Mending Little Hearts

Congenital heart defects are the most common form of birth defect among American infants. 

More than 40,000 babies born each year with a serious, underlying heart condition.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a term used by cardiologists to describe a patient whose heart does not pump enough blood out to the rest of the body to meet the body’s demand for energy.

This can be due to either a heart that pumps well but is very insufficient (due to a structural problem), or it can be a result of a weak heart muscle that does not pump a normal amount of blood to the body.

Either situation will lead to backup of blood and fluid into the lungs if the left side of the heart is the problem or backup of blood and fluid into the liver and veins leading into the heart if the right side of the heart is problem.

It is not uncommon for both sides of the heart to fail at the same time and cause backup into both systems simultaneously.  Backup or excessive blood flow into the lungs, which is the most common use of the term in pediatrics.

Many cardiovascular problems that afflict older adults actually started when they were much younger.

A new initiative by the non-profit Mended Little Hearts and St. Jude Medical, Inc. the global medical device manufacturer, will offer an important new resource for parents who need answers—and it’s being headlined by none other than the mother of “Little Darth Vader,” Jennifer Page.

You may know her son Max from his appearances on the soap opera “The Young and the Restless” and from his well-known role as little Darth Vader in a Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial that has become a classic.

Max was born with a congenital heart defect and received a St. Jude Medical pacemaker when he was 3 months old.

At age 7, the child-actor had to have open-heart surgery because of his condition. The surgery replaced his pulmonary valve and repaired a hole in his heart.

The valve should last another 10-15 years before it has to be replaced with noninvasive surgery.

Now Jennifer is reaching out to other parents with the information they need.

In many cases, these kinds of problems in children aren’t properly diagnosed until it’s too late, as in the tragic cases you may have heard about high school athletes dying suddenly on the basketball court or football or soccer field.

The new initiative will spread awareness with online resources from Mended Little Hearts and St. Jude Medical.

Jennifer Page provides a parent’s perspective and is joined by a leading cardiologist and pediatric cardiac surgeon, Dr. David A. Ferry, on staff at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

In addition to doing heart surgery procedures at Children’s, Dr. Ferry is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.

Jennifer and Dr. Ferry will provide background on the new online resource, as well as information on how your viewers can learn more.

The mission of Mended Little Hearts is to empower families with support and education about congenital heart disease. St Jude Medical, Inc. is a worldwide leader in research and development with products to treat congenital heart disease.

For More Information please visit the new website at: http://www.sjm.com/weheartkids

LINK TO INTERVIEW:

https://rcpt.hightail.com/2745092744/8914927107d41290c3388bce4930e794

INTERVIEW FEATURES:

§  Jennifer Page, Max’s mom, providing the parent’s perspective, also an ambassador for new web resource

§  David A. Ferry, MD, FACC, Pediatric Cardiologist, Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Assoc. Prof. Peds., UCLA School of Medicine

How To Tell If You Have A Vitamin B12 Deficiency

 

As many as one in five adults are vitamin B12 deficient. 

Many people don’t recognize symptoms or understand the risk.

If left untreated, B12 deficiency can cause damage to nerve cells and serious neurological problems, such as memory loss and dementia.

Those most at risk include:

• People over the age of 60 (2 in 5 adults over 60 are deficient)

• Women, especially pregnant women on a vegetarian diet

• People with gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn’s and celiac disease

• Those with diabetes who are taking metformin

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a serious medical problem that affects an estimated 48 million Americans.

If left untreated, this condition can cause irreversible damage to nerve cells and other co-morbidities.

Most people – even those who are at highest risk like the elderly and those with gastrointestinal problems – aren’t aware of the detrimental effects that a deficiency in vitamin B12 can have on their overall health.

Here to tell you more is Ralph Green, M.D. Ph. D. and Peter Shaw, M.D. who I had the pleasure to interview here: http://bcove.me/k8m7v1c0

Ralph Green, M.D. Ph.D., of the UC Davis Health System, is considered one of the top global experts on the topic of vitamin B12 deficiency. Dr. Green discusses in-depth the importance of understanding and managing vitamin B12 deficiency.

 

Peter Shaw, M.D., is the Chief Medical Officer of Emisphere discusses specifics about a new oral option to manage B12 deficiency without the need for an injection.

Now, there is a new oral  option to manage B12 deficiency without the need of an injection.

 

Cg’s: 

Ralph Green, M.D., Ph.D., FRCPath, Medical Director and Distinguished Professor in Pathology and Medicine, UC Davis Health System Medical Diagnostics Outreach Laboratory

Peter Shaw, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Emisphere joins him to answer questions.

Did you know?

·       It is estimated that 48 million adults/1 in 5 adults may have B12 deficiency.

·       As many as 25 million or 43 percent (2 in 5) of people over the age of 60 may have B12 deficiency.

·       B12 is particularly important for pregnant women and the development of a fetus’ neurological function.

·       B12 deficiency can occur with a range of conditions in which there is an impaired capacity to absorb vitamin B12, including pernicious anemia, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease, which are common in women.

