The blog is about health and gives useful information on health and disease.

When you pay more than 50% of the support for an individual, tax benefits can result… • When the individual’s income doesn’t exceed $3,200 in 2005 or $3,300 in 2006 (excluding tax-exempt income, such as from municipal bonds and the tax-free portion of Social Security),

you may be able to claim him/her as a dependent to obtain a tax exemption of $3,200 in 2005 and $3,300 in 2006.

note: New rules apply to a qualifying child. Income may not matter and support only becomes critical if the child pays more than half.

• Even if the individual has income exceeding the limit, you may be able to deduct medical expenses you pay on his behalf if the individual is a relative. (Ë “relative” is a parent, grandparent, sibling, child, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or in-law.)

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Consider asking your doctor not to include especially sensitive information in your record. You might say, “If I tell you something very personal that may be relevant to my care but that I don’t want to be written in my chart, would you respect my wishes?” If your doctor is unwilling to honor your request, you’ll have to decide whether you still want to reveal the information.

Keep in mind that keeping important information out of your chart could compromise your care down the road—especially if you see another doctor or if your doctor fails to remember what you said. Keep information out of your record only if you feel doing so is absolutely essential.

Be wary of any medical information you give out, no matter how innocent it seems. A TV ad once offered free information on pollen counts to anyone who called an 800 number. The names of those who called were then used by the drug company that had sponsored the ad to market an allergy medication.

Get a copy of your medical records to make sure all information is factually correct. An error in your chart could lead to the loss of employment or future insurance coverage.

In most states, you have a legal right to your medical records. In the rest, you can ask your doctor for a copy of your chart. If your doctor won’t provide it, you’ve got to wonder whether your doctor views health care as a democracy or a dictatorship.

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Grain products, including pasta, oatmeal, hot and cold breakfast cereals and bread, are divided into two subgroups— whole and refined. Whole grains, by definition, contain the entire grain—the bran (outer coating), germ (seed embryo) and endosperm (also called the kernel, it makes up most of the seed). Examples include whole-wheat flour, cracked wheat (bulgur) and brown rice.

Whole grains are rich in fiber, which has been shown to reduce risk for heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. They provide large amounts of vitamins and minerals that are sometimes lacking in our diet, including magnesium, selenium, potassium, zinc, vitamin E and chromium.

Refined grains are milled to remove the bran and germ, which gives them a finer texture and lengthens their shelf life. This process is also nutritionally devastating—it removes the healthful fiber, iron and many  vitamins and other vitamins and minerals found in whole grains.

Since refined grains are digested more quickly than whole grains, they can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin secretion, which can increase hunger—and diabetes risk. Refined grains include white flour, white rice and white bread.

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Placing duct tape (or other tape) over warts to get rid of them is not just an old wives’ tale. A recent study found that placing tape over warts is more effective at eliminating them than standard medical therapy.

the study: Participants who had warts on fingers, palms, heels or soles of the feet were divided into two groups. One group put tape on warts for six days, then soaked the warts and scraped them with emery boards, waited 12 hours and reapplied the tape, repeating the process. The other group had their warts frozen off by a doctor, which is standard therapy.

result: After just two months, 85% of those using the tape had gotten rid of their warts, versus only 60% of those who had received the standard freezing treatment.

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The researchers say there is no clear proof that surgery is better than rehabilitation, and suggest that rehabilitation should routinely be made available to people who have chronic low back pain.

Their cost analysis also found that, on average, surgery is much more expensive per patient than rehabilitation.

However, the researchers caution, this conclusion could change if more patients who receive rehabilitation go on to require back surgery in the future.

Limit conversation with your doctor before he/she takes your blood pressure.

background: Many people whose blood pressure is normal at other times experience a sudden rise in pressure at the doctor’s office.

cause: Anxiety associated with interacting with the doctor. This “white coat” effect—named for the doctor’s garb—makes it hard to get an accurate reading.

study: Hypertensive patients who talked with the doctor before having their blood pressure checked had a sudden rise in blood pressure. This effect was more drastic during discussions of stress and disease than during chitchat. During periods of silence, blood pressure rapidly fell.

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