Health Blog

Effective Natural Tips to Relive Throat Pain Quickly

2012-02-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

Sore throats can be painful and annoying. Fortunately, most sore throats are caused by a minor illness and go away without medical treatment.

Several conditions can cause a sore throat.

Viral infections, Bacterial infections, Irritants and injuries

The following are the top natural tips that may help you relive throat problems:

1. Eat the tender tress of mango tree to clear throat ailments

2. For sore throat, gargle with a solution of salt water and soda bicarb

3. Swirl a solution of two teaspoons of glycerin and a teaspoon of borax powder for a while in your mouth before swallowing it

4. Drink a hot infusion of lemon juice, a piece of crushed ginger and a teaspoon of sugar in a quarter cup of water

5. Drink a hot cup of milk to which is added half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and pepper powder

7. Chew basil leaves first thing in the morning.

8. Gargle with a warm solution in the honey and neem juice

9. Drink tea boiled with ginger and a few basil leaves thrice a day

10. Heat six cups of water with two tablespoons of fenugreek for 20 minutes on a low flame. Strain and gargle often with this

11. Gargle with hot ginger water

Feed Your Brain for High Energy

2012-02-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

Ever hear the expression “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”? Well, biblical meanings aside, the concept has a lot to tell us about energy.

I can’t actually think of a time when my mind has been alive, energetic, and enthusiastic, but my body’s been too tired to do something. But there are plenty of times that the reverse is true: your body is perfectly able to perform, but you’re mentally exhausted. Take-home point – energy starts (and frequently ends) in the brain.

That’s why keeping your brain active, keeping the circuits firing on all cylinders, protecting your neurons from the damage known as oxidation (see sidebar below), and generally making sure that everything up there is working fine is probably the best overall strategy on the planet for maintaining terrific reserves of energy**.

**There’s no one on the planet more anti-drug than I am, but consider this: Back in previous wars, when the military had physically exhausted troops on its hands, it would routinely provide the soldiers with amphetamines so they could complete their missions. The soldiers’ physical energy wouldn’t change, but because amphetamines work on the brain, the drugged-out troops were able to perform as if they’d just woken up from nine hours of restful sleep, even though they were physically spent. Moral of the story: If your brain is energized, you are energized. But don’t try this at home, folks.

That’s why, no matter what else I may forget to take, I never forget to take my daily “brain supplements”. The basic brain energy formula I recommend has three important ingredient: acetyl-l-carnitine, phosphatidylserine (PS), and gylcerophosphocholine( GPC). In addition, I strongly recommend taking ginkgo, alpha-lipoic acid, and fish oil for a whole bunch of reasons, not the least of which is that they help support the brain (as well as a host of other organs and functions).

A PRESCRIPTION FOR MENTLA PRECISION
So what are all these ingredients, and why do they have such unpronounceable names?

I can’t explain the esoteric names in a way that wouldn’t put you to sleep, but I cant tell you what they do and why they help with brain energy. In a nutsheel, acetyl-i-carnitine helps energize the brain; phosphatidylserine, or PS, is great for memory; and GPC helps enhance mental focus. Together, they make a winning combination.

Neurologist David Perlmutter, M.D., author of The Better Brain Book, describes acetyl-l-carnitine as a neuronal energizer. He points out that it helps remove waste products from the little energy production factories in the cells (called mitochondria), enabling those energy-draining (and health-robbing) toxins to be eliminated form the body. Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, M.D., says acetyl-l-carnitine improves the function of those mito0chondria, “returning them to the way they were when you were twenty”.

PS is a member of a class of biochemicals called phospholipids, and has been available as a supplement for decades. It’s been shown in many well-documented studies to restore brain function and help improve learning and concentration. My good friends, biochemist and nutritional supplement expert Parris Kidd, Phd.D., says, ‘Dietary supplementation with PS can alleviate, ameliorate, and sometimes reverse age-releated decline of memory, learning, concentration, word skills, and mood”.

Finally, GPC has been extensively researched for its effect on mental performance, attention, and concentration, and the result have been impressive indeed. (It’s actually found in large quantities in breast milk, which ought to say something about its importance in human health!)

“I continue to be fascinated by GPC’s capacities to sharpen mental performance, even in people who are healthy, and to give new vitality to the again brain”, says Kidd, who is one of the country’s leading experts on GPC (www.dockidd.com).

I also recommend alpha-lipoic acid, a supplement with a huge resume of beneficial effects on the body and brain. Alpha-lippic acid was combined with acetyl-l-carnitine in a series of animal experiments performed in 2002 by the legendary researcher Bruce Ames, Ph.D., at the University of California.

The appearance of the animal brains’ improved and the animals showed significant increases in energy, Ames reported. “With these two supplements together, these old rats got up and did the Macarena”.

Finally, don’t underestimate the old standby for brain health, ginkgo biloba. It’s a powerful antioxidant and neuro-protector. My friend Daniel Amen, M.D., who has looked at more than 10,000 SPECT scan (pictures of brains), says that from a health and function point of view, the healthiest looking brains he has seen are those on ginkgo

So how do you take all these things? Well, let me count the ways. There are dozens of supplements sold that combine them in various formulas marketed for brain health, brain energy, memory enhancement, and the like. These vary widely in quality, and you should look for meaningful doses of the important ingredients (at least 100 mg of PS, 450 mg of GPC, and 300 mg of acetyl-l-carnintine).

I also recommend 100 mg a day of alpha-lipoic acid for general protection (and antiaging assistance!) and 120 to 240 mg of gingko.

Remember, too, that fish oil has many benefits for the brain and althought it won’t directly “give” you energy, it will sure help protect the circuits in the brain that will!

WORT KNOWING
Two other ingredients are often used in brain formulas, largely because both are precursors of that exciting, stimulating, energizing neurotransmitter dopamine. They are DL-phenlalanine and L-tryosine, both amino acids. One formula, designed by Eric Braverman, M.D., combine both in a product aptly called Brain Energy. Brain Energy is also in the vitamin supplements section of my website, www.jonnybowden.com under “brain power”.

Oxidation and Your Brain
Here’s the thing about oxygen: You can’t live without it. But it can also do some nasty damage.

You may remember from high school biology that all molecules have something called electrons that orbit around the core of the molecule in matched pairs. Once in a while, one of these electrons gets loose from its pair bond, and goes on a bit of a rampage while it tries to find a mate. That rampage causes what’s known as oxidative damage, or oxidation. (You can see the visible effects of this by watching what happens to apple slices left out in the air on the kitchen counter overnight).

The rogue, unpaired electrons are known as free radicals. Each time one of these free radicals “hits” on an intact molecule looking to steal a mate for itself, it damages your cells and DNA. When this happens in the brain, the results are…. Well, not good. Antioxidants (including vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, ginkgo, and plant compounds such as flavonoids) actually work by “donating” an electron to the rogue fellow, helping to prevent further damage.

Bottom line : Oxidative damage: bad. Protection against oxidative damage: priceless.

By Jonny Bowden

Tattoos done by amateurs may carry hepatitis C virus

2012-02-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

If you're planning on getting a tattoo, make sure it's from a professional and not a friend because ink work by amateurs may carry a risk of Hepatitis C, according to a new report. In an analysis of several dozen past studies, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) found that tattoos from non-professionals appear to increase the risk of a possible blood-borne liver infection.

By contrast, there is no evidence that tattoos done by professionals carried such a risk.

Hepatitis C remains a major public health problem in the United States with between 75 and 85 percent of people infected with the disease developing chronic infection that can lead to serious diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

The illness is passed to people through contact with infected blood. In the United States, there are roughly 18,000 new Hepatitis C infections every year, mostly when people who inject drugs share tainted needles or syringes.

But there are other ways of contracting the disease.

"Tattoos and piercings can transmit hepatitis C and other infections if performed under non-sterile conditions," Rania Tohme, an epidemiologist at the CDC who led the study, told Reuters Health in an email.

