Benefits of Eating Organic Foods

Whether or not to choose organic food products over conventional is regularly a hot topic of debate. Some opponents do not believe that eating organic is worth the additional cost, while others don't believe that it provides a more nutritious product.

On the other hand, supporters of organic foods strongly believe that the benefits are indeed very real and will testify to those benefits. For example, certain people with allergies to artificial preservatives and chemicals will notice that eating organic products helps to lessen or completely rid them of symptoms. No matter which side of the aisle you fall on, it is clear that organic products are more natural, less artificial, and there are certain benefits that come with that. Below are some of the main benefits that people can expect to receive from eating organic foods.

Fewer Pesticides

Many crops grown today are grown with the use of pesticides. These are chemicals such as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. While the use of these chemicalsis to help keep the crops from being attacked by bugs and such, they tend to leave residue on the foods that we eat. Therefore, many of the non-organic foods we eat have pesticides on them that we ingest.

Fresher Foods

Everyone agrees that food that is fresher just tastes better overall. Organic foods generally have a shorter lifespan in the stores because they don't contain preservatives in them that most other products do in order to last longer. However, because of this the organic foods are always fresher and usually have a better taste overall. Most organic produce comes from local farms nearby wherever it is sold.

Better for the Environment

Organic farming leads to less pollution in the air, water and soil. It also helps to reduce soil erosion, conserve water, increase soil fertility and uses less energy. Farming practices done without the use of pesticides is better for nearby wildlife such as birds and other small animals.It is also a better environment for people who may live close by the farms or the workers that work the farms and crops.

Better for Animals

Organically raised animals are not given growth hormones, antibiotics or fed any animalbyproducts. When farmers use antibiotics in conventional meat production, it leads to the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains. If someone eating the conventionally raised meat gets sick from a strain of bacteria, it could lead to them not being able to be treated with the use of antibiotics. In addition, the risk of mad cow disease is less when no animal byproducts are used to feed and raise the animals.

Better for Immune System

For many food growers and farmers, genetic modifications have been some of the biggest projects in recent decades. While making produce such as tomatoes six times their original side may seem like a great way to solve some hunger issues around the world, there are also some downsides to it. Genetically modifying foods is still a relatively new idea. Because of this, it is unsure about what the long-term side effects on humans could be. When tested on animals, it was proven that eating genetically modified foods caused a big reduction in many things such as immune system strength. It was also noticed that there was an increase in birth mortality and certain sexual dysfunctions.

Antioxidant Capacity

There have been many studies showing that the effects of antioxidants derived from organic foods better effect your overall health compared to antioxidants that come from the conventionally grown foods. The main reason that this is true may be because the foreign chemicals used in non-organic foods are not present to negatively interact with the numerous minerals and vitamins in the foods. These are essential to help fruits and vegetables aid in the prevention of numerous diseases such as heart disease, cancer, vision problems, premature aging and cognitive malfunctions. Other recent research has suggested that choosing to eat organic foods can lead to an increase of consumed antioxidants as well as a reduced exposure to certain toxic heavy metals.

More Nutrients and Less GMOs

According to a recent European study, organically grown meat and milk had upwards of fifty percent higher nutrients in them such as omega-3 fatty acids. The study shows this to be true because the milk and beef comes from cows that are able to graze and eat a natural grass diet while conventional meat and milk comes from cows that are fed with grain instead. Organically grown foods are GMO (genetically modified organisms) free. Genetically modified foods from plants and animals could possibly lead to long-term negative effects that have yet to be studied.

While eating organic foods may not be the only choice when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it can certainly help. Sometimes, it boils down to making healthier choices in the products you buy, such as products sold by Hampton Creek foods.

This is a guest blog entry.

7 of the Most Common Medical Billing Mistakes

Many errors can occur during the medical billing process. These errors delay payments, cause confusion and reflect poorly with patients who often have to help correct the problem. An essential part of medical billing is minimizing errors, but that is often easier said than done.

When you’re dealing with dozens of data points, mistakes happen. The key is knowing where problems usually occur in the process and how to prevent them.

Not Entering the Right Amount of Digits on a Code

With so many minute details, it’s easy to overlook a letter or digit. Not entering the correct number of digits for a code is one of the top mistakes made during the medical billing process. ICD codes are designators for symptoms, diagnosis and causes of death. It helps decrease confusion because the universal codes are understood by health providers around the country.

