Patient health and happiness is what drives who we are and what we do. From workflow optimization, technology adoption and facility design and development, a vastly improved patient experience make up the core of each room we build.
EIR Healthcare collaborates with each hospital to customize the optimal space. Through our technology and design, doctors, nurses and any healthcare professional interacting with patients in a MedModular room are equipped to provide nothing short of excellence within every interaction. EIR Healthcare was presented with a 2018 iF Design Award for our "Hospital of the Future" professional concept.
Touchless OperationAvoiding bacteria and germs through hands-free operation of doors, faucets and sinks
Visual Displays and MonitorsKeeping patients informed every step of the way
Patient Engagement PortalEducating patients on their condition and providing a checklist for self-care
Handheld DevicesEnhancing patients’ sense of control and reducing stress
A Complete Product, Down to the Last Detail
Our MedModular rooms are customized to the type of hospital or healthcare setting – as well as the patients being served. As an orthopedic patient and a cardiac patient have widely different needs and challenges, our solutions are customized to meet those needs, while elevating the patient experience to another level.
When a MedModular room is delivered, it is done so with every detail already executed from both technology and space design standpoints, which results in optimizing the efficiency in which hospitals and other healthcare environments are constructed – and completed.
Imagination rules everything we do at MedModular, from innovative concepts to our five-star service model. We will continue to stretch the boundaries of our creativity to produce that which best serves each person interacting with our rooms.
Combining engineering with intelligent resources to shape healthcare on a global scale.
We collaborate with our client's design team to create solutions that are tailored to their needs.
Three-dimensional MedModular rooms are manufactured by the factory.
Completed MedModular rooms are inspected, labeled and wrapped before delivery to the client's site.
MedModular rooms are stacked on top of each other or inserted into a site-built superstructure.
MedModular rooms are connected to the building's infrastructure and each other.
It’s All About Experience
We are healthcare experts with a combined 60 years of experience in the industry. Thus, all of our solutions begin from a place of great empathy for all of the audiences within the healthcare delivery spectrum — from medical professionals to the patients to the hospitals and to labs.
Modular design envisions hospitals as a plug-and-play platform in which patient rooms adapt more nimbly to current conditions. Our innovations deliver a superior, cost-effective, globally-leading product, and do so with extreme efficiency, benefiting all who are involved in the construction of any healthcare facility.


In a medical malpractice lawsuit a person claims that a healthcare provider has caused injury by providing care below the required standard. Other issues such as defective medical devices may also arise.
While doctors are often defendants in malpractice lawsuits, suits may include pharmacists, dentists, hospitals, hospital staff, technicians and other alternative healthcare practitioners such as chiropractors. All healthcare providers have a legal duty to provide an appropriate standard of medical care to their patients.
The plaintiff must prove that the healthcare provider acted below the appropriate standard of care. The plaintiff must prove that the substandard care caused injury or death.
Examples of malpractice may include failing to diagnose a condition, failing to refer the patient to a specialist, providing wrong or incomplete treatment, failing to obtain the patient’s proper consent for a procedure or failing to follow appropriate procedures during surgery. In the case of nurses, malpractice may include failing to notify a doctor about a patient’s condition or failing to properly record the patient’s condition.
A healthcare provider is not liable merely because they made an error. The plaintiff must prove that the healthcare provider did not meet the required standard of care. Virtually every malpractice case requires expert evidence from a person trained in the same field or specialty. These experts charge a fee for providing their opinion.
There may be situations where, though the healthcare provider made an error, the outcome would have been the same even if the mistake had not been made. For example, a doctor may fail to properly diagnosis a medical condition, but even if the proper diagnosis had been made the injury would have occurred nonetheless. In such a circumstance, the healthcare provider will not be liable because no damage was caused.
The amount awarded may depend on the severity and duration of the injury, the impact of the injury on the plaintiff’s lifestyle, whether the injury has affected the plaintiff’s ability to earn a living and whether the plaintiff requires any special care, equipment or ongoing assistance.
Under the British Columbia Family Compensation Act, if malpractice has resulted in death, the children, spouse or parents of the deceased may bring a lawsuit against the person who caused the death. Compensation in such cases is limited to the economic loss suffered by the spouse, children or parents who were dependent on the deceased. The recoverable loss includes the loss of a portion of the deceased’s income and/or the loss of household services previously performed by the deceased.
If a case appears to have merit and sufficient potential damages, a lawyer may be prepared to take the case on a contingency basis. Under such an arrangement, the legal fees paid to the lawyer are a percentage of the amount recovered.
Limitation periods in British Columbia define the time required to start a lawsuit. For an adult plaintiff, the time period for starting a medical malpractice lawsuit is usually two years from the date of injury. Under some circumstances the two year period may be extended. An infant who is injured will have a longer period of time to commence a legal action. Failing to file a lawsuit within the limitation period may result in the claim being dismissed. Thus, it is important that an action be commenced within two years of the injury.


What Is Carbon Monoxide (CO)?
CO is a poisonous gas that you cannot smell or see. It is formed by combustion and is
produced in car exhaust fumes, faulty gas boilers and tobacco smoke.
When you inhale smoke from a cigarette, CO is absorbed into your blood through the lungs.
Oxygen is carried around the body by red blood cells.
CO binds with haemoglobin in the red blood cells to form carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) preventing red blood cells from carrying oxygen.
CO binds with haemoglobin 200 times more readily than oxygen. A very heavy smoker may have 10% of their blood cells taken up by CO, depriving the body of oxygen.
What is a Smokerlyzer®?
Smokerlyzers are a range of breath CO monitors and testers which measure the small amounts of CO in exhaled breath. The more you smoke, the higher your CO reading will be.
The reading is given in ppm, which is the number of CO molecules in a million parts of air. The ppm reading can also tell you how much CO is in the blood (the %COHb) reading). %COHb is the percentage of red blood cells carrying CO instead of oxygen. The amount of CO in an unborn baby’s blood is referred to as %FCOHb (percentage of foetal carboxyhaemoglobin). Some of the Smokerlyzer range can analyse %FCOHb as an incentive to stop smoking and comply with new NICE guidelines for smoking in pregnancy.
The world’s first Smokerlyzer® breath CO monitor for your smartphone
Ideal for Personal Use, Health Professionals and Pharmaceutical Companies
Features and Benefits
• A portable CO monitor that can fit in your pocket.
• Connects to app on your phone or tablet.
• Send your results to your doctor, smoking cessation advisor, family member or friend.
• One person use, private, tailored, individual experience.
• Monitors your progress, encouraging you to quit smoking.


Munger Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc. has three locations that are nationally recognized as ABC Accredited Facilities. Our services consist of providing both prosthetic and
orthotic devices to assist various neurological and musculoskeletal conditions in a professional and courteous manner.
These services are done with the highest technology available without losing the personal touch needed. Here at Munger Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc., we understand that a loss of limb or neurological and musculoskeletal conditions can be life changing. It is our goal to try and help you with your new prosthesis or orthosis.


Blocked nasal passages during cold or sinuses can make it difficult to breathe. At times, it also causes sleep disturbance. One of the best home remedies that you can try for immediate relief from nasal blockage is steam inhalation. This blog explains the various benefits of steam inhalation.
What Is Steam Inhalation?
Steam inhalation is a simple process of taking in steam through your nose. The warm vapor provides moisture to the dry mucus membranes in the nose and throat. This helps loosen the mucus and provides relief from chest congestion. You can do steam inhalation with steam inhaler equipment, a bowl, a pan with hot water or by taking a steam bath.
Steam Inhalation Benefits
Steam inhalation is an age-old therapy to get relief in case of a blocked nose. You can also try it if you have a hoarse voice and dry throat or cough. Steam inhalation benefits have been discussed below in detail:
1. Improves Respiratory Health
Dirt and pollution in the air can cause lung infections and respiratory diseases. Regular steam inhalation can help treat respiratory infections and improve respiratory health because heat can kill bacteria or viruses in the nasal path, According to a study, steam inhalation was also considered an effective treatment for Covid-19 patients. Another study suggested that steam inhalation therapy helps reduce respiratory tract infection symptoms in children.
2. Helps Provide Relief from Bronchitis
An old study suggests that steam inhalation in bronchitis patients eases respiratory distress for a short time,
3. Helps Cure Sinus Issues
According to researchsteam inhalation can also help calm sinusitis symptoms like sore throat, headache, and blocked nose. However, it does not help with congestion.
Benefits of Steam Inhalation During Cold
Steam inhalation is beneficial to open blocked nasal passages during cold and sinusitis. Steam provides moisture to dry mucus membranes and loosens congestion in the chest, Also, the hot vapor can help reduce bacterial infections in the nasal passage and reduce common cold symptoms.
How to Use Steam Inhaler?
You can try steam inhalation at home by boiling water in a pan. However, the easiest way to do steam inhalation is with steam inhalers available in the market. Here is how to take steam at home:
- Arrange the different parts of the steam inhaler together and add water to it.
- Plug in the inhaler and let the water heat up for thirty seconds.
- Bring your face above the steam inhaler. However, make sure that there is an appropriate distance because extremely hot vapor can cause burns.
- Once the water gets heated, you can inhale the steam for 15 minutes. Inhale steam only from your nose and keep your mouth closed.
- You can remove the plug of the inhaler for 1-2 minutes to ensure that the water doesn’t get too hot, or it can cause burns. You can also switch the inhaler to low heat settings, if possible.
- You can also keep a towel above your head to cover yourself so that you can inhale steam properly.
- Do not put excess water into the steam inhaler as it might spill out on getting heated.
- Keep your eyes closed while inhaling.
Steam Inhalation Side Effects
Even though steam therapy is beneficial in colds and sinus issues, it can have harmful effects too. The following are some steam inhalation side effects:
1. Burn or Injury
During steam inhalation, you should avoid using hot or boiling water. Steam inhalation with extremely hot water can cause burns on the face or nasal region. Burn injuries due to steam inhalation are more common in children. According to a studyseveral children had been admitted to emergency care because of burn injuries caused by steam inhalation during Covid-19.
2. Eye Infection
Steam inhalation without taking proper precautions can also potentially cause harm to the eyes. Overdoing steam inhalation or adding essential or homemade oil to the water can reduce blood supply to the eyes and cause swelling or redness in the eyes.
3. Cell Damage
Steam inhalation for long may also damage the throat and nose cells. Hot vapor can also make the nerve cells numb or damage them. This weakens the immune system.
4. Skin Issues
Steam inhalation for a long time can make your skin dry as it opens the pores. This can lead to bacterial growth on the skin and cause acne, redness, and itching.
Steam Therapy for Lungs at Home
Steam therapy is an Ayurvedic remedy that is beneficial in treating respiratory tract infections. It involves steam inhalation by adding several natural herbs. According to researchtraditional antibacterial herbs like eucalyptus enhance the benefits of steam therapy.
Other herbs like mint, neem, tulsi, basil, and rosemary can also be used. Here is how you can do steam therapy for lungs at home:
- Boil water in a pan and add 4-5 tulsi, eucalyptus, rose, or neem leaves.
- Keep the water aside for 1-2 minutes and apply ghee on the nostrils.
- Make a tent with a towel to cover your face and head.
- Sit on a chair and bring your head above the bowl to inhale the steam.
- You can inhale it for 8-10 minutes.
Steam therapy is beneficial in opening a blocked nasal passage and also provides relief from bronchitis symptoms.
Summing Up on Steam Inhalation
Steam inhalation is a simple, fast, and effective home remedy for temporary relief from nasal blockages during colds and sinusitis. It can also help prevent nasal allergies, but it cannot treat cold or sinusitis.
You should be extremely careful during steam inhalation. Excess hot vapor or steam inhalation for a long time can cause damage to the nose and throat cells and make your cold worse. Steam inhalation can also cause skin issues and swelling and redness in the eyes. It is safe to do steam inhalation for 10-12 minutes a day.
However, children below 12 should not be allowed to do steam inhalation.
Can Steam Inhalation Cause Loss of Smell?
Steam inhalation for sufficient time opens nasal passages and can help you get back your sense of smell. However, excessive steam inhalation can damage the nose cells or numb them. This can cause a temporary loss of smell,
Can a Nebulizer Be Used for Steam Inhalation?
No, a nebulizer should not be used for steam inhalation as it makes the vapor go to the chest directly. A nebulizer helps treat chest congestion. It may not help with nose blockage.
Is Steam Inhalation Safe During Pregnancy?
Yes, it is safe to take steam inhalation during pregnancy. It can help get relief from nasal blockage if you have a cold.