"People should not have tattoos or piercings done by friends or by people who are not trained professionals."

The findings, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, are based on a collection of studies that have been made public since 1994.

In general, people who had tattoos by non-professionals faced a hepatitis C risk that was two to four times higher than average.

Prison tattoos are a particular problem, Tohme's team wrote, because tattooing is so common and inmates may have other risk factors for Hepatitis C.

"To this date, there has been no evidence that tattoos and piercings performed in professional parlors in the United States have been implicated in transmission of hepatitis C virus," Tohme said.

If going to a non-professional, though, there are some precautions that can be taken, Tohme said.

"Disposable piercing needles, tattoo needles and razors are used on one person and then thrown away. Reusing needles or razors is not safe," Tohme added.

SOURCE: hindustantimes

Heart disease, prostate cancer may have similar causes

2012-02-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

Coronary artery disease (CAD), a heart problem and prostate cancer, two seemingly unrelated conditions, may actually share similar causes, according to the findings of a drug trial.

CAD kills more adults in the US than any other cause, accounting for one in four deaths. Risk factors include inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and diabetes.

If confirmed that heart disease is tied to prostate cancer, the malignancy might be combated in part by lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise and a healthy diet, which are known to prevent heart disease, the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention reported.

“What’s good for the heart may be good for the prostate,” said Jean-Alfred Thomas II, post-doctoral fellow in urology at the Duke University Medical Centre, who led the study, according to a university statement.

The Duke team used data from 6,390 men enrolled in a large study called REDUCE, a four-year, randomized trial to test the prostate cancer risk reduction benefits of a drug called dutasteride.

All the participants had a prostate biopsy at the two and four-year marks. They also provided a detailed medical history that included their weight, incidence of heart disease, alcohol intake, medication use and other factors.

Having CAD increased the men’s risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent, with the risk rising over time.

Source: IANS

Metabolic Breathalyzer Will Detect Diseases Early

2012-02-09T06:41:00.001-08:00

The diagnosis of most particular types of disease is a time-consuming process. But that’s going to change in the future thanks to a new breathalyzer-like technology that is currently under development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The researchers there believe that the tech could be used to diagnose a wide range of diseases including cancer and diabetes.

The human body reacts differently to different conditions. It is capable of shifting between energy sources when required.

According to Warren Porter, a UW-Madison professor of zoology, “When we’re healthy we use the food that we eat. When we get sick, the immune system takes over the body and starts tearing apart proteins to make antibodies and use them as an energy source“.

This shift between energy sources leads to different biochemical pathways. As a result, there will be changes in the carbon isotopes in the exhaled CO2. The “breathalyzer” will be used to detect these changes in isotopic signatures of carbon-containing metabolic by-products.

One of the main advantages of such a system will be the early detection of diseases. Diseases could be diagnosed well before symptoms start to show up. As you already know, early detection is very important when it comes to diseases such as cancer. And the use of a single technique to survey the entire body will also simplify diagnosis to a great extent.

The research on the technique was done on mice which were injected with glucose containing a single atom of carbon-13. This was done to detect the most active metabolic pathways in sick and healthy mice. They found out that there were changes in the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-13 in the exhaled CO2 by the healthy and sick mice. Furthermore, different ratios were detected for different diseases.

At the moment, the “breathalyzer” is about the size of a shoebox, but they are planning to make it smaller. Head here to know more about the study.

source: mobilemag

Yuraj to fight cancer and come back strongly

2012-02-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

Cricketer Yuvraj Singh , who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for germ cell cancer in the United States, on Wednesday said nobody but himself was to blame for the delay in his treatment and insisted he will return a stronger person.

"I see few people trying to blame my guruji for delay and BCCI! Again wrong it was my decision! The president and the members of bcci have bin a huge support in my tough times and because of them I'm getting the best treatment! Thank you again bcci," Yuvraj wrote on his 'Twitter' page.

"I'm recovering well yes its tough but tough times don't last tough men do! I will fight and come back as a stronger man cause I have the prayers of my nation!," he added.

Yuvraj's father and former Test cricketer, Yograj Singh had said that the treatment of his son got a bit delayed.

Yuvraj also sought to clear the air surrounding Jatin Chaudhary, who first brought to light the cricketer's illness.

"I see a lot of peopl blaming jatin chaudhary but he is at no fault he only tried to help it was my decision to go with alternative medicine," the 30-year-old batsman wrote.

The cricketer added that he was looking forward to meet Tour-de-France champion Lance Armstrong for the inspiration he can get from a former sportsperson who fought cancer to win laurels later on.

"I look forward to meet lance armstrong soon and take inspiration!," he wrote.

Yuvraj also thanked all his fans and media for their wishes and respecting his privacy.

"Thank you again to all my friends back home! Thank you to the media for there support and respecting my privacy," he wrote.

"Thank you to (sports minster) ajay maken! mr omar abdullah and mr narendra modi for there kind words!"

source: indiatoday

Anemia: Home remedies to prevent

2012-02-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

Anemia Symptoms

Because a low red blood cell count decreases oxygen delivery to every tissue in the body, anemia may cause a variety of signs and symptoms. It can also make almost any other underlying medical condition worse. If anemia is mild, it may not cause any symptoms. If anemia is slowly ongoing (chronic), the body may adapt and compensate for the change; in this case there may not be any symptoms until the anemia becomes more severe.

Here are some effective home remedies to treat:

1. Mix together two teaspoons each of honey, lemon juice and gooseberry juice. Add a cup of water and d rink on an empty stomach.

2. Mix a tablespoon of gooseberry juice with a ripe, mashed banana. Consume this thrice a day.

3 Extract juice from an orange. Mix it with a mashed banana. Take this twice daily.

4. A banana taken with a tablespoon of honey does wonders to cure one of anemia.
5. Drink a cup apple juice on an empty stomach in the morning, and once before going to bed.

6. Beetroot juice combined with apple juice is an excellent remedy for anemia.

7. Mash banana and curd and a little sugar to it. Beat well. Take once a daily and eat for a month.

8. Soak a teaspoon of fenugreek in a cup of water overnight. Drink the water and eat the seeds.

9. A teaspoon of the juice from raw turmeric, mixed with honey, should be taken every day for the treatment of this condition.

Take precautions to avoid bad food allergy reactions

2012-02-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

Food allergies are very common today. Experts think about 8 percent of children and many adults have food allergies.

Various people have food intolerance but not food allergies. Food intolerances can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating, gas or diarrhea. These symptoms usually go away quickly and are not life-threatening like food allergies.

Food allergies can cause severe reactions. A life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis can cause suffocation and extremely low blood pressure. The throat can swell shut, and the airways of the lungs can tighten.

Some parents do not suspect a food allergy problem until a child is rushed to an emergency room.

Food allergic reactions can also include hives, rashes, eczema (scaly, itchy skin), stomach cramps, dizziness and mild wheezing. Some allergic people first get a tingling sensation in their mouths.

A number of food allergy patients seem to outgrow their allergies as they mature.

As of 2006, it is easier to avoid foods that cause dangerous allergic reactions. Thanks to a federal law, manufacturers must now carefully label U.S. packaged foods that contain major food allergens.

Eight foods and the ingredients that contain their proteins cause as much as 90 percent of food allergies. They are peanuts, tree nuts (such as almonds, pecans and walnuts), soybeans, wheat, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk.

Manufacturers must clearly identify these food allergens in their main ingredients list. Many manufacturers also voluntarily include a "may contain" section on labels if they use the same equipment to make different products.

The federal law also requires the food source names to be included rather than just technical names. For example if lecithin (soy), flour (wheat) and whey (milk) are used, the label might say "contains soy, wheat and milk."

Food additives like sulfites can also cause serious allergic reactions.

Prompt medical care is needed for someone with a serious food allergic reaction. A shot of epinephrine (adrenaline) using an auto-injector (for example, an EpiPen) can often help prevent more dangerous reactions.

What you should do

Avoid any foods that can cause allergic reactions.

