America's Mental Health Crisis
By Sharon S. Joag 

Mental Health has been a topic of discussion in the United States since the population started to grow, and communities started to form, in the 1800’s. From the time of Dorothea Dix in the late 1800’s, who was one of the foremost champions of mental health asylums in the United States, until today, there has been an ever changing need for mental health care in the United States. Through Dix’s efforts, by 1854, she helped to establish mental asylums in 9 different states (Blau, 2014, pp.251).

In 1945, the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) was authorized by President Harry S. Truman, who signed it into law, called the National Mental Health Act. In 1949, the NIMH finally opened its doors (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about). However, in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, “states closed hundreds of psychiatric hospitals but offered very little in its place” (Bobrow, 2022). Many people started to shuffle between emergency rooms, homeless shelters, jails, and prisons; and this is true even today (Bobrow, 2022).

Thomas Insel, a neuroscientist and a psychiatrist was the director of NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) from 2002-2015. In his article in the Wall Street Journal, he gives a hopeful, yet constructive criticism about the health care system that exists in America as it relates to Mental Health. He says that there is much research in human behavior and the brain, however, that research is not translated into actual implementation of the findings. The gap in what researchers know, and what is actually done to help the public at large, is called the “implementation gap”(Bobrow, 2022).

Dr. Insel traveled the world after his tenure at the NIMH, and he did research on various health care models in other countries. He compiled his research in a book that he recently published, called “Healing”. In his book he details a new approach to mental healthcare in patients with mental illness. He believes that creating a structural support for patients, which includes social support (involving families and case management), in additional to medical support (medications), is the key to helping patients to be able to function optimally in society, and to be able to overcome their mental illness. This view was touted by Dorothea Dix in the 1800’s when she was an advocate for having smaller mental health facilities in various communities to help people with mental illness (Gollaher, 1995). Dr. Insel also believes in a more encompassing mental health therapy; a step further than Dix. He says that it is important to “(find a) connection, sanctuary, and meaning (which is) not defined or delimited by mental illness”. Dr. Insel talks about offering housing, job training, and opportunities for patients to join the social world and create social connections.

It is interesting to note that in over 100 years, there has been so much change in the research arm associated with mental health care; Insel talked about how he oversaw $20 billion in grants for research in human behavior as it relates to the brain (Bobrow, 2022). However the translation into tangible aid for the mentally handicapped has been slow.

One of the major problems in mental health care in general are the lack of official standards or protocols for treatments, and doctors are not held accountable if the treatments garner minimal to no results. “Doctors get paid when patients are in treatment, and not if they get better” (Bobrow, 2022). In contrast to mental health care, doctors who treat other physical issues, such as Orthopedists, or Primary Care physicians, get paid based on a model that is based on whether the patient gets better. If the patient does not get better or if the treatment does not garner a good result, patients can and do sue (the reason for malpractice). However, if a mental health patient sues, there are virtually no repercussions for doctors, since they are not held accountable for the results of their therapy.
Many mental health providers also cluster in wealthy urban areas and often only accept cash payments as they do not take insurance (Bobrow, 2022).

This article is a red flag, and a call to action. We as social workers need to find ways to help to affect change in policies affected the mentally ill. There should be more local community programs that are functioning, with the help of the state or federal government. These programs should have various branches in place to offer assistance when needed. Social workers should be hired to understand each individual problem, and schedule appointments with the correct medical professional, or institute programs to help socialize patients. Doctors should be required to volunteer a few hours a week at these clinics to help the mentally ill. Utilizing technology might also be an online option for doctors and patients to get required treatments, as Dr. Insel has started doing more recently. He co-founded an organization called “Humanest” with his daughter, Lara Gregorio, who is a licensed social worker. Their company utilizes technology by offering online group intervention (Bobrow, 2022).

 

References:

1.      Blau, J. & Abramovitz, M. (2014). The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy. 3^rd, 237-263, Oxford University Press.