System Used: TB35 HI Curtain Wall System, ST70 Windows & Doors, Louvers
Certification: BREEAM “Excellent”
Client: John Paul Construction
Architect: Scott Tallon Walker
St Vincent’s Hospital is one of the world’s leading academic teaching hospitals providing front line, acute, chronic and emergency care across over 40 different medical specialities – in the country’s only integrated multi-hospital campus.
APA Facade Systems sustainable aluminum products have been ever-present across multiple buildings on the St. Vincent’s Hospital campus in Dublin.
Our curtain wall systems, high-performance window and door systems and louvers were installed across the public and private hospitals, the psychiatric building and the cystic fibrosis building.
St. Vincent's Private Hospital
St. Vincent’s Private Hospital is over 470,000 sq. ft. and Ireland’s largest private hospital. Achieving a “Excellent” BREEAM design rating, this 288-bed state-of-the-art facility was designed by Scott Tallon Walker. It received an honourable mention in 2012 in the category of Best Sustainable Building by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.
St. Vincent's Public Hospital
St. Vincent’s Public Hospital is a 269,000 sq. ft. clinical block providing eight new operating theatres, an intensive care unit, pathology laboratories, radiology and diagnostic imaging services, ambulatory day-care centre with two theatres, new consulting rooms, and a new accident and emergency department treating over 40,000 cases per annum.
The new five-storey accommodation, displays our curtain wall system on every elevation of the central glazed atrium, creating a light-filled building.
The multi-award winning public hospital development at St. Vincent’s won the Regional Award at Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland awards and the highly commended OPUS award.
The Cystic Fibrosis & Pysciatric Buildings
The psychiatric facility also won an OPUS award. The 52-bed facility delivered a superior therapeutic environment without detriment to patient safety. It includes a two-storey layout around an internal landscaped atrium and the provision of secure garden spaces.
The 114,000 sq. ft. Nutley Ward or cystic fibrosis building is a seven-storey block providing 100 inpatient bedrooms, designed to BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standards.


What is the purpose of this alert?
Between May 20 and June 5, 2020, a synthetic cannabinoid we haven’t seen before was found in 30% (9) of the opioid samples checked by Toronto’s drug checking service. This synthetic cannabinoid is known as ACHMINACA and was found in trace amounts, alongside fentanyl and heroin. The presence of ACHMINACA was not expected by those who submitted the samples to be checked. These samples were collected in Toronto’s west end and downtown core.
As far as we know, ACHMINACA hasn’t been found mixed with opioids anywhere else in Canada. We are sharing this alert to inform people who use drugs, as well as those who support and provide care for them.
What is ACHMINACA?
ACHMINACA is a synthetic cannabinoid. Synthetic cannabinoids are manufactured to be like THC, which is the main psychoactive component in cannabis, but can produce significant negative effects. Unfortunately, we don’t know a lot about the exact strength or effects of ACHMINACA. What we do know is that ACHMINACA belongs to a family of synthetic cannabinoids that are very strong. In fact, synthetic cannabinoids can be between 2 and 100 times stronger than THC.
The effects of synthetic cannabinoids may be intense – even by consuming very small amounts. Common side effects include distorted perception of time, having difficultly moving, increased heart rate, hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, fear, agitation, anxiety, nausea, and vomiting. More severe side effects include rapid loss of consciousness, chest pain or stroke, seizures and involuntary movement, high blood pressure, acute kidney injury, psychosis, aggressive and violent behaviour, and even death.
When synthetic cannabinoids (ACHMINACA or AMB-FUBINACA) have presented alongside opioids in samples we’ve checked, they’ve generally been in trace amounts (less than 5% of drugs found). At this and other amounts, it is unlikely to be able to identify synthetic cannabinoids by sight or taste.
What are the potential effects of using ACHMINACA in combination with opioids?
Unlike cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids have been known to suppress breathing and other vitals during overdose situations. When synthetic cannabinoids and opioids are used together, the risk of dangerous suppression of vitals is increased. This is also true for synthetic cannabinoids in combination with other central nervous system depressants, like benzodiazepines or benzodiazepine-related drugs, which are presenting in over 30% of all opioid samples we’ve checked. Unfortunately, we don’t know much more about the effects of using opioids and synthetic cannabinoids together.
Advice to reduce potential harms
- Get your drugs checked before using. In Toronto, drug checking services are offered at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre (Queen West site), South Riverdale Community Health Centre, and The Works at Toronto Public Health. You can also check your drugs after you’ve used them by submitting paraphernalia, like a cooker or a filter.
- Use at a supervised consumption site or overdose prevention site. Here is a list of sites that offer supervised consumption in Toronto.
- Use with someone else and take turns spotting for each other. Stay 6 feet from your buddy if you are not from the same household to avoid passing COVID-19. A buddy system is safer than using alone. If you must use alone, call someone you know and have them stay on the phone with you while you use. Tell them your address and keep your door unlocked. Alternatively, you could call the Overdose Prevention Line at 1-888-853-8542 if you are about to use drugs and are located in Ontario.
- Do a small test dose first.
- Carry and be trained to use naloxone, which can be picked up for free from your local frontline harm reduction agency or pharmacy.
- Call 911 in an overdose situation. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides legal protection from drug-related charges for carrying drugs for personal use and other simple possession offences.
- If your drugs did not contain what you were expecting, consider talking to the person you got your drugs from, or get your drugs from another source if possible.


My husband and I have an extensive background in human and animal health. I have degrees in both Allied Health (Cytogenetics) and I am also a Family Nurse Practitioner. My husband has his PhD in Animal Health. This extensive background in genetics and science has focused our breeding philosopy on prevention.
We believe in the value of prevention and Health Test the parents of our puppies! Copies of the health tests are provided on the parents of each puppy.
Our adult breeding dogs have been tested extensively prior to breeding, including eyes, elbows, and genetic disorders to ensure the health of our dogs and the puppies as well.
All of our dogs have had Embark Genetic testing. Embark tests for over 100 different disorders, including the six most common genetic diseases found in the Coton de Tulear. Part of the screening is to make sure that if a breeding dog is a carrier of this disease, it is not breed to another dog carrying the same disease. This practice helps to eliminate disease in the Coton de Tulear and create genetically healthy puppies.
PRA is a hereditary group of diseases that cause the retina to degenerate slowly over time. The disease results in declining vision and eventual blindness. “prcd” stands for “progressive rod-cone degeneration” which is the type of PRA known in several breeds. This is a hereditary disease, therefore, we pay careful attention to be sure that we only breed dogs that won’t produce PRA affected puppies.
Cardiac Heart Screening
Canine congenital heart diseases are malformations of the heart or great vessels. The lesions characterizing congenital heart defects are present at birth and may develop more fully over time. Many congenital heart defects are thought to be genetically transmitted; however, the exact modes of inheritance have not been determined for all cardiovascular malformations. All dogs are screened by a Veternarian prior to breeding.
OFA Patellas and Elbow
This screening tests help us to not breed dogs that can pass along patella or elbow issues.
CERF Eye Exams
This one eye exam is used to identify 20 possible disorders including: Progressive retinal atrophy, Cataract, Coloboma, Dacryocystitis, Distichiasis, Ectropion, Entropion, Epiphora, Glaucoma, Hemeralopia, Iris atrophy, Lacrimal duct atresia, Lens luxation, Microphthalmia, Optic nerve hypoplasia, Pannus, Persistent hyaloid artery, Persistent pupillary membrane, Retinal detachment, Retinal dysplasia.
Our adult Cotons are either DNA tested or cleared by parentage (parents were “clear” therefore all future dogs will also be clear) for CMR2, von Willebrand’s Disorder, Neonatal Cerebellar Ataxia, Degenerative Myelopathy, and PH.


