Asthma in Australia Illness and Treatment Essay Example

Asthma in Australia: Illness and Treatment Paper Asthma is said to be a chronic disease that is affecting more and more australians today.   Australia is the second highest country in terms of the prevalence of asthma.   One in every four children, one out of seven young adults, and one in every ten adults are said to have asthma (NAC, 2005). Typically, it is characterized by wheezing and shortness of breath.   The shortness of breath is caused by the narrowing of the airways within the lungs and obstruction to airflow.   Inflammation of the air passages is said to be the underlying reason for this narrowing of the airways (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005).   Symptoms of asthma are usually seen in very young children or the elderly.   Also, those whith other diseases seem to show the symptoms of asthma.   In the 1980’s, the National Asthma Management Plan of Australia was started.   In 1999, asthma became a high priority of the government (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005). According to the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (2005)   asthma is almost on the same priority as injuries, slightly lower than cardiovascular disorders and arthritis.   This is mainly because the prevalence of the diseases are of the same level or slightly varying from one another. In the Journal of Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (2005), the definition of Asthma that has been adopted for most international expert organizations is Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role, in particular, mast cells, eosinophils, T lymphocytes, macrophages, nutrophi and epithelial cells.   In susceptible individuals this inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing, particularly at night or in the early morning.   These episodes are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow obstruction that is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment.   The inflammation also causes an increase in existing bronchial hyperresponsiveness to a variety of stimuli (p. 4) We will write a custom essay sample on Asthma in Australia: Illness and Treatment specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Asthma in Australia: Illness and Treatment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Asthma in Australia: Illness and Treatment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are two types of asthma.   One is considered intermittent patients and the other, persistent asthma (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005).   It could be said that the distinction between the two is based on the periodical nature of the exposure to triggers.   Asthma can also be classified according to how severe the problem is to a patient.   In relation to this, the severity could be measured by how well the patient responds to treatment.   Subgroups of the illness are also cases for classification.   Although most subgroup represent how asthma is triggered, like exercise-induced asthma or aspirin-sensitive asthma, it is still significant to know this since it may help in the treatment of the problem. There are also different risk factors for asthma.   One is the constitutional factors.   This is the general reference to the predisposition of an individual to factors such as having family members with asthma, genetic mutations, sex and age group.   On the other hand, environmental exposures refer to the risk of acquiring asthma and the necessary interventions needed to be taken (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005). There are different tests to check if patients have asthma.   One of the many is the skin prick test.   This test is given to those who are suspected to have persistent asthma.   Skin prick testing is said to be the gold standard for allergy testing.   This is because it is more sensitive than blood tests (NAC, 2005).   More than relying of the history of patients, skin prick test is more accurate for the identification of allergens of a patient.   It is also very safe and can be tolerated even by small children because it causes little discomfort.   Results are given just after 20 minutes. People with asthma often seek health care and attention for non-urgent concerns such as routine review or prescription of asthma therapy.   According to the National Asthma Council of Australia (2005), effective management helps in the maintenance of the quality of life.   This is the key aim of the treatment.   The main goal is to improve and make sure that the capacity to carry out everyday tasks is normal and not limited by asthma (NAC, 2005). On the other hand, the role of the health professionals is to be aware of the impact of the treatment on short term and long term outcomes of the illness to the patient (NAC, 2005). The impact of asthma on the quality life of people suffering from it report poorer general health than normal people.   They suffer from anxiety and depression.   Not being able to sleep properly is a common problem among adults and children with asthma.   It can also be a hindrance in performing well in the workplace and in school.   (Asthma.org, 2007). Such is the reason why there is a great need to control asthma and its onset.   The goal to stabilize and allow people to perform everyday tasks with ease is just the main answer to the concern of having difficulty in life. The objective of self management is to empower patients with the knowledge and skills they need to treat their own illness. A first step towards this is to have patients share responsibility for their treatment with their caregivers. There are self-management plans for people with asthma.   