Are you currently considering a nursing home stay for either yourself or a loved one? In either case, you would expect to receive the best care, especially for the very expensive prices nowadays, wouldn't you? Unfortunately, locating a facility that provides genuine quality care may be tantamount to finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. Know the truth about nursing home or assisted living facilities before you decide.
I have been involved with health care for more than 15 years as a Combat Medic in the United States Army, a Certified Nurse Assistant, Physical Rehab Aide and Occupational Rehab Aide in California and the suburbs of Illinois. My wife is a Registered Nurse with more than 11 years of experience, and like myself, the majority of the experience is in nursing home or assisted living centers.
1989 was the year I became employed in my first nursing home. One of the many duties of a CNA, or certified nurse assistant, is to help the residents of the nursing home with their morning routine. While assisting a certain resident, I noticed the sliding doors of her closet were broke and one of them wouldn't open without forceful tugging. After getting her clothes together, I opened a drawer for some socks and a few roaches crawled out from the haphazardly bundled clothing. I later discovered most of the rooms in this particular facility were in the same appalling condition.
Mysterious injuries to some of the mentally handicapped residents also created rumors of abuse. Yet, no one seemed to know anything about it. Through the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the federal government is suppose to conduct on-site inspections of nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid and to recommend sanctions against those homes that are violating health and safety rules. Yet, this particular facility, on several occasions, somehow received a Five Star rating after "inspections".
I assumed I made a bad employment choice and the next nursing center would be better. I was wrong. Within three months of employment at a different facility, a couple of senior residents confided that a certain nursing assistant was handling them roughly. Being the young newbie to the status quo, I hesitated to act. I was aware the elderly could be quite fragile, so perhaps the manhandling they described was a misunderstanding. Then I witnessed this same assistant "person" placing a soiled diaper onto the face of a resident several times in a teasing manner. I had seen enough, I brought this to the Director of Nursing (D.O.N).
I was not aware at the time however, that both the nurse of that shift and the D.O.N were both friends of the abusive assistant. Therefore, when a meeting was finally convened on the matter about a month later, you can probably imagine what the outcome was. My heated defense of the residents fell on deaf, dumb and blind, ears. The so-called nurse defended the abuser and the D.O.N merely pointed a finger at this assistant and said, "You were wrong." and absolutely nothing else followed, not even a written reprimand. However, I became known as the "trouble-maker" shortly after the meeting.
Fortunately, there was some poetic justice; the abusive assistant was later fired for getting into a "fist-fight" in an elevator with another assistant. This was a "Holy" facility in the suburbs of Illinois.
A large man with documented psychological problems abused other residents at the last facility in which I was employed. Although there were several staff complaints and he choked a female caregiver at one point, his transfer to a more appropriate facility was continually delayed to maintain the profits of his stay. It therefore seemed unconscionable to hear the, oddly high-strung, administrator of this same facility was rumored to be embezzling holiday funds that were meant for the caregivers.
When I learned a new policy required completely untrained caregivers to pass medication to the residents, I began to update my resume, and when I learned that there wouldn't be a nurse at all for the night shift, I turned in my two weeks notice. It was an obvious attempt to save money by limiting or eliminating professional care. These facilities never mention to visiting family members that when the patient or resident census is low, the nursing assistance is often cut to save money. This practice can lead to neglect, which tends to create new issues, such as bedsores for the bedridden residents.
There was a certain focus prevalent among the many facilities in which both my wife and I were employed and apparently, nothing has changed. They all claimed the well-being of the resident is the primary concern; some even placed impressively framed statements or plaques on the walls with their creeds of care. There was no fine print however, that stated the true primary concern above all else was Money. Making money and saving money. A single resident brings in five to eight thousand dollars a month and in "special care units" such as an Alzheimer's unit, it can be $10,000 a month. Thus, everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING else, is of lesser importance. What makes this statement all the more outrageous is that it may actually sound na"ive to some, in today's corporate controlled world. "Of course it's about money, what else could it be about?"
It should be mentioned the examples given above are extreme and may not necessarily occur in all nursing centers. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 5, 2008 named 4,037 nursing homes whose pressure sore and/or physical restraint rates it says have targeted them for "improvement". Thus, anyone who is considering a nursing home or assisted living facility stay, for either a loved one or themselves, should consider and understand the reality of these facilities and the possible measures that can be taken to promote better care.
