LGBT seniors marked for removal from survey on elder care services

The US Department of Health and Human Services has proposed the elimination of data collection for LGBT seniors from an annual survey that helps determine how billions of dollars are allocated for vital care services.

The National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP) collects information about services including senior centers, home-delivered meals and transportation. The proposed 2017 survey is missing a question about the sexuality of respondents, which has been included since 2014.

“It’s a very bad sign because to strip LGBT older adults out of the survey suggests that the federal government believes that the needs of this elder population do not matter,” Michael Adams, chief executive officer of Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders (Sage), told the Guardian.

Alongside basic demographic data, NSOAAP respondents give information as detailed as how many servings of meat they eat per day and what level of help they need for activities such as walking, dressing and eating.

Such information is used to measure the impact of government-funded services and is included in a report in the annual budget.

Adams said it was important to identify LGBT seniors in the survey because they are underserved.

“It doesn’t matter, frankly, whether LGBT elders are eating chicken or steak or fish in a senior center,” he said, “but what does matter is: are they eating in a senior center at all? Are they receiving care management services? Are they receiving caregiver support?”

Sage and other groups lobbied the Obama administration to include a question about sexuality in the survey. One was introduced in 2014.

The surveys from that year, 2015 and 2016 asked: “Which of the following best represents how you think of yourself: lesbian or gay; straight, that is, not lesbian or gay; bisexual; something else [which respondents were asked to clarify later]; refused; and don’t know [which respondents were also asked to clarify].”

A notice to the Federal Register dated 13 March 2017 said “no changes” had been made to survey. However, in its draft form it does not include the sexuality question.

The health department’s Administration for Community Living (ACL) said on a link to the draft that it “does contain modifications from the currently approved collection”. The agency is accepting comments on the proposal until 12 May.

The health department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Adams said he would welcome a dialogue with the White House.

“In recent years, we have made significant progress in including LGBT elders in federally supported elder services and we will be watching very closely for any efforts to roll that back,” he said.

The disappearance of the sexuality question comes after moves by the White House to eliminate two federal statistical programs, igniting fears among senior statisticians that data that does not fit with administration policy could cease to be collected.

Last month, the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era protection that allowed students unfettered access to bathrooms and locker rooms that corresponded with their gender identity.

On Monday, Sage launched a campaign to get LGBT supporters to respond to the call for public comments on the survey draft. As of Monday afternoon, nearly 700 people had sent letters opposing the planned change.

LGBT seniors marked for removal from survey on elder care services

Is Lymph Node Removal the Safest Choice for Breast Cancer?

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your oncologist may suggest lymph node removal as part of the course of treatment. Whether to get this procedure done is a personal choice that each woman must make. It is important to know the risks—and your options– before you commit to this potentially-dangerous procedure, however.

Why is lymph node removal so common?

When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, often times “sentinel lymph nodes” around the affected area may be removed via biopsy before conventional treatment begins (other times they are removed during surgery). Conventional oncologists often suggest this based on the premise that cancer cells tend to spread first to “sentinel lymph nodes,” i.e. the lymph nodes closest to the tumor, before they spread to “auxiliary nodes” and the rest of the body.

Lymph node removal in breast cancer patients has been around since the early 1900’s; it is part of an old paradigm that focuses primarily on “getting all of the tumor out.”  As new ways of looking at cancer are come to the forefront, however, even researchers and doctors within the halls of conventional medicine are beginning to question whether the procedure is necessary for all women.

The field of breast cancer oncology was turned upside down in 2011 when a study out of John Wayne Cancer Center in Southern California announced that for roughly 20% of all U.S. breast cancer, lymph node removal did not make any difference whatsoever in their recovery. For approximately 40,000 women per year who have stage T1 or T2 cancer tumors that have not traveled elsewhere in the body, it did not improve their survival nor their metastasis rates in any way.

“I have a feeling we’ve been doing a lot of harm,” said Dr. Grant W. Carson, one of the authors of the report, in reflecting on the legacy of lymph node removal for breast cancer patients that has persisted until this point.

The Perils of Lymphedema

Lymph nodes are vital for the body for several reasons. They are one of the areas where white blood cells and Natural Killer Cells are produced. The lymphatic system is also the body’s second most important line of defense against harmful pathogens (besides the skin). It filters unwanted substances that may accumulate throughout the whole body to detoxification pathways so that they can be eliminated.

For those who have a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB), an estimated 5-17% will develop lymphedema, according to the National Cancer Institute. For Auxiliary Lymph Node Dissection (ALND) surgery, the percentage jumps to between 20 to 53 percent. And a whopping 70% of those who elect to have all of their breast-area lymph nodes removed will develop the condition.

Lymphedema is a painful condition that happens when lymph fluid becomes clogged and collects under the skin’s surface—and edema and fibrosis can follow if it is not addressed. Fibrosis in particular stops the natural flow of oxygen and healthy substances through the lymph system and can lead to bacterial overgrowth and infection.

3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Lymph System Flowing…Naturally

If you have already had some or all of your breast area lymph nodes removed as part of a conventional breast cancer protocol (or are prone to lymphedema for other reasons), be sure to add these important practices to your overall health routine:

• Move your body! This is perhaps the most important thing you can do to keep your lymph and detoxification pathways healthy. Remember that lymphatic fluid needs to flow and regular exercise can help that process. A 2011 review of 11 other studies published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship found that “strong evidence is now available on the safety of resistance exercise” for breast cancer patients.” Resistance exercises for lymphedema would include gentle exercises that lightly use your muscles against an opposing force, such as a resistance band. Many experts also claim that “rebounding” (using a small trampoline) is also one of the most effective exercise modalities for both the lymph nodes and the immune system.