Obesity is a worldwide pandemic. A quarter of all adults in the UK are currently considered obese, and terrifyingly one in five children between the ages of 10 and 11 are also in the obese category. But fear not. The soft drinks industry has the answer to one of the biggest health crises currently facing the Western world. The solution? Sugar free soft drinks. A low-calorie alternative to sugar, without the detrimental health problems attached, but crucially maintaining the same taste quality, the market for these drinks has grown year on year. And why wouldn’t it? These drinks have zero sugar, some zero calories. Surely, the only other drink this pure is water?
Well, no. Not exactly. You see what has actually happened is that in the last 10 years a large amount of scientific research has been released espousing the dangers of sugar, linking it to obesity and type II diabetes (Imamura et al., 2015). If fat was the obesity villain of the twentieth century, ever expanding our waistline, then sugar has taken over the mantel in the twenty first (Leslie, 2016). Figure 1 provides a good visualisation of added sugar in soft drinks. Sugar added to drinks provides the body with a huge number of calories but provides no additional nutritional benefits. For example, fruits such as oranges are naturally high in sugar, but in eating them a person also consumes large amounts of fibre and multivitamins. There is no such added nutrition in fizzy drinks. Research was also released in 2013 suggesting that sugar is more addictive to the body than drugs such as cocaine (Ahmed et al., 2013). In the last 15 years sugar has emerged as a dangerous contributor to the obesity epidemic.
Research led to huge government initiatives to both increase taxation of sugary drinks and to also increase awareness of the dangers associated with their intake. This could have been catastrophic for the soft drinks industry. But they had a trump card. Sugar free alternatives. Figure 1 highlights their appeal when compared to sugar filled drinks. Intake of sugar provides a huge energy boost, that if not used is converted to fat for storage. Sugar free drinks work on the basis that these synthetic sweeteners provide little if any energy, but deliver the same sweet taste (Borges et al., 2017). The fizzy drink industry has taken full advantage of this and have branded these drinks as a healthy alternative that will help you lose weight (de Sá, 2014; Sylvetsky et al., 2012). Artificial sweeteners provide a way to benefit big business, and curb the obesity crisis. Apt that their benefits are being extolled just at the same time governments are clamping down on the soft drinks industry.
There are, however, issues with corporations branding sugar free drinks as ‘healthy’. There are long standing concerns that sugar free sweeteners trigger compensatory mechanisms within the body that prevent weight loss. Sweeteners are thought to stimulate taste receptors and increase appetite (Borges et al., 2017). It is also thought that because people are consuming fewer calories in their beverages they then subconsciously over consume other types of food (Blundell and Hill, 1986). Research into the effects of sugar free drinks on weight loss is limited and can be divided into one of two categories. That carried out by groups with interests in the fizzy drinks industry and research carried out by people without a conflict of interest. The majority of papers released state that there is no relationship between intake of sugar free drinks and weight loss. A small minority of papers found a small link between their intake and weight loss, but these papers were either poorly carried out, had links to big fizzy drinks corporations, or both (Borges et al. 2017). In terms of scientific research, this limits their validity. At this time claims by the soft drinks industry that sugar free alternatives to fizzy drinks will help aid weight loss, appear to be wholly unsubstantiated.
There are also concerns about the health effects of these chemical sweeteners on the body. Sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame K have only been consumed by humans in large quantities for the last 50 years, their long-term effects on the body are relatively unknown. It has been suggested that such chemicals can cause glucose intolerance by altering gut microbiota (Suez et al., 2014). Although meta-analyses have since found that such papers are subject to publication bias and confounding effects (Imamura et al., 2015). This basically means that because the paper produced contentious and headline grabbing results, it was more likely to be published and that if false positive results were found they wouldn’t be discarded as frequently as usual due to public interest. While properly conducted scientific research is lacking, a huge amount of unsubstantiated online content can be found on the negative effects of sugar free beverages. (For example: http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html). These are often linked to the sweetener aspartame. The most contentious of the artificial sweeteners, it has been linked to brain tumours, leukaemia and allergic reactions. However, comprehensive studies into these claims have found it to be perfectly safe for human consumption. The body breaks the chemical down into harmless by-products such as aspartic acid. Headaches and migraines are also the biggest symptom exhibited in placebo trials (NHS, 2016). There appears to be numerous second hand accounts on the dangers of these sweeteners, but the science to back up these claims is lacking. The current scientific consensus is that artificial sweeteners are perfectly safe for human consumption.
Ultimately these drinks have been marketed on a global scale as a ‘healthier’ alternative to soft drinks containing sugar. To refer to them as healthy is an overstatement and an indictment of how global businesses will bend the truth to sell a product. Sugar free alternatives are probably less damaging than their sugar filled counterparts, but this does not make them healthy. More research needs to be carried out by scientists, specifically institutions that have no conflict of interest with the soft drink industry, to assess the effect of these drinks on weight and health. Government policy then needs to be implemented to increase awareness and ban unsubstantiated claims made by the soft drinks industry. This will better inform the general public on what they are consuming. If in doubt and trying to lead a healthier lifestyle/lose weight, the healthiest beverage will always be water.
Ahmed, S.H., Guillem, K., Vandaele, Y. (2013) Sugar addiction: pushing the drug sugar analogy to the limit. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 16: 434-439
Blundell, J.E. and Hill, A.J. (1986) Paradoxical effects of an intense sweetener (aspartame) on appetite. Lancet 1, 1092-1093
Borges, M.C., Louzada, M.L., Hérick de Sá, T., Laverty, A.A., Parra, D.C., Garzillo, J.M.F., Monteiro, C.A., Millett, C. (2017) Artifically sweetened beverages and the response to the global obesity crisis. Public Library of Science Medicine 14: 1-9
de Sá, H. T., (2014) Can Coca Cola promote physical activity? Lancet 383, 2041
Hull, J.S. http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html Last accessed: 13/03/17
Imamura, F., O’Connor, L., Ye, Z., Mursu, J., Hayashino, Y., Bhupathiraju, S.N. et al. (2015) Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice and incidence of type 2 diabetes: systematic review, meta analysis, and estimation of population attributable fractions. The British Medical Journal 351: h3576
Leslie, I. (2016) The sugar conspiracy. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/07/the-sugar-conspiracy-robert-lustig-john-yudkin Last accessed: 5/3/17
NHS (2016) The truth about aspartame. http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/the-truth-about-aspartame.aspx Last accessed: 5/3/17
Suez, J., Korem, T., Zeevi, D., Zilberman-Schapira, G., Thaiss, C.A., Maza, O., et al. (2014) Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature 514, 181-186
Sylvetsky, A.C., Welsh, J.A., Brown, R.J., Vos, M.B. (2012) Low-calrie sweetener consumption is increasing in the United States. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 96, 640-640
Picture; Diabetes UK http://www.diabetes.co.uk/sugary-soft-drinks.html Last accessed: 5/3/17


Kin Kin Tea Turmeric & Ginger Herbal Tea
20 Pyramid Teabags – 35g net – Made in Australia
A delicious healing and anti-inflammatory tea, comprising of Turmeric, Ginger and Lemongrass.
Turmeric, with its many healing and antioxidant properties, is arguably the most powerful herb on the planet. Turmeric helps stimulate the body’s immune system with its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal properties. Turmeric and ginger both have strong anti-inflammatory properties, making this tea a great choice for those suffering from arthritis.


2D Obstetric Ultrasound
|Title||2D Obstetric Ultrasound|
|Year of Publication||2012|
The development of the obstetric ultrasound has allowed physicians and embryologists to obtain a clear picture of the developing human embryo and fetus during pregnancy. Obstetric ultrasonography, often referred to as ultrasound, is a technology that uses sound waves to produce images of structures inside the human body. A handheld probe emits sound waves, which are reflected back by the different structures within the body. These reflected sound waves are converted into electric signals that are detected by a transducer, which then produces two-dimensional images that can be interpreted by medical professionals. Ultrasound technology has become a sophisticated, high-resolution diagnostic imaging tool used widely in medicine, especially obstetrics.


About Dr. Pinkhasova
Yelena Pinkhasova, OD, is a highly skilled, TPA-certified optometrist who provides friendly and professional care to her patients at Bainbridge Eye Care, located in the Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City.
Dr. Pinkhasova earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Salus University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, and is a member of the American Optometric Association and the New York State Optometric Association. Her TPA (therapeutic pharmaceutical agents) certification grants her the authority to prescribe medications to further treat her patients.
Dr. Pinkhasova is deeply experienced in diagnosing and treating a wide range of ocular pathologies, from common conditions such as dry eyes, infected eyes, and near- and farsightedness, to more complex issues like cataracts, glaucoma, and autoimmune- and diabetes-related concerns. She’s also skilled in contact lens fitting.
Dr. Pinkhasova enjoys working with patients of all ages and actually specializes in children’s vision problems. Her fluency in English, Russian, and Spanish enable her to provide personalized and compassionate care to patients of all backgrounds. She looks forward to providing all of her patients with high-quality and individualized care.


