March 2010

Fatty foods may be just as addictive as heroin and cocaine

Binging on cheesecake and Ding Dongs can make you chunky - and turn you into a junkie.

A new study found that delicious, fatty foods are as addictive as cocaine and heroin.

Florida scientists looking into the causes of obesity let lab rats gorge round-the-clock on cake frosting and sweet treats, as well as bacon and sausage, and discovered that it triggered addiction-like responses in their brains.

To maintain their food-induced highs, the rats consumed more and more fatty treats - and got obese in the process.

Writing in the journal Nature Neuroscience, researcher Paul Kenny of the Scripps Research Institute said he suspects the same chemical changes that happen to rats when they devour unhealthy foods might also be happening in humans.

"People know intuitively that there's more to [overeating] than just will power," he says. "There's a system in the brain that's been turned on or overactivated, and that's driving it at some subconscious level."

"Obesity may be a form of compulsive eating," he wrote.

And like heroin addicts hungry for the needle, food-addicted rats are not deterred by the threat of excruciating pain, the researchers found.

When they zapped the rats' feet with electric shocks, they only paused from their gnawing.

"Their attention was solely focused on consuming food," Kenny said.

In previous studies, rats hooked on heroin or cocaine exhibited similar brain changes - and also didn't appear to care about the consequences.

The findings of the Scripps scientist came as no surprise to Dr.Gene-Jack Wang at Long Island's Brookhaven National Laboratory.

"We make our food very similar to cocaine now," he told Health.com. "We purify our food. Our ancestors ate whole grains, but we're eating white bread. American Indians ate corn; we eat corn syrup."

Two-thirds of American adults and one-third of children are believed to be obese or overweight, causing a health care plague that costs the country an estimated $150 billion each year, the feds estimate.

source: nydailynews

FDA: Raw milk not a healthy choice

Raw milk was blamed for 1,614 reported illnesses, 187 hospitalizations and two deaths in the United States, from 1998 to 2008, according to the FDA.

So, is raw milk not a healthy choice?

Milk straight from the udder, a sort of "stem cell" of foods, was used as medicine to treat, and frequently cure some serious chronic diseases.

Many will even attest that clean raw milk from pastured cows is a complete and properly balanced food.

Back in 2007, the following statements were made in Virginia, "Raw milk can only be sold to processors that will pasteurize it. Animal sharing is monitored to be sure that it involves true ownership and not a scheme to sell raw milk," notes John Beers, dairy program supervisor for the Virginia State Office of Dairy and Foods.

"We certainly have seen an increase in raw milk consumption over the last four to five years," Beers says. "My counterparts in other states are all dealing with this issue of people wanting raw milk, too. It seems like the interest in this area continues to grow."

Recent studies show that drinking raw milk is indeed unhealthy and unsafe.

According to a press release on March 26, 2010, there is no meaningful nutritional difference between pasteurized and raw milk, and raw milk does not contain compounds that will kill harmful bacteria.

Raw milk is unpasteurized milk from hoofed mammals, such as cows, sheep, or goats. Raw milk may contain a wide variety of harmful bacteria – including Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Campylobacter and Brucella -- that may cause illness and possibly death. Public health authorities, including FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have expressed concerns about the hazards of drinking raw milk for decades.

source: examiner

Stroke risk goes up with each childbirth Going through childbirth more than once appears to raise a woman's risk of having a stroke due to bleeding in the brain, Korean researchers report.

In a direct comparison of women who did and did not have a stroke, the risk of bleeding, or "hemorrhagic," stroke rose 27 percent with each additional birth over none or one, Dr. Byung-Woo Yoon, at Seoul National University Hospital in the Republic of Korea, and colleagues found.

Pregnancy and delivery are known to raise stroke risk, the researchers note in the journal Neurology. Multiple births further strain and stress blood vessels and other body systems, and the stress of raising kids may also raise stroke risk.

But additional investigations are necessary to fully understand the actual underlying reasons why childbirth is tied to increased stroke risk over a woman's lifetime, Yoon and colleagues note.

They looked at ties between childbirth and stroke in a study involving 459 women who had a stroke and 918 who did not. The women were about 56 years old on average at the time of the study.

Among women who had a stroke, 38 had zero or one childbirth, 143 had given birth twice, 107 had given birth three times, and 171 had four or more deliveries.

After allowing for many other factors associated with stroke risk such as age, family history of stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette and alcohol use, as well as oral contraceptive and hormone replacement use, each additional birth was associated with 27 percent greater risk for stroke.

Women reporting four or more childbirths had nearly a threefold higher risk of stroke as women with no childbirths or one childbirth.

"Further research concerning the biologic, environmental, and psychosocial basis for this association would be meaningful in order to develop appropriate prevention strategies," Yoon and colleagues conclude.

In a commentary published with the study, Dr. Michael R. Skilton, at the Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne Vic, Australia, said this study provides strong evidence that childbirth may somehow influence hardening or weakening of blood vessels and he encourages further study of the issue.

SOURCE: Neurology, published online March 24, 2010, reuters

Estrogen Therapy Boosts Heart Health New research suggests that estrogen replacement therapy shields women from coronary heart disease, the number one killer of Finnish women. Estrogen therapy replaces the hormones women’s bodies stop making at menopause.

Women’s blood vessel heath decreases with age, affecting the functioning of estrogen in the body. Pauliina Tuomikoski, who’s dissertating on the subject on Wednesday, found that women who experienced strong sweating during menopause had healthier vessels than women who were symptomless. The vessels of the women who sweated expanded better—which is considered a good thing for heart health. Estrogen supplements further boosted vessel flexibility.

”Estrogen replacement therapy maintained and improved the functioning of blood vessels among women experiencing flushes and sweats. Their blood pressure also decreased,” says Tuomikoski.

Hormone replacement therapy remains a contentious issue in the medical community. Many women entering menopause are apprehensive about taking estrogen supplements because they fear it will increase their chances of developing breast cancer.

“Using hormone replacements for more than five years slightly increases the risk of breast cancer. However, this only applies to women who begin hormone treatment after 60,” says Tuomikoski.

While the average age for menopause is 51, some women begin experiencing hot flashes already around 40. Three-quarters of menopausal women suffer from excessive sweating.

One hundred fifty healthy menopausal women participated in the study.

Some 350,000 Finnish women take estrogen supplements.

source: yle.fi

Where the U.S. Went Wrong on Abortion Now that “baby killer” is the new “you lie!”, close observers of Congress could be forgiven for thinking that watching CSPAN coverage of the healthcare reform debate could actually diminish understanding of important public issues. Washington has gone toxic. And too many in Congress can’t discuss abortion in any but absolute terms.

There was no policy discussion during the health care reform debate from a medical - as opposed to political - perspective on why abortion services should or should not be covered in health insurance plans. In what ways do unintended pregnancies affect women’s health and what are the consequences of denying health insurance coverage? What can go wrong with planned pregnancies that lead to terminations?

Instead, the policy debate began with ensuring that no federal funds would cover abortion services. Anti-choice politicians used this starting point as an opportunity to gain ground by reshaping the private insurance market to drop abortion coverage. The debate became about how burdensome and stigmatizing the new law would make insurance coverage for abortion, even for policy-holders receiving no federal subsidies. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) succeeded in imposing unprecedented restrictions on abortion coverage, and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) persuaded the President to give these new restrictions a special shout-out in the form of an executive order.

After months of rancor and front-page headlines, it feels inevitable that government funding for abortion services is a non-starter. But it doesn’t have to be that way. While our parochial discourse has stagnated, countries around the world have recognized what the right to abortion means for the women’s ability to control their health and life. Courts and governments have also increasingly tackled the problem of how to transform a theoretical right to an abortion into real access to services for women when they are needed.

The Center for Reproductive Rights recently took a look at the last ten years in reproductive rights. We found that, internationally, the past decade has been a time of real hope and progress for reproductive health and rights.

Countries like Ethiopia and Columbia have abandoned their abortion bans, recognizing that such prohibitions deny women fundamental human rights. Drawing on the work of International Human Rights bodies, the Constitutional Court of Columbia eloquently explained that “sexual and reproductive rights emerge from the recognition that equality in general, gender equality in particular, and the emancipation of women and girls are essential to society,” and that “[p]rotecting sexual and reproductive rights is a direct path to promoting the dignity of all human beings, and a step forward in humanity’s advancement towards social justice.” When was the last time you heard anyone in Congress talk that way?

Some countries around the world are not merely catching up with the U.S. by recognizing that women have a fundamental right to abortion, they are moving beyond our limited vision that segregated rights protection and funding. From Columbia to Nepal, countries are recognizing that the granting a legal rights to abortion is only meaningful when financial barriers to abortion are eliminated. Congress and the President sadly failed to draw that same connection during health care reform.

