Health Blog

Effective Remedies For Acute Bronchitis

2012-05-28T08:02:00.004-07:00

Acute bronchitis is an infection of the airways in the lungs. It causes an irritating, persistent cough that sometimes produces thick or coloured mucus (phlegm). You may also have wheezing, a fever, headache, and aches and pains. The illness is usually caused by a virus and often follows on from a cold. If you are otherwise healthy, it is not normally serious; you should be feeling a lot better within a few days, although the cough may linger for 3-4 weeks. You may be prone to bronchitis if you smoke or if you are exposed to pollution. People who have lung disease may have several attacks each winter.

Make an appointment to see your doctor if:
* You have a persistent cough and are elderly

* You have a lung condition such as asthma, or a heart problem such as heart failure

* You have difficulty breathing and chest tightness, or you are coughing up thick green, yellow, or bloodstained mucus

What you can do yourself
The following steps will help to relieve symptoms while the infection is clearing up.

* Get plenty of rest for the first few days of an attack, although you don’t need to stay in bed.

* Drink at least 8 glasses of fluids a day. Warm fluids, such as soup, may be comforting.

* To soothe an irritated throat, try a warm honey and lemon drink.

* Take a painkiller to reduce a temperature (See DRUG REMEDIES).

* Don’t try to suppress a cough that produces mucus, as this is the body’s way of clearing the airways. If you have a dry cough, however, try a cough suppressant (See DRUG REMEDIES).

* Warm, moist air loosens mucus. Use a humidifier, place a bowl of water beside a radiator to moisten the air, or sit in the bathroom while you run a bath and inhale the steam. A steam inhalation may also be helpful.

Seek further medical advice if
* You are not feeling better after 3-4 days, or the cough has not subsided within 3-4 weeks

* Breathing becomes more difficult, or you develop chest pains

* You have recurrent episodes of bronchitis

DRUG REMEDIES
Painkillers such as paracetamol (see p 187) or ibuprofen (See p 184) will reduce your temperature and help you feel more comfortable.

Cough suppressants (see p 180) containing pholcodine or dextromethorphan can help relieve a dry cough that is keeping you awake at night. Some also contain sedating antihistamines (see p 178) to help you sleep. Don’t take suppressants with alcohol

Sedative medicine
Cough suppressants are usually available as liquids. Some brands are useful at bedtime, because they help you sleep.

Protein `helps body attack cancer`

2012-05-28T08:02:00.001-07:00

Washington: Scientists claim to have engineered a protein which allows the body`s immune cells to get inside tumours and attack cancer cells.

The pioneering experiment, published in the `Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences` journal, was carried out by an international team led by Prof Ruth Ganss at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research.

"Until now, immunotherapy has not been very successful in treating cancer because tumours are very resistant to immune cells," said Dr Anna Johansson, from The University of Western Australia, a team member.

"As a cancerous tumour grows, it forms a solid ball which is difficult for immune cells to get into and even if they can penetrate the tumour, the environment inside it either kills the cells or makes it difficult for them to function.

"We engineered a protein called TNF-Alpha so that it went straight to a pancreatic tumour and stayed there without toxic side effects outside the tumour. TNF-Alpha affected the blood vessels in the tumour in a surprising way which opened the solid ball so that immune cells could get inside.

"We thought it might damage the blood vessels because TNF-Alpha can be very toxic, but in low doses it actually improved them and increased healthy blood flow, helping immune cells to get inside the cancer," she said in a release.

TNF-Alpha has been shown to enhance the tumour`s response to chemotherapy but until now researchers did not understand why. This study provides insights on how low-dose TNF-Alpha works in tumour and also shows for the first time that it can be combined with immunotherapy.

source: zee

How temperatures affects health

2012-05-28T07:58:00.003-07:00

It’s Memorial Day and June is right around the corner -- for many, this is the time to really crank up the air conditioning. But is there a healthy way to get your heat fix outside, or to stay cool indoors? Here’s what you need to know:

Outside

If our bodies aren't acclimated to the sharp temperature rises this time of the year, that could leave some of us feeling ill, says Dr. David Claypool, M.D., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

That's because temperature -- while not responsible for the "usual suspects" of disease like bacterial or viral infections -- can still affect how our bodies feel.

"Heat and cold affect physiology, and there's no question that heat can -- and does -- kill a person," Claypool tells HuffPost. Heat-related illnesses can range from heat cramps (which may occur when you exercise in the heat) and heat edema (swelling because of the temperature), to the possibly fatal heat stroke.

In general, our bodies do a pretty good job of acclimating to the heat, but we just have to give them the chance to adapt. The National Institutes of Health notes that while sweating is the body's way of cooling itself down, that may not be enough when the mercury inches higher than is comfortable.

If you know you're going to be spending an extended period of time outdoors in higher-than-normal temperatures, Claypool recommends exposing yourself to the heat in a way that's "moderate at first, so that you're not causing heat illness," he says.

The very young and the very old are particularly susceptible to extreme fluctuations in temperature, and may be at higher risk for heat-related illness. That's because these two groups' defense mechanisms are either immature -- with the young ones -- or worn out -- with the elderly -- thereby making them less resilient to extreme temps.

Little ones also might not be aware of the signs of heat illness and don't have the knowledge to stop and go to a cooler place. And the elderly may be on medications that could cause them to feel ill if they are in extreme heat, he added.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that when you're outside in the heat, you make sure to get plenty of fluids even if you're not exercising, and replenish salt and minerals in your body as you sweat them out (this can be done by drinking a sports beverage, though people on a low-salt diet should talk with their doctor before doing this).

In addition, it's important to wear clothing that shields the skin from the sun's ultraviolet rays, which can burn the skin, and to only go outdoors when the temperatures aren't at their extreme highs, the CDC says. Don't overdo it -- if you're feeling unwell while exercising outside, make sure to stop to get rest in the shade.

Inside

To keep safe inside in the air conditioning and out of the heat, make sure the AC is running properly and the filters are kept clean. For some people who have asthma or who are allergic to mold, an AC that isn’t working properly could spur mold growth and make their conditions worse, says Dr. Andy Nish, M.D., of the Allergy and Asthma Care Center in Gainesville, Ga.

A study in the Indoor Air Journal showed that improperly maintained air conditioning systems -- particularly humidification systems in poor condition and dirty cooling coils and drain pans -- can increase the risk for a number of health conditions, including headaches and problems with the upper respiratory system, eyes, skin and concentration.

“Symptoms may be due to microbial exposures from poorly maintained ventilation systems and to the greater levels of vehicular pollutants at air intakes nearer the ground,” the researchers wrote in that study.

However, health problems are not typically an issue with well-maintained systems, Nish noted.

In general, air conditioning is actually good for people with these sorts of conditions because “the systems filter pollen and other allergens out of the air and serve to control the humidity, at least to some extent,” Nish told HuffPost in an e-mail.

A 2010 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology explored the effects of different air conditioning systems, and researchers of that study say that while the research is not yet conclusive on whether air conditioning can actually prevent disease, some studies have shown a benefit particularly for breathing and for reducing harmful particulate matter.

“The principal role of air cleaning and ﬁltration in the living environment for those with allergic respiratory diseases might relate more toward the reduction of disease progression rather than a ‘treatment,’” researchers wrote in that study, though they did note that it's not reasonable to expect health problems to go away just by changing an air filter if those issues are caused by "prolonged exposures either in the home, other environments, or both."

For people with asthma or allergy to mold, Nish suggests regularly changing AC filters and using electrostatic filters that trap allergens.

“While it definitely adds some cost, adding a HEPA filter to an A/C unit will filter out even more allergens,” he says. “And also consider a dehumidifier, with the aim to keep humidity 40 to 45 percent, which limits the growth of dust mites and molds, while not making the air too dry.”

And for people without a respiratory condition, Nish says that well-working air conditioning units generally don’t pose any health risk.

In fact, research has shown that air conditioning is linked with positive health outcomes among people who have been hospitalized. A 2010 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that air conditioning use was associated with more positive health outcomes among people hospitalized for a variety of conditions in California between 1999 and 2005.

“These results demonstrate important effects of temperature on public health and the potential for mitigation,” the researchers wrote in that study.

source: huffingtonpost

Ultra-Sensitive Tests Could Detect Diseases Earlier

2012-05-28T07:57:00.001-07:00

Scientists have developed an ultra-sensitive test that should enable them to detect signs of a disease in its earliest stages, in research published May 27in the journal Nature Materials.