Don't ignore mild symptoms. Mild symptoms can become more severe in a very short time.

If you suspect food allergies are causing problems, get a professional test from a board-certified allergist. Learn which foods contain ingredients that can harm you or someone you feed.

Buy fresh, unprocessed foods. You are more likely to know what you are eating without additives and other processing that can increase risk. Many unprocessed foods are also likely to have greater nutritional value.

If you are not absolutely sure whether a product contains an allergen, do not buy it.

Read ingredient labels completely before purchasing and eating a food. Even if you have safely eaten an item in the past, check the ingredients and "may contain" list every time you buy a product. Manufacturers can change their ingredients. They can also use the same equipment to make another product that could have included an allergen.

Be prepared for accidental contact with a dangerous food. Wear an alert bracelet or necklace describing the allergy. Carry an emergency epinephrine shot and Benadryl (diphenhydramine) to reduce symptoms until you get to an ER.

During a serious food allergic reaction, get medical help immediately to be taken to an ER even if you have already received an epinephrine shot.

Avoid cross-contaminating foods with other foods that could trigger reactions. This duty is also important for anyone who is preparing food for others.

Avoid having foods in your home that could trigger an allergic reaction in a family member.

For mild food intolerance symptoms, work with your health care provider to discover causes. Your provider might want you to eliminate just certain foods from your diet to test whether they are causing a reaction like diarrhea.

Look out for friends and relatives who have food allergies. Don't pressure anyone to try a food. Don't exclude a friend because of a food allergy. Learn what foods a person must avoid. Learn about emergency medication a friend must take and what to do in an emergency. Don't ignore someone's food allergy reactions.

Students should introduce themselves to dining hall managers to get help on food choices at school or college.

A person with food allergies should follow their health providers' advice.

source: commercialappeal

Change Frequency For Higher Energy

2012-02-03T00:10:00.000-08:00

Every type of energy – electrical, physical, mental, spiritual – has a frequency. And a frequency tune-up can be just the thing you need to get more energy in your life.

Let me explain.

Every living thing – you, me, pets, even plants, tress, and vegetables – vibrates, if you will, to certain frequencies, and the lower, darker frequencies are perceived as “negative” while the higher frequencies are perceived as “positive”. There are color analogies to this – light and dark being the most obvious – and musical analogies (major and minor), but the fact that there is a continuum of “negative” and “positive” energy is not in doubt.

Our feelings and our thoughts are like mixing boards for that energy. They can turn it up; turn it down; and noise, interference, and static; and ultimately crash the system (which is almost always what you perceive as crushing fatigue).

“Emotional stress takes away your energy and drains you”, says my friend Aleta St. James, who became a national news item when, in 2005, at the age of fifty-seven, she became the oldest woman in the United States to give birth to twins. Now, at this writing, sixty years old and a single mother of two, she has more energy than most people I know, frequently goes 14-hours days, shows no sign of slowing down, and leaves most people in her wake, feeling like can’t keep up.

St. James knows that she’s talking about when she talks about energy. She’s a life coach whose stock in trade is something called energy medicine. In her own practice she does what’s called energy transformation, helping people make the kind of life shift (also the title of the book she wrote about her experience) that allows them to leave behind most of the energy-sapping negative emotions and generate replacements from the “light” end of the spectrum. Not for nothing do they call the process of giving up anger and stress “lightening up”.

“Worry, anger, and stress totally take away your energy and drain you,” St. James told me in a recent conversation. “But it’s not just about thinking positively and telling yourself everything’s going to be fine and that there’s nothing to worry about. It’s actually learning how to shift yourself out of feeling these negative feelings and to begin to actually reprogram yourself to feel and think positively”.

Effective Home Remedies For Diarrhea

2012-02-03T00:09:00.000-08:00

1. A teaspoon of fenugreek powder with buttermilk is an effective antidote for diarrhea.

2. Chew guava leaf for acute diarrhea

3. Mix a little salt with lime juice and drink it without adding water.

4. Mix a pinch of salt with a tablespoon of ginger juice and drink it.

5. Swallow a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with a tablespoon of curd for immediate relief from diarrhea

6. Mix together a teaspoon each of cumin seed powder into a thick paste. Take a teaspoon thrice a day.

7. Black tea is very effective against diarrhea.

8. Mash a ripe banana with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of tamarind pulp. Take this twice a day.

9. Make an infusion with a teaspoon of cumin seeds. Add pinch of salt and teaspoon of fresh coriander juice. Drink twice daily for three days.

10. Take milk in which three flakes of garlic have been boiled.

11. Make a paste of one green chili with half a teaspoon of camphor and two tablespoon of lemon juice. Take a quarter teaspoon of this paste.

12. Drink a weak tea with a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder in it.

13. Extract juice from tender curry leaves. Mix it with a teaspoon of honey and drink it.

14. Soak three teaspoon of coriander seeds overnight in water. Mix this with a cup of buttermilk and drink.

15. Shred apple and leave for 20 minutes till brown. Eat these shreds.

16. Infuse a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg powder into a ripe banana and eat this.

17. Grind a handful of mango flowers, mix with water and drink.

18. Chop two apples and boil the pieces in milk, and drink the milk with the pieces.

19. Mix together ginger powder, pinch of salt, and jaggery. Add it to water and drink.

Food Tips: Pregnancy & Menopause

2012-02-03T00:08:00.000-08:00

Small fry
If you’re worried about mercury levels in fish and want to eat oily fish, choose those lowest down the food chain, where the toxic metal hasn’t had a chance to accumulate. Sardines, mackerel, anchovies and pilchards are good choices.

Tainted with toxins
Mercury is toxic to an unborn foetus and can stay in the bloodstream for over a year. Fish high in mercury include shark, swordfish and marlin. Fish that contain low levels include salmon, flounder, trout, haddock, tilapia and yellow fin tuna so choose these to be safe if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive.

Sup a supplement
After menopause, women experience a sudden drop in oestrogen levels which increases bone loss. To keep bones strong you need calcium and also vitamin D, which helps the body use calcium. If you diet isn’t rich in these substances, a vitamin supplement is a good idea.

Breast-feeding extra
Remember that if you’re breastfeeding you’ll need to consume an extra 300 calories a day to ensure your child gets the most benefit from your breast milk. This is the equivalent to a piece of wholemeal toast with butter, a full fat yogurt and a banana.

All for alfalfa
Alfalfa a sprouts are rich in phytoestrogens, especially isoflavones, which help relieve menopausal symptoms, as well as osteoporsis, cancer and heart disease, while cress is high in folic acid. Add sprouts to your salads and sandwich fillings for all-round women’s health.

Flax facts
Many pregnant women and vegetarians feel wary about eating fish but may be concerned they’re not getting enough omega-3 fats. For these women, flax seeds are another good source, and extra omega-3 is now being added to many foods, including yogurts and breads.

Drop nuts for your baby
If you’re pregnant, it’s worth avoiding nuts, particularly peanuts, if the baby is at risk of developing allergies. Avoid them if you or the baby’s father, brothers or sisters have certain allergic conditions such as hayfever, asthma and/or eczema.

Iron out problems
Low iron levels at the onset of pregnancy increase the risk of developing anemia after the baby is born. This affects almost a third of women, reducing energy. It can also contribute to postnatal depression. To maintain good iron levels eat lean red meat, fortified breakfast cereals, eggs, pulses, green leafy vegetables, dried apricots and prunes and wholegrain bread.

Grate some ginger
A great way to stave off nausea caused by pregnancy or other illness is to make yourself an infusion of ginger and lemon juice - not only will it calm your stomach, it will give you a vitamin boost too. Fresh ginger is the most beneficial.

Happy grazing
If you’re pregnant or thinking of trying to conceive, it’s important to snack regularly if you’re hungry – pregnancy isn’t the time to watch your weight. Women with regulated blood sugar levels (e, who didn’t let themselves get hungry) are thought to have children who perform better in brain function and memory.