The main objective of this is to empower patients and equip them with the right knowledge and skills to address and treat their illness (Thoonen and Van Weel, 2000).   The first step that should be taken to carry this out is to have patients feel that they are sharing the responsibility of their treatment with their health professionals (Thoonen and Van Weel, 2000).   .  Ã‚   It aims to monitor their daily activities to pinpoint what stressors trigger their attacks.   It is important for patients to steer clear of these stressors.   Therefore, identification of the triggers is necessary for self-management.   Also, they have to be familiar with how to properly use inhalers and other medical resources that they have to employ. Asthma Action Plans (AAP) plays a big role in the management and treatment of asthma.   It is a written manifestation of asthma symptoms and recognition of patient of how their bodies deteriorate due to asthma.   Due to this written possession of each asthma patient, better medical attention, self-management treatments and interventions are given to patients.   There is also sufficient evidence to say that treatment outcomes positively increase when patients have the AAP (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005). Unfortunately, the majority of people with asthma still do not have a written asthma action plan.   The 1990’s showed a tremendous increase in the possession of the AAP, however, it is enough to sustain it to present time.   There has also been campaigns of the National Asthma Council that seem to improve awareness of the public regarding asthma, sadly, they have difficulty in reaching the outer regional and remote areas, including the socioeconomically disadvantaged regions (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005).   Management of asthma is also done through medication.   This is where the role of health professionals is emphasized.   Medication is used primarily to relieve symptoms during times when they occur, control the disease and treat exacerbations of the disease (Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, 2005). In a study by Hawley (2001), she concluded that in asthma care, there is no one perspective that is better than the others.   Different ways of knowing, beliefs and understandings should be taken into consideration.   When one acknowledges that a patient may be different culturally and have distinct beliefs different from the health professional, then there would be a better, safer and more competent treatment to asthma (Hawley, 2001). According to a study by Stoloff and Janson (1997), information, awareness and skills training can improve asthma control.   Control is very important for patients because, as earlier mentioned, it helps the affected people perform everyday tasks like normal people.   Education regarding asthma are proven to be very cost-effective and can lead to a decrease in morbidity among patients of all ages (Janson and Stoloff, 1997).   Asthma education is carried out by health professionals such as nurses and doctors.   This is very important.   It has been noted that there is an increased patient knowledge, improved skills in using inhalers, improvement in clinical status and lesser emergency cases due to asthma (Janson and Stoloff, 1997). Such are the reasons why the health professionals have a role in managing asthma.   The patients turn to them for primary knowledge regarding their illness and to prevent worsening of such problems.   This is a two-way relationship and it is important that each one’s tasks are performed appropriately for better outcomes. Unfortunately, there are problems that could arise in the hand-in-hand patient-health professional treatment of asthma.   According to one study, nurses’ comments on self-management were largely about the importance of patient education and for follow up and monitoring.   They said that this could be achieved through attendance in asthma clinics where nurses could explain and elaborate on the condition and treatment.   Self management treatment is also more advisable for people who have had the disease for a longer time, as compared to the newly diagnosed. Problems arise when nurses see that patients are not to be trusted to take care of themselves properly.   The study cited by Thoonen and Van Weel, mentioned that the nurses considered every patient different from the others.   Ergo, different treatment is much more suited for them. (Thoonen and Van Weel, 2000).   Finally, self-management plans are only effective if the patients themselves still continue to attend follow ups, check ups and coordinate with health professionals.   Otherwise, they will just fall into bad habit if they are not closely monitored.   (Thoonen and Van Weel, 2000). Bibliography Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring. (2005) Asthma in australia. Asthma series. 2(6). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2007). Statistical snapshot of people with asthma, 2001. Asthma series. 8. Department of Health and Ageing, Australian Government (2007). Why asthma is a national priority. Retrieved on August 6, 2007 from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pq-asthma-why.htm Hawley, R. (2001). Voices in time: The role of the nurse in asthma management-past, present and future. (Doctoral Dissertation. University of Sydney, 2001). Virginia Henderson National Nursing Library. Health Insite (2006). Asthma statistics. Retrieved on August 6, 2006, from http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/content/internal/printpage.cfm?ObjID=0000E624-0403-1D2D-81CF83032BFA006Dstartpage=1 Hendeles, L. (1995). The role of the pharmacist in improving asthma care. National Institutes of Health Publication. 95(3280), pp. 1-16. Janson, S. and Stoloff, S. (1997). Providing asthma education in primary care practice-includes self-management plans and patient information. American Family Physician. July. Laurant, M., Reeves, D. and Sibbald, B. (2006). Advanced nurse roles in uk primary care. Medical Journal Association. 185(1), pp. 10-12. National Asthma Council (2005). Asthma management handbook 2006. Retrieved on August 6, 2007 from http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/cms/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=16 Itemid=54 Thoonen, B. and Van Weel, C. (2000). Self management in asthma care. British Medical Journal. 2000(321), pp.1482-1483