The scientists, from Imperial College London and the University of Vigo, have created a test to detect particular molecules that indicate the presence of disease, even when these are in very low concentrations. There are already tests available for some diseases that look for such biomarkers using biological sensors or 'biosensors'. However, existing biosensors become less sensitive and predictable at detecting biomarkers when they are in very low concentrations, as occurs when a disease is in its early stages.

In the new study, the researchers demonstrated that the new biosensor test can find a biomarker associated with prostate cancer, called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). However, the team say that the biosensor can be easily reconfigured to test for other diseases or viruses where the related biomarker is known.

Professor Molly Stevens, senior author of the study from the Departments of Materials and Bioengineering at Imperial College London, said: "It is vital to detect diseases at an early stage if we want people to have the best possible outcomes -- diseases are usually easier to treat at this stage, and early diagnosis can give us the chance to halt a disease before symptoms worsen. However, for many diseases, using current technology to look for early signs of disease can be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Our new test can actually find that needle. We only looked at the biomarker for one disease in this study, but we're confident that the test can be adapted to identify many other diseases at an early stage."

The team demonstrated the effectiveness of their biosensor by testing PSA biomarker samples in solutions containing a complex mixture of blood derived serum proteins. Monitoring the levels of PSA at ultralow concentrations can be crucial in the early diagnosis of the reoccurrence of prostate cancer, but classic detection approaches are not sensitive enough to carry out this analysis with a high degree of accuracy. The new test could enable more reliable diagnosis, but more research will need to be done to further explore its potential.

In their study, the team detected PSA at 0.000000000000000001 grams per millilitre, which is at the limits of current biosensor performance. By comparison, an existing test called an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test can detect PSA at 0.000000001 grams per millilitre, which is nine orders of magnitude more concentrated.

The biosensors used in the new study consist of nanoscopic-sized gold stars floating in a solution containing other blood derived proteins. Attached to the surface of these gold stars are antibodies, which latch onto PSA when they detect it in a sample. A secondary antibody, which has an enzyme called glucose oxidase attached to it, recognises the PSA and creates a distinctive silver crystal coating on the gold stars, which is more apparent when the PSA biomarkers are in low concentrations. This silver coating acts like a signal that PSA is present, and it can be easily detected by scientists using optical microscopes.

The next stage of the research will see the team carrying out further clinical testing to assess the efficacy of the biosensor in detecting a range of different biomarkers associated with conditions such as HIV and other infections. They will also explore ways of commercialising their product.

This research was funded by the European Research Council and via a Marie Curie fellowship.

source: sciencedaily

Carnitine: Most Tremendous Nutrient For The Heart

2012-05-25T08:44:00.002-07:00

Carnitine is known to fuel the cardiac engine tremendously.

Well, in your body, carnitine acts like that shuttle bus to the Mansion. Except, instead of taking guests to the party, it takes fatty acids into the part of the cell were they can be burned for energy. Carnitine is literally the transport mechanism – the shuttle bus by which fat gets escorted into little energy factories inside the cell called mitochondria, where all the action, including fat burning and energy production, takes place. No shuttle bus, no guests at the party. No carnitine, no energy production.

We can learn a lot about the role of carnitine in energy production by looking at what happens in the bodies of people with energy deficiency syndromes such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Low levels of a carnitine compound called acetyl L-carnitine (more about this in a moment) have been found in the blood or muscles of people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue in two different research centers. Carnitine prevents a substance called acetyl-CoA from building up and shutting down two critical energy production cycles in the body, the Kreb’s cycle and the electron transport chain. Quite simply, if you want your body’s energy production factories to work seamlessly and optimally, you need carnitine.

So what is carnitine anyway, and where do we get it?

FATIGUE FIGHTER
Although carnitine is often referred to in popular magazines as an amino acid, technically it’s not. But it is an amino-acid-like substance. (In case you ever find yourself in one of those heated dinner party discussions about the amino acid status of carntine, simply point out that an amino acid y definition needs an atom of nitrogen, which carnitine doesn’t have, and you will immediately be declared the winner of the argument, and men and women will worship at your feet).

Carnitine (also known as L-carnitine or levo-carnitine) is made in the body, mainly in the liver and kidneys, and most of it is found in the muscles. It’s actually biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine, with help from vitamins C, B6, and B3, and iron. Because it’s made in the body, conventional docs and dietitians tend to pooh-pooh the need for carnitine supplements, claiming we get all we need form the diet and the body makes the rest. Theoretically, this is true, but the key word is theoretically.

Carnitine is only found in any appreciable degree in animal products. Strict vegetarians or vegans may ingest a little as 1 mg a day. There’s also speculation that during pregnancy, breast-feeding, or growth, the need for carnitine is greater than the amount the body naturally produces. And in conditions when fatigue and low energy are issues, supplemental carnitine ay help a lot.

L-carnitine is a tremendous nutrient for the heart, it is part of what Stephen Sinatra, M.D., dubbed “the awesome foursome” for heart disease: L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, D-ribose, and magnesium. One reason it’s so important for the heart has to do with – guess what? – energy. Remember that the heart is a muscle and beats 100,000 times or so a day. It uses an enormous amount of energy, most of it from the fuel it gets from “burning” fatty acids. If the system by which fatty acids get fork-lifted over to the cell’s mitochondria is compromised, then so is energy production, and the heart can’t work as well.

“Carnitine fuels the cardiac engine”, says my friend, nutritionist Robert crayhon, M.S., C.N., author of The Carnitine Miracle. The exercise endurance of cardiac patients goes up remarkably on 900 mg of carnitine a day.

I mentioned in the beginning that L-carnitine performed the valuable function of escorting important fatty acids into the mitochondria of the cell, where they can be burned for energy. But L-carnitine has another mission as well. On its way back from dropping off that payload, it carries away extra fatty acids and waste product,
Quite simply, if you want you body’s energy production factories to work seamlessly and optimally, you need carnitine or toxins, out of the fat-burning part of the cell for eventual elimination in the urine. If these wastes are not removed, they will clog the area, and this will ultimately affect the production of energy.

The thing of it is, we don’t have much trouble producing all this cellular energy when we’re young (did you ever see a six-year-old complain of fatigue?). But as we get older, our enzymatic systems start to get sluggish, and the heart may begin to get less of the essential nutrients It’s come to depend on.

Next thing you know, you’re in your 40s (or 50s or 60s or beyond), and your poor heart is virtually starving for energy. Like the plant in Little Shop of Horrors it’s crying out, “Feed me! Feed me!” You heart is soon struggling to deliver enough oxygen and vital nutrients to the organs, tissues, and every part of the body. And without enough oxygen and vital nutrients, there’s simply les energy production in the cells to keep the body going. The result? You’re rundown, tired, and fatigues.

Remember that you need energy not just to fight off fatigue, but also to build, repair, and renew cell membranes and other cellular structures; create immune components that help fight infection; and support the functioning of vital organs, such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs. A shortage of energy translates into impaired functions that can lead straight to disease, ill health, and most certainly an impaired sense of well-being.

Some research has also shown additional benefits to L-carnitine supplementation beyond the boost in energy seen in many people. Studies show that L-carnitine elevates “good” HDL cholesterol, reduces triglycerides, and lowers blood pressure in hypertension. “I have never seen people feel such an improved state of overall wellness and a natural increase in energy as they have when the increase their intake of carnitine”, say Crayho.

Most people get about 50 mg of L-carnitine in their diet, but many professionals think the optimal level is closer to 200 to 2,000 mg. You’ll need at least 500 mg daily of an L-carnitine supplement to feel any difference, and that’s the minimum. Most health professionals recommend between 1 and 3 grams, or even 4 grams a day of you’re using the supplement for a specific purpose (such as increasing cellular energy).*

WORTH KNOWING
Carnitine works best with a low-carbohydrate diet, as high carbohydrates (especially the junky, processed, high-sugar kind) interfere with its action by boosting insulin. And it’s worth taking some omega-3s (supplements or cold water fish) at the same time.

* Some health professionals, including Mark Moyad, M.D., director of Preventive and Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center, believe that even as little as 500 mg of L-carnitine a day will give you an all-day energy boost. Personally, I think that’s a low recommendation – I’d start with 1,000 mg (500 mg twice a day).

Hypothyroidism: Caused By Sedentary Lifestyle

2012-05-25T08:42:00.001-07:00

Is the sedentary lifestyle sans physical activity making people more vulnerable to thyroid-related diseases? If the health experts are to be believed, lack of physical activity, coupled with imbalanced dietary make-up, is pushing more people, including youngsters, towards hypothyroidism - an under-active thyroid that tends to mirror the slowing down of physical processes resulting in insufficient thyroid hormone.