Twenty-one of the twenty-seven members of the European Union - and another five European nations and Israel - provide funding for abortions through public health insurance or in public health facilities. In Canada, all provinces provide abortion coverage at hospitals and many also cover costs at private clinics.

A real success story of the last decade is Nepal. Before 2002, abortion was illegal in Nepal and women and their children often served time in prison based on the allegations of neighbors or estranged family members. It was finally legalized in 2002, yet prohibitive costs continued to create real obstacles to women’s ability to obtain abortion services. So Nepalese women, with our help, went to court.

In 2009, Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered the government to create a fund to ensure that women have real access to abortion. The fund has to include enough resources to both meet the demand for abortion services from rural and poor women. In addition, the government must educate the public and health care providers about Nepal’s abortion law. The Court took concrete steps to address the disparity that existed between a legal right and the ability of all women - not just the privileged - to exercise that right. In seven short years, Nepal went from locking up women for violating a criminal abortion ban to providing public funding of abortion services.

It’s 2010, and countries like Nepal are putting the United States to shame. If Nepal can recognize that rights on paper must be backed up by public funding, why are so many of our lawmakers afraid even to talk about abortion access?

It’s time to take a step back, a look around, and a deep breath - and to start really talking about the importance of access to abortion to women’s health and equality. Let’s catch up with this global conversation, so that we can join this growing understanding of the importance of these rights - both on paper and in practice - for the lives and dignity of women and families.

source: cbsnews

Most Incredible Foods To Reduce Cancer, Eliminate Cells Growth

The National Cancer Institute estimates that roughly one-third of all cancer deaths may be diet related. What you eat can hurt you, but it can also help you. Many of the common foods found in grocery stores or organic markets contain cancer-fighting properties, from the antioxidants that neutralize the damage caused by free radicals to the powerful phytochemicals that scientists are just beginning to explore. There isn't a single element in a particular food that does all the work: The best thing to do is eat a variety of foods.

The following foods have the ability to help stave off cancer and some can even help inhibit cancer cell growth or reduce tumor size.

Avocados are rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that attacks free radicals in the body by blocking intestinal absorption of certain fats. They also supply even more potassium than bananas and are a strong source of beta-carotene. Scientists also believe that avocados may also be useful in treating viral hepatitis (a cause of liver cancer), as well as other sources of liver damage.

Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower have a chemical component called indole-3-carbinol that can combat breast cancer by converting a cancer-promoting estrogen into a more protective variety. Broccoli, especially sprouts, also have the phytochemical sulforaphane, a product of glucoraphanin - believed to aid in preventing some types of cancer, like colon and rectal cancer. Sulforaphane induces the production of certain enzymes that can deactivate free radicals and carcinogens. The enzymes have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors in laboratory animals. However, be aware that the Agriculture Department studied 71 types of broccoli plants and found a 30-fold difference in the amounts of glucoraphanin. It appears that the more bitter the broccoli is, the more glucoraphanin it has. Broccoli sprouts have been developed under the trade name BroccoSprouts that have a consistent level of sulforaphane - as much as 20 times higher than the levels found in mature heads of broccoli.

Carrots contain a lot of beta carotene, which may help reduce a wide range of cancers including lung, mouth, throat, stomach, intestine, bladder, prostate and breast. Some research indicated beta carotene may actually cause cancer, but this has not proven that eating carrots, unless in very large quantities - 2 to 3 kilos a day, can cause cancer. In fact, a substance called falcarinol that is found in carrots has been found to reduce the risk of cancer, according to researchers at Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS). Kirsten Brandt, head of the research department, explained that isolated cancer cells grow more slowly when exposed to falcarinol. This substance is a polyacethylen, however, so it is important not to cook the carrots.

Chili peppers and jalapenos contain a chemical, capsaicin, which may neutralize certain cancer-causing substances (nitrosamines) and may help prevent cancers such as stomach cancer.

Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage contain two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin that may help decrease prostate and other cancers.

Figs apparently have a derivative of benzaldehyde. It has been reported that investigators at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Tokyo say benzaldehyde is highly effective at shrinking tumors, though I haven't seen this report. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says figs, which contain vitamins A and C, and calcium, magnesium and potassium, may curtail appetite and improve weight-loss efforts. Fig juice is also a potent bacteria killer in test-tube studies.

Flax contains lignans, which may have an antioxidant effect and block or suppress cancerous changes. Flax is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to protect against colon cancer and heart disease. See Budwig diet for a specialized diet using flax seed oil and cottage cheese. For studies about flax seed and flax oil, go to our Important News or Archives Page.

Garlic has immune-enhancing allium compounds (dialyl sultides) that appear to increase the activity of immune cells that fight cancer and indirectly help break down cancer causing substances. These substances also help block carcinogens from entering cells and slow tumor development. Diallyl sulfide, a component of garlic oil, has also been shown to render carcinogens in the liver inactive. Studies have linked garlic — as well as onions, leeks, and chives — to lower risk of stomach and colon cancer. Dr. Lenore Arab, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the UNC-CH (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) schools of public health and medicine and colleagues analyzed a number of studies and reported their findings in the October 2000 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. According to the report, people who consume raw or cooked garlic regularly face about half the risk of stomach cancer and two-thirds the risk of colorectal cancer as people who eat little or none. Their studies didn't show garlic supplements had the same effect. It is believed garlic may help prevent stomach cancer because it has anti-bacterial effects against a bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, found in the stomach and known to promote cancer there.

Grapefruits, like oranges and other citrus fruits, contain monoterpenes, believed to help prevent cancer by sweeping carcinogens out of the body. Some studies show that grapefruit may inhibit the proliferation of breast-cancer cells in vitro. They also contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid.

Grapes, red contain bioflavonoids, powerful antioxidants that work as cancer preventives. Grapes are also a rich source of resveratrol, which inhibits the enzymes that can stimulate cancer-cell growth and suppress immune response. They also contain ellagic acid, a compound that blocks enzymes that are necessary for cancer cells - this appears to help slow the growth of tumors.

Studies show that consumption of green and yellow leafy vegetables has been associated with lower levels of stomach cancer.

Kale has indoles, nitrogen compounds which may help stop the conversion of certain lesions to cancerous cells in estrogen-sensitive tissues. In addition, isothiocyanates, phytochemicals found in kale, are thought to suppress tumor growth and block cancer-causing substances from reaching their targets.

Licorice root has a chemical, glycyrrhizin, that blocks a component of testosterone and therefore may help prevent the growth of prostate cancer. However, excessive amounts can lead to elevated blood pressure.

Mushrooms - There are a number of mushrooms that appear to help the body fight cancer and build the immune system - Shiitake, maitake, reishi, Agaricus blazei Murill, and Coriolus Versicolor. These mushrooms contain polysaccharides, especially Lentinan, powerful compounds that help in building immunity. They are a source of Beta Glucan. They also have a protein called lectin, which attacks cancerous cells and prevents them from multiplying. They also contain Thioproline. These mushrooms can stimulate the production of interferon in the body.

Extracts from mushrooms have been successfully tested in recent years in Japan as an adjunct to chemotherapy. PSK is made from the Coriolus Versicolor. Maitake mushroom extract is PCM4.

Nuts contain the antioxidants quercetin and campferol that may suppress the growth of cancers. Brazil nut contains 80 micrograms of selenium, which is important for those with prostate cancer. (Note: Many people are allergic to the proteins in nuts, so if you have any symptoms such as itchy mouth, tight throat, wheezing, etc. after eating nuts, stop. Consider taking a selenium supplement instead or work with someone on how to eliminate this allergy.)

Oranges and lemons contain Iimonene which stimulates cancer-killing immune cells (lymphocytes, e.g.) that may also break down cancer-causing substances.

Papayas have vitamin C that works as an antioxidant and may also reduce absorption of cancer-causing nitrosamines from the soil or processed foods. Papaya contains folacin (also known as folic acid), which has been shown to minimize cervical dysplasia and certain cancers.

Raspberries contain many vitamins, minerals, plant compounds and antioxidants known as anthocyanins that may protect against cancer. According to a recent research study reported by Cancer Research 2001;61:6112-6119, rats fed diets of 5% to 10% black raspberries saw the number of esophageal tumors decrease by 43% to 62%. A diet containing 5% black raspberries was more effective than a diet containing 10% black raspberries. Research reported in the journal Nutrition and Cancer in May 2002 shows black raspberries may also thwart colon cancer. Black raspberries are rich in antioxidants, thought to have even more cancer-preventing properties than blueberries and strawberries.

Red wine, even without alcohol, has polyphenols that may protect against various types of cancer. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize disease-causing free radicals. Also, researchers at the University of North Carolina's medical school in Chapel Hill found the compound resveratrol, which is found in grape skins. It appears that resveratrol inhibits cell proliferation and can help prevent cancer. However, the findings didn't extend to heavy imbibers, so it should be used in moderation. In addition, alcohol can be toxic to the liver and to the nervous system, and many wines have sulfites, which may be harmful to your health. Note: some research indicates that alcohol is considered a class "A" carcinogen which can actually cause cancer - see http://www.jrussellshealth.com/alccanc.html. You should probably switch to non-alcoholic wines.