Glory a American War Movie by Edward Zwick

Glory a American War Movie by Edward Zwick Glory (1989) is an American war movie that narrates the story of the first all black volunteer infantry in the North, the 54th Massachusetts. The account in this film is told from the point of view of Robert Gould Shaw, who was the commanding officer of this contingent for the duration of the American Civil War. This movie reminds the viewer of the role played by the African American soldiers in the Civil War and in the obliteration of slavery. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Glory a American War Movie by Edward Zwick specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This article will explore the movie, bringing out the relationship between the stories as reflected on the film in correlation to the actual occurrences that are documented in history books regarding these same episodes. The article will also tackle other features of the films such as the title, settings, and main characters along with how the movie functions as histo ry. The Cast of the movie includes Mathew Broderic who plays the part of Colonel Shaw, Morgan Freeman who plays the grave digger, and Cary Elves who is Major Forbes in this movie, Denzel Washington who plays the character of Trip, and Jimmy Kennedy who plays the field hand’s role. The other characters are Andre Braugher (Corporal Searless), John Finn (Surgent Mulcahy), Domovan Leitch (Captain Morse), JD Cullum (Henry Russell), Jay Sanders (Brigadier Strong), Cliffe De Young (colonel Montogomery), Alan North (Governer Andrew), and Bob Gunton (General Harker). The movie is filmed in Georgia and Florida and is facilitated by hundreds of Civil War historical re-enactors so as to bring out the historical background of the Civil War. The early scenes of the movie reveal Captain Shaw, who is portrayed as being dismayed and bewildered by the violence of the battleground. The captain is then shown to be slightly wounded in combat and faints due to his injuries. A character christene d as the gravedigger wakes him up and he is taken for treatment. While getting treatment, Captain Shaw is informed that President Abraham Lincoln is about to make an announcement that will see the setting free of some of the slaves held in rebel areas. As the movie develops, Shaw is promoted to the rank of a colonel while he is on leave in Boston and given the responsibility of leading the first all blacks regiment, which was to be formed following Abraham Lincoln’s declaration speech. As the leader of his regiment, Colonel Shaw requests his friend from childhood, Cabot Forbes, to deputize him. Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other volunteers, who are mostly freed black men, offer to join Colonel Shaw’s regiment. In those days, whites enjoyed more privileges compared to blacks and this is well depicted in the movie by the tension that arises between Trip and Thomas. They however resolve their differences and become closer friends. While at the camp, the 54th regiment undergoes a lot of difficulties due to the discrimination of their group. They are compelled to tolerate the unfaltering strict punishment of Sergeant Major Mulcahy. Among the challenges they experience in the camp were inadequate suitable equipments and the open racial discrimination that was prevalent in the camp. In the camp, the African American soldiers were singled out by their white counterparts. There were no black soldiers in command and it seemed like such positions were preserved for only the whites. After a long period carrying out their duties, Colonel Shaw realizes that his regiment was to be used to perform menial duties. This angered him so much that he threatened to report the unfair treatment to the war department. His request to have his regiment allowed to go to war like the rest of the regiments is then approved by his commanding officers. Follow ing his regiment’s first successful participation in the combat, Colonel Shaw volunteers his 54th Massachusetts to lead an assault on Fort Wagner. Subsequent to being honored by white soldiers and officers, Shaw leads his men to ambush a well guarded enemy’s fort but while trying to lead his men, Shaw is unfortunately shot at and killed instantly. Unfortunately, this also happens to a member of his regiment known as Trip, who attempted to raise the flag and lead his other black men in absence of Shaw. The next scene of the movie opens with a morning scene in which the confederate banner is hoisted on top of the fort. This is followed by a burial of the deceased members of the 54th regiment together with that of Shaw and Trip are buried in a mass grave. This movie is filled with imaginary character and incidences, presenting the viewers with a convincingly emotional story of togetherness between the African American soldiers and certain whites during the American Civil War. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Glory a American War Movie by Edward Zwick specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Of the many characters in this move, only one character, Colonel Robert Shaw, is non fictional. From the onset of this movie, Robert Shaw is depicted as the main character and his presence is observed almost in all scenes of the movie. Another white character who is as well equally featured in this movie is Cabot Forbes, who is the second in command from Shaw. The whites in this movie are shown as racists and this is clearly reflected in the movie by the way the white soldiers and officers relate to their African American counterparts. Instead of being paid thirteen dollars as the white soldiers are, the black soldiers are paid ten dollars. The black soldiers are also not accorded enough equipment to fight the war yet the whites have more than enough. Yet another scene that portrays the racism theme is shown when the African American soldiers are initially subjected to menial jobs instead of equally being given a chance to play a part in active combat as the whites are. Not all whites are shown as racists and Shaw and Forbes, who are portrayed as sympathizers of the blacks to the extent of demanding equal salary for their regiment. This is shown when, as earlier stated in this article, Shaw threatens to report the unfair treatment of the blacks to the war department. One is left wondering whether under normal circumstances in those days, Shaw and Forbes would really have behaved in similar comportment or if the movie was trying to depict them as good guys while in reality they were not. Most of the Africa Americans individuals during the civil war era were depicted as violent and people who always had problems taking orders. It is no wonder that many people were perplexed by their ability to make good soldiers given that solders always act by the orders given to them. This nat ure of being disobedient is also contrasted in this movie when the blacks protest against racism and their unequal salaries only to quickly soften their stand and accept disciplinary actions from their white counter parts. The blacks are also depicted as being obedient to military orders which eventually led most of them to their death. There are some scenes in this movie that do not accurately portray the occurrences in the American Civil War. For instance, Shaw’s regiment did not actually triumph over the rival forces at Fort Wagner, but in this movie, we are shown the confederate flag flying high on top of the fort as a sign that the regiment was successful in defeating their enemies. Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another inaccurate depiction of the Civil War events is the duration of time it took Colonel Shaw to accept the offer of leading the African American Regiment. In the â€Å"Glory,† Shaw is shown as accepting the leadership offer right away while historical documentations illustrate that he accepted the offer after many days of careful deliberation. The number of the 54th regiment soldiers killed in battle is also not captured accurately. The inaccuracies shown in this movie could have been due to the challenges in terms of cost that were encountered while producing this movie. To produce a movie that would capture all the occurrences of the war accurately would have been very costly. Even with the inaccuracies mentioned above, a great extent almost every major incidence that took place in the 54th regiment has been accurately captured in this movie. As one watches the movie, it can be difficult not to notice how this movie is able to capture how unfairly African Americans w ere treated during the war just because of their skin color. The â€Å"Glory† can therefore be said to be a movie that almost accurately portrays the occurrences in the American Civil War particularly the challenges faced by the African Americans in the war. The movie â€Å"Glory† is reflection is of historical importance since it portrays the role of African Americans in fighting for the Union army in the historical American Civil War. Moreover, the â€Å"Glory† shows that the Union victory, which is an important milestone in the history of America, took place with the assistance of African Americans. Despite being put through a lot of suffering in the form of slavery and other forms of discrimination, the movie portrays the African Americans as being capable of fighting in a war, just as their white counterparts and as such, they should be recognized as having greatly contributed to the history of the US. At the time of the Civil War, it was a common belief a mong many whites that the blacks were incapable of properly fighting in a war and therefore should not be allowed to participate in the war. This belief was however proven wrong by history just as shown in â€Å"Glory,† which honors the African Americans for their role in the war. There were also some fears about the loyalty of the blacks during the war given their history of being slaves but once again, just as shown in the movie, the black fighters in the war proved very loyal and worthy to be in the battle despite their group being openly discriminated against. The movie Glory is a celebration of the less known acts of courage and sacrifice during the Civil War. As shown by the movie, as much as the Civil War was about ending slavery and setting free the blacks, it is ironical that the blacks in the movie were not free to fight the war as shown by their bad treatment during the war. This was perhaps a sign that the war would not mark the end of discrimination of the Afri can Americans. In fact, most historians who write about the Civil War tend to ignore the crucial role played by the blacks yet more than 200 thousand of them