Keep up the calcium
Pregnant women should aim for at least 1000 mg of calcium a day, which is more than women who aren’t pregnant. Dairy products are a great source, avoiding those that are made with mould, and there is also calcium in meat and fish and green vegetables. Low-fat yogurts, cottage cheese and dried apricots make good snacks.

Caffeine conscious
Pregnant women should limit their intake of caffeine as more than 300 mg per day (three cups of coffee, 6 cups of tea or 8 cans of cola) has been linked to miscarriage and low birth weight.

Breast cancer treatment for those who can’t afford

2012-02-03T00:05:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer continues to be the second-leading cause of cancer death in African-American women, second to only lung cancer. So, it is important that we start to discuss this deadly disease every month of the year. Beyond discussing it, we need to do something about it.

Current studies show that while the incidence of breast cancer is actually lower in African-American women, the mortality rate is much higher than it is in any other racial/ethnic group. Why does breast cancer continue to take the lives of so many African-American women?

The mortality rate of African-American women may be connected to lack of access to detection and treatment services. Combine that with economic, social constraints, such as inadequate or little health insurance, or no insurance at all, and the diagnosis and death rate start to climb.

There is one organization here in St. Louis leading the way to hopefully reverse these grave statistics. It is called Gateway to Hope. Founded by two doctors in our area in 2005, the mission of the not-for- profit organization is to save the lives of individuals who have or are at risk of having breast cancer.

They help the uninsured or underinsured by proving treatment and services at no cost to the patient. The organization maintains a network of professional partners such as doctors, hospitals and pharmacies who donate all of their services. KMOV-TV – Channel 4 is a proud sponsor.

To date its caring network of volunteers claim they have saved the lives of more than 250 women – 250 daughters, sisters, aunts, wives, mothers, family members and friends.

I encourage women in the African-American community to schedule their mammograms, and also contact Gateway to Hope if you find yourself or a loved one diagnosed with breast cancer but unable to afford medical treatment.

In order to decrease the mortality rate from breast cancer in our community, we have to start increasing the awareness year-round. We must spread the word, about the resources in our area like Gateway to Hope, where doctors, hospital staff and pharmacists work each and every day to save the lives of those with – or at risk – of having breast cancer, but can who cannot afford treatment.

Please tell the women you know, about the life saving mission of Gateway to Hope. Remember, together we can save lives.

Gateway to Hope: 314-569-1113; info@gthstl.org.

Robin Smith is a news anchor for KMOV-TV Channel 4.

source: stlamerican

Bad habits: Most amazing tips to get rid

2012-02-01T04:15:00.000-08:00

Write down everything you eat for three days. Do you add a lot of butter, sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, cut back your portions.

Jump for better joints
Get into the high-impact habit. Studies have shown that to keep muscles and bones strong, resistance training that involves impact, such as running, walking, skipping rope and weight training, can be more beneficial than smooth, slow movements like swimming and cycling.

Feng shui your bad habits away
According to feng shui practioners, had habits could be due to problems in the bedroom health area. Draw a plan of your room with the main entrance at the bottom and divide it into nine roughly equal squares. Your health area is the middle square on the left. Make sure it is clutter free or fill it with round-leaved plants.

Give in to chocolate
Chocolate – especially dark chocolate – can boost your mood by increasing levels of the amino acid L-tryptophan, which encourages feel-good serotonin to be released, so don’t feel guilty about tucking in.

Write Down
Size up your bad habits by listing all the pros and cons. Having a clear list of good and bad points to compare makes it far easier to measure up the benefits of giving up a bad habit. Look at the list every time you feel your motivation slipping.

Stop Late-Night Snacking
Eating a big meal at night, or snacking through the evening, impairs sleep quality by sending your body mixed messages and giving it heavy work to do, making it more difficult for you to get to sleep. Instead, eat earlier in the evening.

Do it today
Procrastinating – putting everything off until tomorrow – not only reduces your efficiency but also causes stress. The longer you hold “to do” lists in your head, the more stressful they become. Vow to do one chore every day.

Don’t be picky
Rather than eliminating the problem, picking spots can introduce dirt and bacteria onto the skin surface, increasing chances of infection, not to mention the effects of redness and scarring. So, for healthier skin, don’t pick – cover up blemishes instead.

Cull your cravings culprits
Foods you crave and eat the most may be causing a lot of your health problems, say researchers who are worried about people becoming dependent on sugar highs from snack foods. Chief culprits to cut are pastry, cakes, biscuits (cookies) and doughnuts.

Walk off the weight
If you’re a couch potato and don’t spend much time outside, make yourself walk in the fresh air for a least ten minutes a day. Not only will it boost your metabolism and help stretch out muscles, the natural light will raise vitamin D levels.

Cut Caffeine to stop stress
Coffee drinkers can have up to a third more stress hormones circulating in their system than non-coffee drinkers, making them more prone to stress. Aim for no more than three cups a day, swapping the rest for water or herbal teas.

Set an alarm to crack the craving
If you get a craving for a bad habit – like smoking or filing up on cakes or ice cream – set a timer for five minutes, then see if you still have the craving when it goes off. Experts believe this time lapse can cure cravings.

Take a break at work
Far from being efficient, workaholics who don’t take breaks during the day are up to a quarter less efficient than those with healthier working practices. Working through breaks is a false economy, so make yourself have at least three breaks when you DON’T think about work at all.

Keep hunger in the can
Downing a carbonated drink at breakfast is likely to make you more hungry at lunchtime, even if it’s one of the sugar-free varieties. Don’t start your day with the fizz.

Eat early to stay slim
Recent research studies have shown that people who regularly eat breakfast consume more vitamins and minerals throughout the day than those who skip breakfast, and they are also less likely to be overweight.

Be a hunger monger
Instead of scoffing food whenever you get the opportunity, think about eating moderately and according to your natural appetite instead. To do this, rate your hunger on a scale from one (absolutely starving) to ten (completely stuffed). Then, only start eating at two or three and finish at seven.

Switch sweets for fruit
If you find yourself munching on high-sugar, high-calorie sweets and snacks for a treat, try switching to chopped fruit or non-sugar yogurt instead. Both of these are sweet, but healthy, natural alternatives.

Positive reinforcement may boost kids' brains

2012-02-01T04:09:00.000-08:00

If your child forgets his lunch or struggles with school work, a little more loving might turn things around.

Supportive mothers who practice positive reinforcement seem to help their children's brains grow, according to new research from Washington University.

Brain scans show that school-age children of nurturing mothers have a 10 percent larger hippocampus — the region of the brain that plays a role in memory, learning and stress response — compared to the brains of children whose mothers were deemed less supportive.

The take-home message for working and stay-at-home parents is to praise children more than you scold them, the researchers said.

"Parents might feel guilty because they're working, and we work a lot as well," said Dr. Kelly Botteron, a professor of child psychiatry and co-author of the study. "But when you're home in the evening and you're trying to rush through homework and trying to get dinner ready, if you remember to say a couple nice, really positive things ... I think a lot of parents could do that and it's a practical thing that has very little risk to it."

It's long been known that orphans and other neglected children who are placed in loving homes can improve their behavior and health. And while a link between nurturing mothers and their offspring's brain growth has been established in rats, the study is the first to show the same anatomical process in humans.

As part of their ongoing research on childhood depression, staff members watched how two groups of 92 children ages 3 to 5 interacted with their caregivers (usually mothers) during a stressful task. One group of children had symptoms of depression and the others were assigned to a control group.

For the task, the mothers were told to fill out a questionnaire. The child was given a wrapped present but told not to open it right away. The eight-minute "waiting task," as it's known, has been used by researchers as a reliable indicator of parental nurturing skills. The task is thought to simulate situations at home, such as a parent distracted by cooking dinner while the child needs to focus on homework.

Researchers who reviewed the taped interactions rated the mothers' responses to their children's behavior. Mothers received points each time they praised the child's patience or offered encouragement to not open the gift.