A 47-year-old woman who travelled to Wuhan with her family, was yesterday confirmed as the first Singaporean with the virus.
She was one of the 92 Singaporeans evacuated from the city on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health said the woman was asymptomatic when she boarded the Scoot flight.
But upon arrival at Changi Airport, she was found to have a fever during a medical screening, and was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) — where she tested positive.
MOH also confirmed two more cases yesterday, bringing the total number of those infected with the virus, to 16.
Both the latest cases are Chinese nationals who had travelled to Wuhan. All three cases are in stable condition.


At PathVision.ai, we are determined to create a comprehensive AI-based tool, which will dramatically improve the accuracy of decision-making during the diagnostics in digital pathology. By combining highly accurate neural networks with an advanced diagnostic software, we create a new step in diagnostic process, which will improve the accuracy and save a lot of time for a specialist.
Our first solution on prostate cancer detection will provide a pathologist with the initial overview of the particular case, marking out all the biomarkers, which indicate the cancer presence. Other neural networks evaluate the numbers, providing the accurate Gleyson score and prognosis for the cancer, providing the essential for a more precise diagnostics. Other than that, we plan to create more solutions for digital pathology by 2021 in these particular areas:
- Breast cancer
- Skin cancer
- Colon cancer
These are the types of oncology, which are the most widespread but still complicated for diagnostics types of oncology.


My Doctor Has A “DO,” What Is That?
I am honored to have @DrJonathan, a Family Medicine resident from Chicago, guest blogging this week for Medical Education Monday on what exactly a “DO” degree is. After receiving questions on Twitter from two separate people asking if it was “ok” to continue seeing their physician who had a “DO” degree, I knew it was time for this post. Before applying to medical school I truly had no idea there were two types of physicians in the United States and it was interesting to me to learn about Osteopathic degrees. @DrJonathan graduated with his degree in Osteopathic medicine this semester and is now attending residency. Today he has written a wonderful article about DOs geared towards info useful to the general public and next time he will be explaining the differences in licensing and training for students who may be trying to decide between the two paths into medicine! He is a superb writer, you won’t be disappointed.
What Is Osteopathic Medicine?
Despite all the different types of medical professions in America, a physician is the most universally recognized medical profession. Most people associate the word “physician” with an individual who has an MD (Doctor of Medicine). Although most physicians are MDs, they only account for a portion of medical doctors in America. The other type of fully licensed medical doctor in the US is the Osteopathic Physician (DO). Currently, there are over 80,000 practicing Osteopathic Physicians in the United States. They account for almost 10% of all practicing physicians and nearly 20% of current medical students are in Osteopathic medical schools. Osteopathic physicians can be found in any medical field from Pediatrics to Family Medicine to Dermatology to Orthopedic Surgery. Their training includes all the training MD receives: they attend 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and at least 3 years of residency. Although they also have their own types, they can complete the same residency training programs, same medical board exams, and earn the same board certification as MDs. They are fully licensed physicians and surgeons in all 50 states, prescribe medications, perform surgery, and independently practice medicine. DOs and MDs work alongside one another in all areas of medicine. They are separate, but equal in their medical practice and theory. The difference lies in the Osteopathic medical philosophy.
Osteopathic medicine was founded in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, a MD. He felt that the medical practices of the day were suboptimal and thought physicians should promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself, prevent disease, and maintain health. He emphasized the muscuoskeletal system in understanding how illness or injury in one part of the body affects another. Osteopathic physicians are taught from the first day of Osteopathic medical school to treat the entire person – not just one body part or system. Their training focuses on the body’s inherent ability to heal itself. They look for ways to restore and maintain health, not just eliminate disease. In addition to learning all that MDs learn, DOs are also trained in the practice of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). OMT is predicated on the theory that structure and function are reciprocally related. Without optimal structure and function, the health of the body suffers. OMT consists of hands-on therapy that helps remove restriction, encourage blood and lymphatic flow, alleviate pain, and return the body to its original state of healthy functioning. Osteopathic physicians can use OMT in every field of medicine in order to restore and maintain health. This additional skills that DOs possess enables them to bring an extra dimension to quality patient care.
DOs play a vital role not only in helping reduce the physician shortage in America, but especially in meeting the need for primary care physicians. Given the holistic, patient-centered view of Osteopathic medicine, it is not surprising that over 60% of DOs practice primary care in fields such as Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. DOs are also notorious for practicing in rural, underserved communities. Primary care is most conducive to the Osteopathic philosophy of holistic, preventative, patient-centered healthcare.
The differences between DOs and MDs are subtle, but deep. That does not, however, minimize the fact that they both work for a common purpose: to ease suffering, promote health, prevent disease, and improve quality of life in patients. Osteopathic physicians, however, use their unique philosophy, additional skill set, and all other available medical options to provide patients with the highest quality, most comprehensive healthcare available.


Marina Med Spa is one of the first facilities to offer the exciting new fat-reduction treatment called CoolMini. Are you ready to get rid of your double chin once and for all?
The trusted folks at ZELTIQ who brought you CoolSculpting have designed a mini-adaptor to the process. This new device, the CoolMini applicator, effectively addresses the pockets of fat on the neck and under the chin, known as submental fat.
With ZELTIQ’s recent FDA approval of this non-invasive procedure, patients are finally able to reduce the fat deposits responsible for a double chin.
Before treatment with the CoolMini Los Angeles patients are approved by a board-certified plastic surgeon at Marina Med Spa during a consultation. The plastic surgeon makes sure the patient has enough manipulable pockets of fat to treat.
Once the patient is approved for treatment, a CoolMini appointment is created. The treatment itself begins with the marking of the areas to be treated. A gel pack is then placed over the skin for protection. Once the applicator is turned on, gentle suctioning near the cooling plates help the technology to maximize the surface-to-volume ratio of cold on the targeted fat cells. The cooling begins within minutes of application. Patients will feel a temporary cold sensation before the area becomes numb.
Some patients experience sensations of tugging, pulling, or pinching during treatment. These sensations subside as the treatment area becomes numb. Treatment may take up to one hour depending on the size of the area being treated. Once the freezing process is complete, the practitioner massages the targeted area to reduce any bulging that results from the suctioning. In addition, this massaging technique increases the effectiveness of the treatment by helping to flush out the area. Los Angeles CoolMini patients can return home immediately and resume their normal activities safely and without discomfort. Some patients may experience mild numbness or tingling after treatment, but this sensation goes away in a matter of a few hours at most. Sessions typically take about an hour to complete, and as previously mentioned, they require none of the recovery associated with surgery or other techniques.
One of the more common issues plastic surgeons hear about is the struggle to reshape and reduce the area under the chin. No matter how much they diet and exercise, that stubborn fat refuses to go away.
One of the more common issues plastic surgeons hear about is the struggle to reshape and reduce the area under the chin. No matter how much they diet and exercise, that stubborn fat refuses to go away. In previous years, submental liposuction was the go-to procedure to eliminate a double chin. Though neck lipo is indeed an effective option, it does require more invasive techniques, which leads to a longer recovery. As technology continues to advance us into an age of non-surgical treatments, it’s now possible for patients to experience the benefits of liposuction without the invasive process that comes with it. Plastic surgeons are expecting the demand for CoolMini treatments to be extremely high. Instead of surgically suctioning out the fat, CoolMini treatments use the same selective cryolipolysis technology to destroy fat cells as the now ubiquitous CoolSculpting procedure.
The CoolSculpting process is effective and safe because fat cells freeze at a different temperature than skin or nerve tissue. This allows for controlled cooling of the fat cells without creating any collateral damage to nearby tissue. As a result, the fat gradually dissolves and is flushed out of the system through the body’s natural processes. What makes CoolMini an exciting addition to the CoolSculpting process is the smaller size and new curvature of the device. It is designed to effectively address smaller surface areas where requests for fat reduction are increasingly common, such as the region under the chin. The CoolMini applicator was actually developed back in 2007. After nearly eight years of clinical trials and testing, the FDA was ready to offer its stamp of approval. During these clinical trials, plastic surgeons were blown away by how effective the treatment was.
It takes about three days for the fat cells to begin experiencing apoptosis, or natural cell death. Results can be seen about three weeks after the session and may require a couple of visits depending on the amount of fat present. As the frozen fat cells die and dissolve into the body, the treated area will continue to reduce in volume. Optimum results are typically seen around the 12-week mark. The body will continue to flush out destroyed fat cells up to 6 months after treatment.
After excess fat is eliminated, the newly defined facial contours will create a more youthful and sculpted appearance. By reducing volume in the chin and reshaping those highly visible contours, patients will also appear to have lost a significant amount of weight. Patients average a 20-percent fat reduction in the treated area, which is consistent with typical CoolSculpting applicators. Results can be maintained indefinitely with a healthy diet and regular exercise. At Marina Med Spa, our skilled physicians have experience with CoolSculpting and with surgically treating the areas under the chin, making them ideal for providing CoolMini treatment. To learn more about the CoolMini applicator, contact our office to set up an appointment.
Once fat cells have been destroyed with cryolipolysis, they are permanently eliminated from the body and cannot be replaced. However, the remaining fat cells will continue to swell and shrink naturally with weight change. Significant weight change after CoolMini treatment may affect results. Patients who are planning to lose weight or anticipate weight change are often encouraged to postpone treatment until their weight is stable to achieve the best possible and most sustainable results.
CoolMini is an ideal treatment option for healthy adults experiencing stubborn pockets of fat in smaller areas of the body (especially under the chin) which do not respond to diet and exercise. Candidates’ weight should be stable. CoolMini in Los Angeles is safe for all skin types and tones.
Many patients are satisfied with their results after just one CoolMini session. However, some patients may choose to receive 2 to 3 treatments to achieve optimal results. These treatments should be scheduled at least 4 to 6 weeks apart.
Los Angeles CoolMini is non-invasive, safe, and well-tolerated by the vast majority of patients. However, some minor side effects may occur as a result of CoolMini treatment. During treatment, it is not uncommon for some patients to experience tugging, pulling, or pinching.Soon after treatment, some patients report pain, aching, or stinging in the treatment area. These side effects typically appear soon after treatment and can last 3 to 11 days. Redness, swelling, bruising, and tenderness may also develop in treatment areas, though these conditions are generally mild and can be expected to subside within a couple of weeks.Very rarely, a serious side effect called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia may occur. This condition involves the expansion of fat cells in the treated area. While this condition does not pose a health risk, it does require surgery to correct.
CoolMini requires very little preparation, although you may be asked to avoid or temporarily discontinue the use of medications or supplements which may thin the blood. Ibuprofen, aspirin, ginger, turmeric, fish oil, and blood thinners should be avoided to prevent increased bruising.
CoolMini effectively eliminates stubborn fat from the area beneath the chin, though it does not tighten the skin. During your CoolMini Los Angeles consultation, all concerns will be considered to develop a treatment plan which will provide you with the best possible results.
Want to know if Freeze the Fat is right for you? Schedule a zero-pressure consultation with the #1 Los Angeles CoolSculpting provider. Our cryolipolysis experts have performed tens of thousands of treatments and will answer any questions you might have about the process.
Call Us Today At (310) 827-2653
4560 Admiralty Way Suite 256, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292


