How does human body eliminate dead cells?

The human body is a complicated system which operates much like a self-contained city. Some organs produce new cells, others use cells to perform their jobs, and eventually certain scavenger cells arrive to remove dead cells from the system. In the case of the human body, these scavengers are specialized white blood cells called macrophages. Macrophages remove dead cells essentially by eating them, which helps to explain why the word macrophage means "big eater" in Greek.

When external skin cells die, there are a number of mechanical and chemical methods used to slough them off. Exfoliants and scrub brushes are often employed to remove dead cells and encourage new cell turnover. But dead cells within the human body are not so easily removed. They go through a much more complicated elimination process, which is not always as efficient or thorough as one might hope.

Living cells become dead cells through two different processes. Many body cells are programmed to die at a prescribed time, through a process called apoptosis. Red blood cells, for example, are programmed to die after 120 days of service. Other cells, such as white blood cells, may be programmed to die an apoptotic death after only a few days. These dead cells may continue to flow through the body's bloodstream or collect in various organs, but they are clearly no longer contributing to the system.

The other process for creating dead cells is called necrosis. Necrotic cell death usually occurs after a trauma or infection or other shock to the system. When cells become necrotic, they may be removed through surgery or other medical intervention, but often they enter the bloodstream in the same way as apoptic cells. The body cannot function well with an overabundance of dead cells, so macrophages take on the mission of breaking down the excess.

A macrophage cell can literally detect dead cells through smell, much like a scavenger bird detects dead animals. Whenever dead cells reach the part of the bloodstream patrolled by a macrophage, the macrophages surround them and convert them into easily removed components. At the same time, the macrophage covers the dead cells with a substance known as an antigen. This action tags the cells for further attack from other types of cells in the body's immune system. Ideally, the macrophages and killer T-cells should render both dead cells and foreign invaders harmless enough to re-enter the bloodstream for elimination.

When macrophages become overwhelmed, however, they may allow some dead cells to pass through unprocessed. The DNA from those cells may trigger an inflammatory reaction as the dead cells combine with other substances. This process is the basis for many autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease or lupus. Bolstering the body's macrophages is often a course of treatment recommended for autoimmune diseases and even some forms of cancer.

Once the macrophages and other immune system components have essentially digested the body's dead cells, the cells make their way through the bloodstream and eventually into the digestive system for final disposition. This means that the solid waste we call fecal matter is largely composed of dead cells sloughed off by the various organs and processed for elimination by macrophages.

Importance of Saying "NO" - Time Management!!

Whether it's in the workplace or the more intimate (close) setting of family relationships, perhaps one of the greatest challenges today is developing the ability to say 'NO' for the right reason, at the right moment and in the right way. There are many reasons why we tend to say 'YES' when we know we should say 'NO'. These include the fear of annoying someone (loss of approval), looking incapable (loss of face), avoiding an argument or confrontation (loss of temper) or even feeling guilty at not being there for someone (loss of relationship).

When it comes to saying NO, time is not the real issue, it is self-esteem / self-respect. If they are intact they will govern both what you say so and how you say it. Saying NO reactively out of fear or resentment will only generate the same reaction in return. However an assertive and affirmative NO once made is never defended, explained or justified.

Don't Panic!!

The right aid in a medical emergency can save precious minutes and speed up recovery.

Health emergencies don't give warnings before they strike. While calling in for the ambulance and consulting your doctor are the obvious things to do, every moment before the treatment begins counts. The right aid can lessen the damage and increase chances of a speedy recovery. Here are the most common health emergencies and how you can deal with them.

Heart attack

Warning signs

• Most heart attacks are characterised by pain at the centre of the chest. The pain can be increasingly excruciating.
• There can also be pain in the neck, shoulders, back and surrounding area.
• Perspiration.
• Sudden weakness.
• Shortness of breath.
• Dryness of mouth due to fall in blood pressure.