2.      Bobrow, E. (2022, February 11). Psychiatrist Thomas Insel Looks for a Cure to America’s Mental Health Crisis. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/psychiatrist-thomas-insel-looks-for-a-cure-to-americas-mental-health-crisis-11644600489?st=teehdmjgcb8216z&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

3.      Gollaher, D. (1995). Voice for the mad: The life of Dorothea Dix, 163-182. New York, NY: Free Press.

4.      National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health

 

Gingko Biloba for Nerve Pain

GINGKO BILOBA FOR NERVE PAIN
By Sharon S. Joag

Gingko Biloba is an herb, which is widely used all over the world.  The herb, Gingko is extracted from the leaves of the Gingko Biloba tree.  Gingko has been used for thousands of years as a supplement for memory enhancement and concentration.  In recent years, it has been proven to increase blood circulation, helping to decrease the risk for clots, and cardiovascular disease.  There are new studies underway showing Gingko’s effectiveness in alleviating nerve pain in rats, however much research needs to be done to prove its true effect on humans.  If you are considering adding Gingko Biloba Extract to your diet, make sure you speak to your doctor first, especially if you are taking other medications. 

What is Gingko Biloba?

The leaves of the Gingko tree are fan shaped, and bi-lobed, giving it the name, “biloba”.  The leaves of the tree cannot be eaten without extracting the potentially harmful toxins in their leaves.  The Gingko tree is native to China and Japan, but the tree is now cultivated in France, Japan and in the United States.  This tree is said to be over 225 million years old, making it the oldest species of tree on earth.

What is Nerve Pain?

Nerve pain is when there is actual damage to the nerve fibers in your body.  This is known as neuropathic pain or neuropathy.  Neuropathic pain is often burning, tingling and severe shooting pain.  Some illnesses have characteristic neuropathic pain, such as Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, and Herpes Zoster.  People with these illnesses may feel intense pain with harmless stimuli, such as heat, cold, or even a light touch. 

Gingko Biloba and the Nervous System

The Gingko herb is said to have many beneficial effects on the central nervous system of the body as well as on the circulatory system.  The Gingko herb enhances the central nervous system in your body by delivering oxygen and glucose to nerve cells, thereby allowing the nerves in your body to function at their optimal level. 

Gingko Biloba and Nerve Pain

The Journal of Anesthesia and Analgesia put forth a research article in June 2009, on Gingko Biloba and its effects on nerve pain.  The study was done on rats and the research was led by Dr. Yee Suk Kim from Catholic University of Seoul, South Korea.  Dr. Yee Suk Kim and his colleagues showed that gingko was an effective method of pain reduction.  The rats with neuropathic pain were exposed to harmless stimuli, such as cold and pressure.  The higher the dose of gingko given to the rats, the higher the pain-relieving effect was. 

This study did not show HOW Gingko works to reduce pain.  Some researchers theorize that the antioxidant activity of Gingko, in addition to its anti-inflammatory effects may contribute to its mechanism of action. 
Gingko is a promising natural option for the alleviation of neuropathic pain, however, much research needs to be done to find its full effect on humans.  It may be beneficial to you, but be sure to check with your doctor first, especially if you are on any other medications.  

EXERCISE SUCKS

It is so tough to stick to a routine and exercise. I hate exercising, especially when I just start out, cause its difficult to train your body to get into a routine.

The body wants to sit and do nothing, if it can. Now, if I had to exercise, like if I didn't have a home, or if I had to construct my own home, etc.. I might even become fit more easily.
The most technologically savy we become, as a population, the harder it will become to do exercise.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS TO HPV-2

There are approximtely 40 million Americans who are affected by the Herpes Virus. There are many alternative treatments for Herpes. There are two common types of Herpes, Herpes-1 (cold sores) and Herpes-2 (genital herpes).

A new compound introduced to the market by a company called, Flor Nutraceuticals is called "Herpaflor". This compound was introduced in 2007 after the company conducted successful trials in Dallas, Texas. This new product and the research behind it was led by a molecular biologist, R. M. Lavinsky. The company combined 17 natural products into a liquid topical formula to suppress genital herpes or cold sore outbreaks, both caused by the herpes virus. Herpaflor creates a hostile environment for the herpes virus, which resides in the nerve ganglia. Since the environment on the skin is hostile for the virus, it cannot establish itself on the skin, or create a herpes outbreak. Herpaflor was chosen as the Best New Product for 2008 by the Society for Alternative Medicine.