Suicide is preventable. If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, help is available 24/7.
If you live in the US: Call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Or reach them on their website: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
If you live in Canada: Call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.
Or reach them on their website: www.kidshelpphone.ca
And please remember, you are never alone.


Scholarships for Students with Tourette Syndrome
Although the Tourette Association of America doesn’t offer college scholarships, there are currently three scholarships available through other organizations that specifically cater to students with Tourette Syndrome (TS). It’s important to note that students with TS may also be affected by other conditions, so when searching for scholarships, it may be helpful to look for those that cover co-occurring conditions or have broader criteria.
For instance, there are scholarships for students with ADHD, as well as scholarships for students with learning disabilities like Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, and Auditory Processing Disorder, among others. Additionally, there are yearly scholarships that cover a wider range of disabilities. Below is a list of scholarship opportunities that are most relevant to the TS community, which you may want to explore. Click on the scholarship names for more information about them.
Check out these scholarship opportunities for students with Tourette Syndrome (TS) or tic disorders:
- Dollars for Tic Scholars
- ScholasTIC Tourettes Supporters, Inc.
- Kenny’s Dream Foundation
- Scholarships for students with disabilities:
- California Association for Post-Secondary Education and Disability (CAPED) Scholarship Program
- American Association on Health and Disability
- Fredrick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability
- NBC UNIVERSAL Tony Coelho Media Scholarship
- The Ability Center of Greater Toledo Scholarship
- Incight Scholarship
- Through the Looking Glass (for children who have a parent with a disability)
There are also scholarships available for students with learning disabilities or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
- Anne Ford Scholarship and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship (through the National Center for Learning Disabilities)
- Fred J. Epstein Youth Achievement Award
- The Marion Huber Learning Through Listening Awards
- Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship
- Buckley Moss Endowed Scholarship
- Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship
Lastly, if you’re a student with a physical disability or use a wheelchair, these scholarships may be of interest to you:
- 1800wheelchair.com Scholarship
- George & Dorothy Mulinski Scholarship
- Independence Foundation Scholarship
How does Tourette syndrome affect the brain?
Scientists have found that Tourette’s is associated with various regions of the brain, such as the basal ganglia, which regulates bodily movements. It is believed that variances in this area can impact nerve cells and neurotransmitters that transmit messages between them. Researchers believe that abnormalities in this neural network could contribute to the development of Tourette’s.


Follow My Story
I had my first ultrasound when I was 12 weeks preggers. The doctor’s do an ultrasound between 10-14 weeks to make sure the due date is correct, to check on the baby’s growth, and to check for down syndrome.
It was my mom, Zach and I that went to the appointment. I remember being excited to have an ultrasound but I had no idea what to expect other than what I saw on tv. The worst part was having to drink a ton of water before the ultrasound to make sure they got a good picture of the baby. It really sucked, and I seriously thought I was going to pee my pants throughout the whole ultrasound with her pushing on my belly.
So we go into the room, I lay down on the table and they squeeze this jelly on my belly. (Some places are nice and warm up the jelly but this one was freezing.) The ultrasound tech put the thing to my belly and up pops a picture of our little baby. At 12 weeks, I could actually see a clear picture of a little head, body, arms and legs. It was pretty funny because the baby’s head was as big as the body so he or she was top heavy. It was pretty amazing being able to see this mysterious thing that was continuously growing inside of me.
Zach later told me he got all chocked up when he saw our baby during the ultrasound. I didn’t even notice because I wasn’t even paying attention to anything; I was just so fascinated with seeing the baby for the first time.
After seeing the ultrasound, I walked out of the office actually feeling kind of excited about having this baby. Scared but excited as well.
This is what I saw…


Research by Yanus et al. assessing the human risk of trace metals in chocolate said that although the lead concentration found in a variety of global brands analyzed was below the US Pharmacopeia (USP) 1,000 ng/g limit, the lead concentration should, “still be considered a health concern”.
Risk exceeding daily limit
“Children, who are big consumers of chocolates, may be at risk of exceeding the daily limit of Pb [lead], due to their low body weight and higher digestive tract uptake,” said the Israeli researchers.
“They may be vulnerable to lead exposure from these products – one cube of dark chocolate can contain up to 20% of the lead oral limit; furthermore chocolate may not be the only source of lead in their nutrition thus increasing the risk of exceeding the daily limit.”
The same risk does not apply to adults, whose digestive absorption of metals is poor.
The more cocoa solids, the more lead
The research found a correlation between a high cocoa solid content and high levels of lead.
“In large quantities it is preferable for children to eat milk or white chocolates than eating dark chocolates [which have a higher cocoa solid concentration],” said the study.
Earlier research has shown that lead takes a long time to exit the body and in a short time can cause health problems in children including vomiting, constipation and weight loss as well as behavioural changes, slowed growth and memory and impaired language development.


What To Do If You Have To Give Your Dog Antibiotics
Vets are constantly prescribing antibiotics to dogs. The problem is antibiotics can harm your dog’s microbiome and increase the risk of chronic disease.
The good news is you can resolve many problems like diarrhea or ear infections without antibiotics. But sometimes there’s no other option and your dog needs antibiotics.
If you have to give your dog antibiotics there are things you can do to prevent damage and further problems …
3 Things You Shouldn’t Do
If you must give your dog antibiotics you don’t want to do these three things …
1. Give Lactobacillus Probiotics
Your dog’s microbiome is made up of communities of bacteria. These communities contain harmful bacteria but they’re kept in check by a healthy population of beneficial ones.
Probiotics help promote the growth and survival of beneficial bacteria. So it makes sense that giving probiotics during and after a round of antibiotics would help balance your dog’s microbiome.
Probiotics with Lactobacillus bacteria can be very beneficial for your dog. They:
- Inhibit growth of harmful bacteria
- Benefit immune cells
- Increase population of good bacteria in the gut
- Help regulate mood and emotions
- Improve colon health and reduce IBS
But when they’re given during or after antibiotic use, Lactobacillus probiotics can delay the microbiome’s recovery. This can leave your dog susceptible to even worse health problems.
You’ll learn later on which probiotics you should give. But first … here’s two more important things you shouldn’t do.
2. Give Antibiotics Indiscriminately
The more that you use antibiotics for dogs, the more resistant your dog can become to them. Studies on farm animals show that continued use can lead to antibiotics resistance. And not just for the animals taking them … the people who worked on the farms also grew a resistance.
And it isn’t just animals and people. Overuse of antibiotics has led to resistant organisms that survive even the strongest medicines. This can lead to serious infections medicine isn’t able to handle.
That’s why it’s important to use antibiotics sparingly and save them for life-threatening illnesses. If your dog has diarrhea, ear infections, minor wounds or other manageable problems … look for alternative remedies. That way you can save antibiotics for life-threatening illnesses that have no other solutions.
Antibiotics stop infections by killing bacteria but antibiotics kill indiscriminately. They don’t differentiate between bad bacteria and beneficial bacteria that help keep your dog healthy. This exposes your dog to even more health problems.
If you have to give your dog antibiotics, the worst thing you can do is nothing. If you do nothing, you’ll leave your dog with poor gut health, which can lead to other chronic issues.
Instead, here’s three things you can do to reduce the risk …
3 Things You Should Do
If your dog is on antibiotics, be sure to do these three things …
1. Choose The Right Probiotics
Now you know you shouldn’t use Lactobacillus probiotics to repair the microbiome after antibiotic use. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give probiotics.
Instead, choose Saccharomyces boulardii. Or choose soil based probiotics like Bacillus subtiliis and Bacillus coagulans. These probiotics can help restore your dog’s microbiome and gut health.
Saccharomyces boulardii isn’t your typical probiotic … it’s a healthy yeast that isn’t killed by antibiotics. You can give it to your dog while he’s on antibiotics to protect beneficial bacteria in the gut. It can also help prevent antibiotic-related diarrhea. It’s also helpful for yeast infections and reduces chronic inflammation.
Soil based probiotics are spore-forming bacteria found in soil and water. They can form a hard shell that protects them from most antibiotics. Bacillus subtiliis and Bacillus coagulans are two common Bacillus strains you can try.
Bacillus coagulans crowds out unfriendly bacteria, reduces inflammation and helps with digestive issues. Bacillus subtiliis helps boost the immune system and strengthens the gut. It’s also helpful for urinary tract infections (UTI).
At Four Leaf Rover, we have three probiotic products. If your dog is on antibiotics we recommend using Gut Guard or Protect. Both products contain Bacillus subtiliis and Bacillus coagulans. Protect also has Saccharomyces boulardii.
While BFF can support the gut and help with digestive upset, constipation and bowel disease … it contains Lactobacillus probiotics that you shouldn’t give with antibiotics.
2. Give Prebiotics
Whenever you give your dog probiotics, you want to give prebiotics as well. Prebiotics are soluble fibers that travel to your dog’s colon and feed the bacteria living there. They help make beneficial bacteria more effective and can help increase the populations of good bacteria living in your dogs gut.
Prebiotics also help create postbiotics, like short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These help improve your dogs …
- Reduce harmful bacteria
- Reduce inflammation
- Strengthen the immune system
- Prevent leaky gut
- Reduce food allergies
- Help your dog absorb nutrients
Common prebiotics you can add to your dog’s diet are mushrooms, dandelion root and burdock root. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are also prebiotic.
You can also look for a probiotic supplement that contains prebiotics. This is a convenient way to make sure your dog gets what he needs. But don’t forget to check the bacteria strains to be sure you’re giving your dog Saccharomyces boulardii or soil based probiotics.
3. Avoid starch
Starch feeds harmful bacteria species that can increase your dog’s risk of getting sick. That means you want to steer clear of kibbles … they’re full of starchy carbohydrates your dog doesn’t need (even when he isn’t on antibiotics).
Insead you want to feed a high protein low carb (HPLC) diet. This will improve the diversity of your dog’s gut microbiome and support the beneficial bacteria. Feeding a raw diet is an excellent choice for a more balanced gut.
Finding natural alternatives to harmful antibiotics is important. But sometimes you don’t have a choice. If your dog needs antibiotics … follow these 6 pieces of advice. That way you can help your dog get better, while preventing further issues down the road.