So, what can you do if you believe extended assisted living or nursing care is needed for you or a loved one? Here are some suggestions and options you might want to consider.
- If distance is not a major concern, you may be able to locate a decent facility via the Senior Housing Net.com site. After choosing a place, if you have the means, research the facility. Find out what you can about it before you visit it. Perhaps you can check for recent complaints, or any history of lawsuits, with the Better Business Bureau online. If this is not an option, arrange a visit and ask the residents about the care, their rooms, the food, etc.
- Notice if you can detect urine when you enter the facility. If there is no one in the immediate area and the odor is very noticeable, we suggest that you turn around and leave. It is a telltale sign of poor sanitation and or possible neglect of bedridden patients.
Most assisted living centers are modeled impressively to give a beautiful "Home-like" appearance and most new residents agree it is much better than the sterile-looking hospital appearance of many nursing homes. However, do keep in mind; it is not necessarily an assurance of superior care. In other words, appearances can be deceiving.
- Ask about the training background of the CNAs (certified nursing assistants) or caregivers, they will be assisting you or handling your loved one the majority of the time. Many assisted living centers do not require their caregivers to be certified assistants, choosing to hire untrained or inexperienced caregivers who are then asked to attend an in-service or two.
- How many caregivers or CNAs are assigned to each unit? How many nurses are there to a unit? Is the ratio to patients or residents adequate for dependable care?
If you must stay at a facility of questionable quality, try to arrange any of the following:
- If possible, have a lawyer present when filling out the admission forms. Some may say it is an unnecessary waste of money, however, nursing facilities abhor any possible legal action against them and a lawyer intimidates much like a wooden cross does when held up to vampires.
- Arrange periodic unannounced visits from family or friends. This serves more than one purpose. First, it provides witnesses to any neglect or problems. Second, it helps keep the staff on their toes regarding your care. Should any incidence of abuse occur, a quick internet search provides a long list of nursing home abuse lawyers.
- If you are a visiting family member and your loved one is in bed most of the time, check for any bedsores on the heels, hips, buttocks, back or elbows. It is your Right to thoroughly question any injuries and be certain they have been properly documented and the doctor has been informed.
- If it is within your budget, you may choose to hire a reliable private sitter to provide one-on-one assistance or care within the facility. Many families prefer this option as it provides not only constant personal attention but companionship as well. Facility staff appreciates it for the relief it can bring during a high census. As an experienced private sitter, I can attest that it is much more preferable to care for one patient than to juggle ten or twelve.
- Another option that may save you money is to hire a private home sitter. Many patients obviously prefer this because it allows them to stay in their home with a caregiver to assist them. A nurse will often be required to make periodic visits as well for any medication that must be administered. There are many agencies to assist you with this.
Although there are many negative stories about nursing facility care, it does not mean you, or a family member, will have the same negative experiences. Believe it or not, there are plenty of satisfied residents, or patients, who do not regret their move into an assisted living or nursing home and who have made new friends.
So, now that you have been given some worst-case scenarios, here's hoping you are prepared for the worst but experience the best.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Cardiac Hospitals in India Providing World Class Treatment in India
4 Cardiac Hospitals in India providing world class treatment in India.
These are some of the Cardiac Hospitals in India providing world class treatment in Cardiac treatment:
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery At Apollo Hospital, Bangalore is the newest addition to the ever-growing network of Apollo Hospitals all over the world. The hospital is equipped with some of the most advanced facilities in the world and some of the most eminent names in several medical specialties and superspecialities.
The doctors at Apollo Hospitals Bangalore have been chosen after an extensive process where their commitment and expertise is assessed in equal measure. Most of them have studied, trained or worked abroad at eminent institutions. The hospital has over 100 consultants available round the clock.
Cardiology is one of the Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Delhi
The Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai are Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Surgery The hospital has a number of Specialised Clinics that offer advice, treatment and tips to patients and their family.
The Apollo Hospital Chennai are performed 27,000 heart surgeries with a success rate of 99.6%, on par with global standards.
