Useful Info (Original Patient Education) JASE Medical

Don’t Get Complacent- Avoid Burnout

5 Tips to get back on track to self-sufficiency.

Its that time of year again. Tax time, Spring break, plans for summer vacation, getting your garden started,playing and working outdoors are all forefront in our minds.

Oh yes, and pending war, famine, next pandemic, social unrest, solar flares, record breaking weather patterns (tornados in the South, epic rainfall and snow in the West), food and gas prices spiraling out of control, bank failures, supply chain disruptions. In fact, probably the most disturbing news so far came from the World Economic Forums’ Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2023 report where 86% Business and 93% of cyber leaders believe global geopolitical instability is moderately or very likely to lead to a catastrophic cyber event in the next two years. A mass cyber event would have far-reaching and untold hardship in ways we can’t even comprehend.

Let us not forget our medical system

Our medical system is now at tipping point leading to total collapse. Hospitals closing, staff shortage, medical device shortage,( Cardiac diagnostic, and monitoring products, Specimen collection – testing supplies and equipment, Radiological devices, General ICU/ hospital products) the inability to perform procedures due to shortages of medications and instruments.

Overwhelmed? Now is NOT the time to shut down

As the war drums continually beat, as high food, energy and gas prices steadily climb to new highs, and as we face the reality that our medical system is in crisis, this isn’t the time to be complacent.

Breaks and vacations are important but don’t live there

Take a break from the noise of all the crises but don’t let this become your “new normal”. In fact, short vacations, hobbies, time with family and friends are vital to overall health and wellbeing. Schedule time away from screens and technology. Information overload causes us to feel we are powerless. This leads to complacency and the inability to think clearly. The survival of our families is dependent on our ability to navigate this unchartered territory.

We are entering a time never seen before in the history of the world.

Our global economy and trade have positioned us in a very precarious position; one where we may feel powerless. This couldn’t be further from the truth. We have amazing, untapped talents and abilities we never knew we had until we decide to get back in the game.

Businessman changing the word impossible into possible

5 tips to get back on the track to preparedness and self-sufficiency

Attitude is everything

Everything we believe we can or can’t do starts with attitude. Attitude can move mountains. By focusing on solutions instead of allowing the media and others to pull you down, step away from the negativity and work out ways to overcome obstacles. If the obstacle is too big, shelve it and revisit at a later date.

Start your day off on the right foot, and continue.

The first hour upon awakening sets the tone for the rest of your day. Stay off your phone that first hour. Instead, meditate, pray, reflect on what you are grateful for and if able get some natural first morning sunlight.

Prioritize your day, week, month and year. Set realistic goals.

Set aside uninterrupted time to prioritize goals. Start by writing down the goals, then prioritizing them. Which are the most pressing and important? Number them, starting with #1 as the most important and pressing. Do you have a goal of paying off debt? Weight loss? Finishing a project or starting a hobby? Do you want to eat better within an already strained budget?

The SMART acronym

A very popular tool for goal setting.

Specific- Narrow down what goal you wish to achieve, take time evaluating the goal.

Measurable- Is the goal measurable? For instance, if you want to lose weight, how much?

Achievable- Is the goal realistic and achievable. Some of this is based on your attitude and ability to achieve the goal. Do you feel you can achieve the goal and do you have the resources and tools needed?

Relevant- Is your goal relevant in your life? For instance, would losing 10 pounds add value to your quality of life?

Time-bound- Make sure your goal has a completion date. This can be modified as needed as you work towards achieving your goal.

Be flexible but stay the course

Life happens, roll with the punches, but always go back and reflect on your reasons for why you are preparing. If you need to step away for a time, go ahead, but don’t make this a permanent way of life. It you have experienced major life changes it is time to refocus and reevaluate your goals and get back on track as soon as you are able.

If it was easy, everyone would do it

The discipline, focus, drive and determination needed to prepare for our uncertain future isn’t an easy road but it will be rewarding and bring peace of mind. You can’t possibly do everything. Find others that are like minded that can help fill in the gaps for you and reciprocate. Check with local emergency responder groups, gardening and livestock communities along with family friends and neighbors for support. We aren’t an island. We need each other now more than ever before.

Be an example. Be a leader

People are watching us even if we don’t realize it. We will inspire others more through our actions than any other way. As more people come together to solve local and regional problems facing all of us, we will all not just survive but thrive while navigating the waters of the unknown,

By the way, have you ordered your Jase Case for each member of your family yet?