Funny how a person can remember exactly where he or she was when something bad happens that affects your life profusely. I have days that are forever etched in my mind. One of the foremost is the day I found out my mother had ovarian cancer. Even worse, I was sitting with her at that exact moment and I often wonder what was going through her mind when she heard that word…that awful “C” word…no ones wants to hear. That day began a journey that lasted a little over three years. A journey that I spent with my mother…trying to be her support through the bad days and helping her live life just a little better on those good days.
September is recognized as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. September is the month I lost my beautiful mother to her fight against this disease (September 23, 2004). In a touch of irony, teal (one of mother’s favorite colors) is the official color of the ribbons, jewelry and other items used to bring awareness to this deadly cancer.
How can a vibrant person who loves life and has a great respect for health get mixed up in this fight? How can one so aware of the health of others not see this coming?
Long regarded as the ‘silent killer’ ovarian cancer is almost always detected in late stages. A person is incredibly lucky to be diagnosed in the first stages. Many are able to get help while the disease is in the second stage. But…most ovarian cancers are found in stage three and stage four. For those unfamiliar with these stages, let me give a quick primer. In Stage One, cancer is limited to one or both ovaries. Stage Two has the cancer in one or both ovaries and it has spread to other pelvic structures. By Stage Three not only have one or both ovaries been involved with the disease but also either the cancer has spread beyond the pelvis and is in the lining of the abdomen or cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The tumor is limited to the true pelvis but also malignant extension to the small bowel. By Stage Four again one or both ovaries are involved and the cancer has actual metastasized to the liver or lungs. Also, the pleural fluid (excess fluid located around the lungs) contains ovarian cancer cells.
For each of the first three stages there are three grades of I, II or III…each a step worse than the next as far as the exposure to the cancer.
My mother, when hers was found, was already at Third Stage, III. Not to be graphic, but to be helpful to you, her cancer had spread into her pelvis area, her abdomen and its lining. None was found in her lymph nodes. When she had surgery two LARGE tumors were removed…one located right at her stomach; also she had to have the protective lining to her abdomen removed, leaving her susceptible to herniation of that area of her body. With the ascites (fluid) that occurs with many cancers plus this loss of abdominal lining, she often had to have the fluid drained (I actually sat with her many occasions when this was done (mind you, she was awake for these procedures)…while it relieves pressure on organs and gives the patient relief it also speeds the accumulation of even MORE fluid).
I know I am not painting a pretty picture, but it is a picture of a wonderful, brave woman who loved her life…suffering one of the deadliest cancers today. Unfortunately, ovarian cancer is not called a silent killer for nothing. Symptoms are not very easy to spot. And when they are, often they are mistaken for gall bladder trouble, weight gain or other maladies.
My mother thought she had gall bladder trouble. She experienced some bloating and had trouble with not wanting to eat at times. Food didn’t seem to agree with her…either she wasn’t hungry or although hungry she couldn’t eat very much. Spotting/unusual bleeding occurred even though she’d already gone past menopause. She never mentioned constipation or abdominal pain to me but these are also signs of a possible illness. Her stomach appeared distended, which she attributed to a possible gall bladder problem. Again, nothing alarming and nothing too out of the ordinary that she felt in danger. Taken all together, these symptoms are quite obvious she was sick. But they all didn’t happen at the same times. Also, by the time these symptoms are all coming together there is a great possibility the cancer has ventured into the Stage Three area.
According to ovariancancer.org you should also watch for other symptoms that have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse and menstrual irregularities. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer.
These are not silent symptoms. A person can and does notice these unusual or uncommon things as they happen to the body, especially a combination of a few. These are signs that you take and run straight to your doctor!
Early detection is KEY! For those in the high risk category, there is the CA-125 test, while it does have false positives…it measure the concentration of protein CA-125 (elevated numbers are found in cancerous cells). Transvaginal ultrasounds are a wonderful backup to this test. My mother had these tests done at regular intervals while undergoing chemotherapy and during a brief remission to measure the rise or fall of the number of cancer cells…determining the advancement or sometimes loss of numbers in cancer cells.
OVA1 has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for determining risks for surgery and helps determine if surgery can be done by a gynecologist or a gynecological oncologist – a doctor who is specially trained to treat women with gynecological cancers. My mother’s surgery was done by a gynecologic-oncologist.
Pelvic exams, like those you get in your annual exam (ladies, get those examinations) do not usually detect ovarian cancer. If it does it is usually in the advanced stages. They are helpful and should not be overlooked as they will be part of the official diagnosis and staging of ovarian cancer. They are also vital in keeping other medical problems at bay.
Avon Books has made an initial donation of $25,000 to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. And Avon has announced that beginning August 30, it is committed to donating 25¢ from the sale of each book, physical and eBook, in the “K.I.S.S and Teal” promotion between 8/30/2011 and 2/28/2012, up to an additional $25,000 toward programs that support ovarian cancer patients and their families. Be sure to look for the KISS and Teal logo on your next Avon purchase! You can also go to their web page to make individual donations.
A ‘critique raffle” is being held by fellow writers for author Heather McCollum…who is fighting ovarian cancer with dignity and with grace. Five fellow authors are donating critiques to be raffled at $1 per chance with the proceeds going to fund awareness of ovarian cancer and the need to find a cure. I find this a sweet, heartfelt gesture and would love anyone reading this blog to check it out at http://www.virginiakantra.com/CritiquesforHeather.html.
Treatment of ovarian cancer includes one or any combination of the following: surgery, chemotherapy, intraperitoneal chemotherapy and radiation. Naturally, a person could expect hair loss, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, nerve problems, sexual issues, diarrhea or constipation, differing tastes of foods and problems with teeth and gums and what is known as “chemobrain”, forgetfulness or trouble concentrating following chemotherapy. If it goes into remission please continue to get regular checkups, for around 70 percent of patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer will have a recurrence.
My mother enjoyed a few months without chemotherapy and with low CA-125 numbers, then it returned and seemed to never respond to treatment. According to the ovariancancer.org site:
One of the factors in determining a patient’s risk of recurrence is the stage of the cancer at diagnosis:
- Patients diagnosed in stage I have a 10 percent chance of recurrence.
- Patients diagnosed in stage II have a 30 percent chance of recurrence.
- Patients diagnosed in stage III have a 70 to 90 percent chance of recurrence.
- Patients diagnosed in stage IV have a 90 to 95 percent chance of recurrence.
We need better early detection. We need reliable tests that can find this illness in its earliest stages. We need more accurate screening tools!!
Please take a few minutes to look at a few ovarian cancer sites. Famed Saturday Night Live member, Gilda Radner, died of this disease. A great organization was founded by her husband after her death because she’d felt “no one should face cancer alone”. Along with the sites I’ve mentioned, visit Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, A Survivor’s Journey For Women with Cancer, Ovarian Cancer?? Pass the Wine…Now!, Wikipedia List of Women with Ovarian Cancer…or one of the scores of sites for information concerning finding, treating and curing this disease.
Please, listen to your body! Insist on more attention to ovarian cancer research and testing. Ladies (and gentlemen) please pass along the link to this blog to raise awareness with others who should know more about this deadly cancer. Let’s raise awareness among our writing (and reading) community!
Let’s make many, many more people aware of this most deadly disease,


Plateau Chiropractic is OPEN!
We remain Committed to Providing Convenient and Essential Chiropractic Care for our Community. Dr. Matthews is fully Vaccinated for COVID-19. Below are the hours the office is open:
Monday: 8am - 4pm
Tuesday: 8am - 5pm
Wednesday: 8am - 12pm
Thursday: 8am - 5pm
Friday: 8am - 1pm
Meet - Jason Matthews, D.C.
Doctor of Chiropractic
Dr. Matthews has a mission to help you live your life pain free. A healthy spine leads to a healthy nervous system and through regular Chiropractic care you will lead a healthier overall lifestyle.
Believe in We.
What Our Patients Say
Dr. Matthews is the only chiropractor in the area that I trust. Dr Matthews works with you and your needs. He is very thorough and pays attention to detail. I high recommend him to anyone seeking a chiropractor
Everyone in the office is always friendly and the Doctor keeps me aligned :) The IQ method is much easier on my body and I don't have to worry about someone cracking my back!
I've tried several chiropractors in the past and not one of them comes close to Dr. Matthews. He has extensive knowledge in his field and cares for the well-being of his patients. I have recommended several of my friends and family members to him, he is truly a lifesaver.
Plateau Chiropractic and Massage
3707 Providence Point Drive Southeast, Suite B
Fax: (425) 868-6826


