Hardball - Bush Vetoes Children's Health Insurance Bill

Helping Children Start A Healthy Life

BECAUSE her husband is unemployed, Xioma Hernandez has no insurance to cover routine medical expenses for her 7-month-old daughter, Laura -- and no choice, she said, but to take the baby to a public health clinic. Mrs. Hernandez held the infant in her lap recently as she waited to see a doctor at the county-run Pediatric Treatment Center here, one of three in Westchester. Laura was to be immunized against the hepatitis B virus, a sometimes deadly infection that attacks the liver and is prevalent in the Dominican Republic, where Laura was born. A Place for Vaccinations

Mrs. Hernandez and two other mothers in the waiting room knew only a few words of English. Speaking through a translator who works as a nurse's aide, they said they had brought their children here because they could not afford a private doctor. They also said that long waits and limited hours would not deter them because it was important that their children be inoculated against diseases like polio, mumps, measles and whooping cough.

For every vaccinated child, however, statistics show that there may be as many who are not, at least not until they enter school, when parents are required to show proof of immunizations.

County health officials, frustrated in efforts to see that more preschool children are immunized, welcomed President Bill Clinton's announcement earlier this month of a plan to spend $300 million or more next year to increase the number of children who are vaccinated.

The officials recommend that children receive inoculations before they are 2. Not only is that about the time when natural immunities passed along from mother to child wear off but it is also the time when some diseases are especially dangerous in infants and very young children. Plan May Provide Some Impetus

"In one sense, there's nothing new about the President's plan," said Dr. Harold N. Adel, the county's deputy commissioner for community health services. "We've long recognized that immunization is a prime responsibility."

"But the approach now coming out of D.C. may provide some added impetus," he said. "Despite our efforts, we are painfully aware of the number of children who are not inoculated."

Nationwide, it is estimated that about 50 percent of children younger than 5 are vaccinated. For the state, not including New York City, that figure is 56 percent.

In Westchester the rate is probably above the national average, although separate statistics are not maintained, said Dr. Mark S. Rapoport, the County Health Commissioner.

"Westchester is probably better off, compared to a city like Detroit, for example," he said. "We have a fairly well-to-do population here. But still, there are those who are not plugged in to any health-care system." Illegal Aliens Wary

Some children -- especially those of undocumented aliens -- often do not receive immunizations during the critical preschool years even though county clinics do not require pay stubs and will not reveal information about clients to the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Nevertheless, those who have entered the country illegally are wary and often avoid contact with all public agencies, even at the expense of their children's health, officials said.

In some cases, parents who are deterred by the high cost of inoculations at a private doctor's office -- up to $275, not including office visit fees -- do not, as an alternative, go to a public health clinic, where there is no charge for vaccinations.

And some private doctors, discouraged by the high costs of stocking the serums, are "simply going out of the vaccination business," said Dr. Guthrie S. Birkhead, medical director for the State Health Department's immunization program. He said the doctors are referring their patients elsewhere.

"It splits up a child's health care, and that's when things can fall through the cracks," Dr. Birkhead said. 'Herd Immunity'

Other children -- those of homeless people and migrant workers, for example -- have a sporadic record of immunizations, with some never being vaccinated. In other cases, though, children are vaccinated over and over again as their parents travel from place to place and from one clinic to another, often failing to keep the children's health records.

On Encouraging A Healthy Life Style

LEAD: The reply by R. S. McCord (''Some Suggestions for Better Health'') gave a grossly simplistic view of modern health care. The health care professionals he listed may not be able to help every patient 100 percent of the time, but then physicians can't either.

The reply by R. S. McCord (''Some Suggestions for Better Health'') gave a grossly simplistic view of modern health care. The health care professionals he listed may not be able to help every patient 100 percent of the time, but then physicians can't either.

Perhaps he is unaware of the services these people provide or maybe he has had an unsuccessful experience with one or several of them. Although he may not believe their services to be cost effective, the patients they have helped (including the truly ill) would take the opposite stand.

Send an alcoholic to his general practitioner and see what he has to offer him. And what do you suppose an M.D. would do for a patient with marital and family problems? I doubt that you could find an M.D. willing or able to go through all the channels and effort to find a nursing-home bed for a hospitalized patient.

What about the victims of automobile accidents? After their broken bones have been set will the physicians assist them in restoring strength and range of motion? After their severed spines are surgically stabilized, who will teach them how to function in a world that still caters to the able-bodied?

In this age of specialization, his naive solution is highly unrealistic. Even if physicians had the desire to learn the skills and to offer the services the so-called medical fringe provide, I doubt there would be enough physicians to fulfill the needs (especially for the same money the fringe does it for).

Office Labs: Future of personal health concept

The Top 3 Meals to Eat to Lose Inches Off Your Waistline & Burn Fat

To effectively burn fat and lose inches off your waistline, proper nutrition is key. In this article, I would like to talk about the top 3 meals to eat to burn fat and lose inches off your waistline.

No matter how much exercising you do, if you do not have proper nutrition, results will be very minimal to none. Most people know about the types of foods you should eat. Those foods are protein, healthy fats, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and foods rich in vitamins and minerals. A popular problem most dieter's end up with is how to combine these foods to quick, delicious, and healthy meals.

Here are 3 delicious and nutrient packed meals you should add to your diet to effectively and quickly burn fat and lose inches off your waistline.

For Fat Burning

Salad mixed with leafy greens (iceberg, romaine, etc.), 1 can of tuna, fat free dressing, and 1 hard boiled egg white (remove yolk). This meal is jam packed with several vitamins and minerals, around 20 grams of protein, and healthy fat.