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

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Over 600 Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closing

Throughout the nation many rural hospitals are on the brink of closure, citing physician shortages and lack of adequate funding to keep their doors open. A report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (CHQPR) revealed that more than 600 rural hospitals – nearly 30% of all rural hospitals in the country – are at risk of closing in the near future.

These hospitals are not just emergency rooms, many are the anchor for primary care, rehabilitative therapies, labs and x ray departments and maternity care. If the hospital closes many , if not all, other rural healthcare services in the area will also disappear.

Lack of adequate revenue

Rural hospitals and clinics are forced to operate many times at a loss- not because they are inefficient but because they have the same overhead as their urban counterparts.

ER staffing 24/7- Urban hospitals have more patients coming through their doors than their rural counterparts. Even though both require adequate round the clock staffing, the volume of patients in urban areas offsets the overhead.

There are over 1,000 small rural hospitals, representing more than 25% of all the short-term general hospitals in the country, but they receive only 2% of total national hospital spending.

Insurance reimbursement disparity

A recent report by Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (www.CHQPR.org):

“A common myth about rural hospitals is that most of their patients are on Medicare and Medicaid. In fact, about half of the services at the average rural hospital are delivered to patients with private insurance (including both employer-sponsored insurance and Medicare Advantage plans). Low margins or losses on patients with private insurance, combined with losses on Medicaid and uninsured patients, can force small rural hospitals to close.”

Physician shortage

According to NHRA (National Rural Health Association)

“Ease of access to a physician is greater in urban areas. The patient-to- primary care physician ratio in rural areas is only 39.8 physicians per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 physicians per 100,000 in urban areas. This uneven distribution of physicians has an impact on the health of the population.”

Some reasons cited for the rural physician shortage are long hours, lower reimbursement of insurance compared to urban areas, aging population of physicians that are nearing retirement, managing patients with higher proportion of chronic illnesses (diabetes, coronary heart disease) and lifestyle of rural living.

Rural hospitals and clinics serve farmers, ranchers, and others that provide food and services for the entire nation. Many of the nation’s natural resources- coal mines, oil and natural gas production are in these areas. Rural hospitals and clinics also provide care for visiting tourists to national parks and outdoor recreation if an emergency arises. If this population can’t continue to live and work in rural areas because of lack of medical services, the entire nation will suffer.

Solutions

Match reimbursement with cost of doing medicine

Current insurance reimbursements are below cost of delivering care. Saving Rural Hospitals states that increasing spending to meet cost of services (total would be 4 billion annually) could help offset the financial losses. This sounds like a lot of money, however this amounts to only 1/10 of 1% of total national healthcare spending, which is more than $1.3 trillion spent on all urban and rural hospitals in the country.

Telemedicine

Rural communities could benefit from telemedicine, which solves the problem of rural patients having to drive long distances (sometimes over 70 miles) to see a doctor or consult with a specialist. Telemedicine can treat chronic conditions and provide a preventative approach to healthcare not usually found in rural areas.

Establish more rural residency programs and mentoring opportunities. As more rural physicians enter retirement age they are ideally positioned to mentor and support new physicians in rural medicine.
Utilize midlevel providers to offset the long hours the physician faces along with providing care more economically. Midlevel providers- nurse practitioners and physician assistants- are a more economical way to support the physician and can provide relief from long hours faced by rural physicians.

Until such a time that above solutions can be implemented, anyone living in rural areas should consider the very real possibility that their local hospital could be shut down in the near future. Are you prepared for such an event?

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Order Today

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!

Silent Pandemic – Antibiotic Resistance

A dire warning from health leaders across the world are calling the silent pandemic- antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections. According to the World Health Organization AMR is one of the top ten leading global threats to health facing humanity in the world.

CDC estimates about 47 million antibiotic courses are prescribed for infections that don’t need antibiotics, like colds and the flu, each year. That adds up to approximately 28% of all antibiotics prescribed. In addition, A study published in the Lancet found that antimicrobial resistance was the direct cause of 1.27 million deaths worldwide.

An ever-increasing number of bacteria, fungi and parasites are becoming resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics, with some resistant to many different antibiotics. In some cases, antibiotics are not effective, leading to impossible to treat infections. This is a chilling scenario we are facing.