The researchers acknowledged they're not getting a complete picture of family life, especially if Mom was having a bad day. But they are confident that the results of the MRI brain scans on the kids, performed four years after the "waiting task," indicate that children who have more supportive mothers also have bigger brains.

Children with less supportive mothers had a hippocampus volume that was 9.2 percent smaller than the children of more nurturing mothers. In children with depression, the effects of nurturing were not as positive, and the researchers think the disease process has a greater impact on brain development.

The researchers plan to run second and third MRI brain scans on the children, who are now preteens, to watch for brain development over time.

Although the study wasn't designed to look at fathers, foster parents or grandparents, the researchers said the positive effects of nurturing can come from any caregivers, which can be reasonably stretched to include teachers.

"If you know your child is in a difficult situation, to reinforce to them that you know it's a hard situation but they're doing such a great job, that's the kind of parenting we would try to encourage," Botteron said.

The researchers were careful to point out they're not opposed to disciplining children or giving them boundaries.

"You should be supportive and nurturing, which is not the same as spoiling, and not the same as smothering," said the study's lead author Dr. Joan Luby, a professor of child psychiatry.

One local mom said it was exciting to hear that something she already believes in could have an effect on her children's intellectual, and not just emotional, development.

"For a nurturing parent it's both beautiful and frightening because many of us who spend a lot of nights wondering whether we're doing everything we possibly can for our children, this falls into the category of one more thing to worry about," said Danielle Smith of O'Fallon, Mo., who has two young children and writes the blog extraordinarymommy.com. "It sounds like a bonus to me, but I have to embrace the idea that what I'm doing is enough."

Source: stltoday

Truth about most common genetic diseases in the United States

2012-02-01T04:06:00.000-08:00

Sickle cell disease one of the most common genetic diseases in the United States. It is estimated that more than 70,000 people have sickle cell disease and more than two million people carry the gene that allows them to pass it on to their children.

People often mistake sickle cell disease as a primarily African-American disease, but in fact, sickle cell disease affects millions of people throughout the world and not only people whose ancestors come from Saharan Africa, but also from Spanish-speaking regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, Caribbean, Central America), Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

There are many other facts about sickle cell that most people don’t know. Test your knowledge.

Did you know that it is still important to know whether or not you have sickle cell trait even if you do not have any symptoms?

People with sickle cell trait usually do not have any of the symptoms of the disease (people who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have the sickle cell trait). However, it is possible for a person with sickle cell trait to have complications of the disease under extreme conditions, such as:

•High altitude (flying, mountain climbing, or cities with a high altitude)

•Increased pressure (scuba diving)

•Low oxygen (mountain climbing or exercising extremely hard, such as in military boot camp or when training for an athletic competition)

•Dehydration (too little water in the body)

In addition, a person with sickle cell trait can pass the sickle cell gene on to their children.

Did you know that people with sickle cell trait are less likely to get malaria?

People with sickle cell disease can get malaria just like anyone else. However, people with sickle cell trait are less likely to get malaria. The trait does not completely protect a person from infection, but it makes death from malaria less likely.

Did you know that a pain “episode” or “crisis” is the most common symptom of sickle cell disease and the top reason that people with the disease go to the emergency room or hospital?

When sickle cells travel through small blood vessels, they can get stuck and clog the blood flow. This causes pain that can start suddenly, be mild to severe, and last for any length of time.

Did you know that a woman with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy?

Women with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy, but need to be extra careful to avoid problems during pregnancy that can affect their own health and the health of the unborn baby. The disease may become more severe and pain episodes may occur more frequently. There is a higher risk of preterm labor and of having a low-birthweight baby. However, with early prenatal care and careful monitoring throughout pregnancy, women with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy.

During pregnancy, there is a test to find out if the unborn baby will have sickle cell disease, sickle cell trait, or neither one. The test is usually conducted after the second month of pregnancy. Women with sickle cell disease might want to see a genetic counselor to find information about the disease and the chances that sickle cell disease will be passed to the baby.

Did you know that there are different types of sickle cell disease?

People who inherit two sickle cell genes, one from each parent, have a type of sickle cell disease called SS. This is commonly called “sickle cell anemia” and is usually the most severe form of the disease. People who inherit a sickle cell gene from one parent and a gene for another type of abnormal hemoglobin (hemoglobin is a protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body) from the other parent, have a different type of sickle cell disease.

Some types of sickle cell disease are very severe and some are milder. The disease affects each person differently.

Did you know that there are a lot of things that a person with sickle cell disease can do to avoid some of the complications?

People with sickle cell disease can live full lives and enjoy most of the activities that other people do. There are things that people with sickle cell disease can do to stay as healthy as possible. Here a few examples:

• Get regular checkups. Regular health checkups with a primary care doctor can help prevent some serious problems.

• Prevent infections. Common illnesses, like the flu, can quickly become dangerous for a child with sickle cell disease. The best defense is to take simple steps to help prevent infections.

• Learn healthy habits. People with sickle cell disease should drink eight to 10 glasses of water every day and eat healthy food. They also should try not to get too hot, too cold, or too tired.

• Look for clinical studies. New clinical research studies are happening all the time to find better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for sickle cell disease. People who participate in these studies might have access to new medicines and treatment options. To learn more about sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait, get tips for healthy living and other resources for sickle cell disease call 1-800-CDC-INFO or go to http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell.

• Get support. Find a patient support group or community-based organization in your area that can provide information, assistance, and support.

Gene that triggers pancreatic cancer growth identified

2012-02-01T04:05:00.001-08:00

Washington: Researchers have revealed that a mutant protein found in nearly all pancreatic cancers plays a role not only in the cancer’s development but also in its continued growth.

The finding from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests a possible target for developing new ways to treat this deadly disease.

When Kras is turned off, early stage precancerous pancreatic lesions transform into normal pancreas cells.

Researchers have known that mutations in the Kras gene are what cause pancreatic cancer to develop. These mutations are frequently seen in common precancerous lesions, suggesting it has an early role in pancreatic cancer.

The new study found that in mice, mutant Kras also keeps the tumor growing and helps precancerous tumors grow into invasive cancer. When the researchers turned off Kras, the tumors disappeared and showed no signs of recurring.
The researchers were able to manipulate Kras in a mouse model that they designed to look at Kras at various points in pancreatic cancer development. In the precancerous lesions, turning off Kras eliminated the tumors in mice and the pancreas tissue returned to normal, with no signs of the cancer returning.

With invasive cancer, inactivating Kras killed off the cancer but left the pancreas with fibrous areas similar to scar tissue. Tumors did not recur.

Researchers hope this finding provides the basis for future drug development.

“Right now no drugs specifically target Kras, but there are drugs that target the cellular processes downstream of Kras. We next need to figure out which of these downstream effectors of Kras are important in pancreatic cancer,” says study author Marina Pasca di Magliano, Ph.D., assistant professor of surgery and of cell and developmental biology at the U-M Medical School.

The study has been published in the February Journal of Clinical Investigation.

How exercise lowers blood pressure

2012-01-30T06:05:00.000-08:00

Though it will increase somewhat during the hours after exercise, there is evidence that repeated exercise sessions will gradually lower resting BP, especially in those with borderline or mild hypertension.

Remarkable changes take place in your cardiovascular system when you exercise. However, blood flow to working muscles increases tremendously, which causes an immediate drop in blood pressure. The body responds rapidly increasing heart rate and cardiac output to maintain blood pressure at the level required.

As you stop exercising, blood pressure can fall just as dramatically. This is due to a number of factors:

* When the muscles stop contracting, there is no longer a pump to send blood back to the heart. Moreover, the heart responds by lowering cardiac output, and blood pressure drops.

* Thus, concentrations of metabolic byproducts (such as lactic acid) remain in the bloodstream, which causes blood vessels in the muscle to remain dilated. Allowing blood flow in these areas to remain high, resulting in a fall in blood volume of the heart, which lowers BP.

