Health and wellness-related careers are in demand. In addition to baby boomers reaching their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, an age where regular health care and doctor visits are key, more people are hoping to lead healthier life styles.  With this in mind, you might consider one of these great health and wellness-related careers. 1. Personal Chef – Lots of families are on the go nowadays and nutrition is compromised. Personal chefs see to it families are fed well-balanced, properly-portioned meals. Requires 18 months or more of culinary training. 2. Nutritionist/Dietician – Like the personal chef, a nutritionist will help see that individuals and families are eating properly. Schools, hospitals, spas, rehabilitation facilities and others have nutritionists on staff. Must have a college degree with required health, math, communication and science courses completed. Will also have to have a license or other certification. Check the guidelines for your state. 3. Personal Trainer – Personal trainers help people get into shape or stay in shape by tailoring exercises regimes to each participant’s lifestyle. A personal trainer can work out of a health club or spa or pay home visits. Check your state for the requirements necessary for a license or certification. 4. Massage Therapist – Everyone loves a massage! Massage therapists can work in their own private practice or under the employ of wellness centers, spas, cruise ships, athletic organizations and more. Requires a license and/or certification. 5. Patient Educator – There are people whose jobs it is to educate patients about their options, rights, payment and health care information and more. Patient educators have degrees in Sociology, Social Work, Psychology and more. Check for local requirements. 6. Reflexologist – Reflexologists work at spas, wellness centers and private practice. Must complete a reflexology course and receive certifications. 7. Pharmacist – Pharmacists are in demand! In fact, many “fresh out of college” pharmacists earn an average of $90,000 annually for their first gig! A six year degree is required. 8. Athletic Trainer – Professional sports organizations, high schools, colleges, universities, health clubs, country clubs, spas and more employ athletic trainers. Trainers have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in physical education and other health and fitness related studies, and must receive certification. 9. Physical Therapist – Physical therapists are employed by health care centers, hospitals, wellness centers, schools and more. Physical therapists must complete an accredited program. 10. Medical Scientists – Medical Scientists research diseases and ailments to help find cures. They’re employed by private laboratories, health care agencies, pharmaceutical companies and more. Four to eight years of college is required, depending on the specialty. 11. Wellness Coach – Wellness coaches are generally in private practice. Their jobs are to coach businesses or individuals on leading a healthier, happier lifestyle. Degrees in nutrition, psychology and more are helpful. 12. Wellness Director – Like the Wellness Coach, it’s the Wellness Director’s job to see that people maintain a positive lifestyle. Wellness directors are employed by rehabilitation centers, hospitals, senior citizen facilities and more. 13. Fitness Director – Schools, spas, cruise ships, athletic centers and more use fitness directors to oversee programs. A degree in physical fitness or physical therapy is beneficial. 14. Anesthesiologist – Employed by private surgeons, hospitals, clinics and more, an anesthesiologist requires 4 years of college and 4 years in med school. 15. Disability Health Advocates – The disabled often need people to look out for their best interests. Degrees depend on the specialty but it doesn’t hurt to have a health or psychology degree or a background in social work. 16. Health Inspector – Public health inspectors monitor health safety situations in restaurants, stores, schools and more. Check your state guidelines for requirements. 17. Midwife/Doulah – For those who prefer to give birth at home, or in a hospital without a traditional doctor, a midwife or doulah is who they call. To become a midwife or doulah you will have to complete your state’s requirements and receive a license or certification. 18. Substance Abuse Counselor – A substance abuse person must be compassionate and non-judgmental. A substance abuse counselor must have at least a Bachelor’s Degree and two years experience as a counselor. 19. Medical Biller – Some medical billers work from home, others work at a health care agency or medical facility. It helps to have a degree in accounting. 20. Dental Assistant – Dental assistants are in demand! To become a dental assistant one must complete an accredited course.

