Public release date: 8-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Beata Mostafavi bmostafa@umich.edu 734-764-2220 University of Michigan Health System

ANN ARBOR, Mich. It's no secret that pregnancy hormones can dampen moods, but for some expectant moms, it's much worse: 1 in 5 experience major depression.

Now, new research shows that an age-old recommended stress-buster may actually work for this group of women: yoga.

Pregnant women who were identified as psychiatrically high risk and who participated in a 10-week mindfulness yoga intervention saw significant reductions in depressive symptoms, according to a University of Michigan Health System pilot feasibility study. Mothers-to-be also reported stronger attachment to their babies in the womb.

The findings were published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.

"We hear about pregnant women trying yoga to reduce stress but there's no data on how effective this method is," says lead author Maria Muzik, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of psychiatry and assistant research scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development. "Our work provides promising first evidence that mindfulness yoga may be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical treatment for pregnant women showing signs of depression.

"This promotes both mother and baby wellbeing."

Mental health disorders during pregnancy, including depression and anxiety, have become a serious health concern. Hormonal changes, genetic predisposition and social factors set the stage for some expectant moms to experience persistent irritability, feelings of being overwhelmed and inability to cope with stress.

Untreated, these symptoms bear major health risks for both the mom and baby, including poor weight gain, preeclampsia, premature labor and trouble bonding with the new baby.

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Yoga proves to reduce depression in pregnant women, boost maternal bonding

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The media debate surrounding yoga injuries, spurred by the New York Times article "Can Yoga Wreck Your Body?", and an associated book, has left a lot of confusion in its wake.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120808/CG54529)

Yoga teachers report that many students are being cautioned against practicing yoga, because friends or relatives have heard that yoga is 'dangerous.' Indeed, if you're new to yoga, you may be concerned yourselfwho wouldn't be when reading the words "yoga'"and "stroke" in the same sentence?

In an effort to shed some much-needed clarity on this debate, YogaUOnline, a leading website for online yoga education, is sponsoring an online telesummit on Yoga Injuries: Facts and Fiction with leading yoga teachers and medical experts, including Roger Cole, Ph.D., Tias Little, Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T., Dr. Loren Fishman, Dr. Timothy McCall, Julie Gudmestad, P.T., Ellen Saltonstall, and Peggy Cappy, founder of the PBS-Series Yoga for the Rest of Us. The telesummit is free to attend and will be hosted streaming live on Saturday, August 25, 2012, 12 pm pm EDT/ 9 am'1 pm PDT on YogaUOnline.com.

"The article and book grabbed attention by making it sound like there is scientific proof that yoga routinely causes horrible injuries, even death," saysRoger Cole, Ph.D., a yoga teacher and Stanford educated scientist. "The evidence presented to support these claims was very flimsy, and in some cases completely false. For example, there is no convincing evidence that yoga elevates the risk of stroke at all."

"There's an important discussion to be had," Cole continues, "which is why this telesummit is so important. But ultimately the debate doesn't concern whether it is possible to get hurt practicing yoga. Of course it is, just as you can get hurt while dancing, biking, jogging, golfing, or weight-training. But that doesn't mean yoga should be considered particularly 'hazardous.'"

In fact, when compared to injury rates from other forms of physical activity, yoga comes across as relatively safe. For example, between 1990 and 2007, an estimated 970,000 weight trainingrelated injuries were treated in the U.S., according to the American Journal of Sports Medicine. With about 37 to 45 million practitioners, that's an average of 57,000 injuries per year, or about 12 to 15 people out of every 10,000 practitioners. In contrast, the number of yoga injuries treated in 2007 was at 5,500, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. With an estimated 15.8 million yoga practitioners, that pegs the injury rate at a comparatively low 3.5 out of every 10,000 practitioners. In other words, yoga appears to be about four times safer than weight training.

Still, any yoga injury is one too many. One of the greatest benefits of the telesummit is to focus participants' on where the actual risks lie and how to practice more safely.

Ultimately, the debate boils down to the question of whether taking up yoga is likely to do you more good than harm. Here the balance lies squarely in favor of yoga. While the documented risks are quite modest, the potential rewards are tremendous.

For instance, there are more than 400 studies documenting the health benefits of the practice; yoga is being used to help veterans with PTSD, people suffering from depression, kids with ADHD, those with chronic conditions such as back pain, and others. And most people are drawn to the practice because they like the way it makes them feel, physically and emotionally.

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New Online Telesummit Explores Yoga Injuries: Facts and Fiction

Modern lifestyle not conducive to staying physically fit

BY ROBERT HORZEPA Correspondent

Traditional physical culturist and certified personal trainer Bob Horzepa blends physical fitness, nutrition and self-defense training to help his students achieve their goals. We all want to look good and feel great, no matter who we are, and whatever our age.

