cleaning themselves. This action helps to cool their body, stimulate circulation, is comforting and keeps them clean of odors which may attract predators. If your cat starts grooming you then it’s her way of showing affection and marking you as part of the family!

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team