·       B12 deficiency is often overlooked, yet early detection and management is crucial because, if not treated, it can lead to permanent nerve damage and serious neurological problems, such as memory loss and even dementia.

Dr. Ralph Green is internationally renowned and considered one of the top in his field in the world. In this satellite interview, he will educate viewers about medical B12 deficiency – what it is, who is most at risk, and why physicians should be more frequently checking for this deficiency. Dr. Green will be joined by Dr. Peter Shaw, Chief Medical Officer, Emisphere, who will discuss recent advances in this area and discuss a new treatment option available that can normalize B12 levels without the need for an injection.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://eligenb12.com/patient/

 

MORE ABOUT DR. RALPH GREEN:

Ralph Green is a clinical pathologist, specializing in diseases of the blood. Immediate past chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Green serves as Medical Director of the UC Davis Health System Medical Diagnostics Outreach Laboratory. He is internationally recognized for his research, which focuses on studying how deprivation or metabolic disruption of B-complex vitamins, iron, and other micronutrients affect the blood, cardiovascular system, nervous system, and the aging process. He has studied the role of nutrient deficiencies in dementia, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Dr. Green has served as an adviser to National Institutes of Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, and the American Heart Association.

MORE ABOUT DR. PETER SHAW:

Peter Shaw serves as Chief Medical Officer at Emisphere. Dr. Shaw has 25 years’ experience as a practicing physician in the UK. He retired from his Primary Care practice in 2007 with considerable experience in many different specialties including; general and orthopedic surgery, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, general medicine, cardiology, chest medicine, and transplant medicine.

LINK TO INTERVIEW:  http://bcove.me/k8m7v1c0

  Maria Dorfner is the founder of MedCrunch.

Health Enthusiast/Actress, Mariel Hemingway Pens New Memoir

Mariel Hemingway is not only an iconic Academy Award nominated actor from a celebrated family, she is a prolific author, healthy lifestyle brand entrepreneur, and a tireless mental health awareness and suicide prevention program advocate, recently sharing the stage with Hillary Clinton, Patrick Kennedy, and other world-class Keynote speakers.

Mariel’s much sought after purpose-driven presentations entertain, educate, engage and enrich, focusing on topics including: mind-body-spirit optimization, purposeful living, and mental health related issues. She shares her own evocative story about growing up in a home where there were great challenges in order to inspire others to do the same, thereby cultivating compassion and understanding and breaking down the stigma so often associated with the discussion of mental illness.

In a high-tech world, Mariel is considered an expert in high-touch solutions which facilitate finding one’s authentic voice and experiencing the greatest sense of personal power, life balance, joy, fitness, authenticity and peace of mind.

Mariel’s on camera film and television accomplishments include starring roles in: Manhattan, Lipstick, Personal Best, Star 80, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and appearances in television shows including Roseanne, Civil Wars and Central Park West. She’s narrated several programs and films including the documentary Ernest Hemingway: Wrestling with Life.

In 2014, Mariel and Oprah Winfrey executive produced, Running From Crazy, the Emmy nominated documentary focused on the 7 most recent suicides in the Hemingway family. It is available on Netflix.

With her two daughters, Dree and Langley successful in their own entertainment careers, Mariel is once again considering film and television series opportunities. She’s passionate about the art of acting and storytelling, and thrives in the collective creative energy when working with gifted artists, directors, producers, and writers.

Mariel’s best selling books include: Finding My Balance, reflecting her life’s journey through the lens of her yoga and meditation practices. Healthy Living from the Inside Out: a how-to guide to finding a greater sense of balance and meaning through self-empowering techniques and strategies. Mariel’s Kitchen is a healthy lifestyle cookbook offering creative gluten and sugar free recipes.

Running WithNature, co written with her life partner (in above photo on left), provides insights into the import and impact of making good choices based on an awareness of and respect for nutrition, meditation, mindfulness, movement, silence, compassion and connectedness to self and earth.

Mariel’s 2015 book releases include her memoir: Out Came The Sun: Overcoming the Legacy ofMental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family and INVISIBLE GIRL: a tender engaging book written in diary form for teen and tweens. Mariel and famed children’s book illustrator, Edward Hemingway will collaborate on a children’s book in 2016.

Recent health, wellness, inspirational, advocacy and entertainment media profiles, features and covers include those in USA Today, LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, on The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Dr. Oz Show, Fox News, in Vanity Fair, the New York Times and Interview Magazines, The Times of London, Pret A Porter and People Magazine. Mariel was also the focus of a one hour interview with Oprah Winfrey’s, on Super Soul Sunday, her book and lifestyle focused program.

Muriel Hemingway’s books, Out Came The Sun for adults and Invisible Girl for teens are available on-line and in stores April 7, 2015.

READ HOW MARIEL HEMINGWAY OVERCAME HER PAST TO BECOME HEALTHY AND BALANCED!  https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/how-mariel-hemingway-overcame-her-familys-tragic-115671984803.html

Maria Dorfner is the founder of MedCrunch. She can be reached at maria.dorfner@yahoo.com