To accomplish our goals, we join health clubs, go on diets, consume miracle weight-loss supplements, consider performance enhancing drugs, purchase 90- day DVD workouts, and even resort to surgery.

In the end, the results are usually less than expected, and we experience disappointment and a loss of motivation.

This can be avoided by viewing your fitness and nutrition needs from natures perspective and not the perspectives of Madison Avenue and the national media.

Although we often dont care to admit it, we are all simply mammals, genetically programmed by nature.

Human beings began as hunter/gatherers, progressed into agriculture, then on to the Industrial Revolution, and to the hightechnology age in which we now live.

These changes have taken place over a very short period of time from an evolutionary standpoint, and genetically, we remain the same hunter/gatherers that we started out as a few million years ago.

Man no longer hunts mastodons and giant elk, and women no longer dig roots and gather berries, but our genes keep signaling us to do so, and our bodies are equipped to meet those challenges on a daily basis.

The rest is here:
Nature’s way: Sensible fitness and nutrition

By Phyllis Day, Times Staff Writer Phyllis DayTampa Bay Times In Print: Thursday, August 9, 2012

Health and support

Alcoholics Anonymous: For Hernando County locations, call (352) 683-4597.

Alzheimer's Association: The Florida Gulf Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association offers support groups at several locations:

2:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month, Oak Hill Hospital's Senior Partners Club (behind the hospital), 11361 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. Jerry Fisher, (352) 688-4537.

2:30 p.m. the first Friday of each month, Lykes Memorial Library, 238 Howell Ave., Brooksville. Jerry Fisher, (352) 688-4537.

2 p.m. the third Monday of each month, Residence at Timber Pines, 3140 Forest Road, Spring Hill. Diane Koenig, (352) 683-9009. Free day care available with advance reservations.

11 a.m. the first Tuesday of each month, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 550 U.S. 41 S, Inverness. Sue Piatek, (352) 527-4600.

5 p.m. the fourth Tuesday, Emeritus at Barrington Place, 2341 W Norvell Bryant Highway, Lecanto. Free day care provided with advance reservations. Sue Piatek, (352) 527-4600

1 p.m. the second Monday, First United Methodist Church, 8831 W Bradshaw St., Homosassa. Free day care provided with advance reservations. Sue Piatek, (352) 527-4600.

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Health and support

North Beach

Zumba Classes: Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a dynamic workout system. Class participants follow the Zumba instructor who will do choreography dancing to Latin music like salsa, merengue, cumbia, samba, flamenco, reggaeton and some American music. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, through Aug. 30, at North Beach near the Beachside Oasis, 100 Kewaunee St. (North Beach). Free.

BloodCenter of Wisconsin

BLOOD DRIVES: Donors must be in good health, age 17 or older (16 with parental consent) and have photo ID. Call (877) 232-4376 to make an appointment or visit the websites listed for each drive. The following blood drives have been scheduled in Racine County:

Aug. 13 Tichigan Civic Center, 6710 Big Bend Road, Tichigan, 2-6 p.m. http://www.bcw.edu/TichiganLions.

Aug. 18 Gooseberries, 690 W. State St., Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Go to ww.bcw.edu/gooseberries.

Aug. 21 Veterans Terrace, 589 Milwaukee Ave., Burlington, 2-7 p.m. Go to http://www.bcw.edu/BurlingtonAugust.

Aug. 22 Burlington Town Hall, 32288 Bushnell Road, Burlington, 3-7 p.m. Go to http://www.bcw.edu/Station3.

Walk-ins are welcome. Attempting donors will be entered in to a drawing for a chance to win a four-pack of Milwaukee Brewers tickets and the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the game Oct. 1.

Fitness File is published every Wednesday and includes notices of nonprofit fitness and health-related programs. The deadline to submit an announcement is seven days before the desired publication date. Mail information to Fitness File, c/o Diane Collins, 212 Fourth St., Racine, WI 53403; fax to (262) 631-1780; or submit it to the online calendar at http://www.journaltimes.com/calendar and use the Health-and-fitness category.

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Health & Fitness File, Aug. 8

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07-08-2012 16:33 CDR Yamaha Josh Coppins retirement announcement.

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CDR Yamaha Josh Coppins retirement announcement. - Video

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. and SINGAPORE, Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Global Health Voyager, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GLHV), a US based full service international medical management company, offering access to a vast worldwide network of highly accredited facilities and providers offering healthcare surgical dental and wellness procedures, announced today that it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Janus Medical Systems of Singapore.This MOU grants Global Health Voyager with exclusive global rights to market, sell and distribute Atreya, a dynamic personal health record management system, to be used by consumers for medical record organization and information distribution to their personal physicians. The Atreya product has a multitude of features and functions, including the storage of medical documents, x-rays, previous procedures, prescription information, calendar of dosage, appointments and other vital information. The product takes care in security, is HIPAA compliant, and even has features that allow your physicians permissions to see your prior health history.