Rosemary may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes. An extract of rosemary, termed carnosol, has inhibited the development of both breast and skin tumors in animals. We haven't found any studies done on humans. Rosemary can be used as a seasoning. It can also be consumed as a tea: Use 1 tsp. dried leaves per cup of hot water; steep for 15 minutes.

Seaweed and other sea vegetables contain beta-carotene, protein, vitamin B12, fiber, and chlorophyll, as well as chlorophylones - important fatty acids that may help in the fight against breast cancer. Many sea vegetables also have high concentrations of the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine.

Soy products like tofu contain several types of phytoestrogens — weak, nonsteroidal estrogens that could help prevent both breast and prostate cancer by blocking and suppressing cancerous changes. There are a number of isoflavones in soy products, but research has shown that genistein is the most potent inhibitor of the growth and spread of cancerous cells. It appears to lower breast-cancer risk by inhibiting the growth of epithelial cells and new blood vessels that tumors require to flourish and is being scrutinized as a potential anti-cancer drug. However, there are some precautions to consider when adding soy to your diet. Eating up to 4 or 5 ounces of tofu or other soy a day is probably ok, but research is being done to see if loading up on soy could cause hormone imbalances that stimulate cancer growth. As a precaution, women who have breast cancer or are at high risk should talk to their doctors before taking pure isoflavone powder and pills, extracted from soy.

Sweet potatoes contain many anticancer properties, including beta-carotene, which may protect DNA in the cell nucleus from cancer-causing chemicals outside the nuclear membrane.
Teas: Green Tea and Black tea contain certain antioxidants known as polyphenols (catechins) which appear to prevent cancer cells from dividing. Green tea is best, followed by our more common black tea (herbal teas do not show this benefit). According to a report in the July 2001 issue of the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, these polyphenols that are abundant in green tea, red wine and olive oil, may protect against various types of cancer. Dry green tea leaves, which are about 40% polyphenols by weight, may also reduce the risk of cancer of the stomach, lung, colon, rectum, liver and pancreas, study findings have suggested.

Tapioca is derived from the cassava plant. It is one of the many plants that manufactures cyanide by producing a chemical called linamarine which releases hydrogen cyanide when it is broken down by the linamarase enzyme. Spanish researches have been studying the cassava and attempting to clone the genes from the plant which are responsible for producing the hydrogen cyanide and then transfer it to a retrovirus. However, funding for the project has run out. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_317000/317467.stm for more information on this. For a list of other foods that contain B17, go to our laetrile page.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that attacks roaming oxygen molecules, known as free radicals, that are suspected of triggering cancer. It appears that the hotter the weather, the more lycopene tomatoes produce. They also have vitamin C, an antioxidant which can prevent cellular damage that leads to cancer. Watermelons, carrots, and red peppers also contain these substances, but in lesser quantities. It is concentrated by cooking tomatoes. Scientists in Israel have shown that lycopene can kill mouth cancer cells. An increased intake of lycopene has already been linked to a reduced risk of breast, prostate, pancreas and colorectal cancer. (Note: Recent studies indicate that for proper absorption, the body also needs some oil along with lycopene.)

Tumeric (curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family, is believed to have medicinal properties because it inhibits production of the inflammation-related enzyme cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), levels of which are abnormally high in certain inflammatory diseases and cancers, especially bowel and colon cancer. In fact, a pharmaceutical company Phytopharm in the UK hopes to introduce a natural product, P54, that contains certain volatile oils, which greatly increase the potency of the turmeric spice.

Turnips are said to contain glucose molaes which is a cancer fighting compound. I haven't confirmed this.

Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with decreased risk of cancers of the colon and rectum.

source: west.net

Fast machines, genes and the future of medicine Francis Collins, who helped map the human genome, did not get around to having his own genes analyzed until last summer. And he was surprised by what he learned.

Collins has a predisposition for type-2 diabetes, something he had never suspected. The lanky, former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) discovered this through tests offered by Navigenics, 23andMe and DecodeMe -- companies that charge customers a few hundred dollars for a peek at their genetic makeup.

"I signed up for all three because I wanted to see if they gave the same answer," he said. "They all agreed my diabetes risk is higher."

Armed with that information, he eventually lost 25 pounds. But as a rule, he doesn't consider such tests especially useful -- at least not yet. "Admittedly, right now your family history may be your best bet and it doesn't cost anything," he said.

And so it goes in the fledgling genome field.

Some experts say the world is on the cusp of a "golden age" of genomics, when a look at the DNA code will reveal your risk of cancer, diabetes or heart disease, and predict which drugs will work for you. Yet the $3 billion international Human Genome Project, whose first phase was completed a decade ago, has not led to a single blockbuster diagnosis or product.

To be sure, there have been some tantalizing glimpses:

-- A personalized blood test can tell whether a patient's cancer has spread or come back. Dr. Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and colleagues found stretches of DNA in colon and breast tumors with extra DNA copies, or fused-together chromosomes.

-- A gene-based test called Oncotype DX made by Genomic Health Inc helps identify breast cancer patients who are not likely to benefit at all from chemotherapy.

-- Dr. James Lupski of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston studied his own entire DNA map and sequenced the genomes of family members -- including his deceased grandfather -- to diagnose the mutation causing his rare genetic nerve disease, called Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome.

-- Genetic tests are now able to pick out poor responders to Plavix, or clopidogrel, a common life-saving anticlotting drug made by Sanofi-Aventis SA and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Still, Collins describes this as low-hanging fruit. He says the hard work is only just beginning.

In a sense, the field is a victim of its own success. Companies are beating down the price of genetic sequencing, competing to make the machine that every biotech lab will have as standard equipment to sequence a person's entire genome on the spot. But all this genome sequencing is creating what current NHGRI director Dr. Eric Green calls a "tsunami of information" that is overloading the brains of scientists and the capacity of computers.

Paradoxically, this reflects the fact that people have relatively few actual genes, the stretches of DNA that instruct a cell to make a protein, or what Green refers to as "bricks and mortar." Humans have just 20,500 of them, compared with up to 30,000 for mice and 50,000 in rice. That was one of the big surprises from the Human Genome Project.

As a result, much of the most important information lies in what used to be called "junk DNA," which makes up two-thirds of the human genetic code.

"There is this dark matter of the genome that is lurking out there, waiting to be uncovered," says Collins.

PUT IT IN THE BIOBANK

One part of the hunt starts in a nondescript building in west London, where volunteers line up to reveal their innermost secrets. While many have given blood before, this time they are donating their DNA and medical records, both past and future, to a vast experiment that will track them to the grave.

It sounds Orwellian. Yet volunteers checking into UK Biobank -- backed by the government and the Wellcome Trust -- are keen to participate in something that might help their children or grandchildren.

This age group, 40 to 69 years, has been chosen because the volunteers won't keep researchers waiting too long before developing interesting conditions such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and dementia.

So far some 450,000 Britons have signed up, consenting to have their DNA sequenced and their health tracked, anonymously, through the National Health Service.

The target of 500,000 should be reached around July, by which time the project's giant freezer facility in northern England will have the equivalent of two road tankers worth of frozen blood samples.

Principal investigator Dr. Rory Collins says it is only by doing such large-scale sampling that scientists can uncover how lifestyle factors interact with a long list of rare genetic variants to cause common diseases.

"If you are looking for the effect of lots and lots of different genetic variants that are producing modest effects and they're interacting with a lot of non-genetic factors, then you need to be able to do studies that are very, very big," he said. "It's only just now that the technology allows those experiments to be done."

China, Sweden and other countries have also set up biobanks but the British one is the most comprehensive in terms of the number of factors studied. Organizers hope it will go beyond what earlier biobanks produced -- like one in Iceland that helped create gene-hunting firm Decode Genetics.

Working out of a glass-and-steel building on the outskirts of Reykjavik, Decode's scientists have peppered the scientific literature with reports on common DNA variants linked to schizophrenia, cancer and other diseases by trawling the country's genetic heritage, which has changed little since the Vikings arrived more than 1,000 years ago.

Understanding a few of the pieces of the gene puzzle, however, was not enough to shore up Decode's ailing business and the former Nasdaq-listed company filed for bankruptcy protection last November. It re-emerged as a private business in January.

Decode was one of a number of biotech start-ups that rode the first wave of genomics, offering the technological tools needed to understand the links between genes and diseases. Many fell by the wayside after just a couple of years -- but not all.

Human Genome Sciences Inc is one that finally looks set for prime time. Its shares have skyrocketed since last year, when it reported unexpectedly strong data from a trial of its experimental lupus drug Benlysta.