Being just one digit off can create serious issues during the billing process. This can also affect the patient’s medical records if it isn’t corrected. Billing specialists have to be familiar with the current codes and have a way to verify codes before filing.

Inputting the Wrong Code

Another common problem is inputting the wrong code entirely. Using the wrong code on a medical bill is one of the top reasons claims are rejected and denied.

Often it is the ICD-9-CM and the new ICD-10 codes that are incorrect. Because there are multiple code sets and ICD codes are updated regularly, it can be difficult for billing specialists to determine which code is correct. Online management systems like Practice Suite's free ICD 10 code lookup can help circumvent this common medical billing mistake. These systems have tools that help billing specialists look up the latest codes, which are significantly different for ICD-10.

Treatment and Diagnostic Codes Are Mismatched

One other common billing mistake related to ICD codes is mismatched coding for treatment and diagnosis. Usually one of the codes is correct but the other is not, and it’s clearly unrelated. Here again a billing management system with updated ICD code tools can help billing specialists find and use the right codes before sending out the bill.

Incorrect Patient Information

The front desk and doctor may be very familiar with a patient, but that doesn’t mean the medical billing specialist is. Incorrectly inputting patient information is much easier than most people realize. Again, one wrong letter or number in the patient information is all it takes for a claim to be rejected.
A patient management system with built-in billing functions makes this mistake near impossible because the patient’s information is automatically populated in electronic claims.

Incorrect Insurance Information

The insurance company information also has to be 100% accurate on the billing records. Even though these types of errors can be slight, it can be enough to delay the bill processing and payment.
It’s also fairly common for the patient’s insurance information to be incorrect on bills. Patients can switch health insurance plans or providers from one year to the next. Their plan may also be updated or changed, sometimes without the patient realizing it. For this reason, medical billing specialists have to verify insurance coverage before filing a claim.

Incorrect Health Provider Information

Some medical billing specialists work for multiple health care providers. Juggling the information of various providers makes it easy to accidentally input the wrong name, address or contact information.

Duplicate Bills

Without a management system that documents and tracks billing, it’s easy for the same medical service to be billed twice. It usually happens when more than one person in the office reports that the services were performed. The billing specialist should catch this on a superbill, but a patient management system that’s shared by everyone will help eliminate duplicate bills.

Medical ethics extends well beyond the examining room. Proper handling of patient information and billing is a joint effort between the physician, administrative staff and billing specialist. Each person must be honest and accurate in their documentation or mistakes are going to happen.


This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.

Say Goodbye to Back Pain by Introducing These Easy Lifestyle Changes

Back pain is one of the most common health problems affecting the people of all ages and genders. According to the survey, out of total patients visiting a doctor about 20% have a back pain complaint. This issue is mostly recurring and would come your way again and again if you continue with the wrong lifestyle or do not take up a well-planned fitness regime to get over it.

If you have already been attacked by mild or severe back pain by now then it is your trigger for a lifestyle change. Here are the simple tips that will help you cure the back pain to large extent and also help you prevent any future attacks.

 1. Weight Management

If the reason for frequent back pain attacks is not known then first check your weight because being overweight is the major reason behind this problem. The excess weight concentrated on the middle portion of your body would put extra pressure on the spinal cord and the result would be unexplained back pain. You need to bring down the weight in the normal range through proper weight management strategy. Heavy exercise is also strictly prohibited as this will put extra pressure on the joints and back. Following a diet and some natural weight loss supplement would definitely be a better choice.

2. Activity Level

Some people think that lot of movement and activity are the root causes of back pain. This is not true as your muscles are weakened due to lack of exercise. You can take rest for some time until you get relief but do not make it a habit. Indulge in routine chores and light activity as this will strengthen the muscles slowly. Increase the level of activity as you start feeling comfortable.

3. Watch Your Diet

Watch your diet but not for weight loss. You may watch your diet to get proper nutrition as lack of key nutrition would weaken bones and muscles. Increase calcium and protein intake for muscle building. Healthy diet would result into healthy body, so keep a close watch on your diet.

4. Posture Problems 

Wrong posture while sitting, standing, or walking may wrongly affect the back. Stand straight with your tummy tucked in, head up, shoulders pulled backwards, and back straight. Keeping your back straight even at the time of sitting or walking would help in avoiding back problems. Sit in a chair with your back straight and your knees above the hip level. While traveling or when you have to sit for long hours, keep a pillow behind the lower back to provide appropriate support.

