American Ebola Patient Coming To U.S.

(Recasts, adds details on patient being transferred to Atlanta)



By Julie Steenhuysen and Colleen Jenkins



CHICAGO/WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., July 31 (Reuters) - A U.S. aid worker who was infected with the deadly Ebola virus while working in West Africa is coming back to the United States to be treated in a high-security ward at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, hospital officials said on Thursday.



The aid worker, whose name has not been released, will be moved in the next several days to a special isolation unit at Emory. The unit was set up in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is one of only four in the United States.



CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds said her agency is working with the U.S. State Department to facilitate the transfer.



Reynolds said the CDC is not aware of any Ebola patient ever being treated in the United States, but five people in the past decade have entered the United States with either Lassa Fever or Marburg Fever, close cousins of Ebola, and there were no instances of the virus being transferred to others.



News of the transfer follows reports of the declining health of two infected U.S. aid workers, Dr. Kent Brantly and missionary Nancy Writebol, who contracted Ebola while working in Liberia on behalf of North Carolina-based Christian relief groups Samaritan's Purse and SIM.



Earlier on Thursday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the State Department was working with the CDC on medical evacuations of infected American humanitarian aid workers, but he did not name them.



The outbreak in West Africa is the worst in history, having killed more than 700 people since February. On Thursday, the CDC issued a travel advisory urging people to avoid all non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the epicenter of the outbreak.



Brantly and Writebol "were in stable but grave" condition as of early Thursday morning, the relief organizations said on Thursday. A spokeswoman for the groups could not confirm whether the patient being transferred to Emory was one of their aid workers.



CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said in a conference call there is no vaccine or effective treatment for Ebola, and transferring gravely ill patients has the potential to do more harm than good.



In its final stages, Ebola causes external and internal bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea. About 60 percent of people infected in the current outbreak are dying from the illness.



Writebol, 59, received an experimental drug that doctors hope will improve her health, SIM said. Brantly, 33, received a unit of blood from a 14-year-old boy who survived Ebola with the help of Brantly's medical care, said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse.



Frieden could not comment on the specifics of either treatment, but said, "We have reviewed the evidence of the treatments out there and don't find any treatment that has proven effectiveness against Ebola." (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins and Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Will Dunham and Steve Orlofsky)





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4 Ways To Effectively Fix A Toxic Frienship

SPECIAL FROM Next Avenue





By Linda Melone



Hanging out with friends does a person good. But if you're a woman and your female friends make you feel bad, the positive benefits of the friendship can be diminished. In fact, bad friends can be harmful to your health.



That's according to a new study. An analysis of data from 1,502 healthy adults over age 50 found that negative social interactions were linked to a 38 percent increase in developing high blood pressure for women. The multiyear research from Carnegie Mellon University found that women between 51 and 64 were more affected than older women. Surprisingly, this same effect was not seen in men.



Researchers were not completely surprised by the results. "Women are more affected and pay more attention to the quality of their relationships than men," says Rodlescia Sneed, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology involved in the study. "Women's relationships are more about sharing; men tend to have less intimacy."



Prior studies done with arguing couples show increases in blood pressure in the short term, but this study found negative relationships could also have long-term physical effects, Sneed says.



Having Friends Should Be Fun



When you share a deeper level of intimacy, conflict exacts a far greater toll, says Irene S. Levine, professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine, producer of http://ift.tt/14bj8xm and a Next Avenue contributor. "It’s hard to let go of the person who knows all your secrets," notes Levine.



And while no relationship is ever perfect, friendships are voluntary relationships that add to the pleasure and enjoyment of our lives, says Levine. "If a friendship is consistently draining and there is no way to resolve the conflict or mismatch, it’s time to move on to more satisfying relationships," she adds.



"Healthy relationships at 50, or any age, should include mutual caring and respect, responsibility and good communication," says Tina B. Tessina, a psychotherapist and author of "The Ten Smartest Decisions a Woman Can Make After Forty."