Last March the company was trading as low as 45 cents; now its shares hover around $30. If approved, the drug, which is being developed in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline Plc, would be the first new treatment for lupus, a serious immune system disease, in more than 50 years.

But such winners are rare and investors remain wary of biotech drug developers over-selling the promise of genomics, given the fact that new medicines face a risky, 10 to 15-year path to market.

In fact, the past decade has turned out to be the worst in the history of the drugs industry, with a dearth of new medicines and an unprecedented cliff of patent expiries.

"There is no question that people have felt that they got their fingers burned and the enthusiasm has decreased a great deal," said Glaxo's head of genetics Lon Cardon.

The problem for drug developers and investors is that greater knowledge has brought with it greater complexity, frustrating early hopes for relatively simple fixes to complex diseases.

Yet Cardon, too, now sees a turning point, driven by cheaper, faster sequencing and clear advances in one key disease area -- cancer.

GENES AND CANCER

For many cancer patients, a major fear is that their surgeon missed something and their cancer will grow back. The only way to tell now is to wait until tumors are big enough to be spotted by imaging machines.

That could soon change. A gene-based test that can search a patient's blood for tiny bits of DNA shed from tumors may soon give doctors an early warning that they may have missed something.

"That's only become possible through the advent of so-called next-generation sequencing technology," said Dr. Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, who is developing the blood test.

The test takes advantage of rapid advances in the technology to sequence whole genomes. The latest machines from companies like Illumina Inc and Life Technologies Corp can map out a patient's whole DNA code in just a few weeks for as little as $5,000, a far cry from 13 years and $3 billion it took Collins and his international collaborators to get the first human genome.

Vogelstein said the rapidly falling cost of genome sequencing means the blood test could be affordable enough to be on the market within two years. Before long, all cancer patients could have their tumors sequenced routinely to find the genetic defects that cause them to grow.

"Cancer is maybe the best disease to cut our teeth on," said Yale Medical School geneticist Richard Lifton. "The reason for that is we know that cancer is largely a disease in changes of DNA sequence."

Matthew Meyerson of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said he is impressed by the pace of change. "The first cancer gene sequence was reported in 2008. There were probably 100 done last year. Maybe there will be many hundreds or even 1,000 this year," he said.

Lifton predicts that within the next two years, scientists will have the genetic sequence of every major human cancer. "Many of these will identify new genes that we had not previously known about with a role in cancer," he said. "Some of these will turn out to be incredibly important new drug targets."

Or new tests, as Collins suggests. "If you've just discovered the molecular basis of a rare disease, you can turn it into a (test)," he said.

A new industry is just emerging to help them get there -- and its smart kit is bowling over scientists.

SHRINKING TECHNOLOGY

Dr. Eric Green had never seen anything like it. At a meeting of what he calls "sequencing geeks" at Marco Island, Florida in February a small start-up called Ion Torrent was demonstrating its new DNA sequencer.

"It's the size of a computer printer," he said. "They were sequencing in a hotel room."

It was a shock to researchers who had used rooms the size of a football field full of sequencers for the original human genome.

Green said his institute has directed some funding to Guilford, Connecticut, and San Francisco based Ion Torrent for its $50,000 sequencer.

"This may completely crash and burn," he acknowledged. But he and others were intrigued at the company's compact system to detect individual molecules of hydrogen as a way to sequence the A, C, T, G code of DNA.

In another room was Pacific Biosystems' $750,000 sequencer the size of a conference table.

"It is the Wild West," Green said. "It is emblematic of what is going on in the field now, with not one, not two, not three, not four but multiple technologies."

They are doing what the companies and the researchers want, and prices are plummeting. "There is a mix of science and business here," said Green. "It's breathtaking, what is happening."

If human genome sequencing is to transform medicine, it will have to be quick and easy to do. "One could imagine that acquiring a complete genome sequence of an individual might become the standard of care one day," Green said.

"What these companies are doing is giving us a taste of the future of medicine."

Dr. Richard Gibbs, who directs the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said there are about 20 to 30 different sequencing companies out there that are trying new things.

He said scientists had expected to have to wait for these machines to produce real breakthroughs, but the ones by Illumina and Life Technologies are cranking out so much data and the price is falling so quickly that they are likely to be the ones that transform medicine.

"The current things are performing so damn well they are blowing out of the water the pie-in-the-sky numbers that were pushed around by the next next-generation companies," Gibbs said.

Illumina's Chief Executive Jay Flatley said storing and analyzing the trillions of bits of data generated by their machines will likely be the biggest future stumbling block for sequencing companies.

Collins is confident they can do it. "We are not going to hit any limits any time soon," he said. "No laws of physics need to be broken ... We'll have the $1,000 genome in a few years. It will (eventually) be possible for people to make a $100 genome."

The high expense is not stopping China, which is making a big push into genomics. The Beijing Genomics Institute just bought 128 Illumina machines and is employing 1,000 researchers to focus on illnesses that are specific to Asian populations. They may also find new markets for drugs.

AstraZeneca Plc's lung cancer pill Iressa, or gefitinib, was found to work far better than chemotherapy in people from East Asia whose tumors had specific mutations in genes for the epidermal growth factor receptor or EGFR. The discovery saved the drug, which only works in about 10 to 15 percent of lung cancer patients in Europe and which was headed for the trash bin.

"Most genomics research has been done on Caucasians based in Europe or the United States and we are only just starting to understand about how applicable these findings are to worldwide or Asian populations," said Martin Hibberd of the Genome Institute of Singapore.

ANALYZE THIS

None of this means people should rush out to have their DNA tested by companies such as 23andMe and DecodeMe.

"I'd hesitate to call them a scam," said Frances Flinter, a member of Britain's Human Genetics Commission which is coordinating a global working group on the new guidelines. "Some of the companies offering these tests are trying very hard to develop something that has some scientific validity. But at the moment the scientific knowledge doesn't exist to demonstrate they are useful."

The Human Genetics Commission's working group -- which also includes members from Iceland's Decode and California's Navigenics -- say firms should ensure buyers understand what they are doing, and what the outcome of the actions might be.

The draft guidelines, due to be revised by the end of the year, also suggest firms should only offer tests for incurable conditions like Huntington's or Parkinson's disease with "before and after" counseling, and on other tests, "make clear the limitations ... and the relative roles of genetic makeup and lifestyle."

"For the vast majority of people, decisions on lifestyle will probably have far more impact on health," said Flinter, a consultant in clinical genetics.

Collins agrees. After all, the leading causes of death in the developed world -- cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes -- all can be prevented to a large degree with exercise, by avoiding tobacco and by eating less fat and sugar and more fruits and vegetables.

Then again, he had no family history of diabetes.

"Everybody in my family is lean and athletic so perhaps they were fighting off their genetic risks by their individual behavior choices," he said.

"I wasn't looking that lean and athletic when I got these test results last summer, and it caused me to pay attention to something I should have paid attention to all along."

(Additional reporting by Kate Kelland in London, Tan Ee Lyn in Hong Kong, Lisa Richwine in Washington and Ransdell Pierson in New York; editing by Jim Impoco and Claudia Parsons)

SOURCE: reuters

Diabetes Screening ‘Cost Effective’ When Begun at Ages 30 to 45 Diabetes screening is “cost effective” when people begin it at ages 30 to 45 and undergo tests every three to five years, U.S. and European researchers concluded on the basis of computer modeling techniques.

Screening at that interval helps improve quality of life and prevents complications such as blindness, at a cost of $10,500 or less for each year of health gained compared with almost $41,000 a year under “maximum” screening that buys more time, according to a study published today in the journal Lancet. There are no clinical studies to validate the computer model, the scientists said.

Cost-effectiveness studies highlight the tradeoffs involved as the U.S. tries to drive up health quality and reduce medical costs -- goals that can be in conflict. The study didn’t recommend “maximum” screening, or tests every six months, citing the expense.

“It costs a fortune to do maximum screening,” said Richard Kahn, the lead author and a clinical professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, in a telephone interview today.

The research was funded by three drug companies: Bagsvaerd, Denmark-based Novo Nordisk A/S; Bayer AG, of Leverkusen, Germany, and New York-based Pfizer Inc. The companies sell diabetes drugs, and can benefit when screening finds more cases.
By 2034, about 44 million Americans will be living with diabetes, almost twice the number today, and spending for the disease will almost triple to $336 billion annually, according to a study published last year by University of Chicago researchers.

5.7 Million Undiagnosed
The separate study released today “gives us important information for when you should start screening for this very important, serious disease,” Kahn said.

In type 2, the most common form of diabetes, the body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin, needed for the body to convert blood sugar to energy, or the cells ignore the insulin, according to the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Maryland. Type 2 is linked to age, obesity and lack of exercise, according to the American Diabetes Association, of Alexandria, Virginia.