* Also, body temperature increases with exercise causing the blood vessels in the skin to dilate in order to lose the extra heat. Thus, reduces blood volume in the heart.

For some people, especially those who fail to do a cool-down routine and stand still after exercising, blood pressure drops so much that they faint. However, for most, the reduced BP is a desirable outcome.

Risk factors can cause major cardiovascular diseases

2012-01-30T06:03:00.000-08:00

Elevated risk factors can aggravate and induce major cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in later life, according to a new study by a team of researchers at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Doctors and those in locum cardiology work have long identified conditions such as high blood pressure and the continued build-up of fatty deposits in the blood stream as potential causes of CVD. Now the National Institute of Health researchers have found that if these risks are constantly elevated then a person runs the risk of having a CVD-related actuality such as a stroke or heart attack.

In the UK the NHS ranks CVD as being the biggest killer in people with Cardiac Matters saying that the condition claims 94,000 lives a year through heart attacks. The organisation believes that someone dies from a heart attack every six minutes with over 1.4 million Brits having an attack before they are 35.

The research found that men over the age of 55 that had two types of elevated risks were six times more likely to die of CVD before they reached their 80th birthday than others who had no risk factors. Researchers at the institute felt that preventing CVD was a "lifetime opportunity" with the responsibility to control the risk levels in a person's body being down to the individual, their family, their community and the health service itself. Adults were also advised to keep a close eye on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, M.D. and Susan B. Shurin, M.D. said: "It is important for adults to know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers and whether they are at risk for diabetes and also to understand the different approaches they can take to prevent or control their risks for CVD. This paper underscores the importance of raising awareness of heart disease and coronary heart disease."

written by Martin Lambert

source: mediplacements

FDA approves Pfizer drug Inlyta for advanced kidney cancer

2012-01-30T06:02:00.000-08:00

Renal cell carcinoma is a kind of kidney cancer that begins in the lining of extremely small tubes in the kidney. More recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the drug namely Inlyta for the treatment of patients suffering from advanced kidney cancer who are non-responsive to other medications for this cancer.

To test the working and safety of the drug, a randomized trial constituting nearly 723 patients whose condition had advanced and were exposed to 1 prior systematic therapy, was conducted. The team wished to examine if the drug helped in progression free survival, which is the period when the disease does not progress and the patient is alive.

“This is the seventh drug that has been approved for the treatment of metastatic or advanced kidney cell cancer since 2005. Collectively, this unprecedented level of drug development within this time period has significantly altered the treatment paradigm of metastatic kidney cancer, and offers patients multiple treatment options,” commented Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

While a standard treatment using a sorafenib resulted in 4.7 months progression free survival, Inlyta apparently showed 6.7 months progression-free survival. The common side-effects seen were high blood pressure, loss of voice, poor appetite, hand-foot syndrome, diarrhea, weakness, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, tiredness and constipation.

As a word of caution, the team has urged patients to control high blood pressure prior to consuming Inlyta. Notably, patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and untreated brain tumors should not consume this drug. Some of the individuals who took the medication also seemed to encounter bleeding problems that turned fatal in some cases.

Inlyta is a tablet that is supposed to be taken 2 times in a day. It is marketed by Pfizer.

source: healthjockey

Cloning scientists create human brain cells

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

Scientists in Edinburgh who pioneered cloning have made a technological breakthrough that could pave the way for better medical treatment of mental illnesses and nerve diseases

Scientist Ian Wilmut with Dolly, the worlds first cloned sheep, at the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh in 2001. Photograph: Murdo Macleod

The news that Edinburgh scientists had created the world's first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, at the university's Roslin Institute made headlines around the world 16 years ago. Her birth raised hopes of the creation of a new generation of medicines – with a host of these breakthroughs occurring at laboratories in the university over the following decade.

And now one of the most spectacular has taken place at Edinburgh's Centre for Regenerative Medicine, where scientists have continued to develop the technology used to make Dolly. In a series of remarkable experiments, they have created brain tissue from patients suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar depression and other mental illnesses.

The work offers spectacular rewards for doctors. From a scrap of skin taken from a patient, they can make neurones genetically identical to those in that person's brain. These brain cells, grown in the laboratory, can then be studied to reveal the neurological secrets of their condition.

"A patient's neurones can tell us a great deal about the psychological conditions that affect them, but you cannot stick a needle in someone's brain and take out its cells," said Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, the centre's director.

"However, we have found a way round that. We can take a skin sample, make stem cells from it and then direct these stem cells to grow into brain cells. Essentially, we are turning a person's skin cells into brain. We are making cells that were previously inaccessible. And we could do that in future for the liver, the heart and other organs on which it is very difficult to carry out biopsies."

The scientists are concentrating on a range of neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and motor neurone disease. In addition, work is being carried out on schizophrenia and bipolar depression, two debilitating ailments that are triggered by malfunctions in brain activity. This latter project is directed by Professor Andrew McIntosh of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, who is working in collaboration with the regenerative medicine centre.

"We are making different types of brain cells out of skin samples from people with schizophrenia and bipolar depression," he said. "Once we have assembled these, we look at standard psychological medicines, such as lithium, to see how they affect these cells in the laboratory. After that, we can start to screen new medicines. Our lines of brain cells would become testing platforms for new drugs. We should be able to start that work in a couple of years."

In the past, scientists have studied brain tissue from people with conditions such as schizophrenia, but could only do so once an autopsy had been carried out. "It is very difficult to get primary tissue to study until after a patient has died," added McIntosh.

"Even then, that tissue is affected by whatever killed them and by the impact of the medication they had been taking for their condition, possibly for several decades. So having access to living brain cells is a significant development for the development of drugs for these conditions."

In addition, ffrench-Constant is planning experiments to create brain cells from patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, a disease that occurs when a person's immune system turns on his or her own nerve cells and starts destroying the myelin sheaths that protect the fibres that it uses to communicate with other nerve cells. The condition induces severe debilitation in many cases.

"The problem with MS is that we cannot predict how patients will progress," said ffrench-Constant. "In some, it progresses rapidly. In others, the damage to the myelin is repaired and they can live quite happily for many years. If we can find out the roots of the difference, we may be able to help patients."

The brain cells that make myelin and wrap it around the fibres of nerve cells are known as oligodendrocytes. "We will take skin samples from MS patients whose condition has progressed quickly and others in whom it is not changing very much.

"Then we will make oligodendrocytes from those samples and see if there is an intrinsic difference between the two sets of patients. In other words, we will see if there is an underlying difference in people's myelin-making cells that explains, when they get MS, why some manage to repair damage to their brain cells and others do not."

Once that mechanism is revealed, the route to developing a new generation of MS drugs could be opened up, he added. "It is only a hypothesis, but it is a very attractive one," said ffrench-Constant. "Crucially, stem cells will be the means of proving it."

The technology involved in this work is a direct offshoot from the science involved in making Dolly the sheep. Dolly showed that adult cells in animals were more flexible than previously thought. This paved the way for research that allows scientists to turn adult cells, such as those found in the skin, into stem cells that can then be converted into any other type of cell found in the human body.

Four basic uses for stem cells have been found: to test the toxicity of drugs; to create tissue for transplanting, for example for Parkinson's disease; to try to boost levels of a patient's own population of stem cells in order to improve their defences against diseases; and to make models of diseases that will lead to the development of new drugs, as is being done with the Edinburgh research on brain cells.

"That is why the stem cell revolution is so important," said ffrench-Constant. "It has so much to offer, not just in the area of creating material for transplants but in areas such as making models of diseases which should then allow you, hopefully, to develop all sorts of new treatments for a condition."

source: guardian

Hydrogen sulphide water – a miracle for the skin

2012-01-30T05:59:00.000-08:00

Slovakia is known in Europe for its many natural springs with excellent water quality, not only of drinking water, but of healing water as well. A great example of how to use natural mineral water and its healing effects is the Spa Smrdáky 10 km away from Senica. For almost 180 years the Spa has specialised in treatment of skin diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system using unique natural resources – hydrogen sulphide mineral water and sulphurous mud.