• Consider ancient Ayurvedic lymphatic modalities such as dry skin brushing and traditional and as well as modern versions of lymphatic massage;

• Finally, assist your detoxification process in general by staying hydrated with lots of fresh, filtered water and also by staying away from toxins that may come in contact with the skin, such as commercial deodorants which contain aluminum.

Research and evidence over the last few years tells us that conventional medicine may be veering away from lymph node removal as an instant protocol for all breast cancer patients. This is a very good thing. In the meantime, if you are considering it, just keep the risks in mind and, if at all possible, discover ways to work with your body, not against it, on your healing journey with breast cancer.

Is Lymph Node Removal the Safest Choice for Breast Cancer?

Home Remedies For Acne Scar Removal

All people to whom gets zits particularly acne breakouts, chances are may well end up scarring just in which completely certainly not choosing over at them. If you are not able to prevent it, it is not the end of the world as scars can be removed TOTALLY. Nevertheless

Acne affects people of all ages, from teenagers to the elderly. Lots of causative factors for this skin disorder are reported such as unhealthy diet and hormone fluctuations. Commonly, acne is treated with antibiotics. On the other hand, there are also some efficient home medications which are very cheap and effective.

Fruits and vegetables are surprisingly simple acne home remedies and can be either eaten or applied. Apply lemon juice with rose water directly on the acne affected area. After a couple of weeks, you will see the wonderful improvement in your acne conditions. Drink one glass a day of diluted lemon juice (you can also add some honey for taste). This juice helps your body to get rid of toxins from your body and helps promote healthier skin. Possibilities of considering dwelling treatments can be found relatively slim. However, it doesn’t matter what home remedies on acne scar removal are often still in a position in the minimum considerably scale back your pimples scars.

Present to concise an important very common misconception. As soon as your current zits corresponding to your trusty cystic acne turns out away from, right now there will be one specific crimson locate went to leave in your pores and skin regarding quite every time period corresponding to months. That many red points are not that scar tissue, it is the aftermath connected with its previously bulge skin caused by all of a pimple. Recently we keep in mind any time other elements to do with our physique get bigger such as while you damage every physique half the actual works out crimson very same, and thus it is a comparable concept. ONLY if, perhaps a person’s red spot remains to be on your look and after some sort of a year to you call it a scar.

Ok, fret undoubtedly as being I shall be educating person methods so that you can get rid of or possibly at the least significantly reduce just that red spot locate that may turn right into a prospective surgical mark so nearly any current scars. Home remedies for acne scar removal:

1. Icing

Icing should be a very short time period method that provides fast dimming relating to my red spot discover combined with surgical marks simply getting a skin in your face. Secure some snowfall cubes but also area the group on the inside of a conventional paper towel quite possibly these type of marginal transparent recycled plastic baggage that holds sandwiches, you should add doing it on your face concerning a few minutes, obtain it again absent towards pertaining to 20 seconds and also reiterate when a few occasions nor in the role of desired. This technique is uncomfortable as you need to hold considering the nippiness in your features but works hard extraordinarily fast. It is not really helpful that you simply cool the forehead area while you might experience a pointy pain at your entire forehead who could be very unbearable.

2. Tomatoes & Cucumber

You must have heard a great many times information about the advantages with tomatoes as well as the cucumber in your come across stay this situation had his food potentially applied in your face. Fruit may very well be any kind of detox busting moreover help in stopping skin damage. Cucumber is often cool additionally, serves inside of relaxing inflamed and inflamed skin. Both together with the group have been advantageous across tightening up our own skin pores pertaining to specific skin similar to all topping method.

3. Sandalwood

Goodness me, currently the well-known sandalwood. Combine sandalwood additionally black gram together. The base of the paste can be milk or rose water. Strive not to work normal water. Positioned the paste with your entire face or simply the scarred area and keep doing it available all the night time when you sleep. The subsequent day, clean the paste out with clean water. Sandalwood is nice operating in reducing skin inflammation nicely due to the chilling effect.

4. Rosehip Seeds Fish oil / Lavender Essential Oil / Rosa Mosquito Oil

Rosehip seeds oil, lavender oil, and Rosa mosquito oil are all high in fatty acids. You’ll be able to apply either of them or even a mixture directly to any scar problems and quicken that falling in these scars. If you’re incorporating, combine using match measurements and apply several times a day. Significant outcomes are usually seen found in around 6 weeks.

There you will have it, 4 home remedies for acne scar removal. I want to stress that the 4th one is very effective. Serve my opinion your trusty feedback if in case you have your own technique that you just want to discuss and some exceedingly as well as your current outcomes following making an attempt the particular methods here.

Other Remedies

1. Some herbs are very useful against acne conditions like mint, basil, parsley, birch leaves, etc. Boil these herbs in water, cool it and apply them on the affected area with a cotton swab. These herbs have excellent anti-inflammatory effects on your skin and an excellent home remedy for acne.

2. Mix some sandalwood and neem powder with rose water and apply this solution before going to bed, rinse it in the morning, you will observe copious benefits of it.

3. Application of mashed cucumber for 15-20 minutes is also very effective as it has cleansing and moisturizing effects.

4. The thick gel of Aloe Vera on the acne affected face is also helpful, ice cubes of this gel can also be used because Aloe Vera is an excellent face cleanser.

5. Acne scars and acne can also be treated by using Almond oil.

6. You can use your toothpaste on the affected area. It greatly reduces the swelling of pimples.

You must avoid eating refined carbohydrates, French fries, junk food and processed food during ace medication. On the other hand blueberries, grapefruit, apples, peaches, spinach, carrots and other fiber rich foods fight against acne.

Blend them together with some water consuming which will form a nice paste. Clean up to make sure it is completely clean and set that paste on your face to 25 minutes and remove.

Home Remedies For Acne Scar Removal