5. Sleeping Posture

More than any other position, your posture at the time of sleeping may have the maximum impact on your back. Sleeping on the back would exert lot of pressure on the muscles. You may sleep better on your sides. Take a pillow with the thickness good enough to keep the head straight. While sleeping on your back, avoid putting the pillow below the neck as it will worsen the situation. Putting the pillow below the knee and lower back would ease out the pain.

Apart from the above mentioned modifications, you can introduce some easy changes like –

-    Avoid wearing high heels and even if your attire calls for one then do not stand for long or walk much.

-    Skinny jeans look good but would hinder the blood circulation. Wear loose clothes especially when you sleep as this would be the time to recover from a full day’s stress.

-    Lifting heavy weight on your shoulders or bending from the waist to lift heavy weights would immediately trouble your back. If you have to pick up anything from the ground then sit and pick it up.

-    Handbags and laptop bags are major sources of damage. The heavy weight carried in these bags would put strain on both your back and shoulder muscles. You may end up weakening the upper back too. Simple lifestyle modifications and little care would keep the chronic back pain at bay. If the condition worsens then you may visit the medical practitioner as he would recommend some muscle relaxants and pain killers for immediate relief followed by physiotherapy, which will make the pain bearable.

About Author:

Karishma Pandey is a freelance writer. She writes her views on health issues. Currently she is associated with IshaPur Turmeric Curcumin, an online shop for turmeric curcumin that helps in reducing joint pains.

Periodontal Disease: Linked to Breast Cancer in Post-Menopausal Women

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a relatively common condition that will affect many of us at some stage in our lives, and while it can be treated with antibiotics and online doctors that prescribe pain meds to ease toothache and inflamed gums, new research suggests it could lead to more serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and breast cancer if left untreated.

During a study on 73,737 postmenopausal women, scientists at the University at Buffalo's School of Public Health and Health Professions in New York, discovered that women with periodontal disease are 14% more likely to develop breast cancer than those women without gum disease.  This risk increased to over 30% in women who smoked or had smoked in the last 20 years.

This is not the first time that gum disease has been linked to cancer, previous studies found links between periodontal disease and oesophageal, head, neck, lung, and pancreatic cancers, but for the first time, the Women’s Health Initiative Observation Study has highlighted a risk between this chronic inflammatory condition and breast cancer, and it is postmenopausal women who are most at risk.

Smoking & Gum Disease

Toothache, bleeding gums, loose teeth and unpleasant breath are all signs of gum disease, and there is a plethora of scientific evidence to suggest that periodontal disease is made worse by smoking.

Tobacco and nicotine can lead to a variety of different dental problems including tooth discoloration, an increased build-up of plaque, loss of bone within the jaw, and stunted blood vessels, which can prevent the gums from bleeding, even when periodontal disease is present. This is why researchers took smoking into consideration during the study, and the results, although not statistically significant, are a clear warning to postmenopausal women who smoke.

The Link Between Gum Disease and Breast Cancer

While the link between gum disease and breast cancer is still unclear, some scientists believe that the blood stream could become infected with bacteria from the gums, which then spreads to breast tissue causing the formation of cancerous cells.

However, researchers who carried out the study confirmed that more research is needed to pinpoint a specific cause-and-effect link between the two, and that more evidence is required to establish a clear connection between periodontal disease and breast cancer.

Jo Freudenheim PhD, a distinguished professor and lead author of the Women’s Health Initiative Observation Study said, “These findings are useful in providing new insight into what causes breast cancer.” She continued, "We know that the bacteria in the mouths of current and former smokers who quit recently are different from those in the mouths of non-smokers."

"There is good evidence, though, that good dental care is important in any case and that treatment of periodontal disease is important for the health of the mouth," she said, “but more study is needed before there is enough evidence to say that gum disease causes breast cancer or other diseases”.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

In the early stages of gum disease, common symptoms include red swollen gums and bleeding when brushing the teeth.  If left untreated, the jaw bone and surrounding tissues may become affected, leaving sufferers with loose teeth, bad breath, painful gum abscesses, and in severe cases, tooth loss.  It is therefore essential that gum disease is diagnosed quickly.

One of the easiest ways to avoid gum disease is with good oral hygiene. By brushing twice per day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly, and not smoking, you can reduce the risk of gum disease, and regular visits to the dentist (every 6 months), will keep toothache and dental problems at bay.

This is a guest post by Dr Anderson, a health physician.