The skin diseases treated here include psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. However, other chronic skin diseases are treated here as well, such as acne, lichen, dry skin in ichtyosis, itching (pruritus) and skin stiffening (sclerodermia). Likewise, the conditions after burns and acid burns of the skin. Musculoskeletal diseases treated here include especially psoriatic arthropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, arthroses, vertebrogenic spine diseases and conditions after spine operations. Comprehensive treatment is provided here not only for adults, but for children as well, beginning with three years of age already.

During the school year, schoolchildren have classes here. After classes and healing procedures the schoolchildren are provided with after-school childcare, with a teacher taking care of them. On the premises of the paediatric sanatorium there are playgrounds for children to play sports – football or basketball; there are climbing frames for the smaller kids in the park. Other games and activities are also available.

The most important procedures of the comprehensive treatment are mineral hydrogen sulphide baths, either for the whole body or just its parts, be it for face, arms or legs. Depending on the condition of the skin disease, permanganate baths, baths with different bath additives, whirlpool baths and Scottish showers are applied. Children learn here how to treat their skin adequately, because treatment with local preparations (ointments, creams, oils) forms an important part of the comprehensive care. And it has a great importance for the extension of the period without the symptoms of the disease and for preventing relapses. The comprehensive treatment includes also light therapy, be it in natural tanning salons or by several phototherapeutic devices of the type UVB-311 a UVA, which are available for the cases of bad weather. They are applied depending on the diagnosis and skin phototype.

When talking about the treatment procedures, we mustn’t forget the recommended length of stay. Although improvement is evident already after the first week of treatment, the best results are achieved after a three- to four-week stay. To stabilise the disease, it is recommended to repeat the Spa treatment annually. However, this is individual, depending on the extent and severity of the skin disease. After Spa treatment the patient stays without any symptoms about for half to three quarters of the year. The easiest and most effective is a 3-4-week stay paid by the health insurance company. The patient’s dermatologist or general physician for children and adolescents writes the proposals for Spa treatment. However, we do offer stays fully paid by our customers as well – either a healing or a relaxation stay.

source: treatmentabroad

How to increase Emotional and Cognitive Intelligence?

2012-01-27T00:09:00.000-08:00

10 Steps to enhance your Emotional Intelligence/EQ:
1.Knowing yourself well, make use of assessment tools to understand your strengths and weaknesses

2.Working with a mentor/personal coach to improve your EQ

3.Identifying the causes of feelings, become aware of split-second, preconscious thoughts and their possible distortions

4.Be aware of your emotional style, things you do to avoid discomfort

5.Learning to differentiate between emotion and the subsequent need to take action to promote action in response to avoidance, withdrawal, and sadness, to inhibit action in response to anger and hostility

6.Increasing your optimism

7.Turning mistakes into energy

8.Developing listening skills by asking open-ended questions

9.Give more positive feedback to yourself, and to others, avoid thinking negatives to increase your appreciation of yourself and others

10.Engage yourself to leadership trainings

Different Ways on how to enhance your Cognitive Intelligence:

Food to eat

Nuts - some nuts that have minerals and amino acids that are beneficial to the brain include almonds and walnuts

Olive oil - high in mono-unsaturated fat, olive oil has been shown to improve memory a cheaper alternative is canola oil, but this hasn't been studied much yet

Vitamin supplements - choose those that are good for memory and brain

Fiber - people report clearer thinking as one of the benefits of curing their constipation

Avoid suspect foods - artificial food colorings, artificial sweeteners, colas, corn syrup, frostings, high-sugar drinks, hydrogenated fats, sugars, white bread, and any white-flour products

Eat foods high in antioxidants - antioxidants protect all your cells, including brain cells

Some of the foods highest in antioxidants include: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, garlic, kale, cranberries, strawberries, spinach, and raspberries

Folic acid - alleviates depression and reverses memory loss

Potential brain foods - avocados, bananas, lean beef, brewer's yeast. broccoli, brown rice, brussel sprouts, cantaloupe, cheese, chicken, collard greens, eggs, flax seed oil, legumes, oatmeal, oranges, peanut butter, peas, potatoes, romaine lettuce, salmon, soybeans, spinach, tuna, turkey, wheat germ, and yogurt

Gingko Biloba - leaves of this tree have been proven to increase blood flow to the brain

Saint John's Wort - is a common weed that may be growing in your yard

Rosemary - a common herb may have an effect on the brain when the scent is inhaled

Caffeine - research shows higher test scores for students who drink coffee before major exams

Avoid too much fat - you may want to stick to using olive oil and other non-saturated fats

Avoid sugar - any simple carbohydrates can give you "brain fog" avoid pasta, sugars, white bread and potato chips before any important mental tasks

Creatine - a compound found in meat, used by athletes to help build muscle

Eat fish - actually speeds up brain waves, and improves concentration

Sniff basil - another of the herbs that may be good for your brain

Vitamin E - an antioxidant, and reduces the clogging of blood vessels, including those going in the brain

Vitamin C - gives resistance and helps body and brain function well

Selenium - Brazil nuts and garlic

Alpha-lipoic acid - improves memory and protects nerve cells

Inositol - a safe and natural substance that is often grouped with the B-vitamins, reduces stress

Huperzine A - a compound extracted from the Chinese club moss

Drink wine in moderation - red wine can be good for the brain. It is rich in antioxidants, which protect brain cells

Things to do

>Inhale & Exhale - more air in means more oxygen in the blood and also in the brain

Meditate- a simple meditation by closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath

Eat less - overeating has the immediate effect of redirecting more blood to the digestive process

Eat breakfast - it's hard to think when stomach is empty

Self awareness - when you know yourself better, you can avoid the usual effects of ego and emotion in your seemingly "rational" thinking

Motivate yourself - motivation is as important to mental tasks as it is to any other

Avoid too much stress - learn a few stress reduction techniques if you get stressed out often

Use alcohol in moderation - it is known that alcohol can kill brain cells

Get educated - education in any area seems to make the brain stronger

Sit up straight - posture affects our thinking process

Good thinking habits - use a problem solving technique for several weeks and it will become a habit

Make notes - it is a way to tell your memory what is important to recall things more easily

Avoid foods that cause subtle allergies - wheat, corn, peanuts and dairy products

Enough sleep - minimum of 8 hrs

Exercise - can boost-up brainpower

Talk - try to explain something you don't understand very well to a friend, and you'll notice that the process of explaining will help you clarify your understanding

Do something you enjoy - this is a way to both lower stress boost-up your brain

Adjust your beliefs - believe that you are smarter, then you'll become smarter

Brain exercises - do math in on your free time

Learn new things - important additional information

Avoid unnecessary arguments - when you defend a position too vigorously, especially when it is just to "win" the argument, you invest your ego into it

Laugh - release of endorphins caused by laughter lowers stress levels, which is good for long term brain health

Play - intellectual play, as well as any playing that involves hand-eye coordination stimulates the brain

Do puzzles - crossword puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles, and even good riddles are a great way to get brain exercise

Ask questions - to things that are unclear to you

CDC study can't explain mysterious crawling-skin disease

2012-01-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.

Although the findings may not mollify those who say they have Morgellons, as the condition has been dubbed by some, CDC's Mark Eberhard says the findings are useful in that they tell both patients and doctors that the condition is rare and neither contagious nor environmentally based.

The research came about because of intense public interest in the topic beginning around 2002 because of both media attention and sufferers connecting online. Similar conditions have gone by other names, including Ekbom's syndrome or delusional infestation.

The CDC "was receiving inquiries from a variety of sources, including the public, about this condition," says Eberhard, who directs CDC's Division of Parasitic Diseases. "It was clear that these people were suffering from something; the question was what might it be."

The study was conducted among 3.2 million people whose health care was with Kaiser Permanente in 13 Northern California counties from 2006 to 2008. Researchers identified 115 patients who reported fibers or other solid material coming through their skin as well as skin lesions or the feeling that "something is crawling on top of or under the skin," according to the paper, which is published in this week's edition of the journal PLoS ONE.