When the residents of Seattle Grace need to reduce their stress, they’re often found with their coworkers at Joe’s Bar pouring down a few pints and a couple tequila shots to boot. While the method of stress reduction used by Grey’s Anatomy’s finest is questionable, the need to keep the life and death, hope and loss, work of a hospital at bay is real. One-fourth to one-third of U.S. workers report high levels of stress at work. Work related stress can negatively affect the lives and health and safety of workers. Follow these tips toward helping you handle work related stress. Exercise. You knew that was coming, or at least you should have. The Center for Disease Control reports only one half of adults get the exercise they need as outlined by public health recommendations. Exercise is known to decrease Cortisol – “the stress hormone”. While Cortisol helps our bodies to combat stress, too much can result in chronic stress which is associated with higher blood pressure, decreased immunity and abdominal fat as well as other poor health outcomes. The benefits of exercise go beyond decreasing Cortisol, including but not limited to: decreased risk of certain cancers, decreased body weight, increase muscle tone, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced risk of stroke and decreased risk of developing high blood pressure. Just as importantly exercise can provide you with increased feelings of wellbeing, along with the much needed stress reduction. Eat well. Did you know that citrus fruits are high in antioxidants, help reduce carcinogens and reduce formation of malignant tumors? Diversity in your diet is essential for you to stay healthy; eating a diet high in fiber and whole grains, rich in fruits and vegetables and lean proteins will leave your body better prepared to handle unavoidable work related stress. Not to mention your stamina, focus and energy level will improve while on the job and at home. Personalize your eating plan at MyPyramid.gov Sleep. When you signed on to be a health care professional the first thing you signed away was the right to a typical schedule. Long shifts, midnights, and mandatory holds are part of the job and they all contribute to difficulty sleeping, as well as decreased quality of sleep. We all know that sleep is important, what’s difficult is making it a priority. Outside of work concerns, family and life demands can make consistent and adequate sleep a mystery. Inadequate sleep causes lack of focus, irritability, short term memory difficulty and delayed reaction time; all dangerous side effects for health care workers. While sleep may not directly decrease your stress, ample sleep will improve your ability to deal with the stress you do have. Make sleep a priority, get help from your health care provider if you are still having trouble getting what you need. See how much sleep you need and find tips for shift workers at sleepfoundation.org. Go fishing. Okay, you don’t really have to go fishing but getting a hobby that will provide a healthy diversion to the stress you’re handling at work and home can be a wonderful tool in the fight against stress. They say laughter is the best medicine, in the case of handling stress that may prove to be true. Avoid unhealthy stress relievers like excessive alcohol, drug use or smoking. While they may help decrease your stress in the short haul, over the long run the damage done to your body will far outweigh the immediate good feelings. Taking care of your body is a first step in successfully handling the inherent stress of a career in the health industry. As health care providers we should aspire to be role models for our patients and colleagues by doing the best we can to do that.

The practice of medicine began with Hippocrates. It progressed from an education by tutelage to formal training in specialized schools.

In 1874 a physician grew wary of the treatments rendered and lack of success with most medications. Dr. Andrew Taylor Still founded a school that paralleled the teachings of medicine and added the concept of holistic health. He determined nutrition played a large part in the maintenance of well being; the body has the potential for healing itself, and the musculoskeletal system plays a role in good health. The best way, perhaps, to put the differences succinctly, is to say medicine tends to treat the individual ailments while osteopathy treats the entire being.

Perhaps the biggest difference though, is the osteopath’s use of Osteo Manipulative Treatment (OMT). It is literally using the physician’s hands to move muscle and joint by stretching, pressure, and resistance to relieve pain, increase mobility, and promote healing. The American Osteopathic Association credits this modality with relief of:

• asthma
• sinus disorder
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• migraines
• menstrual pain
• other

Although there are a considerable number of osteopaths that become board certified surgeons, more than 65% of osteopaths practice general or family medicine. Osteopathic patients are said to have reduced need for surgery (due to the benefits of OMT). It is a rapidly growing profession, given the recent surge of interest in natural remedies and holistic health.