About 18 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes and an estimated 5.7 million are undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association. About 57 million people have a precursor condition called pre-diabetes, the association said.
People who have the earliest stages of diabetes usually don’t have many symptoms. By the time diagnosis occurs, the patients may have complications such as blindness, kidney damage and heart disease.

Comparing Strategies
The researchers in today’s study created a simulated population of 325,000 people aged 30 years who didn’t have diabetes. The scientists used computer modeling to compare eight different screening strategies and their effects on quality of life, heart attacks, stroke and diabetes-related complications.

Adjusting for quality, patients gained 7.84 years of healthy life under “maximum” screening in the computer model, meaning tests every six months beginning at age 30, according to the report. That compared with 6.3 years under screening begun at age 30 and occurring every three years and 5.33 years for three-year screenings begun at age 45.

The costs would decrease if diabetes testing were combined with screening for other disorders such as high cholesterol, the authors said.

The American Diabetes Association currently recommends that screening for type 2 diabetes should be considered in people without diabetes symptoms who are overweight or obese or have other risk factors. In people without those risks, screenings should begin at age 45 and be repeated at least every three years if the initial test is normal, according to the association.

Drug Interests
Novo Nordisk won U.S. approval in January for the diabetes treatment Victoza, which belongs to a newer class of medicines that boost insulin production. Bayer, along with partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Tarrytown, New York, is testing an experimental drug that may help people with vision loss related to diabetes.
Bayer also sells blood glucose monitoring equipment. Pfizer makes the diabetes medicines Glucotrol and Diabinese, both available in the U.S. as generics.

SOURCE: businessweek

Tips for picking a pediatrician for your child Parents face a large number of choices, but here are some tips to help you decide.

Few issues are quite as befuddling as picking a pediatrician.

The American Academy of Pediatrics lists 129 members in the Jacksonville area, and those are just the ones who are part of the organization.

Then there's the significance of the decision itself. You aren't just choosing a doctor. This is the person to whom you will confess your greatest parenting failures, probably in the middle of the night. You would like the ear on the other end of the line to be sympathetic.

What can be most frustrating is the lack of transparency.

There are some ways you can check up on a pediatrician, but when it comes to publicly available information, you can learn a lot more about a restaurant than a doctor.

In the Internet Age, it sounds old-fashioned to start your search anywhere but on a search engine. But just about every parenting expert recommends you begin by asking your friends, neighbors and co-workers - anyone you trust - for suggestions.

Once you have a list, set up appointments to visit the pediatricians where they work: their offices.

Mary Soha, a pediatrician with offices in Jacksonville and the Nocatee area of St. Johns County, said it's especially important to observe how the office operates during the day. Does it seem overscheduled? Is it clean? Is it in a safe location?

"If you don't feel comfortable, my advice to parents is don't second-guess yourself," Soha said.

Any uncertainties can be cleared up with a question. What's the doctor's philosophy on breastfeeding? Does the office accept your health insurance? Prepare a list of questions ahead of time.

"You'll either get an answer that satisfies you and takes away that little misunderstanding that may have occurred, or it may validate that this isn't the right place for me," Soha said.

Expectant parents shouldn't wait too long to settle on a pediatrician. Start looking some time between the 20th and 25th week of pregnancy, experts say.

"That seems early, but some babies are born early," said Mandarin pediatrician Gary Soud.

Prenatal consults may vary from practice to practice. Some may charge parents for the doctor's time. Others, usually larger ones, may schedule you on a group tour with other parents.

Give some consideration to the type of practice your pediatrician works under. Some pediatricians practice medicine on their own; they may be assisted by a registered nurse or have office help, but they are solo practitioners. One of the advantages is that you don't have to worry about which doctor you'll see, even in emergencies.

Many doctors in recent years, though, have banded together to help defray some of their overhead costs and to take some of the pressure off their schedules. In most group practices, you can still see one physician over and over, if you like. Some people, though, may like to rotate among doctors to ensure they get a variety of perspectives on their child's health.

Once you have a few doctors in mind, it's a good idea to sift through the information they're required to provide about their backgrounds. The Florida Department of Health operates a Web site under its medical-quality assurance program - ww2.doh.state.fl.us - that allows consumers to peer into their practitioner's past.

The site, among other things, shows whether your doctor is properly licensed or has been reprimanded by a state medical board or in a legal proceeding. You can see how long pediatricians have been in practice by looking at when their licenses were issued. Some people want an experienced hand holding the stethoscope.

The Web page also displays what, if any, hospitals the doctor holds privileges with. If you prefer that your child sees the same doctor, even in the hospital, this factor could be the difference between one pediatrician over another.

Soud, for his part, has privileges at Wolfson Children's Hospital, Baptist South and St. Luke's Hospital. He says the bar for obtaining privileges is higher than for getting a medical license with the state. So, he asserts, doctors who make rounds in hospitals may be sharper.

By the same token, many pediatricians burnish their curricula vitae or resume by getting certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. The organization offers a search feature on its Web page, www.abp.org, that allows you to verify whether your pediatrician is one of them.

One last piece of advice for new parents: If picking a pediatrician seems hard, take heart. The truly difficult part is just ahead.

You know, keeping your newborn alive between doctor's visits.

SOURCE: jacksonville

Black Women in U.S. Comfortable With Formula Feeding Preconceived attitudes about breast-feeding may explain why black American women are less likely than white women to breast-feed their infants, a new study shows.

About 60 percent of black infants born in 2006 were ever breast-fed, compared with 77 percent of white infants, according to the researchers, who examined the intention to breast-feed among pregnant black, white, Hispanic and Asian women.

There was a significant difference in breast-feeding intentions between black women and all other races. Black women were as comfortable as women of other races with the idea of breast-feeding their baby. However, black women were far more comfortable with the idea of formula feeding their baby than other women were, and it's this attitude that likely explains why black women are much less likely to breast-feed, the study authors noted.

The findings "tell us that public health campaigns to promote breast-feeding must also include messages regarding the risk of formula feeding," study author Laurie Nommsen-Rivers, from the department of neonatology & pulmonary biology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said in a news release. "For example, we know that formula-fed infants, even here in the U.S., are twice as likely to suffer an ear infection and two to three times more likely to develop gastroenteritis as compared to exclusively breast-fed infants."

The study was published in the February issue of Breastfeeding Medicine.

A woman should exclusively breast-feed her infant during the first six months of life, according to the World Health Organization.

source: palmbeachpost

How Women Feels At The Time of Giving Birth

Human Body can Bear Only Upto 45 Del(Unit) of Pain. But.. At the Time of Giving Birth, a Woman Feels Upto 57 Del of Pain. This''s Similar to 20 Bones getting Fractured, at a Time. ''LOVE UR MOM'' till d End of Ur Life, Respect Women.

~ Tears of a Woman ~

Little boy asked his mom

"Mom Why are you crying?"
"Why are you crying?" he asked his mom.

"Because I'm a woman" she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His mom just hugged him and said, "and you never
will"..........

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does
mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all
his dad could say........

The little boy grew up and became a man,
still wondering why women cry...

Finally he put in a call to GOD; when GOD got on the
phone the man said, "GOD, why do women cry so
easily?"

GOD said.......
When I made women she had to be special. I made her
shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the
world; yet, gentle enough to give comfort....

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and
the rejection that many times comes from her
children......

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going
when everyone else gives up and take care of her
family through sickness and fatigue without
complaining......

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under
any and all circumstances, even when her child has
hurt them very badly...

This same sensitivity helps her to make a child's
boo-boo feel better and shares in their teenagers
anxieties and fears.......

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his
faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his
heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never
hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and
her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

Atlast, I gave her a tear to shed, It's hers exclusively to
use whenever it is needed. It's her only
weakness....It's a tear for mankind.......

Dedicated to my mom and womens.

Manmeet

Read More on Womens Health

FDA panel to examine menthol cigarettes' impact RICHMOND, Va. — A new U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel will take a closer look at menthol cigarettes and how the government should regulate them, but most believe an outright ban is unlikely.

The tobacco industry is keeping a close eye on the committee's work and its recommendations for menthol, a still-growing part of the shrinking cigarette market.
When it meets Tuesday and Wednesday, the committee will discuss the scientific research on the public health effects of menthol cigarettes, including among children and certain ethnic groups. The panel is to make recommendations by next March.

The FDA won the authority in June to regulate tobacco, including banning certain products, limiting nicotine and blocking labels such "low tar" and "light" that could wrongly imply certain products are less harmful. The law doesn't let the FDA ban nicotine or tobacco entirely.

Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the overriding goal must be reducing the number of people who die from tobacco use.
"This is the first time that all of the science will be brought together looking at whether menthol increases the number of users, makes it hard to quit, has a disproportionate harmful effect on certain people, and, if the answer to any of those questions is yes, what is the best thing to do about menthol to reduce the number of people who are harmed?" Myers said.