"A gradual but distinct change in the lifestyle and food habits is being noticed in the people who is not only slowing down the physical process but also resulting in insufficient thyroid hormone secretion (hypothyroidism). It is mainly reflected in sedentary lifestyle with little physical movement and unrestricted intake of imbalanced food, making people low on thyroxine, a hormone produced by thyroid gland that regulates critical body functions especially energy level and heart rate," said NK Singh, professor, department of medicine, Banaras Hindu University, on Thursday.

It may be mentioned here that as per estimates of the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 10 million people in the world are affected by thyroid-related disorders as these disorders are becoming very common. The countries in South Asia, including India, are becoming a hub of thyroid-related diseases.

According to health experts, the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, produces hormones that influence virtually every cell, tissue and organ in the body. The thyroid regulates the body's metabolism--the rate at which the body produces energy from nutrients and oxygen- and affects critical body functions, such as energy level and heart rate.

As per reports of the OPD of the department of endocrine and metabolism, BHU, the number of patients seeking medical consultancy for thyroid related problems constitute nearly 40% of total turn out of over 100 patients per day. While most of the cases belong to hypothyroidism, a number of cases of hyperthyroidism tending to reflect the rapid metabolism that results from an oversupply of thyroid hormone are also reported in the OPD.

Clarifying the difference between hypothyrodism and hyperthyroidism whose common symtoms include anxiety, insomnia, rapid weight loss, diarrhea, high heart rate, high blood pressure, eye sensitivity/bulging and vision disturbances. Prof SK Singh of the department said a personal or family history of thyroid or autoimmune disease increases risk of underactive thyroid, but the environmental factors including sedentary lifestyle and wrong food habits could also aggravate the conditions. "Surgical removal of all or a part of the thyroid, or radioactive iodine treatment to the thyroid, both which typically result in an underactive thyroid," he added.

Meanwhile, as far as eating habits are concerned, the health experts vouch for diet rich in iodine including green leafy vegetables and sea foods. The vegetarians may not be induced to take sea foods but it could be replaced with leafy and seasonal vegetables. "However, the non-vegetarians could find a rich source of iodine in sea foods including fish, prawns and lobsters. The iodized salt should be consumed in the diet instead of locally made cheaper salt that lacks the vital ingredient," added Prof Singh.

source: TOI

Reduce Diabetic Foot Infections With Proper Treatment

2012-05-25T08:38:00.002-07:00

Diabetics often suffer from foot infections, yet appropriate care can save limbs, and ultimately lives, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America's new guidelines.

The mortality rate for diabetics due to poor treatments of infected foot wounds that can subsequently lead to lower extremity amputation is worse than for the majority of cancers, given that around 50% of diabetics with foot amputations die within five years. The IDSA diabetic foot infection guidelines published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases have now revealed that about half of these lower extremity amputations can in fact be prevented through proper care of foot infections.

Diabetics generally suffer from poor blood circulation, which means their sense of touch or pain sensitivity can be greatly compromised. For instance, a simple sore caused by a rubbing shoe or a cut can easily go unnoticed and become worse. One in four diabetics will have a foot ulcer, i.e. an open sore in their lifetime, which can easily become infected. If left untreated, these infections can spread and kill soft tissue and bone, which means that the dead and infected tissue needs to be surgically removed, and in severe cases, this means amputation of the toe, foot, or even part of the leg. Almost 80% of all non-traumatic amputations are performed in people with diabetes, and 85% of these amputations start with an open foot sore.

Leading author, Benjamin A. Lipsky, MD, chair of the review panel, guidelines and professor of medicine at Washington University and VA Puget Sound in Seattle declared:

"Lower extremity amputation takes a terrible toll on the diabetic patient. People who have had a foot amputated often can no longer walk, their occupational and social opportunities shrink, and they often become depressed and are at significant risk for a second amputation. Clearly, preventing amputations is vital, and in most cases, possible."

The guidelines highlight the importance for a rapid and appropriate treatment of infected wounds on the lower extremities. For instance, surgically removing (debridement) dead tissues, administering proper antibiotics and, wherever required, alleviating pressure on the wound and restoring blood flow to the area. Solely prescribing antibiotics for diabetics with foot infections, as is often the case, often proves insufficient if the wound is not also properly cared for, including surgical interventions.

Treating diabetic foot infections can pose a real challenge. The revised and updated IDSA 2004 diabetic foot infections guidelines therefore recommend involving a multidisciplinary team that can evaluate and address different aspects of the problem. According to research since the previous guidelines, many foot infections are treated inappropriately, i.e. by prescribing the wrong antibiotic, or failing to take into account underlying conditions like peripheral arterial disease.

The new guidelines feature 10 common questions health care providers may encounter when considering treatment options for a diabetic patient with a foot wound, to which the IDSA panel of experts has written a comprehensive answer based on extensive evidence. For instance, the first step is establishing whether the wound is infected. The guidelines state that a sign of infection includes at least two of the following symptoms: redness, tenderness, warmth, pain or swelling. Around 50% of ulcers are not infected and therefore do not require antibiotic therapy, unlike those in which an infection has been diagnosed, whilst individuals with a severe infection should be referred for immediate hospitalization.

Diabetics with infected foot ulcers should generally have their foot imaged to determine whether the infection has spread to the bone. Another important treatment aspect is to grow a culture of the bacteria that has caused the infection, as this will assist in choosing the best antibiotics. The guidelines recommend employing a multidisciplinary team due to the complexity of diabetic foot infections, which includes infectious diseases specialists, surgeons, podiatrists and orthopedists. Dr. Lipsky noted that doctors in rural areas could potentially use telemedicine in order to consult with the necessary experts.

The guidelines' co-author, Warren S. Joseph, DPM, a consultant for lower extremity infectious diseases at Philadelphia's Roxborough Memorial Hospital explained:

"There is quite a bit of over-prescribing or inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics for diabetic foot wounds, which doesn't help the patient and can lead to antibiotic resistance. The guidelines note that when antibiotics are necessary they should be discontinued when the infection is gone, even if the wound hasn't completely healed."

The voluntary guidelines have been developed to support doctors in their decision-making for each individual patient given that all patients' circumstances are different.

IDSA has developed over 50 treatment guidelines for various conditions and infections, which range from HIV/AIDS to Clostridium difficile. All IDSA guidelines will be available in smart phone format and as a pocket-sized quick-reference edition.

Written By Petra Rattue

Source: Medical News Today

Cancer to be made notifiable disease

2012-05-25T08:34:00.001-07:00

The government is planning to make cancer a “notifiable disease”, which will mean every case will have to be reported. Till now infectious diseases like polio, plague, H1N1, H5N1 (bird flu) figure in the list of notifiable diseases. Recently, tuberculosis was made a notifiable disease. Cancer would become the first non-communicable disease to be included in the same category.

Officials in the Union health ministry disclosed that government is seriously considering to make cancer a notifiable disease and the decision in this regard will be taken very soon. The move, officials say gains significance as it will help know the actual magnitude and its burden in the country, as it will become mandatory for all the hospitals-government as well as private to report cancer cases. The existing cancer registry developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) contains data mostly from the government hospitals.

In India, four lakhs die of cancer every year, with the deady disease being the third largest killer in the country. In developed countries, cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for 21 per cent (2.5 million) of all mortality.

In developing countries, cancer ranks third as a cause of death and accounts for 9.5 per cent (3.8 million) of all mortality. By 2015, the number of new cases in India is expected to rise further.

The three most common fatal cancers are — oral (including lip and pharynx, stomach, and lung (including trachea and larynx) in men.

source: deccanchronicle

Quick Remedies for Heart Ailments

2012-05-23T00:14:00.002-07:00

Heart failure, chest pains, and weakening of heart tissue are all common heart problems.

Below are some handy tips to prevent heart ailments:

1. Eating a lot of soy beans is very good for heart patients

2. Carrots taken daily will prove beneficial to those having problems with the heart.

3. Mix together pomegranate powder, cinnamon powder and cardamom powder. Add a
teaspoon of this in a glass of water and drink.

4. Buttermilk taken instead of milk is good for heart patients.

5. For chest pain mix two teaspoon of almond oil with one teaspoon of rose oil.
Apply on the chest and massage lightly.

6. Make an infusion with fenugreek seeds. Take it with honey twice daily.

7. Swallow a garlic flakes on an empty stomach every morning.

8. An apple a day with honey will keep heart problems away.

Pre-diabetes Found In Greater Number Of US Teens

2012-05-23T00:13:00.000-07:00

Government researchers recently announced that they found a higher percentage of U.S. teens with “pre-diabetes” and type 2 diabetes over the past few years.