Dull, discolored, and problematic skin may get out of control any time of the year. However, many patients who have undergone dermaplaning with the team at The Skin Elite are excited to see the results of this simple, minimally invasive procedure.
What is dermaplaning?
The providers of The Skin Elite in the San Antonio, TX community describes dermaplaning as a safe and highly effective exfoliation procedure. Using a sterile surgical scalpel, our providers will shave the upper surfaces of the skin. By doing so, patients will have dead skin and “peach fuzz” hair removed. The surgical scalpel is expertly handled by our trained and experienced providers to exfoliate the skin. The treatment is used to completely rejuvenate the appearance of the skin.
What are the benefits of dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning has many advantages, which is why patients consider undergoing this treatment to transform the appearance and health of their skin. Dermaplaning:
- Reduces acne and acne scarring
- Smooths the surface of the skin
- Allows for products to penetrate deeper, becoming more effective
- Removes peach fuzz that can trap oil and dirt and contribute to acne
- Exfoliates the skin with the removal of dead skin cells that cause a dull appearance to the skin
- Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Provides instant results that require no healing, downtime, or recovery
- Is great for patients of all skin types
- Can be performed regularly for bright, beautiful skin
Is dermaplaning right for me?
Patients who have been using over-the-counter products to improve their skin’s texture and tone with minimal results may be considered a good candidate for dermaplaning. This procedure may also be beneficial for patients who have various skin concerns and are seeking a single solution to them all!
Schedule an appointment today to learn more about dermaplaning
The providers at The Skin Elite of San Antonio, TX are pleased to offer dermaplaning as a solution to imperfect skin. If you are ready to discuss dermaplaning with one of our team members, we invite you to call us to make an appointment at (210) 800-9696 and visit with our team at 2108 Northwest Military Highway. We accept new patients interested in quality skin care solutions!


Gambling addiction has become a prevalent condition after the rise of so many gambling institutions and establishments that harbor unlimited sources of gambling activities. Gambling addiction and pathological gambling are serious behavioral conditions that may imperil a gambler’s future once left untreated.
The treatment options may require either outpatient or inpatient programs for treating gambling problems. The treatment approach for gambling concerns is basically directed through counseling however it will greatly depend on the severity of the gambling problem at hand. This article will provide some guidelines for choosing the good qualities to look for in an inpatient treatment program.
There is no standard single treatment approach that works best for treating gambling addiction. There are some factors that will appropriately determine a positive outcome for an inpatient treatment program directed to addiction and pathological gambling. This will include the treatment duration, settings where treatment will be done and the kind of philosophical approach that is used for the treatment. It is important that prior to enrolling in an inpatient online gambling facility, ensure that there are options that will merit a positive outcome for the treatment.
Important factors to look for from an inpatient treatment facility are the qualifications of the staff that will handle problem gambler’s treatment. Their experience greatly counts when handling the inpatients. The number of gamblers under their program at the current time will also count for an efficient treatment to be provided since the number of their patients may affect the quality of treatment provided in their facility. Make sure that they meet the average ratio required for the number of patients to be handled per staff for a treatment regimen to be conducted effectively.
It is also pertinent to know and become educated on the different services they will provide. Make sure that the programs they implement are suitable to the specific needs of the problem gambler. Make a payment plan for the services an inpatient treatment program may impose. Explore the payment options that may be available in their facility.
An inpatient treatment program should encompass continuing care for long-term treatment. Review the history of treatment outcome success from the previous problem gamblers that were treated there. Since the medical condition of a pathological gambler has the likelihood of a relapse, make sure that part of the inpatient treatment program includes a monitoring service that will assess the positive progression outcome of the treatment.
Inclusion of the family member of a problem gambler should be a part of an inpatient treatment program. The family is a part of the support group that aids in the gambler’s recovery. Proper education of family members should be provided in order to help them give the proper assistance to their loved ones in crisis.
Being able to find these good qualities from an inpatient treatment program for pathological gamblers gives the gambler and their loved ones the confidence of a positive outcome of treatment. The gambler and family members being part of the program will hasten the gambler’s recovery because of the support group provided to help their positive recovery.


Another busy week for our vets! The weather is back to normal, but many pets still needed our team’s expertise and skills! As always, our incredible vets were happy to help and to benefit from cuddles and kisses with our cute patients!
Eyna’s Lap Spay
This gorgeous canine is Eyna who stayed with us this morning for her Laparoscopic Spay procedure; which was performed by our head Vet Alan!
Eyna is an Irish Wolfhound, one of the largest dog breeds we see! We are pleased to report that her anaesthetic and surgery went very well; with a little bit of adaption for her size and our usual great team work! 😀❤ 🐾
Lap Spay (keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgery in which a laparoscope (camera) is used that allows for greater surgical accuracy. The recovery is faster and there is up to 65% less post-surgical pain. Our team has extensive experience in keyhole surgery and we have performed hundreds of successful lap procedures.
If you need any further information, please contact us and our team will be happy to answer all your questions! 🤗
The Cutest Explorer
Meet the gorgeous 12 week old Wilfred who came in to see us today for a general check up, although very nervous at first after a few treats and cuddles he was exploring the waiting room🐶🥰
Health Checks Are Important
Indy visited us at Manor to see our wonderful vet Peter for a routine booster. While under examination it developed into a consult as we normally do for a health check, to find out that he’s had a bit of an upset stomach.
Peter has advised for a bland diet for a couple of days. Bland diets are great for settling upset stomachs but not a long term solution as you can starve your pet if essential nutrients.
#Tongueout Dental Day
This super sweet little boy is Peppi. He came to see us for some dental treatment. He has a heart murmur so, before we gave him an anaesthetic, we wanted to make sure it was safe to do so and Viraf performed an echo (heart ultrasound) first.
Everything looked good so we went ahead with his surgery!
He spent the day having kisses with Sarah, helping in reception, and poking his tongue out at Viraf who was only too happy to do the same!


Dr Ghanshyam Tank specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hip and knee conditions, with a special training in the surgical treatment of these joints. He performs primary knee and hip joint replacement and the revision of total joint replacements, as well as corrective osteotomies.
Dr. Ghanshyam Tank uses a multi-disciplinary approach in conjunction with allied healthcare professionals and partners with our patients to develop an individualized treatment plan designed to maximize recovery of hip and knee function.
You may take your appointment at the Indo British Hip & Knee Clinic directly or you may be referred by your physician.
To take an appointment, please call: (+91) 0261-2474848 or (+91) 99789 14848
Appointments are available between Monday to Friday - 4pm to 7pm


Our team of experienced vets here at Strule Veterinary Services have been caring for animals for years. With two surgeries in Omagh and Newtown Stewart, we are able to care for a large number of animals with up to date facilities in a clean and safe environment.
We have a walk-in clinic where animals can be treated on a first-come first-served basis, depending on the severity of the problem.
Click here to view our 'walk-in' appointment times.
Strule Veterinary Services cater for animals of all sizes, from tiny mice and guinea pigs to pigs and horses. We also provide veterinary care and treatments for farm animals. We offer various vaccinations in addition to carrying our surgery where necessary.
What makes us different is our caring approach. Your pet's health and comfort is of paramount importance to us. We recognise that people have a special bond with their pets, and we do everything we can to ensure the comfort and recovery of your pet.
Call 028 8224 2207
A large, well established practice, Strule Veterinary Services have surgeries in Omagh and Newtown Stewart. We also have separate facilities for caring for horses.
Our team consists of vets who have specialised in various veterinary disciplines, including equine care and farm animal care, enabling us to provide a high quality, very caring service.


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Disclaimer: The effectiveness of Avanescence products may vary based on various factors such as individual skin type, health status, age, lifestyle, and frequency of use. The information provided on the Avanescence website or by any representative should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is crucial to read and follow the product instructions carefully and consult a licensed healthcare provider before using any Avanescence products, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or take medication. Avanescence products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Avanescence does not guarantee specific results or outcomes from the use of their products. Any reliance on the information provided by Avanescence is at your own risk.


In a study of 500 men operated on by Professor Eden, 86% remained potent after surgery - one of the highest rates in the field. At Santis, we are able to offer it to 90% of our patients.
“I have been very pleasantly surprised by my erectile function post-surgery. I was worried about the effect such a radical procedure would have on this aspect of my physiology. But I'm delighted to say there was really nothing to worry about - it is excellent. I could not be more certain that I made the right choice to opt for laparoscopic prostatectomy under Christopher Eden.”
Mr. James Huxley
Not all surgeons can perform nerve sparing surgery successfully. It requires a highly-skilled and experienced surgeon to delicately remove the prostate using a robotic arm, while preserving the local bundles of nerves that control erections. If successful, then patients can look forward to resuming their sex life as usual within twelve months of surgery. For more information, see our article ‘Can a man have a normal sex life after prostate surgery?’
Results do depend on the stage of the prostate cancer, and on the age of the patient. If the cancer is advanced, then it may not be possible to save the nerves as they may contain cancerous cells as well. However, your overall chances of saving your nerve bundle, and consequently avoiding impotence, are greatly maximised with a surgeon whose results speak for themselves.
The SelectMDx test: genomic prostate cancer testing without a biopsy?
Professor Christopher Eden
July 4th, 2018
Explaining the Gleason score: pussycats and tigers
July 1st, 2018
All three Santis surgeons named in 'Best Urologists in Britain' guide
June 8th, 2018
The Prostate Cancer Information Centre is an online resource created by experts to help you understand prostate cancer better, with articles, videos and advice published several times a week.Visit the Prostate Cancer Information Centre


Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship applies a focused approach toward sustainable healthcare innovation. Students will be introduced to definitions and concepts that include the innovation process, design thinking, “intrapreneurship,” entrepreneurship, six sigma principles of process improvement, regulatory issues, patent law, and the market forces that impact the healthcare innovation process. All students will gain confidence in the basic elements of the initial discovery phase in the healthcare innovation process, including
Defining and describing key components of the healthcare innovation process.
Becoming aware of challenges to the quality of healthcare delivery and the opportunity for improved patient care and cost reductions.
Learning and practicing a step-by-step “needs finding” process and a “needs filtering” process for identifying and prioritizing real clinical problems and opportunities for innovation.
Developing cross-disciplinary collaboration skills.
Strengthening communication and leadership skills in advocating health systems change.