First Aid

• Do not allow the person to stand up or walk.
• Loosen the clothing and get them to lie down. Reassure the patient as you call medical help. Reassurance goes a long way.
• Don’t ignore the symptoms thinking they will go away.
• Even if the pain is mild, do not to run, climb stairs or indulge in any such strenuous activity as it will cause further damage.
• If the person has suffered heart attack before, he/she is likely to have medication (nitrates) handy. These are to be administered by keeping them under the tongue. Nitrates cause dilation of arteries and help relieve pain.
• Do not feed the person anything except the medication.

High Blood Pressure

Warning signs

• Severe headache
• Giddiness
• Restlessness
• Sweating
• Stiffening of body
• Sudden weakness
• Nose bleeds

First Aid

• Take deep breaths and practice meditation.
• Generally, high blood pressure is triggered from a stressful situation. Move away from it as soon as possible.
• Nose bleeds are the body’s way of relieving in-built pressure. Put ice cold water in the nose and on the person’s head to stop it.
• Give the victim fruit juices (with no salt). These are high in potassium which will help bring the pressure down, albeit to a small extent.

Low Blood Pressure

Warning signs

• Sudden weakness
• Giddiness
• Blurred vision
• Unconsciousness
• Feeling faint
• Dryness of mouth and tongue.

First Aid

• Make the person lie down. Unconsciousness is the body’s way of combating the situation. When you lie on the ground, the gravity acting on your body is comparatively less.
• Do not make the person get up suddenly; the BP will plummet further.
• Give the patient plain electrolyte solution or a nimbu-pani with salt.

Asthma

Warning signs

• Rapid breathing
• Difficulty in exhaling
• Audible sound from the lungs when breathing
• Difficulty in talking
• A sweaty face

First Aid

• Ensure the person is immediately removed from the trigger. It can be pollens, perfume, dust etc.
• Calm the person and make him/her sit comfortably.
• Make them inhale steam. This moistens the wind pipe and provides relief. Do not add any menthol or balm to the waterl; it will worsen the condition.
• If an inhaler is handy, assist him/her to use the same.

Hypoglycaemia (Low sugar)

Warning signs

• Weakness
• Feeling overly exhausted
• Feeling irritable and angry
• Sweating and palpitation (especially in case of diabetics. In non-diabetics, the symptoms often construed as mere mood swings).

First Aid

• Eat raw sugar, rasgullas, chocolates, or even glucose biscuits.
• Refrain from alcohol and soft drinks until you get your glucose level tested as these dehydrate the body and might worsen the condition.
• Follow a diet rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Fits

There are as many as 10 different types of fits known. The classic fits, as understood, have the following signs:

• Body spasms
• Jerking limbs
• Rolling up of eyes
• Bladder and bowel incontinence

First Aid

• It is important to protect the person from injury. Make him/her lie down on the flat surface, away from sharp objects.
• Loosen the clothing.
• Do not try to restrain the person thinking the fits will stop. The spasms will stop eventually.
• Do not feed them anything — not even water — until the fits have completely subsided. The food/drink might slip into the windpipe and cause him/her to choke.
• After the fits subside, feed the person glucose syrup or any high-energy liquid, as fits drain out energy

Cancer Prevention Update!!

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNHOPKINS HOSPITAL (IN USA ) IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON :

a. Sugar , is a cancer-feeder.

By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. ( THE WEST MADE US 2 CHANGE FROM SEA 2 WHITE IODISED SALT )

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus ..

By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment .

A meat-based diet is acidic Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful,especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment .

About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day.. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine .

Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties . Water- best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor ssence,Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins,minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.

Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind,body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.

Anger, un forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment . Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

PLEASE READ ON

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkinshas recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at WalterReedArmyMedic alCenter as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at CastleHospitalwas on a TV program to explain this health hazard.

He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as CorningWare, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.

You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, CorningWare, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Rocket Fuel for your Brain!!

Do you find yourself forgetting where you left your car keys… or just feel like your brain is in a fog sometimes?

Contrary to popular belief, forgetfulness is not just a normal part of growing older. As you age, your brain loses critical nutrients that it needs to fire on all cylinders.