actively fought and helped secure victory for the northerners. A big part of the movie accurately portrays the exact happenings as they took place during the Civil War. After watching the movie, a viewer cannot fail to notice the huge effort put towards correctly portraying the details of the war. The main scene in the movie occurred just as it is portrayed in the movie and some of the main characters, including Douglas, Shaw and Frederick, actually existed and fought in the war as shown in the movie. Even though a good number of the secondary characters are fictional, they have been included in the movie to represent the wide cross-section of individuals who joined the 54th Regiment. The movie can therefore be said to be an almost accurate representation of African American participation in the war and their struggles. Some o f the scary scenes in the movie, including the one showing an explosion of a soldier’s head, are included in an effort to show the gore and bloodshed that took place in the battlefield. Even with such scary scenes, the movie’s accurate depiction of an important historical occurrence has made it a perfect movie to be shown during history classes. However, the version shown in schools is edited to reduce extreme violence. The movie is among the most shown movies in high school history classes to increase awareness of the important role played by blacks in the Civil War. Apart from telling the story of an important occurrence in US history, the movie contains elements associated with a great motion picture which leaves its viewers with a lot of memories.

Business ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Business ethics - Essay Example ctive of the business ethics is to whether the practice of supporting the failing financial institutions through the tax money is morally correct given the fact that financial institutions failed to perform their duties. After the financial crisis of 2008, US and other governments from the developed nations bailed-out their financial institutions by pouring in the public money. This issue created significant moral debate regarding the role of the financial institutions and the government in having allowed the bailing out of the financial institutions. Most of the arguments were based upon the notion that public money should not be spent on those who behaved irresponsibly and are the very cause of the crisis itself. The role of the financial managers in managing the money and engaging into business practices which were risky and speculative was also being deplored. This business ethics issue will therefore be explored from the perspective of the utilitarianism as well as deontology. Both these philosophical theories will be discussed first and applied to this issue in greater details. Deontological ethics are based upon the moral evaluation of the actions based upon whether the actions actually followed or adhered to any rules or not. It is also because of this reason that the deontology is often considered as rule based ethics as it stresses upon the adherence to the rules if any action is to be considered as ethical or not. There are however, different theories of deontology which outline as to how to actually treat an issue from certain perspectives. Kantian ethics of deontology suggests that the morally right way of doing things is as to whether the individuals actually performed from the perspective of the duty or not. Kant also suggests that the morality of actions shall be based upon the motives of the individuals rather than the overall consequences of taking such actions. (Shaw) Utilitarianism however, is an alternative philosophical theory which

The role of managers and clinical leaders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The role of managers and clinical leaders - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the performance of all individuals is based on a large number of factors including internal as well as external ones. It is the responsibility of managers to make sure that all individuals within the organization are motivated enough and their goals are aligned with those of the company. All work done by the employees must be directed towards the objectives of the organization. Mostly all organizations now have a human resource department to improve the motivational level, performance as well as the productivity of the employees. This would improve the overall performance of the organization and would also result in higher profits due to improved quality of the task work. The factors related to the performance of an employee working in a company are similar to those working in a health organization. The motivation of employees is dependant on many factors including environmental factors etc. It also includes factors such as the task st ructure, the workplace environment as well as how the managers treat the employees and other subordinates. The process of performance management aims to improve the effectiveness of employees in order to achieve the organizational goals and objectives. It includes planning, developing as well as rewarding to increase the overall motivation of employees. Planning includes setting the expectations of employees and monitoring the overall performance of the employees. The management should also rate the performance of employees and provide rewards for good performance.... If an employee is continuously facing problems then the manager should change the tasks assigned to the employee involved. This would give the employee chances to use his potential and portray his skills. However, if the employee continues to face the same problems then the manager should realize that the problem is not with the