The committee of 12, including three nonvoting members representing the tobacco industry, is to advise FDA on a range of issues. Committee members also are later tasked with studying dissolvable tobacco products as well as product changes and standards. It's chaired by Dr. Jonathan Samet, director of the University of Southern California's Institute for Global Health and former director of the Institute for Global Tobacco Control at Johns Hopkins University.

The relative strength of the menthol market has cigarette makers introducing new menthol products and innovations.

The two largest cigarette makers — No. 1 Philip Morris USA, owned by Richmond, Va.'s Altria Group Inc., and No. 2 Reynolds American Inc., based in Winston-Salem, N.C. — are ramping up efforts to grab some of the menthol market away from Greensboro, N.C.-based Lorillard Inc., the nation's third-largest cigarette company. Lorillard holds about 35 percent of the U.S menthol market with its top-selling Newport brand.
The share of smokers using menthol cigarettes increased from 31 percent in 2004 to 33.9 percent in 2008, with more pronounced increases among young smokers, according to a study released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in November.

It also showed that among black smokers, 82.6 percent used menthol cigarettes, compared with 32.3 percent for Hispanic smokers and 23.8 percent for white smokers.
A ban on cigarettes with flavors like clove, chocolate or fruit took effect in September, because they are believed to appeal to youth. However, menthol smokes were exempt, and most expect a ban on them is unlikely.
"Tobacco researchers still do not see conclusive evidence in existing literature that would warrant a ban of menthol and we think the tax, job and illicit trade implications would be too serious for the FDA to take this drastic step," Credit Suisse analyst Thilo Wrede wrote in a note to investors.
The FDA could, instead, could order a reduction of menthol levels, bigger or more descriptive warning labels or higher mandated prices for menthol cigarettes.
Those in the industry agree a ban is improbable.

"The weight of the scientific evidence does not support a conclusion that menthol cigarettes convert greater health risk than non-menthol cigarettes," Lorillard CEO Martin Orlowsky said in a conference call last month. Orlowsky also warned that a ban could lead to a black market.

Studies vary on menthol's health impacts and whether it plays a large role in enticing people to start smoking, said Dr. David Burns of the University of California-San Diego, scientific editor of several surgeon general reports on tobacco.

"There's not a lot of compelling evidence that menthol makes a huge problem relative to the magnitude of the problem of tobacco," Burns said.

SOURCE: Yahoo

Recharge Your Eyes: With Special CRT Lenses, Launched in India

Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT)is a sophisticated, non-surgical process which reshapes the cornea during sleep. The individual wearing CRT lenses removes the lenses upon awaking and is able to go throughout the day without needing vision correction such as spectacles or contact lenses.

Recharging in the sense means it should be wared during sleep. While sleeping the lens recharges the cornea, it gives oxygen to eyes.

The CRT lenses recently launched in India will benefit individuals with low to moderate myopia (nearsightedness up to –6.00 diopters) with or without astigmatism (up to –1.75 diopters). At the present time, hyperopia (farsightedness) is not correctable with CRT. Also, CRT does not correct for presbyopia (requiring reading glasses or bifocals). Each individual's eyes have differences in physiology and visual requirements. Therefore, the decision for corneal refractive therapy, at any age, can only be made after a thorough eye exam and the recommendation of your eye doctor.

Corneal Refractive Therapy offers freedom from glasses and the need of wearing contact lenses during the day. Active individuals can freely participate in sports without the interference of glasses or need of contact lenses. Furthermore, since the lenses are only worn during the night, eye irritation or dryness, sometimes associated with contact lens wear due to outside dust and pollutants, is eliminated. Lastly, the process is completely reversible.

Hypermetropia and Myopiya patients highly benefits using Corneal Refractive Therapy.

CRT Lenses cost in India - (between Rs.20,000/- to 25,000/-) (between $400 to $500)

More Information on CRT lenses

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Healthy High Fiber Diet Powerhouse of Health Benefits

Nutritionists and health professionals frequently extol the virtues of a high-fiber diet and bemoan the fact that Americans get so little fiber. But, how much should we get, why should we get it, and how can we get it without tripling the time we spend in the kitchen or taking a handful of pills?

The good news is that getting adequate fiber can be a good-tasting trip down the fresh food aisles of any supermarket. Fiber is a plant carbohydrate and is found in breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, peas and beans and nuts. The less processed the food, the more fiber it is likely to have, hence whole-grain breads and cereals will have more fiber than highly processed varieties, and whole fruits will have more fiber than juices (unless the juice is fortified with fiber).

Fiber has almost no calories because it passes through the body virtually undigested, but it packs a powerhouse of health benefits. Insoluble fiber—the type found in whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and vegetables—can reduce the incidence and severity of constipation by softening the stool and increasing the speed at which waste products move through the digestive tract. This can help prevent hemorrhoids and diverticulosis (a condition in which pockets form in the walls of the colon). Soluble fiber—found in peas, beans, oats, apples and citrus foods—forms a gel in the intestine, trapping cholesterol and removing it in the stool. Both types of fiber can add bulk to the diet, making dieters feel fuller and helping them lose weight.

When it comes to fiber, in general more is better. The National Academy of Sciences recommends adults under age 50 get 25 to 38 grams and those over age 51 get 21 to 30 grams. One way to calculate your fiber needs is to look at your calorie intake. You should have at least 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat. So if you eat about 2,000 calories a day, you would need about 28 grams of fiber.

There are really many fiber-packed foods, and it's best to eat a variety because different foods come packaged with different sets of nutrients. For example, you'll get B vitamins from cereal products and vitamins A and C from a variety of fruits and vegetables.

That said, the best fiber sources in the diet are generally high-fiber cereals and beans. Some cereals have about 12 grams of fiber per serving, but check the nutrition labels because some cereals have very little fiber. Split peas, lentils, and many kinds of beans contain 10 to 16 grams of fiber per one-cup serving. Whole-grain breads and pastas, as well as other whole grains such as barley, have about 6 grams per serving. Among fruits, raspberries pack a whopping 8 grams per serving. For fiber-rich vegetables, consider artichokes with 10 grams per medium choke, peas with 8 grams per serving and broccoli with 5 grams.

You'll be well on your way to getting your daily fiber boost if you add vegetables to casseroles and soups and beans to salads and wraps and choose fruits and nuts as snacks. To avoid gas and abdominal distress, increase your fiber intake gradually and drink plenty of fluids.

source: healthywomen

Reduced fat intake cuts invasive breast cancer risk Dayal HH and Kalia A from UNTHSC School of Public Health in Fort Worth, Texas published an article in the March 19, 2010 issue of Breast saying that reduced intake of dietary fat can prevent invasive breast cancers in post-menopausal women in the United States.

The authors say that The Diet Modification trial of the Women's Health Initiative studies suggest as reported that reducing the fat intake does not reduce the risk of breast cancer. They recalculated the data and found that an average adherence to a simple diet modification can translate into avoiding 7.3 percent invasive breast cancers in post-menopausal women.

Dayal and Kalia found that the trial actually also demonstrated a dose response correlation between diet modification and risk reduction meaning that higher adherence to the diet modification resulted in high reduction in the risk of breast cancer.

They say the diet modification trial findings were reported and interpreted in a way the public may have an impression that diet modification does not work to lower the breast cancer risk, leading to loss of a valuable opportunity to affect public health policy.

source: foodconsumer

Foods can change your mood surprisingly

CHANGING your outlook can be as easy as adding a few key ingredients to your diet.

I have spent a lot of time lately interviewing dietitians and nutritionists and I usually come away from these conversations feeling a little guilty about my diet.

It’s not that I have a junk food addiction. Rather, it’s that at three o’clock every afternoon I feel extremely grumpy if I can’t have a cup of tea and a biscuit or some chocolate.

Apparently this happens because I haven’t eaten enough brown rice or mung beans at lunchtime.

If I had, I would have maintained a healthy blood sugar level throughout the afternoon without resorting to artificial stimulants to get me through until dinner.

The news isn’t all bad, however.

Just as that mid-afternoon snack works as an instant pick-me-up,researchers are discovering certain foods have the power to alter our moods, stave off depression and make us generally a lot happier.

“Many people are depressed and anxious, and why are they?” asks nutritionist Janella Purcell, author of Eating For The Seasons (Allen & Unwin), to be released this year.

“A lot of it comes down to food. But if you get people eating the right food, they start to feel good.”

Used in conjunction with an overall healthy diet and moderate exercise, foods that boost levels of serotonin in the brain are an important part of achieving a balanced mind and body.

And the best bit is, most of the foods that can make us happy aren’t as boring as you might think. Read on for some of the best.

Fruit

In her ebook, The Serotonin Secret, French paediatrician and nutritionist Caroline Longmore recommends we eat between four and 11 bananas a week for optimal happiness.

Potassium-rich bananas are high in amino acids, which trigger the body to produce tryptophan. Tryptophan is essential because it stimulates the “feel-good” hormone, serotonin.