"This MOU, once fully executed in the form of definitive agreement, is a game-changing technology for global medical management," said Ali Moussavi, CEO of Global Health Voyager. "The Atreya product will allow individuals to manage their personal health records online and via mobile applications. The uses of this product are vast; a few key categories are global travelers, chronically ill individuals, and newborns."

As early as 2006, the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics issued a report to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, specifically stating, "the greatest opportunities for improving health and health care lie in enabling information exchange between the three dimensions (areas) of the national health information infrastructure. The full potential of PHR (personal health records) systems will not be realized until they are capable of widespread exchange of information with EHRs and other sources of personal and other health data." The report went on to say, "the Federal government can offer vision and strategic leadership for PHR development and dissemination across its many roles in the health sector. NCVHS believes that HHS can encourage and actively participate in a public/private partnership that facilitates standards-based approaches in a harmonized legal and regulatory environment across geopolitical boundaries."

"Knowing that the federal government supports this technology advancement is one of the many catalysts for Global Health Voyager to get it's partnered Atreya product to market without delay, and to the full satisfaction of the consumers who register and use it," said Moussavi.

"We're looking forward to a productive and effective partnership with Global Health Voyager," noted Seema Singh, President of Janus Medical. "We believe Global Health Voyager, has the footprint and business plan needed to properly roll out this technology worldwide. The Atreya product is extremely intuitive for the consumer. In plain language it can manage all of your health records, making your trips to the doctor and hospital less stressful and much more organized.

A definitive agreement is expected to be signed between the two parties by the September 1, 2012. Terms of the MOU were not disclosed.

About Global Health Voyager

Global Health Voyager, Inc. (GLHV) is a publicly traded international medical tourism company. It offers technology solutions, medical tourism consulting services, and access to a worldwide network of highly accredited medical facilities and providers to patients seeking healthcare, surgical, dental, and wellness procedures.

Through established relationships with these international providers, the company has already completed the groundwork to verify the accreditation and experience of the provider organizations it partners with. For more information visit the company's website at http://www.GlobalHealthVoyager.com.

Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance, or achievement expressed or implied in these statements to vary.

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Global Health Voyager Enters into Worldwide Memorandum of Understanding For Global Roll-Out of Personal Health Record ...

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Almost Family, Inc. (AFAM), a leading regional provider of home health nursing and personal care services, announced today its financial results for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2012.

Second Quarter Highlights:

Comments on Results

William Yarmuth, Chief Executive Officer, commented on the results: "We're pleased with our results for the quarter as we continue to adjust our operations to meaningful Medicare rate cuts and an apparent slowing in the Medicare home health market. During the first half of 2012, our staff and management have been intensely focused on improving our operational performance. I'm pleased with the extent to which we've improved our results. Our charge for the second half of 2012 is to leverage the progress achieved in both segments, while turning a more substantial part of our focus toward improving the organic growth of our business."

Second Quarter Financial Results

Almost Family reported second quarter results that included: i) the favorable impact of our Cambridge Home Health Care Holdings, Inc. (Cambridge) acquisition, which closed in early August of 2011, ii) the unfavorable impact of higher than normal workers compensation costs which lowered EPS by $0.04 and iii) the unfavorable impact of the 2012 Medicare reimbursement rate cut in the Visiting Nurse (VN) segment. The Medicare rate changes reduced revenue and operating income by $2.8 million and earnings per diluted share by $0.18.

Net service revenues for the second quarter grew to $86.9 million, a 6% increase from $81.7 million reported in the second quarter of 2011, as a result of the Cambridge acquisition, partially offset by the VN segment's Medicare rate cut.

Net income for the second quarter of 2012 was $4.5 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, down from second quarter of 2011 net income of $5.0 million, or $0.53 per diluted share.

Diluted EPS for the quarter was increased by $0.07 as compared to the second quarter of 2011 as a result of the Cambridge acquisition. Unallocated corporate overhead included approximately $0.2 million of transitional expenses related to the Cambridge home office which is expected to wind down during the remainder of 2012. Diluted EPS for the quarter includes a $0.01 for transaction related costs, similar costs in the prior year quarter totaled $0.02. Our effective tax rate for the quarter declined to 39.5% from 40.2% in the prior year quarter, primarily due to a lower state tax rate from the Cambridge acquisition.

Second Quarter Segment Results

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Almost Family Reports Second Quarter 2012 Results

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07-08-2012 13:52 Denis McDonald and Fiber Clean have saved me thousands of dollars by getting rugs cleaned in my rental properties. If you've got tough stains, let me make a personal introduction for you to Denis!