These are some of the Cardiac Hospitals in India providing world class treatment in Cardiac treatment:
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery At Apollo Hospital, Bangalore is the newest addition to the ever-growing network of Apollo Hospitals all over the world. The hospital is equipped with some of the most advanced facilities in the world and some of the most eminent names in several medical specialties and superspecialities.
The doctors at Apollo Hospitals Bangalore have been chosen after an extensive process where their commitment and expertise is assessed in equal measure. Most of them have studied, trained or worked abroad at eminent institutions. The hospital has over 100 consultants available round the clock.
Cardiology is one of the Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Delhi
The Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai are Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Surgery The hospital has a number of Specialised Clinics that offer advice, treatment and tips to patients and their family.
The Apollo Hospital Chennai are performed 27,000 heart surgeries with a success rate of 99.6%, on par with global standards.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Basics on the Health Care Facilities Scorecard
Performance management experts agree that scorecard systems are the means to an end. The end is usually in the form of attaining a specific company goal. The means, not being the factors to achieving success, are ways to realizing strategies that lead to obtaining the goal. This can be best explained by identifying the elements involved in implementing the system. And it also involves the identification of the four dimensions covered by such system. Most organizations follow the same metrics. In the health care sector, the case is special. That is why they are urged to adopt a health care facilities scorecard system.
Scorecards do not work without the necessary metrics or key performance indicators. These are specified areas of a health care organization where outputs are evaluated, results are analyzed, and reports are obtained to make crucial decisions. Health care providers are different from most types of business. That is why its indicators are also quite unique. The four KPIs or dimensions used in the scorecard system are customer perspective, social accountability, internal processes, and financial.
Customer perspective is one dimension that involves reviewing people's perception and experience. Normally, it involves the process of obtaining the expectations of a customer before he is admitted and inquiring about the effect of the service offered by the facility. It also requires the knowledge of how customers think of the availability of medical equipment, the quick response of the staff, and the overall cost of the treatment.
On the financial side, the indicators are usually drawn from certain aspects, such as developmental cost of new facilities and medicines, profit from operation, and accounts receivable. By measuring this area, health care managers will be aided in making judgments based on financial performance and progress.
The operational dimension, on the other hand, has something to do with activities related to the everyday activities of the health care provider. Usually, these are: the number of queues, express patient arrivals, volume of surgical incidents, whether outpatient or inpatient, time for new medicines and facilities to develop, and average duration a patient stays in the clinic.
The fourth dimension of the health care scorecard system is social accountability. Since health care providers are service oriented, it is important that the organization's corporate responsibilities must be felt and made visible in the community. Examples of measurable social activities are health education seminars, public heath care programmes, employee development, health awareness initiatives, promotion of proper waste disposal, and charity involvements.
It is not all the time, though, that health care managers should focus on all four dimensions, as it would become a waste of time to spend more on areas that produce unnecessary results. For leaders to practically measure crucial areas, the factors of the scorecard system must be clearly identified. There are actually six and these are: units of analysis, purpose, audience, method, data, and results.
By examining the factors, managers can allocate their time and funds efficiently. In the audience factor, for example, if there is a large number of patients and workers to evaluate, full attention and financial aid must be given. Remember that every second, every dime, and every activity matters. So for health care facilities scorecard to work, one should identify the indicators and consider the factors.
Scorecards do not work without the necessary metrics or key performance indicators. These are specified areas of a health care organization where outputs are evaluated, results are analyzed, and reports are obtained to make crucial decisions. Health care providers are different from most types of business. That is why its indicators are also quite unique. The four KPIs or dimensions used in the scorecard system are customer perspective, social accountability, internal processes, and financial.
Customer perspective is one dimension that involves reviewing people's perception and experience. Normally, it involves the process of obtaining the expectations of a customer before he is admitted and inquiring about the effect of the service offered by the facility. It also requires the knowledge of how customers think of the availability of medical equipment, the quick response of the staff, and the overall cost of the treatment.
On the financial side, the indicators are usually drawn from certain aspects, such as developmental cost of new facilities and medicines, profit from operation, and accounts receivable. By measuring this area, health care managers will be aided in making judgments based on financial performance and progress.