How antibiotic resistance happens diagram

Antibiotic resistance (AMR) occurs through either genetic mutation or by acquiring resistance genes- where the antibiotic resistance genes are transferred to the next generation.

Some of the most widespread and common examples include:

methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (The most common)
vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)
multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) gut bacteria

Broad spectrum antibiotics- The good and the bad

Broad spectrum antibiotics are being used in more and more AMR cases. These are antibiotics that act on the two major bacterial groups, gram-positive and gram-negative or any antibiotic that acts against a wide range of disease-causing bacteria. They are lifesaving when no other antibiotic therapy is working.

They do come, however with their own set of whole set of detrimental, long lasting health effects. Some of these include resistance to pathogens, altered gut microbiota and immune system dysfunction. This is especially detrimental in young children. Broad spectrum antibiotics can alter gut microbiota which in turn will disrupt and affect immune function and growth of the child.

Promising research to fight antibiotic resistance

A protein in antibiotic resistant bacteria called DsbA helps fold resistance proteins into the right shapes to neutralize antibiotics. This was discovered by researchers, including experts from Imperial College London, led by Dr Despoina Mavridou assistant professor in Molecular Biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin. By disrupting the DBsA protein the team was successful in neutralizing the antibiotic resistant protein. In addition the pathogen was more sensitive to common antibiotics. As of this writing, research has been limited to outside the human body. The team now plans on finding an inhibitor that can be safely used in humans providing the same effect.

How to prevent AMR

Until research can successfully develop therapies for AMR, staying healthy and using antibiotics only when necessary are our options. Also, avoid crowds during outbreaks. And if sick, stay home!

The most effective way to prevent AMR is to boost immune system through:

Quality sleep- Sleep is when the body actively heals and restores health. Practice sleep hygiene
Exercise- At least 30 minutes several times a week of active walking or other form of exercise can help boost immune system, regulate mood and decrease appetite
Avoid sugar-Sugar and refined carbohydrates help feed pathogenic bacteria
Vitamin D (with k2)- Vitamin D supports a strong immune system. Talk with your healthcare provider about vitamin D supplementation and checking vitamin D levels to make sure you are reaching optimum vitamin D levels
Avoid and manage stress- Deep breathing exercises can help when unable to avoid stressful situations.
Practice personal hygiene- wash hands after going to store, before eating, and any time your are exposed to anyone who is ill.

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Order Today

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!

After the Floodwaters Recede-Be Aware of Post-Flood Diseases

(Don’t be caught without your Jase Case)

California is again being slammed with record rainfall, mud and rockslides are forcing road closures. Widespread evacuations are still in place across the state. Snowfall is continuing to plague the Sierra mountains leaving many stranded without available help due to the amount of snow making roads impassable.

In addition:

Water restrictions have ended for the 7 million residents in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. These residents had endured one of the most long and fierce droughts in recent history.
As of Tuesday, March 15, Santa Barbara County cancelled evacuation orders and issued warnings for residents to remain vigilant with some areas still flooding, rock and mudslide hazards and potential for more storm related damage.
However, evacuation orders remained in place for Monterey County after a 400-foot levee burst on the Pajaro River flooding communities and farms due to runoff after last week’s 10th atmospheric river. Crews are working diligently to repair the levee. Residents have been forced to seek shelter in local motels and evacuation centers.
Snowfall in the Sierra mountains near Donner Pass has totaled over 54 feet, along with another incoming storm expected to dump up to another 10 feet of snow in the mountains. This will result in the risk of further roof collapses, impassable roads and gas leaks and explosions.
Warm air in the mountains has triggered multiple avalanche and flash flood warnings.
Not to be outdone by the snow, rain, flooding and avalanches, an EF-1 tornado carrying with it 90 mph winds touched down in Tuolumne County on Saturday, uprooting trees, and producing 1 inch hail along with flash flooding.

The floodwaters will eventually recede, bringing with it post-flood disease outbreaks

Note: Follow your local health department and authorities’ instruction and guidance before reentering your flooded home or other buildings. Be sure to have gloves, mask (properly fitting N95 at the very least) and goggles along with protective boots or shoes when venturing into any post flood areas.

Receding floodwaters along with warmer air create an ideal breeding ground for disease outbreaks.

Sewage spills, contaminated waste floating in waters, livestock feces along with harmful chemicals settle in buildings, cars, and surrounding landscapes, polluting everything it touches. It will be almost impossible to not be exposed to some sort of health hazard post flood.