Diabetes is a condition where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t know how to use it correctly. Insulin helps glucose migrate to cells, where it is used for energy. Those who have conditions of pre-diabetes have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels and can have an increased risk of developing full blown type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be dangerous as it is tied to a higher risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. Generally, it is found more so in middle-aged and older adults. In the U.S., there are about 26 million people who are estimated to have diabetes, the majority of which are type 2. 11 million of those cases are 65 years old and up

“Even at borderline-high levels of blood pressure and cholesterol, and especially with multiple risk factors, you’re probably getting some… organ damage already,” explained Dr. Elaine M. Urbina, director of preventive cardiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and unaffiliated with the study, in an article by CNN.

While the pre-diabetes percentage has doubled, obesity rates decreased between 1999 and 2008 with rates generally between 18 and 20 percent over the past few years. Rates of high blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol showed no change. However, this is not the case for pre-diabetes; nine percent of teens showed signs of pre-diabetes between 1999 and 2000, and that number increased to 23 percent between 2007 and 2008. This national survey data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reported in an issue of the journal Pediatrics.

“That was unexpected, especially since obesity has been leveling off,” lead researcher Ashleigh May of the CDC told Reuters Health. “The question of why that is will require more research.”

According to May, the study did not separate pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, so there is no clear indication of the number of cases that were related to type 2 diabetes rather than pre-diabetes. In the past, type 2 diabetes in children was a rare occurrence but, with the rise of obesity over the past years, more kids have been diagnosed with type 2 or pre-diabetes. Between 2002 and 2005, the CDC has estimated that the annual rate of new diabetes diagnoses was 8.5 for every 100,000 kids between the ages of 10 and 19. The higher blood sugar levels may not affect teenagers immediately, but it can have a toll on them as they grow older and have increased risk of suffering heart attacks or strokes. In the data, boys were shown to be more prone to risk factors than girls; similarly, older children showed to have more risk factors than younger children.

“It’s promising that we didn’t see a rise in obesity or hypertension or (high LDL),” May said. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”

Between 1999 and 2008, the study by the CDC conducted physical exams and blood tests from a sample of around 3,400 teenagers. During those years, obesity rates remained consistent; in 2008, 20 percent were obese and 15 percent of kids were overweight. By 2008, 20 percent of teens reported pre-hypertension, where their blood pressure was higher than normal but not high enough to be considered hypertension. The same year, six percent of teens had high LDL cholesterol levels and 13 percent were considered border-line. These figures were similar to ones reported ten years earlier and only the pre-diabetes rate had changed.

Even though pre-diabetes/diabetes and other heart risk factors were found predominantly in overweight and obese kids, normal-weight peers were also found to be at risk. According other study, in the group of thinner kids, 37 percent showed at least one heart risk factor.

“All kids can benefit from a healthy lifestyle,” May explained in the Reuters Health article.

Overall, the study shows the importance of eating healthy and participating in exercise to manage pre-diabetes. There are a number of things that the community can do to help children. May encourages parents to act as role models, eating healthy foods and engaging in exercise. They should also stock their kitchen with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains rather than junk food.

“To get ahead of this problem, we have to be incredibly aggressive and look at children and adolescents and say you have to make time for physical activity,” noted Dr. Larry Deeb, pediatric endocrinologist as well as former president of medicine and science for the American Diabetes Association, in a USA Today article.

Similarly, pediatricians are recommended to follow the guidelines on obesity screenings and offer behavioral counseling to families whose children are diagnosed as overweight or obese.

“Pediatricians and other healthcare providers who work with adolescents need to be aware of, and follow through with, screening guidelines and recommendations for obesity and also other cardiovascular risk factors, and suggest appropriate behavioral interventions,” remarked May in the CNN article.

Regarding the study, there are a few stated limitations. Notably, pre-diabetes and diabetes were determined with a single blood sugar measurement. This could be less reliable in kids than in adults.

Source: Connie K. Ho for RedOrbit.com

Gluten Sensitivity: Are you suffering?

2012-05-23T00:10:00.002-07:00

Do you experience bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or headaches? If you answered yes, then you could be one of millions potentially affected by gluten sensitivity and you may benefit from a gluten free diet.

This newly emerging condition may affect up to 6% of the population and can be easily confused with other gluten related disorders. Catherine Macdonald nutritionist, shares some key facts on gluten sensitivity and how this emerging condition can be recognised.

How common is gluten sensitivity?

Despite little being known about this condition, researchers believe gluten sensitivity is more common than both coeliac disease and wheat allergy combined. It is estimated that gluten sensitivity may occur in up to 6 per cent of the population, compared to coeliac disease which affects around 1 per cent.

Key ways to identify if you have gluten sensitivity

Gluten sensitivity exists alongside the other gluten-related conditions and shares many of the symptoms of coeliac disease making it trickier to diagnose. Despite this, there are some definable ways of establishing this condition with guidance from a medical professional:

The following symptoms affecting different parts of your body are signs that you could be suffering from gluten sensitivity:

*bloating
*abdominal pain
*diarrhea and/or constipation
*nausea and vomiting
*swelling of tongue and colour changes
*pain or burning sensation of upper stomach
*headaches and mental confusion
*numbness and/or pain in limbs

If you experience symptoms, it is important to exclude the possibility that you are suffering from coaliac disease, a wheat allergy or any other conditions which may be causing the symptoms. To exclude these conditions, you should seek advice from a medical professional and not make any changes to your diet until advised to.

Finally, if the other possible causes of your symptoms have been excluded, trialling a gluten free diet to see if your symptoms improve is a way of establishing if you may be suffering from gluten sensitivity.

Why are people sensitive to gluten?

No one really knows why there is an increase in the number of people who seem to be sensitive to gluten. One school of thought is that in evolutionary terms, gluten is a relatively new foodstuff for the digestive system, and we have noticed a trend of increased diagnosis of coeliac disease over the past decades.

If I do have gluten sensitivity, how is it managed?

Gluten sensitivity can be managed by excluding gluten from your diet. It is unknown whether this exclusion should be temporary or lifelong (as in the case for coeliac disease), but what we do know, is that cutting out gluten is a step in addressing the symptoms of gluten sensitivity.

*If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is extremely important that you visit your doctor to rule out coeliac disease and wheat allergy before commencing a gluten free diet. It is vital that you remain on a gluten containing diet until you have visited a medical professional.

source: femalefirst

Scientists turn skin cells into beating heart muscle

2012-05-23T00:08:00.000-07:00

Scientists have for the first time succeeded in taking skin cells from patients with heart failure and transforming them into healthy, beating heart tissue that could one day be used to treat the condition.

The researchers, based in Haifa, Israel, said there were still many years of testing and refining ahead. But the results meant they might eventually be able to reprogram patients' cells to repair their own damaged hearts.

"We have shown that it's possible to take skin cells from an elderly patient with advanced heart failure and end up with his own beating cells in a laboratory dish that are healthy and young - the equivalent to the stage of his heart cells when he was just born," said Lior Gepstein from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, who led the work.

The researchers, whose study was published in the European Heart Journal on Wednesday, said clinical trials of the technique could begin within 10 years.

Heart failure is a debilitating condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood around the body. It has become more prevalent in recent decades as advances medical science mean many more people survive heart attacks.

At the moment, people with severe heart failure have to rely on mechanical devices or hope for a transplant.

Researchers have been studying stem cells from various sources for more than a decade, hoping to capitalize on their ability to transform into a wide variety of other kinds of cell to treat a range of health conditions.

There are two main forms of stem cells - embryonic stem cells, which are harvested from embryos, and reprogrammed "human induced pluripotent stem cells" (hiPSCs), often originally from skin or blood.

TISSUES BEATING TOGETHER

Gepstein's team took skin cells from two men with heart failure - aged 51 and 61 - and transformed them by adding three genes and then a small molecule called valproic acid to the cell nucleus.

They found that the resulting hiPSCs were able to differentiate to become heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, just as effectively as hiPSCs that had been developed from healthy, young volunteers who acted as controls for the study.

The team was then able to make the cardiomyocytes develop into heart muscle tissue, which they grew in a laboratory dish together with existing cardiac tissue.

Within 24 to 48 hours the two types of tissue were beating together, they said.