If your mental spark plugs aren’t firing like they used to, don’t worry. I’ll show you how to get your brain’s engine back to running as smooth as a Rolls Royce. You just need to know what’s missing and how to get it.

Your brain uses chemicals called neurotransmitters to transmit messages in the brain. There are millions of these messages happening every second. Neurotransmitters are conductors of these messages, allowing them to fire from one part of your brain to another.

One important neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (ACh). Your body uses ACh to help regulate your heart, breathing, and sleep. Your body even uses it to control your muscles and keep you fired up for the bedroom.

Here’s the thing… your brain needs you to supply certain nutrients to make neurotransmitters.
But there’s a key nutrient it uses to make ACh that is probably missing from your diet. It’s called choline, and if you don’t get enough, you’re headed for trouble.

Choline is a necessary nutrient for overall brain health and functioning and it is important to avoid nutritional deficiencies to keep your brain sharp and healthy.1

When you don’t give the body enough choline, the brain is forced to get it from other parts of your brain. It starts eating itself alive to get what it needs for vital functions like heart and lung regulation.

I’ll show you ways to get the choline your brain needs in a second, but first let me introduce you to choline’s partner – DMAE.

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) works with choline to create ACh. In fact, it does such a good job, the FDA almost approved it as a drug. The only reason it didn’t happen is that the manufacturer didn’t want to pay the expenses to get it classified as one.

But it is the main ingredient in a commonly prescribed drug in Europe. Called Centrophenoxine, it has been shown to boost cognitive functions.2

Unlike Ritalin® and other brain substances, proper doses of DMAE are a safe and side-effect-free solution to support brain health and reduce age-related mental decline and mood/behavioral problems.3

To get the nutrition your brain needs to stay sharp and clear, you may need to combine food and supplementation. Here’s how to get your ACh cranking:

Choline – You need at least 425 mg a day as a woman, 550 mg if you’re a man. The richest food sources of choline are (in mg per 100 g of food):

Whole cooked eggs – 272. Make sure you get free-range eggs without antibiotics or hormones. They’ll help fuel your muscles as well as give you much-needed choline.

Raw egg yolks – 682. Go ahead and crack open a couple eggs into your protein shake. It’s only an urban legend that there’s danger in eating them raw.

Chicken liver – 290. Though some people get turned off by organ meats, they’re a potent source of high-powered nutrition. And it’s an old wives tale that they store toxins – they don’t.

Turkey liver – 220. Another great source of nutrition. Just like any liver, it also provides vitamin A, CoQ10 and iron.

Pork – 130. Just like beef, you want to eat organic, grass-fed animals only for the proper balance of fats and zero hormones and antibiotics.

If you’re older, you may need more – as much as 1500 mg a day. That may require supplementation. If you take a supplement, be sure it’s in the form of choline citrate. To try my brain-boosting formula that combines choline and DMAE, go here now.

DMAE – You need at least 35 mg of DMAE a day. Fish is a good food source, especially sardines and anchovies.

So stop starving your brain of these critical nutrients. They’re easy to replace and will help to promote a healthy mind into your golden years.

Grapefruits and Blood Clots!!

Eating too much grapefruit can increase the risk of blood clots from the contraceptive pill, it has been revealed.

Doctors described the unusual case of a woman who nearly lost a leg after undertaking.

Doctors writing in The Lancet medical journal described the unusual case of a woman who nearly lost a leg after trying a grapefruit diet.

The 42-year-old woman - who arrived at hospital complaining of shortness of breath, difficulty walking and light-headedness - underwent an ultrasound scan which revealed a deep vein thrombosis, or blood clot, extending from hip to calf.

The previous day she felt pain shooting down her left leg, which later turned purple. Three days earlier the woman, who was slightly overweight, had embarked on an aggressive diet which involved a 225 gram helping of grapefruit every morning.

Previously, she had only rarely eaten grapefruit.

Her condition was so bad she was in danger of losing her leg, said four doctors from Providence St Peter Hospital in Washington, US.

In the end she was successfully treated with a clot-dissolving drug and by widening a large vein in her hip.