The operational dimension, on the other hand, has something to do with activities related to the everyday activities of the health care provider. Usually, these are: the number of queues, express patient arrivals, volume of surgical incidents, whether outpatient or inpatient, time for new medicines and facilities to develop, and average duration a patient stays in the clinic.
The fourth dimension of the health care scorecard system is social accountability. Since health care providers are service oriented, it is important that the organization's corporate responsibilities must be felt and made visible in the community. Examples of measurable social activities are health education seminars, public heath care programmes, employee development, health awareness initiatives, promotion of proper waste disposal, and charity involvements.
It is not all the time, though, that health care managers should focus on all four dimensions, as it would become a waste of time to spend more on areas that produce unnecessary results. For leaders to practically measure crucial areas, the factors of the scorecard system must be clearly identified. There are actually six and these are: units of analysis, purpose, audience, method, data, and results.
By examining the factors, managers can allocate their time and funds efficiently. In the audience factor, for example, if there is a large number of patients and workers to evaluate, full attention and financial aid must be given. Remember that every second, every dime, and every activity matters. So for health care facilities scorecard to work, one should identify the indicators and consider the factors.
Nursing Home Contracts & Documents - Do Not Sign Under Influence of Staff
Emotional decisions or decisions that you make when you are in pain, or suffering, or decisions, or decisions that you make after you have just had surgery, or decisions that you make when you are heavily medicated, are "iffy" decisions. What do I mean by "iffy". Well, I wonder "if" you were not in pain or suffering or if you had not just been operated on or if you were not heavily medicated, would you have made that same decision in the same way in the same time of your life. Or was your decision making process governed by drugs or by your physical or emotionally-weary conditions?
If you go to any of the 12-step programs, the first thing that they will tell you is to refrain from making any important life decisions for 90 days. Yet, you can come out of open-heart surgery and have medical staff thrust fifty-page documents at you for you to sign and no one sticks up for you and no one tells you to wait or to have your family or your family lawyer present for that very serious document-signing.
Why is this that no one protects patients from signing documents that they clearly do not want to sign, yet there is a protection for those who are enrolled inside of a 12-step program?
The answer is in what the medical facilities, doctors, surgeons and rehab places stand to gain from those signatures Once the nursing homes and the rehab places put their enrollment applications and admissions documents in front of you-the patient, you are probably and usually too tired, too drained, and too emotionally and too physically-weary to argue the point. Say you do not want to sign the documents? The facility has you practically hostage, by telling you that the documents are routine documents and you trust the facility because you think they are there to heal and to help you.
But rather, the truth is, there are some employees in that facility whose main job is to get your money, get your social security checks and get your disability and your homes away from you. Can you believe that ? It is those social workers who are there employed by these rehab places and nursing homes that want to know all of your financial business EVEN if you have come into the place saying and insisting that you have private insurance and EVEN though you say and insist that you are not applying for Medicaid or medicare. They want all of your information as part of a routine application.
Do not believe the words routine because there is nothing further from the truth. What might be routine for the medical place is not routine for you or for your finances. When they say that word routine to you in respect to applications, enrollments admissions or documents when you first come into rehab or into nursing homes, they mean that they are routinely going to try and get all your assets, all your social security, and any and all payments that you have due to you. Of course there are some laws that protect you. But most times, those documents that they ask you to sign are one-sided documents all in favor of the rehab place or of the nursing homes.
Think twice before signing anything at all. Insist that you have friends and family there if there are multitudes of documents to be signed. In fact, even if they want you to sign only one document or one page, insist that your family member or your private personal lawyer be present. Do not, under any circumstance take any lawyer or legal representative that this place provides or calls for you. You need someone independent.
Watch out for all hoe documents. You could be signing away your entire home, all and any assets, funds and bank accounts, and your entire future. The author is not a medical or legal professional and has published this article for entertainment, enjoyment and information only. This article and other articles by the same author are not intended to be any legal or medical advice, so consult your own professionals before taking any serious action that might affect your life, nursing home stay or finances.
ALERT: Do not be fooled by the word routine uttered from staff's mouth. These routine documents could turn out to be legally-binding contracts. You must have help and witnesses before signing any such papers. Any REPUTABLE nursing home or care facility will permit you to wait until family members are there for you. Unscrupulous nursing homes will wait until your family leaves and then ask you to sign the papers. Do not be duped!