The findings of OMT, by the way, are not to be disdained as self-promotion. The highly respected New England Journal has published results demonstrating the efficacy of OMT in several conditions.

And how does this differ from the chiropractor? The osteopath goes through four years of undergraduate, the same number of years for medical school, and three to six years in a post-graduate residency program, with a strong medical education. Chiropractors need take similar undergraduate courses in biology and the sciences, often completing a degree program, attend a four or five year program of chiropractics that specialize in spinal manipulation. They are known for their attention to ailments of the neck and spine, but address most skeletal injuries and illness that do not require surgery. Chiropractic care is similar to some forms of OMT and physical therapy.

Which is best between the three professions? From a patient perspective it depends on their needs and beliefs. Actually, the same holds true for those exploring the professions as a career. All are equally as difficult to obtain acceptance in American schools. Course curriculums are no easier in any of the three. All professions require state licensure and national certification exams. Allopathic and osteopathic physicians receive similar insurance reimbursements; chiropractics are less so. As a bit of trivia, it was not until the sixties that chiropractics were accepted as a licensed profession in all the states. Their educational requirements and training have come a long way since the days Dr. Palmer started his school in Davenport, Iowa. There are still naysayers regarding spinal manipulation as a valid treatment. However, there are critics of medicine and osteopathic as well.

Make up your mind by exploring the national associations that represent the professions. Read the negatives, as well as positives: no profession is perfect or pure. It will always be a matter of opinion.

Osteopathics Chiropractics

Mississippi House Representative W.T. Mayhall, Jr. introduced a bill during the legislative session on Friday that would ban restaurants from serving obese people in the state of Mississippi. The proposal, Bill 282, would require scales to be placed outside of restaurants and people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 30 would be refused service. Records of customers BMI’s would be kept on file and the restaurants would be tasked with enforcing and complying with the bill or risk loss of their license from the State Department of Health. While Mr. Mayhall is certain the bill will not pass into law, he along with the bill’s co-writers, Bobby Shows, a businessman and John Read, a pharmacist, believe the situation concerning obesity in Mississippi to be dire. Their intention is to call attention to the increasing epidemic of obesity and the cost to the Medicare system. Mississippi continually ranks as one of the fattest states in the country by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The state boasted a 31.4 average BMI rate for the year 2006, garnering them the top spot with Alabama in second at 30.5. Mississippi also holds the highest rate of death from cardiovascular disease; a disease with a major risk factor of obesity. See where your state ranks here. While a BMI of 30 is considered obese, keep in mind that the index does not take into account skeletal frame, musculature or fitness – all factors in determining your overall health with concern to your weight. Obesity has ranked among top concerns for health professionals and lawmakers alike over the past ten years. We have reached a staggering milestone, six of every ten adults are considered obese in this country. According to the Surgeon General, in 1999 13% of children aged 6 to 11 years were facing weight issues. Approximately 14% of adolescent’s ages 12 to 19 were overweight that same year – a number nearly tripled over the past two decades. The obesity epidemic is not new. As health care providers we are seeing drastic increases in diseases and conditions strongly linked to obesity. Diabetes is on a sharp rise, primarily in children. Insulin-dependent diabetes is now being seen in obese children, a disease that was solely found in adults a short time ago. Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in our country. Obesity ranks as a top cause of CV disease. Finding a solution to the problem of obesity in America is proving difficult because the etiology is not fully understood and what can change obesity largely depends on an individual’s choices and choices that families are making together. Education of patients and their families regarding positive health habits should be a primary concern for health care providers regardless of alleged prior knowledge or perceived existence of weight issues. Teaching our patients and their families how to better care for their bodies is of utmost importance and of greater value than judgment and ridicule that proposals like Bill 282 risk perpetuating.