Signs of a toxic relationship include: being demanding, turning every discussion into an argument, threatening the end of the friendship, using tears, rage and/or badgering and gossiping about you behind your back.



How To Fix A Friendship



Handling toxic relationships isn't easy and takes a little know-how, says Tessina. She has four suggestions:



1. Focus on the positive. First, tell your friend about the things you like that she does. She'll then be more likely to hear when you say you don't like something, says Tessina.



2. Use silence. “If you don't like what she's doing or saying, don't respond. She'll get the message without a word,” Tessina says.



3. Set boundaries and limits. If your friend is habitually late, for example, let her know when the timing is important (you don't want to miss the first five minutes of a movie) and when time is not an issue. In cases where she needs to be on time, tell her if she's not ready by X time you'll leave without her.



"It's amazing how well that works," says Tessina. "Although, don't be too strict about it if she's late only on occasion or has a good reason."



4. Try a time out. Become distant and polite when she behaves badly. No joking around or interacting, says Tessina.



"Eventually, she may ask you what's wrong, and at that point you have an opportunity to tell her what the problem behavior is and why you don't like it. Learning to put obnoxious friends in time outs right at the beginning of unpleasant behavior can make it unnecessary to use tougher tactics at all," adds Tessina.



The Green-Eyed Monster



Jealousy often rears its ugly head in a friendship and is particularly toxic. "Most jealousy arises when someone feels insecure or threatened — that someone else (like you) will get the attention she wants," says Tessina.



People who react with jealousy are often in a lot of emotional pain about their own lives. "Be as understanding as you can and listen to your friend's feelings, but don't let her struggles ruin your good feelings about yourself," says Tessina. Publicly thanking her for the nice things she's done and giving her special time with you alone may help.



Finally, don't be afraid to talk to friends about what friendship means to you. Is it acceptable to cancel a date with a girlfriend (or her with you) because you get a better offer from a man? Because of family illness or problems? How much loyalty do you expect in the friendship, and what does that mean?



If you can't work on the problem, at least limit the time you spend with people who make you feel bad, says Sneed. "Avoid taking on other peoples' problems, which women tend to do," she notes.



Next Avenue contributor Linda Melone is a California-based freelance writer specializing in health, fitness and wellness for women over 50.



Read more from Next Avenue:

Two new reverse mortgage rules for couples

What to do about loss of libido

How to heal a rift with your adult child



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What It's Like When You Weigh 380 Pounds and Order a Salad

"Really? Is that all you want to eat?"



That is what the cashier at Panera Bread asked me a few years ago. I was in line, ordering lunch. I was around 380 pounds at the time. I made a promise to myself to lose weight. I'd already lost 40 pounds at the time. Although I was no longer 400 pounds, I still was huge.



I ordered a salad. It was only 410 calories. The people behind me giggled when I placed my order. Maybe they were laughing about something else. I always heard laughter when I went places. I believe a lot of it was because of me.



When I ordered the salad the cashier questioned me. She was not rude or sassy. She was not being sarcastic. She was a teenage girl who really wanted to know if that is all I wanted.



Truth is, I wanted to eat more. I always wanted to eat more. People laugh at me when I tell them that I am a food addict. They tell me that is not a real addiction. Heroin, now that is a real addiction. Alcohol, now that is a real addiction. Food? Come on. I was just lazy. I just put forth no effort into getting healthy.



When I started to eat, I could not stop. There were days when I would eat over 20,000 calories. I never got sick. I never was full. I ate to a point where I was numb. I could not move. I would eat anything. I have dug in the trash to get food. I have eaten food that was not fully cooked. I have eaten So. Much. Food.



There were so many nights at 2 a.m. that I would sit in my car and eat. I would go from fast food restaurant to fast food restaurant and order food. Then I would sit in a dark parking lot and eat. I would get sad when the food was almost gone.



There was never enough food for me.



All I cared about is food. I never saw how much my weight and eating habits hurt my wife. She would never call me fat or tell me I needed to lose weight or she would leave. She would just try to encourage me. She would offer to walk with me or cook for me. She wanted to help her husband. Yet I did not want help.