Doctors found that the condition was rare, with only 3.65% of the Kaiser patients reporting it. Sufferers tended to be white (77%) and female (77%), with a median age of 52. Seventy percent of sufferers reported the material emerging from their skin as fibers, the rest described "specks, granules, dots, worms, sand, eggs, fuzz balls and larvae."

However, the researchers could not find any evidence of these. Instead, dermatologists found fibers on the edges or under scabs and none in unbroken skin. When examined they proved to be cotton or polyester fibers, or in a few cases the likely remains of fingernail polish.

"We were able to answer conclusively that they were not living entities," Eberhard says.

Jason Reichenberg, director of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern-Austin, said the paper "confirms what anybody who has ever seen a patient with this knows, which is that these patients are suffering greatly and their suffering is real; they shouldn't be dismissed.

"This is something that needs to be treated," says Reichenberg, who will lead a session on the topic at an upcoming dermatology organization meeting in San Diego. "It's really important to discuss that there might be other ways to approach the disease. Until we can find an exact cause or a cure, it's important that we try to improve their suffering."

The skin lesions didn't appear to be caused by external forces, but primarily by scratching or rubbing. They also appeared only in areas where the sufferer could reach. For example, when lesions appeared on the back, they were in a typical dumbbell pattern made by how far the arm can reach around.

A large number of the sufferers had other health problems as well: 70% reported chronic fatigue and 54% reported their overall health as fair or poor. Many also had high levels of "somatic concerns," meaning they had preoccupations with their http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhealth. The researchers found evidence of illicit drug use in 50% of patients, based on hair sample testing. For comparison, a national survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 8.9% of the population are current illicit drug users. Eberhard cautioned that the high levels could be related to attempts by sufferers to alleviate their symptoms.

There is no doubt that the patients "had something that was impacting their quality of life," Eberhard says. He says he hopes that their research will allow doctors and patients together to find the most appropriate care for those afflicted.

Source of this news - yourlife.usatoday

Statins May Stave Off Liver Cancer in People With Hepatitis B

2012-01-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

Study found lower risk of developing disease for people taking these cholesterol-cutting drugs.

By Denise Mann

Popular cholesterol-lowering statins may also lower risk for liver cancer among people with hepatitis B, a new study shows. Hepatitis B, an inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis B virus, is one of the main causes of liver cancer.

This is not the first time that statins have shown promise in reducing risk for cancer. Other studies have hinted that these drugs may play a role in preventing certain types of cancer, including breast cancer.

In the new study of more than 33,000 individuals with hepatitis B followed from 1997 to 2008, those who took a statin were less likely to develop liver cancer, when compared to participants who were not prescribed statins. What's more, the longer a person took statins, the greater the liver-cancer risk reduction. Study participants were prescribed the statins to treat high cholesterol levels. Overall, 1,021 people developed liver cancer during the study period.

More research is needed to see how statins may lower liver cancer risk among people with hepatitis B, the researchers said.

"Statins have potential protective effects against cancers [and] carriers of hepatitis B virus infection have a substantial risk of [liver] carcinoma," said Dr. Pau-Chung Chen, a professor of environmental medicine and epidemiology at National Taiwan University, in Taipei. "Statin use is not only a benefit to preventing cardiovascular diseases, but also an additional, convenient and acceptable strategy for preventing hepatocellular carcinoma," or liver cancer, Chen said.

However, statins can cause a potentially dangerous rise in liver enzymes and liver damage. Regular liver function tests are required for all people who take statins.

The study appeared online Jan. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

"This is exciting and unequivocally solid research," said Dr. Eugene Schiff, a professor of medicine and director of the Center for Liver Diseases at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

"One of the issues is that statins are relatively contraindicated in people with liver disease," Schiff said. But "the take-home message for people with hepatitis B or anybody with liver disease is that statins are safe. This re-emphasizes the point that if someone has chronic hepatitis B and there is an indication for statins, they should get them and they may be beneficial far beyond lowering cholesterol: They may also reduce their risk for liver cancer."

Dr. David Bernstein, chief of hepatology at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Manhasset, N.Y., is more cautious. "In almost all other liver conditions, cirrhosis must be present before [liver cancer] develops," he said. During cirrhosis, scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue. "Statins must be used with caution in patients with cirrhosis, which can limit their use in patients with liver disease at risk of developing liver cancer," he said. "Further studies are needed in this patient population to confirm these findings."

source: doctorslounge

Rev-up with colors to boost energy

2012-01-25T00:09:00.000-08:00

Make a Colour Shift
When you energy sags and you need a quick up-me-up, think red. Deep saturated red, to be precise. Although the colour symbolizes different things in different cultures, studies have consistently shown that it has a stimulating effect.

How’s that, you ask? Let me explain.

Colour is energy. It actually has temperature, measured in what’s called degrees Kelvin. (Examples: The temperature of direct sunlight is 5,000K, the temperature of a match flame 1,700K). This all started in the late 1800s, when a British physicist named William Kelvin discovered that if you heated a block of carbon it would glow in the heat, producing a range of different colours at different temperatures.

But I digress.

REV UP WITH RED (OR ORANGE OR YELLOW)
Our experience of color basically happens because light waves of various frequencies are processed through photoreceptors in the retina, then sent as nerve impulses to the cortex, where, voila, they’re translated by the brain into our experience of color. Truth be told, we can only detect three of them: red, blue, and green. Our fabulous in-house computer called the brain ten does the color mixing to create the exact hue.

Because it affects our brain, colour can be much more than a visual treat. It can be an experience, one that evokes emotion. Colour can excite or calm, it can convey a sense of coolness or warmth, it can symbolize strength or purity or romance. The famous psychoanalyst and child psychiatrist Bruno Bettelheim used to insist on having his clinics painted yellow, precisely because of the effect that colour had on the energy of his young subjects.

For thousand of years color has been used as a healing therapy. Today, most colour therapists believe it’s the different energy frequencies of color that affect us physically and emotionally. Those frequencies stimulate the pituitary and pineal glands ,triggering certain hormonal responses. Modern conventional medicine employs some version of colour therapy. For instance, infants who are jaundiced are treated with blue light.

Some research indicates that a person’s mood and personality are reflected in the colours they choose. Several studies, for instance, found that people who wear dark colours to the exclusion of any other colored clothes tend to be depressed (which, if it’s true, would mean there are an awful lot of depressed people living in Manhattan, where black is the new black). You don’t have to be a scientist to figure out that spending your days in a drab-colored room will sour your mood.

Generally, colors with loner wavelengths – reds oranges, and yellows – are thought to be more stimulating than those at the other end of the spectrum, where the greens, blues, and purples reside. (That’s why guests on television shows wait in “the green room” – it’s calming!)

One commonly held explanation is that we associate warm colors with the energy of the sun and daylight. But thee are many variables as to how we perceive and respond to color, including its hue and saturation, the material used, what other colors surround it, and how it’s used (a yellow dress may evoke a very different feeling than a room of the same shade). Deeply saturated colors – whether warm or cool – have been shown to be stimulating in some studies. Our reaction to any color may also be its association with memories, and the emotion those memories provoke.

COLOR YOUR WORLD
If you want to give you energy a real boost, experiment with color. If you closet is filled with a sea of black, go wild and try some red. Our maybe a brilliant turquoise will get you going. If you have to ease into color, start with a brightly colored shirt or scarf and see how that makes you feel.

We all have colors that seem to brighten our faces and bring out the color of our eyes (the color your mother always said you looked good in). The mere act of making an effort to brighten your wardrobe is energizing.

Adding some color to your life will boost your energy, but don’t overlook the effect a color change can have on others around you. Even if you’re not feeling it at first (which I’m sure you will), those brighter, warmer, more energetic colors may make others respond to you in a warmer, more energetic way. If energy is anything, it’s contagious!