The SHIGA TOXIN QUIK CHEK test is a rapid membrane enzyme immunoassay for the simultaneous qualitative detection and differentiation of Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) and Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) in a single test device. It is intended for use with human fecal samples from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms to aid in the diagnosis of disease caused by Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). It may be used with fecal specimens, or broth or plate cultures derived from fecal specimens.
To perform the SHIGA TOXIN QUIK CHEK test, specimen is added to a tube containing a mixture of Diluent and Conjugate. The diluted sample-conjugate mixture is added to the QUIK CHEK Sample Well and the device is allowed to incubate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
During the incubation, Stx1 and/or Stx2 in the sample binds to the antibody-peroxidase conjugates. The toxin-antibody-conjugate complexes migrate through a filter pad to a membrane where they are captured by immobilized monoclonal antibodies in the test lines. The Reaction Window is subsequently washed with Wash Buffer, followed by the addition of Substrate and a 10 minute incubation period.
The Stx1 reaction is examined visually for the appearance of a vertical blue line on the left side (“1”) of the Reaction Window. The Stx2 reaction is examined visually for the appearance of a vertical blue line on the right side (“2”) of the Reaction Window. A positive control reaction, indicated by a vertical dotted blue line under the “C” portion of the Reaction Window, confirms that the test is working properly and the results are valid.
Package Insert (PDF) Issued 09/15
CPT Codes (PDF) Issued
Declaration of Conformity (PDF) Issued 07/13
Poster Presentation (PDF)
A New Rapid Immunoassay for the Direct Detection of Shiga Toxin Producing E. coli in Feces – Evaluation of the SHIGA TOXIN QUIK CHEK
Boone, Vance, Dandro, Campbell, Herbein, Goodykoontz; ASM 2012, June 2012, San Francisco, CA
- Patents #5,747,272 and #8,343,726
- Direct fecal specimen testing in a rapid assay format
- Diagnosis up to 24 hours sooner than culture or other traditional methods
- Differentiation of Stx1 and Stx2
- Results in less than 30 minutes
- Specific monoclonal detection of Stx1 and Stx2
- Strong correlation with Vero cell cytotoxicity assay
This product is available exclusively through our global distributor, Alere.


PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE FOR SOUTHWARK PARENTS/CARERS
SCARLET FEVER: BE AWARE OF THE SYMPTOMS
Scarlet fever is caused by a bacteria called group A streptococcus and cases are higher than we would typically see at this time of year. The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands. A sandpaper like rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. For further information see: Scarlet fever - NHS (www.nhs.uk).
You should contact NHS 111 or your GP if you suspect your child has scarlet fever.
Group A streptococcus can also cause other respiratory and skin infections, and in very rare occasions, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause an illness called invasive Group A strep (iGAS). While uncommon, there has been an increase in iGAS cases this year, particularly in children under 10. If your child seems unwell, please contact NHS 111 or your GP.
For information on symptoms see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-update-on-scarlet-fever-and-invasive-group-a-strep
Isabel Mansfield | Policy Officer, Health Protection | Public Health Division | Southwark Council
Reviewed by: Dr Sylvia Garry | Consultant in Public Health | CYP, health protection
Public Health, Children & Adults Services | Southwark Council


If you are one of our Zuidas residents, you are in good luck. Because the Zuidas Pharmacy and Zuidas Huisartsen have combined forces to offer residents an antigen(rapid) test for just 49,95€ (incl. VAT). The antigen (rapid) test is administered at your home by trained healthcare personnel in protective clothing. The results are usually known within minutes.
Please note that for people who have complaints that align with covid-19 symptoms it is still advised to take the PCR test the GGD offers. While it may take longer (24-48 hours) to receive a result, the test is still the most accurate option available.
For more information be sure to check out the Avenue Services website here, where you can also schedule a visitation to be tested at home.


- Graduate Student
- Undergraduate Student
Hongen LIAO, Ph.D
National Distinguished Professor
Professor, Vice Dean
School of Medicine,
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Beijing 100084, P.R. China
Dr. Hongen Liao received his B.S. degree in mechanics and engineering sciences from Peking University, Beijing, China, in 1996, and the M.E. and Ph.D. degrees in biomedical precision engineering from the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, in 2000 and 2003, respectively. He was a Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Since 2004, he has been a faculty member at the Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, where he became an Associate Professor in 2007. He has been selected as a National Distinguished Professor, China since 2010, and is currently a Full Professor and Vice Dean in the School of Medicine, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, China.
His interests include 3D medical image, image-guided surgery, medical robotics, computer-assisted surgery, and fusion of these techniques for minimally invasive precision diagnosis and therapy. He has developed an autostereoscopic medical image named Integral Videography and implemented it in an image overlay system for surgical navigation and other aspects of image-guided surgery. He made great success and numerous major achievements in the 3D autostereoscopic medical image processing and display, spatial see-through surgical navigation, solved the long-existing “hand-eye discoordination problem” suffered by medical doctors. He has also been involved in long viewing distance autostereoscopic display and 3D visualization. He is the author and co-author of more than 320 peer-reviewed articles and proceedings papers, including publication in IEEE Transactions, Nature Photonics, Theranostics, Soft Robotics, Medical Image Analysis, as well as 80 international invited lectures, over 60 patents and 340 conference abstracts.
Dr. Liao was distinguished by receiving the Government Award [The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan] (2006). He was also the recipient of more than ten awards, including the OGINO Award (2007), the ERICSSON Young Scientist Award (2006), the IFMBE Young Investigators Awards presented by the World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering (2006) and the 6th Asian-Pacific Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering (2005), the FUNAI Information Science Award (2005), the INOUE Research Award for Young Scientists (2005), and various Best Paper Awards (CARS 2013, JSCAS 2012, ACCAS 2010, JSCAS 2009) from different academic societies . His research is well funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (more than 15 grants since 2003), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (since 2006), the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) (since 2007), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (since 2012). He has also received numerous public and private foundation grants, including the Research Aid of SUZUKEN Memorial Foundation (2004), the TERUMO Life Science Foundation (2005), the SECOM Science and Technology Foundation (2006), the Fukuda Foundation for Medical Technology (2008), and the Support Center for Advanced Telecommunications Technology Research Foundations (2011). He won the "Huang Jiasi Biomedical Engineering Award", which is the highest science and technology award in the field of biomedical engineering in 2017.
He is an Associate Editor of International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (Since 2008), the Organization Chair of Medical Imaging and Augmented Reality Conference (MIAR) 2008, the Program Chair of the Asian Conference on Computer-Aided Surgery (ACCAS) 2008 and 2009, the Tutorial co-chair of the Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention Conference (MICCAI) 2009, the Publicity Chair of MICCAI 2010, the General Chair of MIAR 2010 and ACCAS 2012, the Workshop Chair of MICCAI 2013, and the General Co-chair of MIAR 2016, ACCAS 2018. He has served as a President of Asian Society for Computer Aided Surgery and Co-chair of Asian-Pacific Activities Working Group, International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE).


Register for Upcoming Webinars
Advanced Neuroendocrine Foundations:
Considerations for achieving the best outcomes in your patients
Presented by Laura Neville, ND | November 3, 2021 at 9:30 AM and 12 PM Pacific
- Familiarize yourself with neurotransmitter imbalance symptoms.
- Discuss the importance of a total, comprehensive, integrative approach to patient care.
- Explore various obstacles to cure (blood sugar imbalance, stress, gluten sensitivity, dysbiosis, inflammation, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, etc.) that will be different for each patient.
- Gain insight into neuroendocrine interactions (adrenal, hormonal and neurotransmitter) which can influence a patient's symptom presentation.
- Consider the complexities of supplementation protocols for patients with numerous imbalances.
Lab Interpretation Workshop: Fertility and Progesterone-Related Symptoms
Presented by Dan Kalish, DC | November 10, 2021 at 4:00 PM Pacific
Join Dr. Kalish for this lab interpretation workshop focused on fertility problems and other hormone-related complaints such as PCOS, migraines and PMS. We will review lab tests related to hormone assessments, as well as GI and detox issues that can trigger hormone imbalances. The goal of the course is for you to gain confidence in best practices around the safe and effective use of progesterone.


Friday, April 01, 2005
Heart Rate Monitor/ Watch - $46.50
Heart Rate Monitor/ Watch - $46.50 - Pretty cool little device. I could not resist buying one to take to gym with me. It works darned well. The HR318 monitors heart rate continuously; it is transmitted from a wireless chest strap to an accompanying water-resistant wristwatch, that also displays the time and date on its HiGlo Electro-luminescent LCD screen display. This new Heart Rate watch measures 30-240 beats per minute, and automatically sets upper and lower heart rate limits that are personally designated for the individual user. A stopwatch, calorie counter, fat burning percentage reading, and maximum and average heart rates are stored and automatically compiled into a heart rate history.