At 420 pounds I could barely walk. I could not have sex. I could not wipe my ass in the bathroom. Everything in life was taken away from me. I would still eat.



I ate until I finally opened my eyes.



I saw how much it hurt my wife. I saw how much it hurt myself. I did not have many options. I had to lose weight.



Losing weight is not easy but neither was being 420 pounds. Counting calories is not easy but neither is hurting the people I love. Taking brisk walks is not easy but neither is wanting to die every day because you feel worthless.



So when the cashier asked me if I wanted more to eat, I knew what was in my heart...



"No, a salad is fine, thank you."



I lost over 200 pounds and I have kept most off for over six years. I still struggle every single day. Every day I would rather have more than just a salad.



I also do not want to be over 400 pounds ever again.



I refuse to let my addiction ruin my life.



Originally appeared on The Good Men Project .



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What Defines You?

Languages and cultural idioms oftentimes teach powerful lessons. For example, Yiddish, a Jewish-spoken dialect that is primarily a blend of Hebrew and German, offers users a few different ways through which to inquire about another's well-being.



My maternal grandfather, a centenarian and Holocaust survivor who grew up in pre-WWII Romania, told me that it was common practice for people in his community to respond to the question "What do you do?" with a simple "Torah u'mitzvos." ("I am fulfilling God's Torah and commandments.") Regardless of their occupations, these European Jews professed their faith and faithfulness by stating their deeper objectives as religious servants.



One of the most common questions you will hear when making acquaintance is, "So, what do you do?" For the longest time, such questions were responded to with a particular focus on one's profession. "I'm a doctor." "I'm in sales." However, it appears that the focus that we use to frame and define our actions and even ourselves may be changing. And my proof is from Twitter.



While professional social media services such as LinkedIn still retain a certain stodginess (which, for its purposes, is a good thing), Twitter seems to have bridged the gap between personal and professional. Many professionals (me included) use Twitter to share professional, uplifting and informative content. But they do so in a way that keeps in touch with the deeply personal side of their profiles and selves.



Consider the following Twitter bios from my network:

• "Family-oriented, with a passion for people and service. Focused on maximizing human potential."


• 
  
  
  


• "Lifestyle Architect and Motivational Speaker. I help people turn their dreams into a reality."


• 
  
  
  


• "Principal / Leadership Consultant. Love God, Wife & Kids!"


• 
  
  
  


• "I'm the coach that will take you to the gym, not just send you there!"


• 
  
  
  


• "LOVE office processes & effective leadership... non-profit supporter; coffee & chocolate addict"

To these men and women (and many, many more), life is more than about doing a job and getting paid. It's about making a difference and following your passions. It's about connecting deeply to what you believe in, and expressing your values to others.



Of course, many of the same professionals may use more restrained descriptors on the CVs or LinkedIn profiles. But that doesn't detract from how they view the true purpose of their work.



The next time that someone asks you, "So, what do you do?" feel free to share your position as you have always done. Then go ahead and add a few descriptors, things that you are passionate about and proud of. Things like:

• Leader of a great team


• 
  


• Sharing stories of inspiration and success


• 
  


• Delivering goods to others


• 
  


• Facilitating communication

A story is told (in many similar variations) of a man who came across three bricklayers busy at work.



He asked the first bricklayer, "What are you doing?" "I'm laying bricks," came the reply.



He then asked the second bricklayer the same question. "I'm putting up a wall," he said.



The passerby then asked the question one more time, this time to the third bricklayer. The response: "I'm building a cathedral."



What you do, in real terms, may be no different from the person seated in the next cubicle or the guy that you meet at the trade show. But what you do as in how you do it, as well as why, is uniquely your choosing.



Work, and life, is about much more than punching a clock and cashing a check. Choose to "eat to live" rather than "live to eat" and you will start to see just how much more fulfilling life can be. And then what you do will no longer be a discussion about your professional practice but rather a description of your very essence and the values that you hold dear.