It’s not just bananas that are a great source of amino acids. Other foods, including pineapple, blueberries and avocado, are all also high in B vitamins and folate.

Accredited practising dietitian Caitlin Reid, author of the health website Health & The City www.healthandthecity.com.au), says: “Any foods that are high in B vitamins and folate are really important for [stimulating] an amino acid [to cause our bodies to produce] the feel-good hormone serotonin.

"What they do is give our hormones a boost.”

Blueberries are particularly important because they are also high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation and the risk of certain diseases, including cancer.

Seafood

“Oily fish really are a superfood,” Reid says.

“They are full of omega-3s, which lower inflammation and help in rebuilding the brain and creating serotonin. Omega-3s actually make up a big part of the brain and if you eat more of them, you are less likely to be depressed.”

As well as oily deep-sea fish such as tuna and salmon, Reid says crustaceans such as prawns and lobster contain B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and zinc, which “help those processes in the brain to make you feel good”.

Legumes

“Everybody should eat legumes all the time,” Purcell says. “They’re full of protein, have no fat and clean your intestines.”

Even better, legumes such as chickpeas, cannelloni, kidney and bertolli beans help the body maintain stable blood-sugar levels, which are essential for maintaining an even temper.

“People eat foods that are [readily] available, which is a lot of refined sugars and wheat, like cakes, pies and sweets. You get a high off that, but then you get a crash,” says Purcell.

“Because legumes help to slow down the body’s absorption of carbohydrates, they also ward off hunger pangs and the resultant mood swings that come from not eating right.”

Basmati rice

Like legumes, this fragrant Indian rice is low-glycaemic index (GI), so does not cause the blood-sugar fluctuations that are caused by eating more refined carbohydrates.

Brazil nuts

Thyroid problems can contribute to fatigue, moodiness, anxiety and depression, but a simple step to combat thyroid dysfunction is to get enough selenium.

Selenium is a micronutrient found in plant matter that helps the body function and is found in abundance in Brazil nuts.

“If you have one to two Brazil nuts a day, you get your whole intake of selenium,” Reid says.

And with up to 10 per cent of the Australian population having a diagnosed thyroid problem, it makes sense to eat more of these nuts.

Low-fat dairy

Dairy foods are an excellent source of protein, D and B vitamins, and minerals including magnesium and zinc, all of which contribute to the creation of serotonin in the brain. Cottage cheese is particularly high in amino acids, which generates tryptophan to make serotonin.

Chocolate

Chocolate can actually improve not just your mood but, for some, alleviate symptoms of depression. A 2007 Australian study found that 61 per cent of depressed people felt better after a small piece of dark chocolate.

But be warned: the chocolate cure only works for some personality types. For comfort eaters, gorging on chocolate can have negative impacts.

source: heraldsun

Key Questions About Weight Loss With all the studies, surveys, diets and weight-loss claims pummeling you with advice everywhere you turn, it's no wonder that so many myths and misperceptions about weight loss persist. To help clarify the fact from fiction, TIME put a few pressing questions to the experts.

Why doesn't exercise help you lose weight?

This is a controversial issue that researchers are still debating. It's true that as people start exercising, they may not lose weight because they tend to eat more to compensate for increased hunger, or as a reward for working out. It's also true that with exercise, people lose fat but gain muscle, which is heavier than fat. But it's not necessarily true that exercise doesn't help you lose weight.

It's worth noting that weight loss does not depend on exercise alone. Weight loss happens only when you take in fewer calories than you burn. And people are notoriously good at miscalculating how many calories they sweat off at the gym. Think an hour on the treadmill can work off an entire chocolate cake's worth of calories? Not even close — 60 minutes of running barely accounts for a single slice.

Exercise clearly doesn't guarantee weight loss, but it's a pretty reliable route to good health — exercise buoys mood, keeps your brain sharp and lowers your risk of chronic disease. But just remember that to drop pounds, it takes a lot of time and sweat to burn calories, plus equal effort to reduce the amount of calories you eat.

Which is better for my health — more frequent sessions of moderate activity or fewer bouts of intense exercise?

There's no right or wrong way to exercise, say obesity experts. How much you should move depends on what your goals are — to stay healthy or to lose weight — and what level of physical fitness you're starting with.

If you are currently sedentary or get very little exercise, for example, most fitness professionals advise starting slow. Rather than focusing on the amount of activity you do, just focus on doing something. That can include walking for even a few minutes a day; studies show that sedentary women who began walking 10 minutes a day saw benefits in heart health. "There are such huge returns on the investment of just getting off the couch," says Dr. Tim Church, director of preventive medicine research at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

The point is to avoid being sedentary. Some exercise is better than none, and most people should stay as physically active as their bodies allow, ideally exercising every day. Check out the U.S. Department of Heath & Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines for solid activity advice by age group.

Why does it get harder to lose weight the older I get?

Age is a major contributor to weight gain, for many reasons. With each passing year, adults lose more muscle mass, the biggest consumers of calories we have. That's why resistance training — working out with weights to build muscle — is important, even for aging adults. Strong muscles help keep excess pounds off, and lower the risk of dangerous falls.

Another reason weight loss gets harder with age is that the body's metabolism slows down, as cells and organs begin showing the wear and tear of years of faithful service and get less efficient at consuming calories. Starting regular exercise in childhood — though it's never too late to start — is a pretty good way to keep the body running more efficiently later in life.

And, finally, don't forget the social factors that make weight gain easier in adulthood. In midlife, people are more likely to be able to afford more and richer foods than they could in their younger days. They're also less likely to have as much time for physical activity because of job and family pressures, and they're also more likely to give up walking or biking for more comfortable modes of transportation, like driving.

Can diet sodas actually make you gain weight?

Diet soda contains fewer, or no, calories compared with the sugared versions, but recent studies have shown that people who drink diet soda tend to gain more weight than those who drink regular soda.

The reason may be that the brain can't be fooled by the artificial sweeteners found in many diet drinks and foods. While the sweet taste of diet soda may satisfy the palate, the body feels swindled out of the calorie rush it was expecting. That may only whet the appetite, encouraging diet-soda-consumers to seek out sugar from other sources, or alter their metabolism as if they had actually consumed the sugar — both of which may lead to weight gain.

Another reason may involve the amped up sweetness of artificial sugars, which are 100 times sweeter than natural sugar. It's possible that people who eat a lot of artificially sugared foods become so accustomed to intense levels of sweet that their palates can no longer appreciate natural flavors, of fruit or other foods. Since natural foods are more nutritious than artificially processed alternatives, people may start to choose less healthy foods overall.

The evidence is still coming in, but it's an area of intense research to figure out how our bodies react to the mismatch between artificially sweetened taste and the absence of corresponding calories.

Why is it so hard to lose those last five to 10 pounds?

The bigger you are, the easier it is to lose weight. When an obese, sedentary person starts a new exercise and diet program, those first few pounds will melt off pretty quickly. That's because bigger people have a higher metabolic rate than smaller people, which means their bodies are faster to use up calories they eat. "Think of yourself as a big furnace chewing up calories," says Pennington's Church. "The bigger you are, the more cells you have in your body, and the more cells you have using energy. A very large person has a pretty high resting metabolism, or can burn a lot of calories a day just by existing."

But as people continue to lose weight and shrink the number of cells they have, their metabolism slows down to match their reduced size — if it didn't, they would be burning off way too many calories compared to what they take in. (Which wouldn't be a bad thing from a weight loss perspective, but running a constant deficit and having always-hungry cells takes an unhealthy toll on tissues and organs that work overtime to survive.)

So as the weight comes off, you have to work harder to burn the same amount of calories. You may have started off walking 30 minutes a day, for instance, but that activity is no longer enough to push your body to eat up extra calories. Now, you might need to walk for 60 minutes or start running for 30 minutes instead.

source: time

Pre-Existing Conditions Can Begin at the Moment of Birth Most of us are aware of the term “pre-existing condition” when it comes to insurance policies, if an individual does not have group medical care through their employment, any type of long term health issue can cause them to, at best, be denied coverage on said condition, and at worst, be denied coverage altogether.

This concept with all of its implications is unfortunately, a fact of life; we all know this. But what many of us may NOT realize is that the term “pre-existing condition” can begin at the moment of birth.

CBS is reporting a story about a Texas couple who are learning this the hard way. As small business owners, they do not have coverage for themselves; but for their two young children, they have policies with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.

When their third child was born, the moments following the birth were not as joyous as they are in most cases. Doug Tracy, the father of the child, recalls that almost immediately after his son Houston’s birth, he knew something was very wrong. The baby’s cry was weak, his skin had an unnatural blue pallor, and the doctors became intensely serious.