If you go to any of the 12-step programs, the first thing that they will tell you is to refrain from making any important life decisions for 90 days. Yet, you can come out of open-heart surgery and have medical staff thrust fifty-page documents at you for you to sign and no one sticks up for you and no one tells you to wait or to have your family or your family lawyer present for that very serious document-signing.
Why is this that no one protects patients from signing documents that they clearly do not want to sign, yet there is a protection for those who are enrolled inside of a 12-step program?
The answer is in what the medical facilities, doctors, surgeons and rehab places stand to gain from those signatures Once the nursing homes and the rehab places put their enrollment applications and admissions documents in front of you-the patient, you are probably and usually too tired, too drained, and too emotionally and too physically-weary to argue the point. Say you do not want to sign the documents? The facility has you practically hostage, by telling you that the documents are routine documents and you trust the facility because you think they are there to heal and to help you.
But rather, the truth is, there are some employees in that facility whose main job is to get your money, get your social security checks and get your disability and your homes away from you. Can you believe that ? It is those social workers who are there employed by these rehab places and nursing homes that want to know all of your financial business EVEN if you have come into the place saying and insisting that you have private insurance and EVEN though you say and insist that you are not applying for Medicaid or medicare. They want all of your information as part of a routine application.
Do not believe the words routine because there is nothing further from the truth. What might be routine for the medical place is not routine for you or for your finances. When they say that word routine to you in respect to applications, enrollments admissions or documents when you first come into rehab or into nursing homes, they mean that they are routinely going to try and get all your assets, all your social security, and any and all payments that you have due to you. Of course there are some laws that protect you. But most times, those documents that they ask you to sign are one-sided documents all in favor of the rehab place or of the nursing homes.
Think twice before signing anything at all. Insist that you have friends and family there if there are multitudes of documents to be signed. In fact, even if they want you to sign only one document or one page, insist that your family member or your private personal lawyer be present. Do not, under any circumstance take any lawyer or legal representative that this place provides or calls for you. You need someone independent.
Watch out for all hoe documents. You could be signing away your entire home, all and any assets, funds and bank accounts, and your entire future. The author is not a medical or legal professional and has published this article for entertainment, enjoyment and information only. This article and other articles by the same author are not intended to be any legal or medical advice, so consult your own professionals before taking any serious action that might affect your life, nursing home stay or finances.
ALERT: Do not be fooled by the word routine uttered from staff's mouth. These routine documents could turn out to be legally-binding contracts. You must have help and witnesses before signing any such papers. Any REPUTABLE nursing home or care facility will permit you to wait until family members are there for you. Unscrupulous nursing homes will wait until your family leaves and then ask you to sign the papers. Do not be duped!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
What's Love Got to Do With It?
Some of you may remember Tina Turner's hit What's Love Got to Do With It? In the song she sings that "love is a second hand emotion," and "who needs a heart when a heart can be broken." The song is a cynical take on loving and being loved. Many physicians and health care providers have become cynical and disillusioned. Medicine and love are almost never mentioned in the same breath. The practice of medicine is not necessarily viewed as a relationship with love at its center, but a transaction from the patient's viewpoint that is too often one sided. Health care providers are taught to be objective and to exhibit "detached concern." We are taught to protect ourselves from our own emotions as well as those of the patient. We know that love is fraught with pain and unpredictability. We don't want our hearts to be broken. We don't want to be overwhelmed by love and unable to act.
But, what if we stopped protecting our hearts so much? What if we looked at our patients with the same love that we reserve for our children, spouse, or our friends? After all, there really are not different kinds or degrees of love. Love is caring or loving another as you love yourself. Love is relieving the suffering of another. What would practicing medicine be like then? Can we practice with what Jack Coulehan calls "tenderness and steadiness." Can we stop hiding behind the shield of our white coats, and share our humanity with our patients? When we do, when we can sit and converse with our patients as human being to human being, and not expert to patient, then maybe, the practice of medicine will be more fulfilling. Maybe, when love has everything to do with it, when health care providers no longer fear the risk of their hearts being broken, then health care will be what it is meant to be, a loving relationship, for both doctor and patient.