In a final step of the study, the new tissue was transplanted into healthy rat hearts and the researchers found it began to establish connections with cells in the host tissue.

"We hope that hiPSCs derived cardiomyocytes will not be rejected following transplantation into the same patients from which they were derived," Gepstein said. "Whether this will be the case or not is the focus of active investigation."

Experts in stem cell and cardiac medicine who were not involved in Gepstein's work praised it but also said there was a lot to do before it had a chance of becoming an effective treatment.

"This is an interesting paper, but very early and it's really important for patients that the promise of such a technique is not over-sold," said John Martin a professor of cardiovascular medicine at University College London.

"The chances of translation are slim and if it does work it would take around 15 years to come to clinic."

Nicholas Mills, a consultant cardiologist at Edinburgh University said the technology needs to be refined before it could be used for patients with heart failure, but added: "These findings are encouraging and take us a step closer to ... identifying an effective means of repairing the heart."

source: reuters

Tips to avoid leg cramps attack

2012-05-21T00:10:00.001-07:00

A cramp is a painful spasm, usually in one or more calf or foot muscles. The muscle becomes hard and knotted, and hurts if you try to move it. The pain usually lasts for only a few minutes. You may get cramp on waking up or after sitting or lying awkwardly. If you get it during exercise or strenuous work, it is usually due to overusing muscles, heat, dehydration, or salt and mineral loss. Swimmers can get cramp if they become cold and exhausted.

PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
Calf stretching exercise Try this exercise to relieve an attack of cramp and as a daily routine to prevent further episodes. Do it before and after using your leg muscles for long periods and before going to bed if you are prone to leg cramps at night.

* Stand about and arm’s length from a wall with one leg in front of the other and your hands flat against the wall at shoulder height.

* Keeping your feet flat on the floor, lean forwards, bending the front knee and pressing the rear heel into the ground. You will feel the calf muscle of the rear leg stretch. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Arrange to see your doctor if:
* Cramps are not relieved by these measures, or they become more severe or frequent
What you can do yourself

Although a cramp will subside on its own, the steps below will help to minimize discomfort.

* If you get cramp during exercise, stop. Gently massage the muscle. If the spasm is in your calf, stretch it. Pull your towards you knee, letting your ankle bend. Hold until the muscle relaxes.

* If the cramp occurs while you are in bed, get up and wiggle your foot or walk around. If it persists, try stretching the muscle as above.

* Try heat, particularly for cramp due to swimming. Take a warm bath or shower, then wrap a warm towel around the muscle. Put on warm clothing or cover your leg with a blanket afterwards. For cramp caused by overuse, try an ice pack. Wrap a bag of frozen peas or crushed ice in a wet towel, and hold it on the muscle for10 minutes.

PREVENTION
Avoiding cramp If you are prone to cramp, the following measures may help to prevent attacks.

* Drinks 8 glasses of water a day. Have 1-2 glasses 2 hours before any exercise; 1/2 -1 glass every 15-20 minutes during exercise; and plenty of fluid afterwards.

* Warm up thoroughly before you exercise, and ease off gradually afterwards. Stop when you need to rest.

* Do calf-stretching exercises to relieve and prevent cramp (see PRACTICAL).

* Eat foods rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, such as avocados, bananas, orange, milk dark-leaved vegetables, wholegrain foods, and nuts.

* Stop smoking; it contributes to the risk of cramp.

High acid levels in juices harm kid`s teeth

2012-05-21T00:08:00.000-07:00

London: Many parents are unwittingly egging on their kids to drink smoothies and juices, blissfully unaware that a combination of high acid levels and sugar can erode their teeth.

Instead of seemingly healthy fruit juice, children should preferably be given water and a handful of chocolate buttons for the sake of their teeth, said Kathy Harley, dean of the dental faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Manufacturers are required to publish nutritional content of drinks on the label - but not their levels of acid, which can invite tooth decay, according to an investigation conducted by The Sunday Telegraph.

Harley said 50 percent of five-year-olds now show signs of damaged tooth enamel caused by excess acid in their diet. While health-conscious parents meant well in trying to feed their kids fruit and vegetables, the acid and sugar combo in juice meant they should be restricted to a "once a week treat".

Tooth enamel begins to be destroyed when acid levels in the mouth drop below 5.5 on the pH scale, which has 7 as neutral and one as strong acid.
While water has a pH of 7, and milk is just below at 6.8, our investigation found that a soft drink called This Water with lemons and limes, which describes itself as a "juice drink blended with pure squeezed juices and pure spring water," had a level of 2.7 - making it more acidic than cider vinegar, which had a level of 2.9.

This Water also contains 9.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 420 ml bottle. In 2008, the company had an ad campaign banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for failing to inform consumers about the sugar content of its juice drinks.

The other fruit drinks tested, including Tropicana orange juice, Copella apple juice, Innocent smoothies, Capri Sun orange drink and Robinsons Fruit Shoot apple and blackcurrant low sugar drink all had acid levels ranging between 3.3 and 3.8.

The most acidic beverage tested was Coca Cola, with a pH level of 2.5 and 12.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 500 ml bottle.

Harley said: "The only healthy drinks for teeth are milk and water. Children are having fruit drinks and smoothies several times a day, when they these should be considered as a treat, something to have once a week."

source: zeenews

Migraine is a neurological disorder

2012-05-21T00:06:00.000-07:00

Washington: Migraine is a neurological, not vascular, disorder and both acute and preventive treatments being developed target peripheral and central nervous systems, according to a new study.

Current acute migraine medications were developed to constrict cerebral blood vessels based on the prevailing concept that migraine is a vascular headache disorder.

David Dodick, MD, professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, explained that triptan medications used to treat migraine patients are designed to constrict blood vessels, which for centuries were believed to cause migraine.

“While migraine research has been massively underfunded and the disorder often is clinically dismissed as a ‘headache,’ its genetic

and biological basis is increasingly coming into focus as the result of considerable scientific advances over the past two decades,” said Dodick.

“Today we know that migraine is a largely inherited disorder characterized by physiological changes in the brain, and, if attacks occur with high frequency, structural alterations in the brain.”

Migraine sufferers experience reduced quality of life as well as impaired physical, social and occupational functioning.

Dodick insists that advances in migraine knowledge have led to the development of promising new and selective compounds and therapies for both acute and preventive treatment of migraines.

“This is a neurologic disease with systemic implications,” said Dodick.

The basis for preventive treatment is to understand that underlying risk factors for migraine can be modified or eliminated before migraine attacks become more frequent.

Dodick revealed that major risk factors include overuse of acute medications, particularly opioids, barbiturates, analgesics and

triptans, depression and other mood disorders, obesity, snoring, head trauma, and excessive caffeine intake.

He claimed that controlling risk factors can help prevent episodic migraine patients from becoming chronic pain sufferers.

“Migraine risk factors can be treated effectively in the primary care setting, and we need to educate practitioners about what they can do to help prevent migraine in their patients,” Dodick said.

“About 40 percent of migraine patients are candidates for preventive treatments but only 10 percent receive them. Doctors just want to

treat the pain because they have little time to spend with patients to explore other options. They need to start thinking about the treatment of migraine in a disease model context, in much the same way as hypertension or diabetes,” he said.

In his observation, Dodick, noted that obese people have a five-fold risk for developing migraine and depressed individuals have a three-fold higher risk. So treating these risk factors is an effective prevention strategy.

The American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society has announced new guidelines for migraine treatment in April,.

The guidelines support preventive treatments using a wide variety of medications from antidepressants to blood pressure lowering drugs to plant extracts.

“The new AAN guidelines illustrate that there are many treatments for which there is substantial evidence to support their safety and efficacy for the preventive treatment of migraine.

“Physicians should use the guidelines to individualize treatment, based on coexisting and comorbid conditions which may be present in their patients, with medications that have the highest level of evidence,” said Dodick.

Acute treatments are taken when a migraine attack occurs, but preventive routine should be followed every day to prevent attacks or to lessen their severity and duration.

“Some studies have shown that that migraine attacks can be cut in half or more with preventive treatments,” Dodick added.

SOURCE: zeenews

Sleep Apnea Linked to Higher Cancer Death Risk

2012-05-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

Sleep apnea has already been linked to a host of adverse health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Now, new research suggests that in people who already have cancer, the sleep disorder may raise their risk of dying from cancer.

People with the most severe sleep apnea -- those who have 30 or more episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour of sleep -- had almost five times the risk of cancer death compared to someone without sleep apnea.