Local health departments, clinics and hospitals will have a high likelihood of being overrun with flood related disease outbreaks.

The following is a list of common disease outbreaks following a flood

Jase case antibiotics are listed in parenthesis- note that the antibiotics in the Jase Case can treat many of these diseases:

Viruses and bacteria– transmitted through contaminated water (ingestion or contact), food, items that hold food or water, or rodents.

C difficile- (Metronidazole)

Giardia-(Metronidazole)

Salmonella (Ciprofloxacin if symptoms are severe)

Skin infection (staph)- (Doxycycline)

Tetanus- (Doxycycline or metronidazole)

Tularemia- (Doxycycline or ciprofloxacin)

Typhoid fever- (Ciprofloxacin)

Hepatitis A- no known treatment, it usually runs its course

Vector borne diseases (mosquitos)

West Nile Virus- Supportive treatment only

Rotavirus- Supportive treatment only

Mold

Mold is a major health concern following a flood. It can be invisible and spread within a matter of days. If you have a weakened immune system, you can become seriously ill from mold.

At risk populations include

Those receiving chemotherapy
Have had an organ transplant
Using corticosteroids

In addition, if you have any respiratory issues such as asthma, don’t enter any building after a flood without proper safety equipment (this goes for everyone including at risk persons)

Properly fitting N-95 mask or higher level protection
Gloves
Goggles

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Order Today

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!

Interesting Facts About Vitamin A

When we think of food sources of vitamin A and what it does for the body we think of carrots and better vision. While this is true, there are some interesting and often overlooked facts about vitamin A.

What is vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver for up to 4 years. It is a subclass of retinoic acids, a family of lipid soluble compounds that includes retinols, beta carotenes and other carotenoids.

The active form of vitamin A is called preformed retinol It is found in fish, organ meats, dairy products, egg yolks and some fortified foods.
Provitamin A carotenoids are precursors to vitamin A. Foods containing carotenoids are converted through an enzymatic process into vitamin A. Carotenoids are a class of compounds yellow, orange, or red fat-soluble pigments, including carotene, which give color to plant parts such as ripe tomatoes and autumn leaves: There are more than 600 known carotenoids. Carotenoids are found in fruits, vegetables and some fish, such as in the pink color of salmon. It is also found in supplement form. One such carotenoid is beta-carotene.
Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A and is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are manmade or natural substances that protect cells from damage caused by substances called free radicals. It is converted to retinol in the wall of the small intestine.

Function of vitamin A

Vitamin A plays many important roles in health.

Preformed vitamin A – retinol is important for vision, especially night vision, anti inflammatory, enhances immune system function, important for developing fetal endothelial cell proliferation, produces pigments in retina, maintains healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue. In food form can be protective against some forms of cancer.

Vitamin A deficiency-

Vitamin A deficiency is considered to be rare except in premature infants, malnourished areas of the world, gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac, pancreatic insufficiency, bile duct disorder and those who cannot convert beta carotene to active vitamin A due to a BCMO1 gene variation– which results in a poor conversion from beta carotene to vitamin A. (It is estimated that approximately 45 percent of the population may have this conversion defect.

Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency:

Night blindness
Dry eyes
Increased susceptibility to infection
Bitot spots- a buildup of keratin in the eyes, causing hazy vision.
Dry scaly skin
‌Keratinisation. Cells become filled with keratin protein, die, and form tough, resistant structures in the urinary, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts.
Cause of death after secondary bacterial infection of pneumonia after influenza
Deficiency associated with the risk of recurrent respiratory tract infections in children and adolescents
Deficiency linked to lung defects in developing fetus

Vitamin A toxicity

Most toxicity isa result of supplementation and not food sources.

Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity:

drowsiness
irritability
abdominal pain
nausea
vomiting
increased pressure on the brain

Supplementation

Seek advice of a qualified health professional before supplementing vitamin A or beta- carotene. Vitamin A is stored in the liver for up to four years so there is little chance of being deficient unless you have a pre existing condition that impairs vitamin A absorption or genetic impairment.

In addition, a large scale study called the ATBC study— over 29,000 smokers who supplemented with beta carotene (the precursor to vitamin A) was stopped abruptly because of the high incidence of lung cancer that developed during the study. The researchers concluded that all smokers should not use beta carotene supplements due to this increased risk of lung cancer.