But, what if we stopped protecting our hearts so much? What if we looked at our patients with the same love that we reserve for our children, spouse, or our friends? After all, there really are not different kinds or degrees of love. Love is caring or loving another as you love yourself. Love is relieving the suffering of another. What would practicing medicine be like then? Can we practice with what Jack Coulehan calls "tenderness and steadiness." Can we stop hiding behind the shield of our white coats, and share our humanity with our patients? When we do, when we can sit and converse with our patients as human being to human being, and not expert to patient, then maybe, the practice of medicine will be more fulfilling. Maybe, when love has everything to do with it, when health care providers no longer fear the risk of their hearts being broken, then health care will be what it is meant to be, a loving relationship, for both doctor and patient.
The Kwanza of Physician Health
Kwanza is an African American holiday that begins on December 26th and ends on December 31st. It is based on West African principles of the self in relationship to family and community. Although Kwanzaa is defined in relation to individual and social constructs it can also be viewed as a powerful tool for promoting physician and healthcare worker wellness and community health.
The six principles of Kwanza are directly applicable to physician and health care worker wellbeing and health:
n Umoja-Unity: Family and Community Support for your well being and the practice of medicine.
n Kujichagulia Self-Determination: Define Your Calling, Create and Live It.
n Ujima Collective Work and Responsibility: Advocate for our own and your patient's health together.
n Nia Purpose: Pool physician resources to sustain and develop institutions, practices, groups and health plans for promoting health and wellness of all people.
n Kuumba Creativity: To do as much as you can to innovatively promote wellness in yourself and your community.
n Imani Faith: To maintain and respect your spiritual roots and the interrelatedness of mind, spirit, and body.
Although Kwanza is based on West African Principles, this philosophy is universal. Incorporating these principles will promote wellbeing and ameliorate compassion fatigue in not only physicians, nurses and other health care workers. Remembering and acknowledging the Kwanza Dimensions of Health each and everyday will keep everyone on the path of health, as well as personal and professional joy and success. An individual is only as healthy and successful as his/her family, the community, the nation, and the world.
The six principles of Kwanza are directly applicable to physician and health care worker wellbeing and health:
n Umoja-Unity: Family and Community Support for your well being and the practice of medicine.
n Kujichagulia Self-Determination: Define Your Calling, Create and Live It.
n Ujima Collective Work and Responsibility: Advocate for our own and your patient's health together.
n Nia Purpose: Pool physician resources to sustain and develop institutions, practices, groups and health plans for promoting health and wellness of all people.
n Kuumba Creativity: To do as much as you can to innovatively promote wellness in yourself and your community.
n Imani Faith: To maintain and respect your spiritual roots and the interrelatedness of mind, spirit, and body.
Although Kwanza is based on West African Principles, this philosophy is universal. Incorporating these principles will promote wellbeing and ameliorate compassion fatigue in not only physicians, nurses and other health care workers. Remembering and acknowledging the Kwanza Dimensions of Health each and everyday will keep everyone on the path of health, as well as personal and professional joy and success. An individual is only as healthy and successful as his/her family, the community, the nation, and the world.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Mineral Water Benefits You (And That's a Fact) So Here's How to Get a Cheap Lifetime Supply of It
It seems like every time you look around there is a new mineral water brand on the supermarket shelves.
This isn't surprising to me. A lot of people know that drinking mineral water benefits their health.
Actually, natural minerals do amazing things in your body. And there are many ways mineral water benefits you.
Take iron, for instance. Without iron your blood can't efficiently carry oxygen around your system. Then, magnesium regulates your blood pressure and makes your immune system stronger. Sodium moderates fluid levels for you. And calcium, as we all know, strengthens bones and keeps our teeth white and strong.
There are many other things minerals do. That's why the researchers call them "essential" minerals.
Without them we become sick, and mankind seems to have realized this early on. For thousands of years people have gone to natural, mineral-rich springs for mineral top-ups and cures for illness that would not go away with any other remedies. Mineral water benefits have a long history!
These healthy minerals come from the rocks deep down in the earth. They've been dissolved by the water down there and over huge reaches of time have been slowly brought up into our surface water systems.
Drinking good water is nature's way of making sure we get the minerals we need.