Some of the naturally occuring substances in Herpaflor include:
1) Licorice Root which has a substance called Glycyrrhiza glabra. Glycyrrhiza has antiviral activity against herpes simplex and is capable of irreversibly inactivating the virus.
2) L-Lysine, a supplement which may decrease healing time for cold sores and prevent future outbreaks. The dose is given at 1gm/day.
3) Prunella vulgaris, a naturally occurring herb by the same name which is a plant extract and may prevent viral growth of both the HSV viral strains in the body.
4) Lemon Balm which is sold extensively in Europe for the treatment of genital herpes and cold sores.
5)Nopal Cactus
6) Optunia streptacantha, an extract from a cactus plant

Other Herbal supplements include the following, which must be monitored by your doctor or your herbologist.
1) Melissa
2) Aloe vera
3) Echinacea
4) Tea Tree Oil

Some home remedies to try include lowering your levels of stress. Although this has never been proven, lowering stress levels may decrease outbreaks of the Herpes Virus.
Other scientists have shown that coffee, containing caffeine has some anti-viral properties, except for those infected by HSV-1, which are cold sores.
L-lysine which was one of the components in Herpaflor, mentioned above is contained in certain foods such as beans, beef, fish, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. The theory is to increase L-lysine levels and decrease Arginine levels, which may prevent breakouts of the Herpes -1 or Herpes-2 Virus.

Once you do get an outbreak, some tips to follow include
1) Drinking large amounts of water and to keep well-hydrated.
2) Keep Lesions clean and dry at all times. Corn starch sprinkled in your undergarments may help with keeping the area dry; as well as wearing cotton and loose-fitting clothing
3) Avoid sexual contact from the onset of the herpes outbreak until the lesions have all cleared out; Avoid touching the sores as well

For pain relief
1) NSAID (Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory) medication, such as Ibuprofen
2) Take a warm bath to relax the area.
3) Apply non-herbal cool tea bags to the area

These are some of the more common alternative treatments for a Herpes Outbreak. Herpaflor is a new product on the market which may help to curtail the outbreaks, however it is not a cure for the herpes virus. Once you do have the virus, it is important to make sure that your intake of any or all of the above supplements be monitored by a doctor or a herbologist at all times.

"IS JOGGING ON ROADS SAFE?

Driving at a steady pace along one of the busiest roads in my neighborhood, I drive up a hill, where I am temporarily blinded since at the very top of the hill, the road makes a sharp descent downhill. At this point, while I drive up the hill at a leisurely pace, my mind drifting away from work, as I head home, I am not thinking about avoiding the next jogger or pedestrian that may pop up as the road curves downward.

But as I have learned, joggers routinely make this particular road their favorite and it never fails that one of them pops into view coming toward me as I drive up and down that main road.
I have always wondered why they put themselves in such a dangerous situation. In fact, this particular road has no shoulder, much less a sidewalk for any one to be trudging along on foot. This behavior is just daring an accident to happen.

Jogging is a term used for exercising at a slow, and steady pace. Jogging is meant to increase fitness of the body with less stress than the from a faster form of jogging, called running. By chosing to jog on a road, the definition of jogging is lost. If jogging is meant to relax the body, destress the body and enable one to become or stay fit, then, by creating an arena where one is unable to truly relax, the individual is not fully relaxed and is therefore not jogging at all.

Just as roads are a place for vehicles to travel, and not for people, sidewalks are meant for people, not for cars or larger vehicles. If larger vehicles were to occupy sidewalks as well, this would also cause a significant amount of disruption.

Even if joggers play it safe, and try to do the right things on a road, such as jogging on the "wrong side of the road" to oncoming traffic; wearing bright clothing; careful to not run in the center of the road; careful to jog at the right time of day, and not at the twilight hours, where it is tough to see; the road is still not a safe place.
Even with taking every precaution, joggers can be and are hit by cars, and traffic, which is completely out of the jogger's control. Traffic accidents on the road are enormous. Just turn on the radio every morning and you will see for yourself how many accidents occur on the road. Adding runners on the road will increase fatal traffic accidents dramatically.