"Sleep apnea is the periodic pausing of breathing during sleep that results in drops in oxygen levels in your blood. It causes snoring and sleepiness during the day," explained study author Dr. Javier Nieto, chair of the department of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, in Madison.

"Aside from being an annoyance to your spouse, family members and maybe even your neighbors depending on how loud your snoring is, sleep apnea is a severe problem. Drowsiness and sleepiness during the day increase the risk of accidents, and sleep apnea is associated with cardiovascular disease, heart disease, strokes, hypertension and cardiovascular mortality. Now, we see this new angle: an increase in cancer mortality," said Nieto.

Nieto is scheduled to present the study Sunday at the American Thoracic Society International Conference, in San Francisco.

Nieto said the new study was suggested by researchers from the University of Barcelona in Spain who found that when mice were deprived of oxygen periodically, skin cancer tumors grew faster in the mice. And, cancer cells in the lab that are deprived of oxygen produce molecules that stimulate the growth of blood vessels in an attempt to get more oxygen, he said.

Nieto and the Spanish researchers wondered if this effect was the same in humans. To test that theory, they reviewed data from more than 1,500 people included in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort. This study included 22 years of mortality data, as well as information from sleep studies.

The researchers adjusted the data to account for age, sex, body mass, smoking and other factors that might affect the risk of cancer death, and they found that sleep apnea increased the risk of cancer death. They also found that the more severe the sleep apnea, the more likely someone was to die from cancer.

People with mild sleep apnea -- five to 14.9 episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour -- had a 10 percent increased risk of cancer death, while those with moderate sleep apnea -- 15 to 29.9 episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour -- had double the risk of cancer death. Those with severe sleep apnea -- more than 30 episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour -- had a 4.8 times higher risk of cancer death.

Nieto said the study didn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship, but the association was quite strong. And, he noted that the findings were consistent in humans, animals and in cells.

He added that there is also a plausible mechanism for this association. When you have cancer and you repeatedly have episodes of low or no oxygen, the cancer cells "try to compensate for the lack of oxygen by growing additional blood vessels to get more oxygen. It's a defense mechanism," Nieto said. And, as those blood vessels keep growing, it helps the tumor to spread, he explained.

Dr. Steven Park, a sleep medicine specialist and otorhinolaryngologist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, said he wasn't surprised by the findings.

"This goes along with the link between sleep apnea and pretty much every chronic medical condition out there," Park said. But, he added that this study's findings need to be confirmed in other studies, and ideally be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

"Anyone with snoring, severe daytime fatigue, lack of memory or focus, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even someone who has to get up to go to the bathroom at night should be screened for sleep apnea," Park said. He added that it's possible to have sleep apnea without snoring, especially for women. So, if you're getting enough sleep at night, yet still feel tired during the day, it's important to bring this up to your doctor.

Park said there are home-monitoring devices that can be used to screen people at home initially.

Nieto said that treating sleep apnea will improve your quality of life, as well as reduce your risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. And, if you have cancer, he said, treating sleep apnea may help increase your odds of surviving cancer.

source: philly

Practice Forgiveness For Inner Energy

2012-05-18T07:56:00.003-07:00

If you’ve ever had chronic, low-level pain, you’ve probably held your body in a certain posture to avoid the discomfort of bending, or favored one leg or arm, because putting weight on the other one is just a little more uncomfortable.

Emotionally, we do this every day when we carry around the unexpressed and unresolved pains of past heartaches and experiences that cause us resentment and anger. Unexpressed and bottled-up feelings of anger and resentment take up psychic space, just like the dozens of incomplete projects on your desk, but unlike the projects, feelings of anger and resentment can poison and pollute your soul-your outlook on the word is smaller, more suspicious, less trusting, less open and giving.

It’s hard to be energized when you are holding on to toxic emotions.

So you want more energy? Practice the art of forgiveness.

ONE OF THE MSOT IMPORTANT LISTS YOU’LL EVER MAKE
Start by making a forgiveness list. When you start thinking about all the people and situations you resent, you may find that you have a really long list. It may go back to grade school to the kid who bullied you in the schoolyard or the girl who rejected you at the dance. Maybe your list includes someone who never returns your calls, or a backstabbing coworker, or the woman who pushed ahead of you in line at Starbucks, or the guy who cut you off on the freeway. And of course your list probably includes family members, because some of those hurts and disappointments and wounds go very deep indeed.

It’s important to start with what you feel you can handle. For example, it might be difficult to start practicing forgiveness for the first time with the partner who swindled you out of your business and left you bankrupt, or with the person who divorced you and broke your heart. But maybe you could handle forgiving that supermarket clerk who was smarmy to you on the checkout line when you brought thirteen items into the twelve-item express lane. Forgiveness is, after all, an emotional muscle, and you have to work up to the heavy lifting.

Pick three people on your list and then, one person at a time, allow yourself to feel whatever anger and resentment that comes up related to that person. In fact, I want you to try to increase that feeling of anger and resentment. (it shouldn’t be hard). Think of the injustice of what he did to you, of how small it made you feel, of the unfairness of the way he treated you.

Let that sit and simmer for a minute.

Now take a deep breath, close your eyes, and release that anger, annoyance, or irritation, or in some cases, your rage and your hurt. Just let it go.

Do it again – take a deep breath and release it. Try to imagine what it’s like to be that person whom you resent. What might she have been feeling at the time she hurt you? What might his point of view been (remember, you don’t have to agree with it or even like it – just understand what it might have been). What is his day like? What is it like to be her? Just put yourself inside the other person’s skin for a minute.

And then wish the person peace.

Some healers suggest imagining the person or the situation that caused you pain in a pink bubble, surrounded by white light. Then imagine the whole scene floating away in a cloud of serenity and forgiveness.

IT’S ABOUT YOU
Now if you’re new at this, you might be skeptical. I know I was, the first (and second, and third) time I tried it. The first impulse for many of us is to think, “I don’t want to forgive them. What they did was wrong!” Which may (or may not) be true, but it is irrelevant to this practice. The practice is about you letting go of an energy-draining emotion; it’s not about letting other people off the hook.

Remember, if you carry around a little hot ball of anger, the only person it sears is you. This technique is not for the object of your anger – it’s for you. And don’t get discouraged if you have to try it several times. In fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t.

If you keep practicing this technique, you’ll be amazed at what you’re able to accomplish. By letting go of some of the toxic feelings that have been holding you back and weighing you down, you are letting go of negative energy.

And guess what’s left underneath when you release the toxic fumes?

Energy. Fabulous, light, “I can do anything”, weight-off-my-shoulders energy.

Give it a try. You have nothing to lose but some of the biggest energy drainers on the planet.

Effective home remedies for cough

2012-05-18T07:49:00.003-07:00

One of the most common symptoms I’m seeing in my office is cough. A cough can mean several things from an infection, be it bacterial or viral, allergies, asthma or acid reflux. However, a cough is usually caused by an infection. If it lasts longer than 2 weeks and, especially if it’s getting worse, you should get in to see your doctor.

You can also try the below home remedies which are effective in eliminating cough quickly:

1. A simple home remedy is to have honey in a hot drink before bed time.

2. Turmeric powder boiled in milk and taken internally relieves cough.

3. Dry cough can be cured by gradually swallowing mixture of cumin seeds powder mixed with ghee.

4. All kinds of cough can be cured by drinking the juice of ash gourd mixed with little hot water.

5. To relieve fits of coughing due to dryness in the throat suck a few peppercorns.

6. Use an infusion of ginger trice a day.

7. Put a grain of salt into your mouth to stop a persistent cough.

8. Taking a mixture lemon juice, honey and glycerin is an effective remedy for cough.

9. Suck a whole clove without chewing it to soothe a cough.

10. Chew a few leaves of basil a betel leaf and a clove together.

11. Boil a handful tamarind leaves in water with a half teaspoon if asafetida and a
teaspoon of salt. Drink this thrice daily.

12. Cut a ripe banana into four pieces. Fry in ghee till brown. Cool and eat twice
daily.

13. Have an infusion of basil leaves daily every morning.

14. Make an infusion with fenugreek leaves ginger and honey. Drink it thrice daily.

15. Boil an onion, five basil leaves, five peppercorns and two cloves in one and
half cup of water till it is reduced to one cup. Drink it hot thrice a day.

16. Three peppercorns with a pinch of salt and black cumin can be taken for relief.

17. Mix together four teaspoons of jaggery and a teaspoon of pepper powder. Make
into small balls and suck four of these each day.