Houston was born with what is officially termed a “d transposition of the great arteries.” To simply describe a complex problem, the two major vessels (the primary aorta and pulmonary arteries) that carry blood from the heart are switched. Because the connections in the heart are incorrect, blood from the left and right side of the heart intermix. Without an arterial switch procedure performed on an infant with this condition during the first thirty days of life, the baby will die.

Houston’s parents found out that since his problem began in the womb, Blue Cross considered the defect a pre-existing condition, even though it would have been impossible for his parents to have known about it until he drew his first breath. Houston’s mother had no complications during her pregnancy that would have warranted any kind of diagnostic procedure that could have detected it.

Fortunately, Houston underwent surgery the week he was born; he is expected to live a normal life. The financial hit to his parents, however, could have been devastating, had they not found some relief through the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool.

The new health care bill prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage to newborns; however, this provision will not go into effect until September, six months after it was passed.

According to the March of Dimes, 25,000 children are born with heart defects every year in the United States. While technically these congenital birth defects happen in utero, denying coverage for these infants at the moment of birth can literally mean the difference between life and death.

SOURCE: foodconsumer

New Jersey Woman Aims to be World's Fattest

Donna Simpson, a 42-year old woman from New Jersey, weighs 600lbs (273kg). At 5'4", that gives her a BMI of 103 - she'd need to lose just over 450lbs to get down to a healthy weight.

But Donna Simpson wants to gain weight... hoping to become the fattest woman in the world and weigh 1,000lbs - that's half a ton.

Donna's story has hit worldwide headlines. The Telegraph newspaper in the UK described Donna's plans as an "unusual ambition" - but most commentators have had stronger words to say, criticising Donna's irresponsibility and suggesting that she needs psychiatric help.

Donna has a husband, who weighs a normal 150lbs but who has explained he is attracted to large women: the couple met online on a dating site for plus-size people. She also has two kids, and many comments on this news story have centered on the troubles that these kids might face in the future.

Donna's weight-gain diet involves whole cakes, bags of donuts, and up to 70 big pieces of sushi at a sitting. The family has grocery bills of $750 a week.

In a world where celebrity is everything, Donna seems to be hoping for notoriety and fame through fatness. There's something of the freak-show or circus about this story: people are expressing horror at Donna's current size and her aims to put on weight -- but we're also somehow fascinated: Donna runs a website where people pay to watch her eat and bathe, and this clearly forms part of her motivation to gain even more weight.

Donna was overweight from childhood, though lost weight on diets as a teenager. As an adult, she decided she was comfortable with her weight.

"I love eating and people love watching me eat. It makes people happy, and I'm not harming anyone. (source)"

source: diet-blog

Infants' Sensitivity to Voices May Develop by 7 Months

Findings could further understanding of autism and related conditions

The brains of infants as young as 7 months show a sensitivity to the human voice that's similar to what's seen in adult brains, a new study finds.

The research may one day help improve understanding of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

British and German researchers used near-infrared spectroscopy to determine when certain regions in the brain's temporal cortex become sensitive to the human voice. In adults, these regions play an important role in processing spoken language.

Adult-like responses to human voices were seen in the brains of 7-month-old infants, but not in 4-month-olds. This suggests that voice sensitivity develops between 4 months and 7 months of age.

The researchers also found that emotional tones of voice resulted in increased activity in the right temporal cortex of 7-month-old infants.

The study is published in the March 25 issue of Neuron.

"Our findings demonstrate that voice-sensitive brain regions are already specialized and modulated by emotional information by the age of 7 months, and raise the possibility that the critical neurodevelopmental processes underlying impaired voice-processing reported in disorders like autism might occur before 7 months," said study leader Dr. Tobias Grossmann, of the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at the University of London.

"Therefore, in future work the current approach could be used to assess individual differences in infants' responses to voices and emotional prosody and might thus serve as one of the potentially multiple markers that can help with an early identification of infants at risk for a neurodevelopmental disorder," he said.

source; healthday

Your Fat May Help You Heal It frequently happens in science that what you throw away turns out to be most valuable. It happened to Deepak Nagrath, but not for long.

The Rice assistant professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering was looking for ways to grow cells in a scaffold, and he discarded the sticky substance secreted by the cells.

"I thought it was contamination, so I threw the plates away," said Nagrath, then a research associate at Harvard Medical School.

That substance, derived from adipose cells -- aka body fat -- turned out to be a natural extracellular matrix, the very thing he was looking for.

Nagrath, who joined Rice in 2009, and his co-authors have since built a biological scaffold that allows cells to grow and mature. He hopes the new material, when suffused with stem cells, will someday be injected into the human body, where it can repair tissues of many types without fear of rejection.

The research by Nagrath and his co-authors appeared last week in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal.

The basic idea is simple: Prompt fat cells to secrete what bioengineers call "basement membrane." This membrane mimics the architecture tissues naturally use in cell growth, literally a framework to which cells attach while they form a network. When the cells have matured into the desired tissue, they secrete another substance that breaks down and destroys the scaffold.

Structures that support the growth of living cells into tissues are highly valuable to pharmaceutical companies for testing drugs in vitro. Companies commonly use Matrigel, a protein mixture secreted by mouse cancer cells, but for that reason it can't be injected into patients.

"Fat is one thing that is in excess in the body. We can always lose it," Nagrath said. The substance derived from the secretions, called Adipogel, has proven effective for growing hepatocytes, the primary liver cells often used for pharmaceutical testing.

"My approach is to force the cells to secrete a natural matrix," he said. That matrix is a honey-like gel that retains the natural growth factors, cytokines (substances that carry signals between cells) and hormones in the original tissue.

Nagrath's strategy for growing cells isn't the only approach being pursued, even at Rice: Another method reported last week in Nature Nanotechnology uses magnetic levitation to grow three-dimensional cell cultures.

But Nagrath is convinced his strategy is ultimately the most practical for rebuilding tissue in vivo, and not only because it may cost significantly less than Matrigel. "The short-term goal is to use this as a feeder layer for human embryonic stem cells. It's very hard to maintain them in the pluripotent state, where they keep dividing and are self-renewing," he said.

Once that goal is achieved, Adipogel may be just the ticket for transplanting cells to repair organs. "You can use this matrix as an adipogenic scaffold for stem cells and transplant it into the body where an organ is damaged. Then, we hope, these cells and the Adipogel can take over and improve their functionality."

Nagrath's co-authors are Nripen S. Sharma, a research associate at Rutgers University, and Martin Yarmush, the Helen Andrus Benedict Professor of Surgery and Bioengineering at Harvard Medical School.

The National Institutes of Health and the Shriners Hospitals for Children supported their research.

source: sciencedaily

Beat Postnatal Depression with Physical Therapy Exercise

For some women, the joy of having a baby is marred by postnatal depression, a form of clinical depression that can occur immediately after giving birth or even weeks to months later. Researchers have found that the risk of postnatal depression can be reduced in new mothers who participate in group physical therapy exercise.

The National Women’s Health Information Center notes that 13 percent of pregnant women and new mothers experience depression. Although the exact causes are not known, it is generally believed that the significant change in hormone levels (e.g., progesterone, estrogen, thyroid hormones) that occur after delivery play a large role.

Other factors may be involved, including feeling overwhelmed with a new infant, lack of sleep, stress, unrealistic need to be a perfect mother, lack of free time, and feeling less attractive. Women who are also experiencing financial problems, lack of family or other social support, difficulties with their marriage or partner, other health problems, or who have a history of depression are also at risk for postnatal depression.

It is well established that exercise can improve mood and that in new mothers, it can reduce symptoms of postnatal depression. What has not been studied, however, is the impact of group physical therapy exercise on new mothers to both help prevent postnatal depression and improve their ability to care for their new infant.

This approach was evaluated in a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia. A total of 161 new mothers were randomly assigned to participate in a Mother & Baby (M&B) program, an education only group, or to a control group (no intervention). The intervention part of the study lasted eight weeks.

The 62 women in the M&B group engaged in 1 hour of exercise with their infants once a week. The activity was facilitated by a women’s health physical therapist and was accompanied by 30 minutes of parenting education provided by health care professionals. The education-only group consisted of 73 women, and 26 women were assigned to the control group.

The women were evaluated using two scales: the Positive Affect Balance Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. They also answered questions about how much exercise they had done each week during the study.

The women in the M&B group had significant improvement in depressive symptoms and well-being scores compared with the women in the education-only group, and these benefits extended for a full month beyond the end of the study. The investigators determined that the risk for postnatal depression by the end of the study was reduced by 50 percent as a result of the physical therapy exercise.

Mary P. Galea, BappSci, BA, PhD, professor of clinical physiotherapy in the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne, noted that new mothers go through many physical and emotional changes. She and her research team found that participation in a group physical therapy exercise program “can help mothers who may be at risk for PND [postnatal depression] improve their well-being and enable them to better care for their children.”

SOURCES:
American Physical Therapy Association
National Women’s Health Information Center
emaxhealth

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