For Strength Building

Super oatmeal. Instead of mixing in sugar or sugar substitutes with your oatmeal, mix 1/2 to 1 scoop (depending on the amount of oatmeal) of protein powder as a sweetener, additional flavor, and added nutrients. A meal like this will do wonders for your body internally and externally....including helping in building muscle and strength. Loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and you guessed it, protein!

For Toning And Building Lean Muscle:

Grilled chicken breast sandwich with avocado spread on whole grain wheat bread. Mmmm! One of my favorite lunches! This meal contains a great source of fiber and complex carbohydrates which will come from the whole grain wheat bread. It also contains a good source of protein and healthy fat from the chicken breast and from avocado. Make sure the chicken is skinless chicken. You would take avocado and mash it until it becomes smooth. Then use it as a spread for your sandwich instead of the usual fattening mayo and mustard.

15 Fat Burning Foods - Eat And Lose?

Are there 15 fat burning foods that you can eat and lose weight? Yes and no. There are foods that you can eat that help you feel satisfied, full and content. Feel that way and you will usually eat less and maintain or lose weight. That can be a good thing. I'll share 15 food ideas for losing fat, but first a little background.

Two hormones produced in the pancreas, glucagon and insulin, determine how your body uses carbohydrates. The ratio of these two hormones is what really is critical for sugar use.

Glucagon directs the liver to release sugars, which raises the blood sugar available for use by the brain and the rest of the body. Glucagon also signals the cells to release fat for energy and to release protein for building. Insulin is responsible for putting nutrients into cells. Thus insulin regulates the transfer of fats, proteins and sugars from the bloodstream to the cells. If more sugar is available than is required, insulin signals the liver to produce fat.

Glucagon is released when proteins are eaten. Insulin is released when carbohydrates are eaten. Neither is released when you eat fats or nonstarchy foods. If carbohydrates are eaten alone, the insulin to glucagon ratio is too high. If protein is eaten alone, the insulin to glucagon ratio is too low. Eat a balanced meal with protein, fats, nonstarchy vegetables and carbohydrates and you can have a balanced insulin to glucagon ratio which can burn fat and build muscle.

Eating a balanced meal will not lead to fat production, it could even lead to fat loss. Also a balanced meal will not lead to muscle loss, it could even lead to muscle gain.

Following are 15 fat burning foods ideas. With the background in the first paragraphs, you can see that just eating a few selected foods will not magically cause weight loss. However, making some fairly simple changes in the way you eat could finally help you to lose weight and keep it off.

• 1. Coconut oil - the fats in coconut oil are not usually stored as fat.
• 2. Salmon - eat protein and fats with carbohydrates for a balanced insulin to glucagon ration.
• 3. Whole grain breads - sugars released more slowly than processed grains, so less insulin response.
• 4. Asparagus - a nonstarchy vegetable even helpful with cheese sauce.
• 5. Cabbage - use it many different ways especially helpful in soup as a filler.
• 6. Kale - high in calcium plus easy to grow yourself.
• 7. Chicken - balance a meal with chicken on a salad.
• 8. Garlic - use it however you can.
• 9. Green beans - fills you up but nonstarchy so no effect on insulin to glucagon ratio.
• 10. Cod liver oil - an important supplement for Vitamins A and D.
• 11. Bitters - like Swedish Bitters, often helpful for digesting fats.
• 12. Bell peppers - another sweet tasting nonstarchy vegetable useful in several ways.
• 13. Summer squash - especially good with light cheese sauces.
• 14. Cheese - in limited amounts, preferably fresh, as the fats in aged cheese are damaged.
• 15. Eggs - contains proteins plus fats to satisfy hunger and combine well with carbohydrates.

There are many more than 15 fat burning foods if you realize the real keys to healthy eating and weight loss. Include any and all nonstarchy vegetables as part of your eating plan.

Lose Weight Tips - The Best Ways to Lose Weight Fast!

Here are fast and easy "lose weight" tips. They are the best ways to lose weight fast. WARNING: These truly work. So if you're too lazy to even try these easy tips, I honestly don't believe you will ever lose weight and keep it off.

Your health is not something you should take lightly.

Lose Weight Tips

1. Take extra virgin coconut oil

This is a healthy fat that helps my clients lose a quick 5-6 pounds in less than 2 weeks. The best way to take it... 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day on an empty stomach.

It can work other ways to, but the results from my clients prove that this is the best way for the vast majority of people to take it to get the best possible results.

If you eat "pretty" healthy, start out taking it 3 times a day. If you don't eat so good, stick with taking it just 2 times a day. I personally get the best results taking this twice a day... between breakfast and lunch... and lunch and dinner.

Oh, a side benefit. It makes your skin and hair look a lot nicer too!

2. Eat as many apples and bananas everyday

You can choose just about any fruits and vegetables and this will work out great for weight loss, but I chose these 2 because they're relatively high in fiber and very portable. So if you're busy and on-the-go, these are perfect to take with you.

3. Walk... but walk on an incline grade

Basically, walking is fine. But if you want to "SUPERCHARGE" your weight loss, you'll need to walk uphill. A simple 15 degree incline works perfectly. Since most of us don't have a hill conveniently nearby, find a treadmill that inclines and walk on it at least 4 times a week.

4. Spin Like a Child

This is a new, REVOLUTIONARY exercise that helps with weight loss because of how it affects (and balances) your hormones. Since your hormones play a big role in your weight, it's a must-do exercise. All you do, spin like a child.

Your health is the most important thing you have, so at the very least give these "lose weight tips" a try for a few weeks. They are some of the best ways to lose weight fast.