tasks assigned but other factors within the employees such as the motivational level. Therefore, the manager should try to motivate the employees in order to improve his performance for the assigned task. In order to keep the staff motivated, managers all over the world follow a number of strategies. These strategies include performance appraisals, commission pays, other intrinsic as well as extrinsic rewards etc. These rewards act as tools for the motivation of employees in all kinds of organizations. These increased levels of motivation in employees would increase the productivity and improve performance of the organization as a whole. This would also impro ve the employee morale and the organization would be able to retain talented employees as well. It would also improve the image of the organization in the business world. Managers should place a lot of importance on the motivation of employees as they themselves might be the reasons for low motivation and they need to understand what problems the employees are placing in their workplace (Motivation and productivity in the workplace, Web). Managers and clinical leaders have a lot of responsibilities to fulfill to improve staff morale as well as motivation of the staff employees. In order to improve staff morale and motivation, managers can develop clear cut rules and goals for the staff employees. They can even employ

Major problems and issues of an organization analyzed through a case Essay

Major problems and issues of an organization analyzed through a case study - Essay Example The two thus form a good case study through which the major problems that face organizations can be studied. An in-depth analysis of the companies will be undertaken through a brief background on the two in the movie rental market followed by diagnosis of their situations. A competitive and performance analysis will then be undertaken with recommendations on the way forward being generated. Netflix was started in 1997 by Reed Hastings and 10 years later had already taken over market leadership in movie rental services. Figures such as $1.2 billion in revenues, 100,000 movies in their catalogue and 7 million subscribers are quite enviable in the market. The main source of their dominance has been pioneering online movie renting through subscriptions (Thompson, Strickland and Gamble). Blockbuster on the other hand enjoyed early market domination since its inception in 1985 by David Cook (Blockbuster.com 2009). Its main source of advantage was availing movies at a much cheaper rental rates through negotiating deals with the major film studios thus reducing its rates to even just a tenth of competitors’. Blockbuster’s competitive advantage was nullified by Netflix’s focus on internet adoption. The two firms are still competing in a highly competitive market as stated by Netflix Inc. (6). Diagnosis of Netflix’s and Blockbuster’s Competitive Situations. Netflix is at the moment the market leader but is facing cutthroat competition from a resurgent Blockbuster which re-strategized and started slicing Netflix’s market share to an extent that forced the later to reduce its subscription fees leading to drop in its stock prices from panic. Other competition is also being felt from other albeit smaller rivals such as Redbox. Netflix (6) is also in recognition that the movie rental market is subject to drastic and rapid changes since

Definition of Recession and the Predicted Recession in the Malaysian economy

Definition of Recession and the Predicted Recession in the Malaysian economy What is economic recession? Economic recession is defined as a decline in the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for about two or more consecutive quarters in a particular year. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) consists of the monies spent by consumers, the investments made by private companies and the government, government spending on labor and products, and the net total of a countrys exports. As a part of a normal business lifecycle, when an economy that grows over a period of time tends to slow down. An economy typically grows for 6 to 10 years and later is likely to go into a recession for about 6 months to 2 years. Thus, economic recession is a declining phase of the business life cycle when there decline in economic activities spread across the economy, lasting for more than a couple of months, normally visible in Gross Domestic Product or GDP, employment, real income, industrial production and wholesale or retail sales. A recession has many characteristics that can occur simultaneously and can include declines in real-time measures of overall economic activities. Recessions are the result of reduction in the demand and may also be associated with falling prices also known as deflation, or on the other hand it could also be due to increasing prices also known as inflation or a combination of increasing prices and stagnant economic growth. A prolonged or severe recession is referred to as an economic depression. Although the difference between a recession and a depression is not clearly stated, it is often believed that a decline in Gross Domestic Product or GDP of more than 10% constitutes a depression. The cause of an economic recession primarily depends on the actions taken to control the money supply in an economy. The Federal Reserve is the agency responsible for maintaining the delicate balance between money supply, interest rates, and inflation. When this delicate balance is tipped, the economy is forced to correct itself. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve sometimes deals with these situations by dumping huge amounts of money supply into the money market. This helps to keep interest rates low, even as inflation rises. Inflation is the rise in the prices of goods and services over a period of time. So, if inflation is increasing, it means that goods and services are costing more now than they did before. The higher the level of inflation, the smaller the percentage of goods and services is which can be bought with a certain amount of money. There can be many contributing factors for inflation, which include but are not limited to increased costs of production, higher costs of energy and the national debt. In an environment where inflation is prevalent, people tend to cut out things like leisure spending. They also budget more, spend less on things they usually indulge in, and start saving more money than they did. As people and businesses start finding ways to cut costs and derail unneeded expenditures, the GDP begins to decline. Then, unemployment rates will rise because companies start lying off workers to cut more costs, because consumers are not spending like they were. It is these combined factors that manage to drive the economy into a state of recession. An economic recession can be expected before it actually happens. There are many ways to spot a recession before it actually happens. For instance, by observing the changing economic landscapes in quarters that come before the actual onset we can predict whether a recession is about to occur or not. You will still see GDP growth, but it will be coupled with signs like high unemployment levels, housing price declines, stock market losses, and the absence of business expansion. When an economy sees more extended periods of economic recession, it goes beyond a recession and is declared that the economy is in a state of depression. On the other hand, the benefit of an economic recession is that it will help to cure inflation. As a matter of fact, the delicate balancing act that the Federal Reserve struggles to pursue is to slow the growth of the economy enough so that inflation will not occur, but also so that a recession will not be triggered in the process. Now, the Federal Reserve performs this balancing act without the help of fiscal policy. Fiscal policy is usually trying to stimulate the economy as much as is possible through such things as lowering taxes, spending on programs, and ignoring account deficits. Currently the global economy is facing a downturn; In Malaysia the economy has been spotted declining since the first-half of 2008 .This decline may spell bad news for us as it may result as a recession. However, it has been predicted by the government that the economy is not going to be insulated from the global downturn. It was clearly stated by the current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that Malaysia would be able to weather the storm brought on by the U.S. credit crisis as we still have strong economic fundamentals as well as being politically stable. In his statement he said We have very strong reserves, our surplus is still strong, our domestic savings are also very high and our currency is also stable and not subject to fluctuation, He also said We have the strength and the resilience of Malaysians as we have faced it before and our banking system is still strong, theres stability in the country and predictability in terms whats going to develop politically,. The Prime Minister admitted that it was not going to be easy, but with good cooperation with the public and the government our country could get through the recession with not much damage. On the other hand, it has also been predicted that the Malaysian economy will most probably see a full blown recession this year given the steep deterioration in recent economic activities both locally and globally. Based on an article in The Star Online of 5th March 2009, it was predicted that the economy may contract by1.19% in 2009. It was clearly stated in the phrase A poll of economists expectations for 2009 projects the economy would contract by 1.19% this year as the slump in exports and slowing domestic demand bite hard especially in the first half of the year. However, there were also predictions that the contractions of the Malaysian economy would be temporary and would recover later in this year. The Affin Investment Bank economist Alan Tan said The first half will be weak but I am expecting stabilization late in the year on a recovery in exports and domestic demand. This statement was also supported by another statement by the RHB Investment Bank Bhd economist Peck Boon S oon, however this time the economy was predicted to rebound in 2010. The table below shows the forecast growth of the Gross Domestic Product by Malaysias top financial institutes. Besides that, in view of the deteriorating global economy and as a step to be ready for an economic recession, the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia) has lately reduced the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent. Its clearly stated in the Malaysian Economy-Update Blog that the Malaysian economy is getting or expecting to get worse if no monetary and fiscal policy changes. To add liquidity into the system and reduce the cost of funds, the statutory reserve requirement (SRR) has been cut from 4.0 per cent to 3.5 per cent effective Dec08. If domestic conditions worsen, amid subsiding inflation, the OPR may be slashed to 3.0 per cent or even lower. The reduction of interest rate has to be done cautiously as it may unintentionally lead to a weaker ringgit that would push up the cost of imports. The deficit fiscal target for 2009 has also been raised to 4.8 per cent of GDP, from 3.6 per cent previously. This may be justified as difficult times call for drastic