Measles management in children

Excerpt from Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice:

“In November 2019, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases convened a summit that included multidisciplinary subject matter experts from across the United States to discuss the use of vitamin A in US measles management. The resulting Summit recommendations include that all children in the United States presenting with measles should receive an age-appropriate dose of vitamin A as part of a comprehensive measles management protocol. Multiple studies in populations in which vitamin A deficiency is prevalent have shown that this simple, quick means of improving vitamin A status can dramatically reduce the risk of serious complications and death from measles, with minimal detectable incidence of adverse effects.”

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Order Today

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a popular over the counter vitamin supplement that has many uses. But just like any medication and supplement, there are a few things you should be aware of before supplementing.

Discovery of vitamin E

Vitamin E was discovered in 1922 by Bishop and Evans. However, it wasn’t until the 1940s when the use of vitamin E in the role of nutrition in premature infants was investigated. This led to examining intestinal absorption of vitamin E in premature infants to prevent intracranial hemorrhage, pulmonary oxygen toxicity, hemolysis and more. Since that time, the use of vitamin E in premature infants has helped save many lives.

There are eight different natural forms of vitamin E which can be subdivided into two separate groups: the tocopherols and the tocotrienols. Both are plant based and fat soluble and each of these have four separate analogues. Each analogue has a different potency and effect on health.

Tocopherols are the saturated form of vitamin E and contain the analogues alpha, beta, delta, and gamma. This form of vitamin E is the major source in the U.S. diet.

Food sources of tocopherols include oils derived from walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower oil.

Tocotrienols are the unsaturated form of vitamin E and contain same name but different types of analogues- alpha beta, delta and gamma.

Food sources of tocotrienols are palm and rice bran oil, wheat germ, barley, oats, grapefruit seed oil, and annatto oil.

Vitamin E

Provides immune boost to fight off invading bacteria and viruse.s
Protects cell damage from oxidative stress from cigarette smoke, air pollution, UV light, and foods that we eat.
Prevents blood from clotting.
Helps maintain cell elasticity and widens blood vessels when needed
Emerging evidence points to the cancer preventing effects of the tocotrienol form of vitamin E.
In addition, tocotrienol form of vitamin E has more effective anti-inflammatory and downregulation of chronic diseases than tocopherols.
Stabilized form of vitamin E is used in dermatology for mitigating the effects of UV exposure and inhibiting skin cancer development, atopic dermatitis along with treating yellow nail syndrome.
Mixed reviews on topical use to help heal scars and post-surgery incisions, and contact dermatitis has been reported with vitamin E used topically.

Synthetic vitamin E

Synthetic forms of vitamin E contain both tocopherol and tocotrienols and include the four analogs of each. However there is evidence to suggest that synthetic E isn’t absorbed by the body as efficiently as natural forms.

How to tell if your vitamin E supplement is synthetic or natural

Most vitamin E supplements are derived from natural sources. The natural (D-α-tocopherol) contains the prefix “D”, the synthetic form (DL-α-tocopherol acetate) contains the prefix “DL”.

Vitamin E deficiency

Causes

Vitamin E deficiency is rare; however some causes are:

Some genetic disorders that can cause malabsorption of dietary fats
Cystic fibrosis patients have trouble absorbing the fat-soluble vitamins- ADEK
Malnutrition
Short-bowel syndrome patients
Surgical resection
Mesenteric vascular thrombosis
Crohn’s disease
exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
liver disease
Cigarette smoking depletes vitamin E

Symptoms vitamin E deficiency

Impaired balance and coordination
Muscle weakness
Retinopathy

Consult with your care provider before supplementing with vitamin E

Vitamin E toxicity

Vitamin E toxicity occurs by supplementation, not diet alone. Symptoms include excessive bleeding, nausea, vomiting and muscle weakness. If toxicity is suspected, discontinuation of vitamin E and administration of vitamin K may be initiated by your care provider.

Drug interactions and cautions when supplementing with Vitamin E

Vitamin E inhibits platelet aggregation and can disrupt vitamin K1 clotting. Use with caution when on anticoagulation and antiplatelet medications as there is the potential risk of bleeding when taken together.
Niacin: vitamin E supplementation can reduce effects of niacin

Medical conditions that may be contraindicated with vitamin E supplementation

History heart attack or stroke
Bleeding disorders
Diabetes
Vitamin K deficiency
Retinitis pigmentosa
Kidney disease
Anemia
Liver disease

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Order Today

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!

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