Yet researchers tell us that here in the US we are getting fewer minerals than we used to. Just take one quick example; magnesium. On average, we now receive half the magnesium we used to get 100 years ago: thanks to our move into the cites, away from the natural, clean water of small rural towns; and because we are eating far too much refined, fat-rich, processed food. Ominously, that 50 percent drop has pulled us well under the minimum magnesium requirement for healthy adults.
I could go on, but you get the picture. (And you didn't come to this article to get hit with statistics.)
Knowing this, you'd think the people building water purification systems would make sure they don't take out these minerals when they remove dirt and chemicals. But actually, some of the most popular purification systems do exactly that -- they remove the minerals.
Watch out for them. Read the fine print on any water purification system disclaimers.
Take the reverse osmosis water systems, for example. They are popular, and widely used in homes. Dirt and some chemicals are effectively removed by these systems. At the same time they filter out every single essential mineral and let through all the cancer-causing chemicals with a molecular structure smaller than that of water. What you get from these osmosis systems is sterile, chemical-rich water that looks clean but has no healthy natural minerals and contains an unhealthy mix of chemicals that cause cancer.
Another example of a purification systems that takes mineral water benefits away are the distillers. As they turn water to steam and then back to water, they remove life-sustaining natural minerals. You're left with lifeless, de mineralized water.
And there are other systems that do us the same disservice, giving us poor water without the mineral water benefits which mineral revitalization water purification systems provide.
So, I'd suggest you be pro-active as you look at healthy water supply appliances. Look for mineral revitalization water purification systems. There are some good ones on the market. They'll deliver mineral water benefits to you and your children -- right from the tap. And they're a lot cheaper per glass than bottles of mineral water will ever be!
This isn't surprising to me. A lot of people know that drinking mineral water benefits their health.
Actually, natural minerals do amazing things in your body. And there are many ways mineral water benefits you.
Take iron, for instance. Without iron your blood can't efficiently carry oxygen around your system. Then, magnesium regulates your blood pressure and makes your immune system stronger. Sodium moderates fluid levels for you. And calcium, as we all know, strengthens bones and keeps our teeth white and strong.
There are many other things minerals do. That's why the researchers call them "essential" minerals.
Without them we become sick, and mankind seems to have realized this early on. For thousands of years people have gone to natural, mineral-rich springs for mineral top-ups and cures for illness that would not go away with any other remedies. Mineral water benefits have a long history!
These healthy minerals come from the rocks deep down in the earth. They've been dissolved by the water down there and over huge reaches of time have been slowly brought up into our surface water systems.
Drinking good water is nature's way of making sure we get the minerals we need.
Yet researchers tell us that here in the US we are getting fewer minerals than we used to. Just take one quick example; magnesium. On average, we now receive half the magnesium we used to get 100 years ago: thanks to our move into the cites, away from the natural, clean water of small rural towns; and because we are eating far too much refined, fat-rich, processed food. Ominously, that 50 percent drop has pulled us well under the minimum magnesium requirement for healthy adults.
I could go on, but you get the picture. (And you didn't come to this article to get hit with statistics.)
Knowing this, you'd think the people building water purification systems would make sure they don't take out these minerals when they remove dirt and chemicals. But actually, some of the most popular purification systems do exactly that -- they remove the minerals.
Watch out for them. Read the fine print on any water purification system disclaimers.
Take the reverse osmosis water systems, for example. They are popular, and widely used in homes. Dirt and some chemicals are effectively removed by these systems. At the same time they filter out every single essential mineral and let through all the cancer-causing chemicals with a molecular structure smaller than that of water. What you get from these osmosis systems is sterile, chemical-rich water that looks clean but has no healthy natural minerals and contains an unhealthy mix of chemicals that cause cancer.
Another example of a purification systems that takes mineral water benefits away are the distillers. As they turn water to steam and then back to water, they remove life-sustaining natural minerals. You're left with lifeless, de mineralized water.
And there are other systems that do us the same disservice, giving us poor water without the mineral water benefits which mineral revitalization water purification systems provide.
So, I'd suggest you be pro-active as you look at healthy water supply appliances. Look for mineral revitalization water purification systems. There are some good ones on the market. They'll deliver mineral water benefits to you and your children -- right from the tap. And they're a lot cheaper per glass than bottles of mineral water will ever be!
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