The woman had a number of unlucky factors that increased her chances of suffering a blood clot, said the doctors. She had a narrowed vein with damaged inner walls, a genetic clotting mutation called Factor V Leiden, and in addition was taking the contraceptive Pill.

Oestrogen in the Pill slightly raises the risk of clotting - and it was this, combined with the effect of grapefruit, which appeared to have tipped the balance. The fruit's juice blocked a key enzyme that normally breaks down ethinylestradiol, the form of oestrogen in the contraceptive.

Regular grapefruit consumption would also have had an accumulative effect, making the hazard worse, said the doctors.

They wrote: "Our patient had a constellation of potential risk factors for venous thrombosis; a heightened hypercoagulable (clotting) state from increased ehtinylestradiol serum concentration due to her three days of grapefruit for breakfast may well have tipped the balance."

6 Medical Symptoms One Shouldn't ignore!!

That new symptom is troubling: the inexplicable swelling in your calf or the blood in your urine. Could it be serious or even life-threatening?

"Your body flashes signals -- symptoms and signs -- that warn you of potential problems," say Neil Shulman, MD, Jack Birge, MD, and Joon Ahn, MD. The three Georgia-based doctors are the authors of the recently revised book Your Body's Red Light Warning Signals.

Fortunately, many symptoms turn out not to be serious. For example, the majority of headaches stem from stress, eyestrain, lack of sleep, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, and other mundane causes.

But a sudden, agonizing "thunderclap" headache -- the worst of your life -- could mean bleeding in the brain. Being able to recognize this serious symptom and calling 911 may save your life.

Here are six important flashing signals:

1. Paralysis of the arms or legs, tingling, numbness, confusion, dizziness, double vision, slurred speech, trouble finding words, or weakness, especially on one side of the face or body.

These are signs of stroke -- or a "brain attack" -- in which arteries that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked or rupture, causing brain tissue to die.

Symptoms depend on which area of the brain is involved. If a large blood vessel is blocked, a wide area may be affected, so a person may have paralysis on one side of the body and lose other functions, such as speech and understanding. If a smaller vessel is blocked, paralysis may remain limited to an arm or leg.

If you have symptoms, call hospital right away and get to an emergency room that offers clot-busting therapy for strokes due to blocked vessels. Such treatment, which dissolves clots in blocked vessels, needs to be given within the first three hours after symptoms begin, but newer treatments may work within a longer time frame, says Birge, who is medical director at the Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Ga.

Timing is urgent; fast treatment can potentially stop brain tissue death before permanent brain injury happens. "There is a time clock ticking as to when you might totally recover," Birge tells WebMD.

2. Chest pain or discomfort; pain in the arm, jaw, or neck; breaking out in a cold sweat; extreme weakness; nausea; vomiting; feeling faint; or being short of breath.

These are signs of heart attack. If you get some of these symptoms, nearest hospital immediately and go to the emergency room by ambulance. Shulman and Birge also recommend that patients chew one regular, full-strength aspirin (unless they're allergic to aspirin) to help prevent damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack.

Not everyone who has a heart attack feels chest pain or pressure or a sense of indigestion. Some people, especially women, the elderly, and people with diabetes, get "painless" heart attacks, the doctors say. Being aware of "painless" heart attack signs is crucial: a very weak feeling, sudden dizziness, a pounding heart, shortness of breath, heavy sweating, a feeling of impending doom, nausea, and vomiting.

Both doctors say that it's important to learn heart attack signs and understand them in context. "Everybody has jaw pain. You don't immediately run and say, 'I've got a heart attack,'" Shulman tells WebMD. He is an associate professor of internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "But if you're also sweating and you have some of these other symptoms -- shortness of breath and so forth -- then that's going to tip you off that there's something much more serious happening."

3. Tenderness and pain in the back of your lower leg, chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.

These are symptoms of a potentially dangerous blood clot in your leg, especially if they come after you've been sitting for a long time, such as on an airplane or during a long car trip. These signs can also surface if you've been bedridden after surgery.