18. Apples bring great relief to a person with a dry cough.

19. Mix a tablespoon of poppy seeds with a teaspoon of honey and ten tablespoons of
coconut milk. Take every night before going to bed.

20. An infusion made with the bark of the neem is said to cure cough.

How to get travel insurance if you have a pre-existing condition

2012-05-18T07:46:00.001-07:00

Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions can find it tricky to get travel insurance from mainstream providers at normal prices.

One of the key rules of travel insurance is that customers must declare all major past and ongoing health conditions. However, doing so can often mean the price of insurance is hiked up or that cover is refused altogether.

In general, pre-existing conditions you need to declare include any respiratory, circulatory, heart or back condition, and any condition or disease, psychiatric disorder or mental illness for which you have ever been diagnosed or received treatment. That means that even if you are now free of a disease - cancer, for example - you'll still have to declare it to your insurance company.

Other declarable conditions include HIV, asthma, high blood pressure, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

People with serious medical conditions generally find it difficult to find travel insurance as medical claims and emergencies abroad are one of the biggest costs to insurance companies. So people with a greater risk of claiming will face higher premiums, with some insurers refusing to cover people with certain conditions altogether.

Customers must also declare any pre-existing medical conditions of close relatives if a change in their health would mean you cancelling or cutting short the holiday, for example, if one of your parents was seriously ill.

Telling the truth
When it comes to insurance, lying or omitting the truth is known as "non-disclosure". Non-disclosure is a big issue when buying life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection insurance, but it applies to travel insurance too.

If your insurer finds out about non-disclosure, it may turn down a claim later on or invalidate your whole policy.

If you declare a pre-existing condition when applying for travel insurance the insurer will be able to confirm whether or not any claims relating to it can be covered. Some conditions may be covered as standard at no extra charge while some will require payment of an additional premium.

Others, including serious conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart attacks, won't be covered at all by some insurers.

Specialist insurers
If you have a pre-existing medical condition it's a good idea to contact certain specialist insurers or brokers directly for a quote. Then compare premiums, and other sections of the policy (such as baggage cover and cancellation) in order to find the best deal.

All Clear is a comparison site for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. It's been selling travel insurance for about 18 months and compares quotes from 13 different providers. Consumers can input their medical details, obtain quotes and buy their insurance on the site.

Freedom Insurance has been going since 2002 and was one of the first companies in the UK to develop specialist travel insurance covering pre-existing medical conditions.

Avanti Insurance has an in-house medical screening process allowing it to assess your health on an individual basis and offer the most appropriate travel insurance for your circumstances.

World First Insurance covers thousands of medical conditions. The family run company was the first insurer in the UK to create a policy that covered travellers with HIV and it now insures thousands of other medical conditions, including cancer, heart disease and epilepsy.

Free Spirit covers pre-existing conditions with no upper age limit on its single trip and annual multi-trip policies. Policies also include "financial failure" which covers travellers if their airline or accommodation provider goes bust.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
As well as comprehensive travel insurance it is a good idea to get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you are travelling in Europe.

The EHIC (which replaced the E111 form) entitles the holder to free or reduced cost state medical treatment in all EU countries. It's basically a reciprocal agreement between the UK and other European countries so you'll get the same treatment that the country offers its residents for free.

source: Aol

Celery, parsly effectual against breast cancer

2012-05-18T07:42:00.003-07:00

Washington: Apigenin, a natural substance found in grocery store produce aisles, shows promise as a non-toxic treatment for an aggressive form of human breast cancer, a new study has revealed.

University of Missouri researchers found apigenin shrank a type of breast cancer tumor that is stimulated by progestin, a synthetic hormone given to women to ease symptoms related to menopause.

“This is the first study to show that apigenin, which can be extracted from celery, parsley and many other natural sources, is effective against human breast cancer cells that had been influenced by a certain chemical used in hormone replacement therapy,” said co-author Salman Hyder, the Zalk Endowed Professor in Tumor Angiogenesis and professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center.

In the study, Hyder and his colleagues implanted cells of a deadly, fast-growing human breast cancer, known as BT-474, into a specialized breed of mouse. Some of the mice were then treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a type of progestin commonly given to post-menopausal women. A control group did not receive MPA.

Later one group of MPA-treated mice was treated with apigenin. Cancerous tumors grew rapidly in the mice, which did not receive apigenin. In the apigenin-treated mice, breast cancer cell growth dropped to that of the control group, and the tumors shrank.

“We don’t know exactly how apigenin does this on a chemical level,” Hyder said.

“We do know that apigenin slowed the progression of human breast cancer cells in three ways: by inducing cell death, by inhibiting cell proliferation, and by reducing expression of a gene associated with cancer growth. Blood vessels responsible for feeding cancer cells also had smaller diameters in apigenin-treated mice compared to untreated mice. Smaller vessels mean restricted nutrient flow to the tumors and may have served to starve the cancer as well as limiting its ability to spread,” he stated.

The mice in Hyder’s study were injected with apigenin. In the future, apigenin injections could be a safe alternative or supplement to the highly toxic chemotherapy drugs now in use.

“Chemotherapy drugs cause hair-loss, extreme fatigue and other side effects. Apigenin has shown no toxic side-effects even at high dosages. People have eaten it since pre-history in fruits and vegetables,” Hyder explained.

Finding funding for clinical testing of apigenin in humans may be difficult, according to Hyder.

“Clinical trials of apigenin with humans could start tomorrow, but we have to wait for medical doctors to carry out that next step,” Hyder said.

“One problem is, because apigenin doesn’t have a known specific target in the cancer cell, funding agencies have been reticent to support the research. Also, since apigenin is easily extracted from plants, pharmaceutical companies don’t stand to profit from the treatment; hence the industry won’t put money into studying something you can grow in your garden.”

The research was recently published online in the journal Hormones and Cancer.

source: ANI

High cholesterol can often lead to circulatory disease

2012-05-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

Many people with high cholesterol could be increasing their risk of suffering from heart problems if they fail to take medication to treat their condition.

This is the warning of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), after the health organization carried out a new survey which found that many heart patients are ignoring medical guidance.

In fact, more than a third of people being treated for high cholesterol admitted to not taking medication for their condition when questioned as part of the study.

This is in spite of high cholesterol levels tripling the risk of someone suffering a heart attack, an issue Dr Mike Knapton, the BHF's associate medical director, was keen to highlight.

"Having high cholesterol or high blood pressure are major risk factors for developing heart and circulatory disease, which is still the UK's biggest killer, yet we found people with these conditions were often oblivious to the link," he noted.

Dr Knapton added that patients should take vital heart medicines assigned to them on a daily basis, even if they do not feel under the weather.

When it comes to battling against high blood pressure, the World Heart Federation recently stated that taking part in regular exercise can make all the difference.

source: spirehealthcare

Eat Nuts For Healthy Heart & Energy

2012-05-16T07:10:00.002-07:00

Eat Nuts for Energy and for Your Heart

Nuts have fiber, protein, and minerals, and are a great energy food. So are nut buttes. The protein and fat keep you full and stabilize your blood sugar, while the minerals help your energy and metabolism.

Nut eaters as a rule have significantly lower rates of heart disease than those who don’t eat nuts. Because heart disease can really drain your energy – not to mention shorten or eliminate your life – it makes sense to make nuts and nut butters a part of your energy eating plan.

Truth be told, all nuts make a great snack and all are great energy foods. (I’m not necessarily including the salted peanuts you get at a bar, which are technically a legume anyway, not a nut, and are usually not the best snack for energy or health.) There’s a reason that trail mix – the standard-issue snack food for hikers – contains a ton of nuts (as well as dried fruit such as cranberries). The mixture of the “good” carbs in the dried fruit together with the heart-healthy fat and moderate amount of protein in the nuts makes the perfect food for sustaining energy through a long day on the hiking trials.

Suffice it to say here that 1 ounce (28 g) of almonds (or a smear of almond butter) together with a piece of fruit such as an apple make the perfect energy snack, and is hands-down one of my favorite pre-workout snack. (Come to think of it, it’s pretty darn good after working out, too.)

You can also try mixing 1 ounce of nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds) with an equal mount of one of the newer, more exotic berries now available in health food stores, such as goji berries or (my favorite) mung-berries. Or even with good, old-fashioned raisins. Try sprinkling on some dried coconut flakes for even more of an energy boost.