Naphtali Hoff (@impactfulcoach) served as an educator and school administrator for over 15 years before becoming an executive coach and consultant. Read his blog at http://ift.tt/1aFBsFp.



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Views From Down Under: Puppy Love

We recently adopted a puppy, a joyful, bouncing, and playful, eat your shoes, nip your heels puppy. There is just something so delightful about having a puppy constantly at your feet, looking up at you with those big brown eyes, or in our case one brown eye and one blue! He brings a certain air of "here and now" into your life.



The one thing that really struck me was how quickly we all fell in love with this little fella. The reason for his adoption was as a birthday present for my husband who claims to have never wanted pets -- three cats and one dog later! And of course he too fell in love with Ziggy at first sight.



As I write this Ziggy is asleep at my feet. I am his primary carer and I am the one picking up the poo, cleaning up little puddles and I am the one who gets to be the center of his attention, the one he follows from room to room, house to garden. I am the one teaching him, "No Ziggy, sit, drop, come, good boy" and best of all I am the one who gets to give and receive unconditional love and cuddles all day long.



Puppy of course has completely changed the dynamics of the household. My eldest son says he now has an excuse to come home on weekends -- thanks very much. Shoes, bags and valuables once left lying on the floor now seem to be mysteriously put away. Neighbors are dropping in for a bit of puppy love, my husband wants a daily update on his achievements with photo and I can no longer just be spontaneous, because puppy can't be left alone.



Puppy and the cats aren't quite there yet. The building of rapport and trust is just like that of humans, just maybe without the hissing and barking. Ziggy seems to respect the fact that the cats were here first, so he will lay low and keep his distance; however, a puppy can only take so much before he is jumping with joy and scaring the living daylights out of the cats.







Watching their interaction is very similar to how some humans behave, my cat just observes this new phenomenon from a safe distance; she seems to have more fear than the other two. The male cat is twice puppy's size and is disinterested yet alert, and the little tortoise shell female cat has been very accepting.



Fear, disinterest and acceptance all rather human behaviors and all ones we have used in the workplace, in our own lives and observed others do. And as a therapist I will be the one who will help them all to open their cat hearts to eventually fall in love with puppy.







There is no joy or happiness quite like that of puppy love.



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Understanding the Implications of Consumer Empowerment in Health Care

The days of the passive patient and omnipotent Marcus Welby-like physician are long gone. Since the 1990s, consumer empowerment in health care has been increasing, most notably with the advent of direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription medicines. Then, the rise of digital media allowed consumers to search symptoms and create communities around common disease experiences. More recently, the ability to shop for health insurance through health care exchanges and obtain treatment at drug store clinics has led to a new age of consumer empowerment.



We've gone from a B-to-B model to a B-to-C model in health care. This shift in power to consumers has many implications when it comes to how we make decisions about our health care. Here are six ways that a behavioral lens can help us understand the implications of empowering consumers in health care:



1. Heuristics



Heuristics are very important. These mental shortcuts or "rules of thumb" allow us to make decisions efficiently. However, these judgments are subject to non-rational (or biased) influences in the marketplace. For example, a retail promotion like a drug store coupon can affect the price on which patients "anchor" their judgments about the appropriate cost of health care. And a retail clinic can affect the appeal of non-healthy alternatives with their location, like in the candy aisle. While this may not have been a big deal before, it is an important consideration in a B2C retail environment.



2. Social Perceptions



Research has shown that product efficacy can be shaped by social perceptions around cues like brand names and white lab coats. Both create expectations that can lead to greater confidence in the health care outcome. Similarly, the recent ban by CVS on selling tobacco products also serves as a cue. By banning tobacco, it creates a greater perception of legitimacy as a health care provider. These expectations may be conducive to better health care outcomes, not unlike placebo effects. My research (1) shows that, as a result of these expectancies, brand names can both increase and decrease product efficacy. If we have different expectations for the same health care products at a CVS vs. a doctor's office, this could have real implications for our well-being.