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Do You Need Rugs Cleaned or Air Ducts Cleaned? - Video

By Jordo Bivona - August 7, 2012 | Tickers: ABT, BMY, PFE, SNY | 0 Comments

Jordo is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE)recently reportedresults for the second quarter and showed a decline of 9% in revenue to $15.1 billion in line with the expectations of analysts but, surprisingly, showed a 25% increase in net income to $3.2 billion. The decline in sales had been expected because of the loss of patent protection on its best-selling drug Lipitor in November, but the strengthening of the US dollar also affected international revenues. The bottom line was however increased because of the reduced expenditure on research and development. Pfizer, which is in the business of pharmaceuticals, animal health, consumer healthcare and nutrition, is going to divest its non-core businesses to focus on pharmaceuticals.

The company entered the year 2012 without exclusivity for Lipitor and sales declined more than 50% to $1.2 billion in the second quarter from $2.6 billion for the same quarter in the previous year. In the United States, the decline in sales was 75% to an insignificant $296 million. There was loss of patent protection on other drugs such as Geodon. Primary drugs such as Celebrex and Lyrica and specialty drugs such as Enbrel and Prevenar showed encouraging growth. International sales declined because of the problems in Europe but, excluding the 6% impact of currency translation, emerging market growth was 14% being driven by Russia and China. International sales now account for some 60% of total sales. Animal and healthcare sales grew by 7% and 11% respectively and the company is preparing to spin off the animal business while the divestiture of the healthcare business is in progress. The company has been cutting costs aggressively to counteract declining sales, but it was a little surprising to see an almost 20% decline in research and development expenditure. In addition to Lipitor, the company will lose exclusivity to several other drugs in 2012 such as Viagra, Enbrel and Detrol and badly needs to find a new blockbuster drug.

Thelast partof the company's plan to focus on new drugs has now been put into place and the separation of the animal health business will start soon. Part of its agenda is to make it better at new drug development following the loss of exclusivity for Lipitor. The company has three drugs under development which could be in the market next year and each one has the potential to generate over $1 billion each in revenues. In addition to treatments for heart disease, Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis, Eliquis, a blood thinner, could receive approval in the first half of 2013. In August, Pfizer will start the process of selling up to 20% of its animal care business in an IPO. In addition to cost-cutting, the company is also maintaining earnings per share through stock buybacks which amounted to $9 billion in the last year and is expected to total $5 billion in the current year. The company has plenty of cash and can satisfy its investors through dividends and stock buybacks till the R&D initiative produces results.

However, the regulators may delay approval for tofacitinib, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and the drug is expected to compete with Humira, the blockbuster fromAbbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT). Bapineuzumab, a drug for Alzheimer's disease which is being developed withJohnson & Johnson (JNJ)and Elan, has not passed the first of four crucial, final-stage clinical trials; results from the next trial will be available later this month. The company is looking for marketing clearance for Eliquis, a blood thinner being developed with New York-basedBristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY).The application was rejected by the FDA in June and more information from clinical trials was sought from the companies. According to one analyst, sales from the drug, if approved, would be as much as $2.5 billion by the year 2015.

It will be interesting to see how thenew drug development modelwill work out because the new drug pipeline is a vital part of the business as existing products lose exclusivity and patent protection. Pfizer has had clinical trial failure, the latest example of which is bapineuzumab and the high rate of failure is attributed because of the lack of knowledge about the behavior of these molecules in patients suffering from the disease. The problem is being sought to be remedied by partnerships with university scientists who research the behavior of molecules. In the past 1 1/2 years, Pfizer has created 21 such partnerships. The whole pharmaceutical industry is shifting focus because acquisitions have proven ineffective at boosting in-house drug development. Other pharmaceutical companies are shifting focus as well.Novartis (NVS)is partnering with biotechs to develop drugs whileSanofi (NYSE: SNY)is investing in start-up businesses. Sanofi andMerck (MRK)have also initiated partnerships with universities and research scientists. Crucially for Pfizer, these low-cost partnerships fit in well with the company's cost-cutting plans.

The bad news for Pfizer shareholders is that Wall Street is not particularly kind to companies with low growth rates and it is difficult to see how the current new drugs under development are going to spur substantial growth. After all, the company is the largest pharmaceutical company in the world by revenues and has some $60 billion in existing sales. Aggressive cost-cutting may see growth in profitability, but a big win is required in terms of one or two blockbuster drugs. Pfizer is not substantially undervalued at the moment, unlikeSanofiorTeva (TEVA). It is nevertheless a solid company and may suit you if you are looking for a relatively low-risk investment and are content with slow and steady gains. If you have an existing investment, continue to hold because of the limited downside and the rewards will follow, even if slowly.

Jordo Bivona is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network

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In Need of a Blockbuster Drug Now