How To Correct Jet Lag Easily

2012-05-16T07:02:00.002-07:00

Jet lag is a collection of symptoms that occur while your body clock adjusts to a new time zone when you travel. Until you get used to the local time. you may feel disoriented and tired during the day and have difficulty sleeping at the new night-time. You may also experience poor concentration, loss of appetite, and diarrhea or constipation. Most people begin to feel the effects of jet lag only after crossing three or more time zones.

Traveling from east to west (for example ,from London to New York) extends the day and is usually easier on the body than travelling from west to east, which shortens the day. People tend to become more susceptible to the effects of jet lag as they get older.

PRACTICAL TIPS
Adjusting to time zones Get used to the new time zone by setting your watch to your destination time as soon as you board the plane .If possible, plan our meals and sleep times around this time during the fight.

* If you need to sleep on the flight, listen to soft music, use earplugs, wear eye-shades, and use a neck pillow.

* If you need to stay awake ,keep active : get up and walk around the plane every hour, talk to your neighbor, read, or watch the in-flight entertainment.

What you can do yourself
Although jet lag usually lasts no more than a few days, use these tips to reduce its effects and adjust quickly to the new time zone.

* If possible, fly during the day .You are less likely to feel jet lag if you arrive at your destination in the evening and then stay awake until bedtime.

* Get plenty of rest before you depart: at least 8 hours’ sleep a night in the week before you travel.

* Start adjusting to the new time zone when you begin your journey (see PRACTICAL TIPS)

* Drink plenty of water or fruit juice before and during the flight to prevent dehydration, and avoid alcohol, coffee, or cola drinks. Eat light meals and avoid fatty or salty foods.

* As soon as you arrive at your destination, adopt the local eating, waking, and sleeping times. Take a walk in daylight to help your body clock adjust.

* Avoid alcohol or caffeinated drinks within 3 hours of bedtime as they will make sleep more difficult.

* Jet lag can affect judgement and concentration, so do not drive until you have adapted to local time.

* If you travel frequently ,try using antihistamine tablets to relieve temporary sleep disturbances (see DRUG REMEDIES below), ask your doctor for a shot-acting prescription sleeping pill.

* If you are spending less than 2 days in a new time zone, you may be better off getting up, eating, and sleeping according to your home time.

* Seek your doctor’s advice before traveling if you have to take prescribed medicines, such as insulin or the contraceptive pill, at specific times of the day.

DRUG REMEDIES
Sedative antihistamines cause drowsiness and can be used for a few days to help you re-establish your normal sleeping pattern, These medications are not addictive. Ask your pharmacist for advice on a suitable type.

Active brain helps balance your moods

2012-05-16T06:58:00.002-07:00

Moods are tricky things. Some come and go quickly, causing no real distress, but others are more obstinate. Some can be overwhelming, causing depression or other uncomfortable mental states. But a better understanding of the brain and how it works can help you avoid emotions’ all-consuming potential.

A fascinating book, “Buddha’s Brain” by Drs. Rick Hanson and Richard Mendius, explains some of the complexities of the brain. Their foreword states, “Buddha’s Brain is an invitation to use the focus of your mind to harness the power of attention to enhance your life and your relationships … Synthesizing ancient insights from contemplative practice … with modern discoveries from … neuroscience, (the authors) have assembled a thought-provoking and practical guide that walks you step-by-step through awakening your mind.”

They start with some basic facts about the brain, including:

• Its organ tissue weighing approximately 3 pounds with 1.1 trillion cells, including 100 billion neurons, each receiving about 5,000 connections or synapses from other neurons.

• Neurons communicate with each other. When a neuron fires, it sends signals to other neurons through its transmitting synapses, telling them to fire or not.

• Typical neurons fire five to 50 times a second.

• Neural signals contain bits of information, which are mostly outside your awareness. Your nervous system moves this information around like your heart moves blood. These signals regulate everything from your stress response to remembering how to ride a bike to your personality tendencies.

• Your brain’s the primary mover and shaper of your mind. Even though it’s only 2 percent of your body’s weight it uses 20 percent to 25 percent of its oxygen and glucose. This should suggest you need to be more aware of what you eat, knowing your diet also fuels your brain.

• The brain works as a whole system. Attributing a function, such as attention or emotion, to just one part of the brain is usually an oversimplification.

The authors compare your very busy brain to a refrigerator: always humming away, performing its functions.

Scientists have learned more about the brain over recent decades than was learned in all of recorded history. The great news is much of what they’re discovering can teach us how to activate brain states that underlie healthy mental states, allowing you to influence your own mind and mood.

The authors begin to describe how by explaining three fundamental functions of the brain:

1. Regulation: Your brain regulates itself and its bodily systems through a combination of excitatory and inhibitory activity: green lights and red lights.

2. Learning: It learns through forming new circuits and strengthening or weakening existing ones.

3. Selection: It selects whatever experience has taught it to value. They point out that even an earthworm can be trained to pick a particular path to avoid electric shock.

These functions operate at all levels of the nervous system and are involved in any important mental activity. Next week I’ll share more of the authors’ insights into the brain and how to use this information to facilitate healthier mental states and less stress.

source: news-press

WHO warns of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity

2012-05-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

Health data released on Wednesday provided the clearest evidence to date of the spread of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease from developed nations to poorer regions such as Africa, as lifestyles and diets there change.

The United Nations data showed one in three adults worldwide has raised blood pressure - the cause of around half of all deaths from stroke and heart disease - and the condition affects almost half the adult population in some countries in Africa.

In its annual report on global health, the Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO) also said one in 10 adults worldwide has diabetes, an illness that costs billions of dollars to treat and puts sufferers at risk of heart disease, kidney failure and blindness.

While the average global prevalence of diabetes is around 10 percent, the report said, up to a third of the population in some Pacific Island countries have the condition.

Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer are often thought of as illnesses which primarily affect people in wealthy nations, where high fat diets, alcohol consumption and smoking are major health risks.

But the WHO says almost 80 percent of deaths from such diseases now occur in low- and middle-income countries.

In Africa, rising smoking rates, a shift towards Western- style diets and less exercise mean chronic or so-called non-communicable diseases are rising rapidly and are expected to surpass other diseases as the most common killers by 2020.

"This report is further evidence of the dramatic increase in the conditions that trigger heart disease and other chronic illnesses, particularly in low- and middle-income countries," the WHO's director general Margaret Chan said in a statement with the report.

"In some African countries, as much as half the adult population has high blood pressure."

This year's WHO statistical report was the first to include data from all 194 member countries on the percentage of men and women with high blood pressure, or hypertension, and with raised blood sugar levels, a symptom of diabetes.

This report does not examine the causes behind the rising or falling numbers, but seeks to give a snapshot of major diseases and health risks affecting the global population.

In wealthy countries, widespread diagnosis and treatment with low-cost drugs have significantly reduced average blood pressure readings across populations - and this has contributed to a reduction in deaths from heart disease, the WHO said.

But in Africa, more than 40 percent -- and in some places up to 50 percent - of adults in many countries are estimated to have high blood pressure.

Most of these people remain undiagnosed, the report said, and yet many could be treated with inexpensive medicines - an intervention that would cut the risk of death and disability from heart disease and stroke.

Obesity is another major issue, the WHO said, with data showing rates of obesity doubling in every region of the world between 1980 and 2008.

"Today, half a billion people - or 12 percent of the world's population - are considered obese," said Ties Boerma, the WHO's director of health Statistics and information systems.

The highest obesity levels are in the Americas, where 26 percent of adults are obese, and the lowest are in south east Asia, at 3 percent of adults.

The report found that women in all parts of the world are more likely to be obese than men, and are therefore at greater risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

The WHO's World Health Statistics report is published annually and contains data from 194 countries on a range of health indicators including life expectancy, illnesses and deaths from various diseases, health services, treatments, and risk factors or behaviors that affect health.

World Health Statistics 2012 is available at: here .

Other key trends identified in the report include:

* Maternal deaths:

- In 20 years, the number of maternal deaths has dropped from more than 540,000 in 1990 to less than 290,000 in 2010 - a decline of 47 percent. A third of these deaths were in just two countries - India with 20 percent of the global total, and Nigeria with 14 percent.

* Child deaths:

- Data from 2000 to 2010 show the world has made significant progress in reducing child deaths, cutting them from almost 10 million under-fives in 2000 to 7.6 million in 2010. Falls in numbers of deaths from diarrheal disease and measles have been particularly striking, the WHO said.

* Death registration:

- Only 34 countries - representing 15 percent of the world's population - produce high-quality cause-of-death data. In low and middle-income countries, fewer than 10 percent of deaths are registered.

source: reuters