There is no true study to date on traffic accidents involving runners in particular. The US Census has reports of Pedestrians involved in traffic accidents and some of them may be runners. The most common running or jogging injuries occur from falls and from Cardiovascular problems. Jogging and running injuries on the road have occured and do occur, however the statistics have not be studied.

Avoiding jogging on roads could help to make our roads safer for all of us!

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR WOMEN WHO LIFT WEIGHTS

By: Sharon S. Joag


1. YOU WILL BECOME PHYSICALLY STRONGER: This is called Functional Fitness
Resistance training will enable you to do daily activities much easier since it increases your strength. Muscles which are worked against resistance increase in strength.
Your chores around the home will seem easier to do.

-IMPROVES ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE AND DECREASES INJURY.
-BUILDS STRONGER CONNECTIVE TISSUE AND INCREASES JOINT STABILITY BY STRENGTHENING JOINTS.

-Women at any age, even in their 70’s and 80’s have built up significant strength with weight training. Resistance training helps to fight aging by maintaining lean muscle tissue and increasing bone density.
-Women in their mid-30’s start to lose 5-10% of muscle strength each decade.

2. GAIN STRENGTH WITHOUT BULK
A long standing myth is that women who lift weights risk growing muscles like a man! This is just a MYTH.
Because women have more estrogen and less testosterone, women gain more tone and definition and less hypertrophy or bulk. Men gain muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, no matter how much a woman works out, she can never gain as much muscle as a man. This can only happen with hormone supplementation or hormone imbalance.

Another myth is that lifting weights makes women gain weight! This is not true.
You will not gain weight by lifting weights. Instead, you will actually be able to control your weight by toning your muscles. Muscle is more dense than fat, however, it takes up less space than fat. Also, muscle cells, even at rest burn more calories than fat cells.

With age, your metabolic rate decreases. That means that there is a decrease in the rate at which your body uses calories. By strength training, you offset the loss in muscle tissue that occurs when you age. You also increase your metabolic rate and prevent age-related weight gain.

3. DECREASED RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS
Weight training increases spinal bone mineral density by 13% in 6 months. This with adequate calcium can be the best defense against osteoporosis, because it decreases the risk of fracture. Therefore, weight training improves balance, bone density, and muscle mass.

4. DECREASES THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE; and CANCER
Decreases LDL cholesterol
Increases HDL cholesterol
Decreases BP
Decreases body fat.
Decreases appetite.

5. DECREASES RISK OF DIABETES MELLITUS
-Weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23% in 4 months.

6. EXERCISE INCREASES:
-Cardiac function
- Insulin sensitivity
-Bone density

7. EXERCISE HELPS ARTHRITIS: This happens as stronger muscles can take the pressure off the inflamed joints.

8. IMPROVES PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH
- Fights depression: In a study done on depression, it showed that 10 weeks of strength training decreased symptoms of depression more successfully than standard counseling.
-Increased confidence and Self-esteem.
-Decreased anxiety

STUDY ON WOMEN AFTER TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER:
- In a study done in 2001 at St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota, on two groups of women, both of whom underwent treatment of Breast Cancer within the last 3 years. One group was assigned to an exercise group and the other group of women had no exercise regimen to follow. The Exercise group met twice a week for 3 months and were then encouraged to continue the exercises for another 3 months.
Both groups were later asked questions regarding their physical well-being, mental happiness, and sexual activity.
The women who had done exercise felt that they had increased their strength over all. They had increased speed, self-confidence and a feeling of control over their bodies.
The women who did not exercise did not have such a feeling of well-being and were more depressed in general.

GUIDELINES BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE:
-All individuals should do 8-10 repetitions for each of the major muscle groups: Biceps; Quadriceps; and Hamstrings.-Resistance exercises should be done on 2 or more non-consecutive days of the week.

These may seem to be simple rules to live by, but you will be surprised at how many people including yourself actually follows these guidelines.

As you start lifting weights and become stronger, you will also become more active and will have more energy. Your overall body balance will improve. Weight training will keep your body weight and your waist line healthy. Your overall positive mood and increased energy will enhance your life.