3. Digital Media



The rise of digital media and the availability of health care information also impacts how health care decisions are made. By conducting online research, learning about others' experiences (consumer-to-consumer advice sites), and asking doctors questions online, consumers may feel more empowered prior to actually making a choice. But this consumer empowerment may come at a price. As we know, there are lots of factors that sway online opinions: biased reviews, outlier narratives (2), and persuasive marketing tactics.





4. Risk Perception



As retailers like CVS and Walgreens move into the provider arena, there will hopefully be easier and less expensive access to care, but this it is not necessarily a substitute for a doctor's visit. Consumers need to understand when it's appropriate to visit the clinic (for a wellness exam, low-level tests, flu shots, etc.), and when a doctor's appointment is the better choice. This requires identifying the biases at play when we make risk assessments. When you make those biases salient, you are better able to avoid them. Then, you can make a better decision about your health.



5. Regret Aversion


Regret aversion is another implication of this shift in the health care model from B2B to B2C. Studies have shown that when there is a difficult health care decision, people cope better when a doctor makes that decision on their behalf. As patients become more empowered (requesting brand name medications or choosing minute clinics over physicians), they also take on more responsibility for their health outcomes. This may affect decisions as patients seek to avoid regret. To the extent that retailers create customer experiences that are consistent with optimal health care -- like focusing on preventative health care with flu shots and hypertension testing -- it makes them important partners in achieving health.



6. Variety



Studies show that we have a non-rational bias toward wanting variety. However, research has also found that consumers become overwhelmed and tend to fall back on default choices. Consider your last trip to the cereal or toothpaste aisle in the supermarket: It's just not possible to effectively process all of that information. This is particularly important in health care, as most consumers don't have nearly the same level of expertise as their doctors (3). This also is relevant when it comes to choosing health insurance. The way that alternatives are presented has huge implications for insurance choices.



So, will the rise of B2C health care be a gain or a loss for patients? Despite our susceptibility to non-rational decision-making, the net impact may be positive. One key to neutralizing biases is to become aware of them. As long as we can recognize our biases to avoid making suboptimal decisions, consumer empowerment can be a positive change.



Renée Richardson Gosline is the Zenon Zannetos Assistant Professor of Marketing at MIT Sloan School of Management.



References:



1) Gosline, R., S. Banker, J. Lee (2014), " The Status Paradox: How High-Status Products Impair Cognitive Performance," Working Paper. (This is my working paper on brand effects on efficacy, with Sachin Banker and Jeffrey Lee.



2) My current research on outlier narratives in social media, with Glen Urban and Jeffrey Lee.



3) Williamson, O. E. (1975). Markets and hierarchies. New York, 26-30.



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Why De-Stressing in Front of the TV Could Backfire

By Anna Maltby, SELF



If you're like me, the first place you want to go after a tough day at work is the couch. (Unless it's a really tough day, in which case that place would be the bar.) But it turns out, using media like TV and video games could actually be kind of a terrible way to deal with stress.



In a new study in the Journal of Communication, researchers asked 471 participants to report how they'd felt after work the previous day and what media they'd used. They found that people who were really stressed and tired at the end of the day and watched TV or other media to unwind actually reported feeling guilty about it -- they felt like they should be doing something more productive. So in turn, instead of feeling relaxed and de-stressed, they felt just plain crappy.



(That said, the study was based on self-report -- it's possible that the participants only felt guilty when they had to actually admit how much TV they'd watched!)



Do you feel kind of regretful about your post-work TV watching? We say, take care of one or two looming household to-dos (e.g. laundry, taking out the trash) before your bum hits the couch, then watch guilt-free. The study authors also noted previous research that indicated media that provides a "mastery experience" -- video games where you can beat a level or win; watching TV or movies that are thought-provoking or informative -- may be more restorative.



More from SELF :



Sneaky Stomach Slimmers

20 Superfoods For Weight Loss

Satisfying Snacks Under 200 Calories

5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin

13 Hot Celebrity Summer Hairstyles To Try

6 Moves To Resize Your Butt and Thighs



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