Preparing for a career in health can begin in high school. While you will probably not get on-the-job training, there are ways to hone your personal skills and develop a strong base of knowledge. There are a number of fundamentals shared by almost everyone who wants to be involved in the health industry: from EKG technician to the physician who does stereotactic radiosurgery. All such occupations involve taking care of the human body in one way or another: and this means being capable of handling the emotional as well as physical aspects of treatment. Here are eight concrete things you can do while in high school to get ready for a college education and career in health. 1. Become well versed in English so that peers and patients can communicate with you in a common language.It will be far easier to read, write, and interpret reports if you are familiar with the terms. 2.With the growing Hispanic population, it is advisable to speak Spanish in order to learn what their needs are and to give instructions if need be. Knowing a language is far superior to having an interpreter. 3. Take biology class seriously. Learn where the organs lie, what their functions are, and the basics of what happens when organs fail. There’s a lot to be had when studying other animals too. Biology may be the single most important subject you will ever study because it lays the groundwork for advanced studies. 4. Anyone that will be handling medication or chemicals cannot avoid taking chemistry class. Yes, it can be tough: but learn the basics now and you’ll understand when your college professor discusses why a free radical can change the structure and application of a treatment modality. 5. Have a working relationship with numbers. Just about everything in health care is dependant on measurements of one kind or another, figuring out distance, dosages, BMI, ratios and times will depend on it. Become independent of calculators so you will be able to determine the data in lieu of a malfunctioning machine. 6. Volunteer you time or get a part-time job in a hospital or nursing home. Healthcare is a profession where patient contact is demanded in more than 90% of the vocations. You had better learn if you have the personality to work with the sick, elderly, children, intransigent, and families of all the aforementioned. If you intend on working in a profession that reports to others, can you take direction? Will you abide by sometimes frustrating and nonsensical institutional rules? Get to know yourself and if the perceived status of your chosen endeavor is one worth having. 7. Attend career days, often held at hospitals. Speak to individuals who are already in the field you may enter. Ask them about what they like and dislike regarding the job; and if they would do it again. 8. Go to the websites of professional societies. There you will find the issues that involve members, news about legislation and pertinent information to help make your career decision. Below is a table published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which outlines the fields in healthcare with the biggest growth potential. We suggest you visit their site.

Occupation	2006 employment		Projected 2016 employment		Change, 2006-2016
	#	% distrib.	#	% distrib.	#	%
Total, all occupations	86,500	100.00	121,900	100.00	35,400	40.9
Medical and clinical laboratory technologists	4,347	5.03	7,330	6.01	2,983	68.6
Medical equipment repairers	167	0.19	258	0.21	91	54.6
Cardiovascular technologists and technicians	564	0.65	872	0.71	308	54.6
Health educators	811	0.94	1,140	0.94	329	40.5
Registered nurses	7,075	8.18	9,941	8.16	2,866	40.5
Surgical technologists	535	0.62	752	0.62	217	40.5
Physicians and surgeons	764	0.88	1,074	0.88	310	40.5
Medical transcriptionists	214	0.25	301	0.25	87	40.5
Medical equipment preparers	568	0.66	797	0.65	230	40.5
Dietitians and nutritionists	141	0.16	198	0.16	57	40.5
Medical and health services managers	2,735	3.16	3,843	3.15	1,108	40.5
Medical and public health social workers	523	0.60	735	0.60	212	40.5
Radiologic technologists and technicians	380	0.44	534	0.44	154	40.5
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians	5,985	6.92	8,410	6.90	2,424	40.5
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics	505	0.58	710	0.58	205	40.5
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other	218	0.25	307	0.25	88	40.5
Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other	689	0.80	969	0.79	279	40.5
Pharmacists	70	0.08	99	0.08	29	40.5
Pharmacy technicians	177	0.21	249	0.20	72	40.5
Physician assistants	116	0.13	163	0.13	47	40.5
Respiratory therapists	95	0.11	134	0.11	39	40.5
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists	401	0.46	563	0.46	162	40.5