measures. However, there are concerns that government revenue would be adversely affected by the falling commodity prices, which could subsequently enlarge the deficit to even exceed 5.0 per cent of GDP. All of this signs clearly states that the Malaysian economy is going into a recession. The graph below shows the decline of the GDP growth. The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) has also defined Malaysias current economic situation as a recession. Based on the article in the Malaysian Economy-Update Blog dated 5th of March 2009, MIER says Malaysia stands on the brink of recession as falling demand hits exports and manufacturing with growth expected to reach 0.5% this year. MIER forecast the economic growth for first half of 2009 will be negative which will put Malaysia in a technical recession, but will show positive figures in the second half of 2009. The Executive Director of MIER Mohamaed Ariff said overall, it will be 0.5% growth for this year in the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario is there is a 50% chance of a full-blown recession this year. Furthermore, this has also lead to the reduction of employments which results in the downfall in the Consumer Sentiments Index (CSI). This is shown in the graph below. Based on all the evidence provided above, it could be seen that the current Malaysian economy is going into a downfall and may result in a recession. Even though the government has not officially declared a recession its very important for us to be ready to face one as we do not know how bad it may result as. The predicted contraction of the economy by 1.19% will be one of the major causes of the recession as there will be a massive reduction in exports and domestic demands. The reduction of the Overnight Policy Rate by the Central Bank (Bank Negara Malaysia) is also one of the signs that Malaysia is going into a recession, this is because the reduction of the Overnight Policy Rate would result in the reduction of the GDP growth because less money would be invested in the economy and would lead to the downfall of the economy. On the other hand, as stated by the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) the reduction of employments and downfall of the Consumer Sentiments Index (CSI) shows that Malaysia would be facing a recession. However, as said by our respected Prime Minister, the downfall that is about to be faced by our country may not last long as, because Malaysia has very strong reserves, high domestic savings and also our currency is quite stable. This forecast recession is predicted to rebound in the third or fourth quarter this year this year or latest by 2010. To sum it all up, a recession is not an event that is waited for, however its a part of a normal business lifecycle and its natural for it to occur in an economy every 6 to 10 years once. The best step to take during a recession is to minimize all of our expenditures and save as much as we can. Therefore we should always be prepared to face such situations as we may not know how bad the recession may be and how long it may last.

The Role of Sugar and Insulin in Weight Gain Essay -- Health Nutrition

The Role of Sugar and Insulin in Weight Gain The Atkin’s diet is one of the most popular diets that emphasizes weight lose in a short amount of time without the need for exercise. Patients under the diet need to consume foods that are high in fat and protein such as cheeses, hamburgers, bacon and heavy creams. Foods that are high in starches and sugar are not to be consumed within the diet because they will affect the two main causes of weight gain within the body. The two main causes of weight gain are high concentration levels of sugar and insulin within the body. To decide which cause can increase weight gain can difficult decision to decipher. As one of the main external causes of obesity and overweight, the level of sugar within the body is based on the amount of sugar concentration within the body’s bloodstream. Sugar concentration found within the body is usually attained from the consumption of food, such as sweets, fruits, bread, pasta and grain. The sugar from the food consumption is broken down by the body in order to give energy for the body which allows it to function. The energy broken down from the sugar is used to help the body to carry on with daily functions such as moving or thinking. In comparison to the sugar level, insulin is an internal cause of weight gain. Insulin is a hormonal substance that is produced and dispersed within the body in order to regulate the flow of blood sugar through the conversion of sugar molecules into energy. The energy converted from the sugar molecules are either needed immediately for the body or fat cells. Fat cells are sugar molecules stored within the body for use at a time when the body needs more energy to function. Fat cell... ...d 1. S. Warshaw, H. (2004, July). The Diabetes Food Pyramid: Starches. Retrieved November 7, 2004 from http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/starches.jsp 2. Mehta, P., & Mehta, P. (n.d.). Blood Sugar, Low Blood Sugar or High Blood Sugar. Retrieved November 14, 2004. http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/blood-sugar.html 3. R. Hertzler, S. & Kim, Y. (2003). Glycemic and Insulin responses to different types of energy bars. Glycemic and insulinemic responses to energy bars of differeing macronutrient composition in healthy adults, 9(2). Retrieved November 17, 2004, from http://www.MedSciMonit.com/pub/vol_9/no_2/3230.pdf 4. Berland, T. & Consumer Guide. (1974). Rating the Diets. Chicago: Rand McNally & Company 5. R. Eades, M. & D. Eades, M. (1996). Protein Power. New York: Bantam Books