"Anybody is susceptible, " Birge says. He adds that such blood clots are more common than most people and doctors realize.

Blood is more likely to pool in your legs when you're sitting or lying down for long periods of time, as opposed to standing and walking. If a blood clot forms in your leg as a result, your calf can feel swollen, painful, and tender to the touch; you should be evaluated. If you get sudden chest pain or shortness of breath, a piece of the blood clot may have broken off and traveled through the bloodstream to your lungs. This condition can be life-threatening, so get to an emergency room without delay.

4. Blood in the urine without accompanying pain.

Anytime you see blood in your urine, call your doctor promptly, even if you have no pain.

Kidney stones or a bladder or prostate infection are common causes of blood in the urine. But these problems are usually painful or uncomfortable, which sends people to the doctor promptly.
In contrast, when people see blood in their urine but feel no pain, some take a "wait and see" approach, especially if they just have one episode. "But you can't have this attitude," Shulman says. Lack of pain doesn't necessarily mean lack of seriousness.

Cancer of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or prostate can cause bleeding into the urinary tract; when these cancers are small enough to be curable, they may not cause pain. So don't dismiss this important sign because, according to Shulman and Birge, "blood in the urine may be the only clue for an early diagnosis."

5. Asthma symptoms that don't improve or get worse.

Asthma attacks are marked by wheezing or difficulty breathing. When an attack doesn't improve or worsens, a patient should get emergency care.

If an asthma attack is left untreated, it can lead to severe chest muscle fatigue and death, say Shulman and Birge. Some people with persistent asthma hesitate to go to the emergency room because they've gone so many times before, or they need someone to drive them because they're too short of breath. So instead of seeking care, "They try to hang in there," Birge says, even if they need higher doses of inhalants or have decreasing lung function measurements when using a device to measure how well they move air out of their lungs.

Because asthma makes breathing difficult, the muscles for breathing may tire and the volume of air exchanged by the lungs will decrease. As a result, a person's oxygen level drops while blood levels of carbon dioxide rise. As Birge and Shulman explain in their book, "A carbon dioxide buildup in the blood has a sedating effect on the brain, which may cause you to feel even drowsier. You may lose the motivation or energy to breathe."

"A person with asthma who seems to be relaxing more, who seems to not be struggling for breath anymore -- even though they've been at it for six or eight hours -- may actually be worse. It could be a sign of respiratory fatigue," Birge says. Eventually, the person could stop breathing.

"They're really in a big danger zone," Shulman adds. Patients believe they're getting better when they're actually getting worse, he says. "They become sedated and seem to be peaceful when actually, they're dying."

One of the most important considerations is how long an attack lasts, according to both doctors. "If you've been having labored respirations with the asthma not relenting after a period of several hours, even though you may be apparently doing OK, don't let it go any longer," Birge says. "Get on to the emergency room."

6. Depression and suicidal thoughts.
Few people would put up with crushing chest pain or extreme shortness of breath, but many endure depression, even though at its extreme it can be life-threatening.

"Depression can be a very, very serious problem because people can commit suicide," Shulman says. "Some people will not seek care when they are depressed because they think that they'll be perceived as being crazy or not strong or not manly, and they have to understand that there is a chemical imbalance going on in their brain. It is a disease just like any other disease."

Symptoms of depression include sadness, fatigue, apathy, anxiety, changes in sleep habits, and loss of appetite. Depression can be treated with medications and psychotherapy.

Speak Up When You Think Something Is Wrong
Doctors are human: They can miss important diagnoses, including heart attacks. A patient's awareness and vigilance can make a difference, Shulman says.
"My feeling is, as a doctor, I want a patient who's informed. I'd rather have a patient who's informed, who's helping me so I won't make a mistake," Shulman says. "And I can be honest and say, 'I'm human. Don't be intimated by me because I have a white coat on. Don't be intimidated by me because I'm using big words.'"
If patients can recognize potentially serious symptoms, they'll have more power when they go to the doctor or the emergency room, he adds. "You have enough to say, 'Well, have you ruled out this problem?'"

Courtsey: www.Webmd.com