February 2011

Fenugreek a wonderful health boosting herb

Fenugreek a Mediterranean herb cultivated in India, Africa and Europe. The seeds are used as a flavouring and for medicinal purpose in herbal medicine. It is also used as cattle feed.

It contains active compounds said to promote healing and some nutritional elements.

Fenugreek seeds have been found to contain protein, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, and diosgenin (which is a compound that has properties similar to estrogen)

Health benefits
Fenugreek are used in herbal medicine to relive fever and stomach complaints and to help diabetes. It is used externally as a poultice or ointment to treat skin infections. It is also used as a medicine for anemia, gout and nervous exhaustion. It has been found to help increase libido.

Studies have found people who took 2 ounces (56g) of fenugreek seed each day had significantly (around 14 percent) lower cholesterol levels after 24 weeks, and had lowered their risk of heart attack by more than 25 percent.

Fenugreek are used as a herb for flavouring food.

Keeping Fit on the Road By Andy

Keeping fit has always been a struggle for me but not because I am unmotivated but I travel a lot with my job and therefore have not yet committed to a gym membership. Added to this is that I am based between two office - Birmingham and Guildford. This article explains how I discipline myself to keep fit with a life on the road.

Unfortunately I am not in a fortunate position where my company has a resident health club on the premises which would have answered all my prayers. I have visited a Liverpool gym before so I am definitely sure that a membership fee would not be wasted should I spend a lot of time in one place. However two memberships are not an option on my disposable income.

However my offices I work between are as far away ad Birmingham and Guildford and signing up to a gym Guildford as well as Birmingham is not an option for a person with my minimal disposable income. But then again I don't fancy having all the facilities of one gym at my fingertips only to leave for weeks on end.

Therefore I made a fitness plan which would hopefully satisfy my circumstances and here's what I did;

So I tried to think about what the best option would be for me in splitting exercise between Birmingham and Guildford. I first indulged myself by joining the gym in Birmingham which I frequented before. This game me all the facilities of the gym equipment but also the health spa club including the Jacuzzi.

Birmingham was my treat in a sense. A hard work out was normally followed by a hard shill out in the whirlpool.

Coincidentally the Birmingham office was much the more stressful office, I always seemed to leave tense so the spa treatment definitely helped.

Now, I could have very easily have left it at that, after all I am quite a fit individual but spending weeks on end with no exercise would only be a opportunity for me to eat badly etc..

And with another direct debit for another gym membership out of the question, I decided to try my hand at a new sport of which I quickly joined the works league. I am as talented at Squash as any other sport I have attempted, which is not very. But it does offer a competitive and social environment.

So now I have the best of both worlds. When I am in Birmingham I miss the competitiveness of the squash league and the social aspect associated with it and when in Guildford I yearn for the comforts of the spa and the chance to do things at my own pace.

I expect that absence makes the heart grows fonder in this case or maybe it dreading a minute more on the squash court.

Men: Top 5 Nutrients You May be Missing in Your Diet

According to a report in health and fitness magazine Men's Health on February 24, 77 percent of men aren't getting enough magnesium, are vitamin D deficient, and perhaps even short on vitamin B12.

Here's what you need to know about what may be missing in your diet.

1. Vitamin D - Great for bone health but it's so much more: A study in Circulation found that people deficient in D were up to 80 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Ask your doctor to test your blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. "You need to be above 30 nanograms per milliliter," said Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University, in the report. If you come up short, Holick recommends taking 1,400 IU of vitamin D daily from a supplement and a multivitamin.

2. Magnesium - Surveys reveal that men are lacking in this mineral, consuming only about 80 percent of the recommended 400 milligrams per day. Fortify your diet with magnesium-rich foods, such as halibut and navy beans. Or supplement with a 250 mg supplement, but look for magnesium citrate, which is best absorbed by the body, states Men's Health.

3. Vitamin B12 - While most men do consume their daily dose of 2.4 micrograms, some medications, such as acid-blocking drugs and diabetes medications, can interfere with the vitamin's absorption in the body. Try eating lamb, salmon or fortified cereals to be sure you're covered.

4. Potassium - Nutrition surveys report men are eating just 60 to 70 percent of the recommended 4,700 mg a day. Fix the problem by eating half an avocado (contains about 500 mg potassium) or a banana (about 400 mg). One large russet potato contains 1,600 mg of potassium.

5. Iodine - Think table salt is the answer? When researchers tested 88 samples of iodized table salt, they found that half contained less than the recommended amount of iodine. Try getting more iodine not from salty foods but from milk. Or eat at least one serving of eggs or yogurt a day.

A cellphone app that spots cancer more accurately LONDON: Scientists have developed a mobile phone-based system which they say can detect cancer more accurately than the techniques routinely used in hospitals.

Developed by a team at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the device is claimed to be up to 100% accurate at telling the difference between benign tumours and their malignant counterparts.

It also takes just an hour to make the diagnosis , meaning patients don't have to spend days or weeks anxiously waiting for test results , the researchers said.

The gadget, they believe, could "transform cancer care" by also making it easier for doctors to track how well drugs are fighting the disease in a patient's body, the Daily Mail reported.

The researchers found that in initial tests, the device was 88 per cent accurate in distinguishing cancerous stomach tumours from benign growths.

Refining the technique boosted accuracy to 100%. The device, which is likely to cost about £60 or so, consists of a smartphone connected to a miniature MRI machine.

In tests, patients with suspected stomach cancer had tiny samples of their growths removed using a fine needle.

The researchers then added in antibodies designed to bind to proteins found in stomach tumours and tiny magnetic particles designed to latch onto the antibodies.

They then used the magnet in the MRI machine to excite the molecules in the sample, making them vibrate. The more the molecules vibrate, the more likely the sample is cancerous, the researchers found.

source: TOI

What Are Ideal Heart-Healthy Numbers?

Learn What Range Your Test Results Should Be In

By Melissa J Luther, Contributing Writer

A healthy heart and a healthy body are inseparable. Research has shown many of the same conditions contribute to a diseased body also contribute to heart disease. The same research has discovered many new tests for tracking these diseases and their underlying conditions.

Unfortunately, some doctors don't have the time to thoroughly explain test results to patients. The result is your doctor handing you a copy of your test results, possibly without adequately explaining the numbers. To make matters worse, you need to know not only how what numbers are “normal” but also whether yours should fall within a range or be above or below a specified cutoff point.

Learn these important numbers to improve your heart-healthy knowledge.

120/80 mmHg -- Blood Pressure
These two numbers represent the pressure in your arteries as your heart pumps (systolic pressure; the upper number) and the pressure between beats, when the heart is at rest (diastolic pressure; the bottom number).

High blood pressure, defined as at or above 140/85, greatly increases heart attack risk. Between 120/80 and 140/85 is considered pre-hypertension, which research suggests is more harmful than was previously believed, so aim to keep yours at or below 120/80.

50 mg/dL (women) or 40 mg/dL (men) -- HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol that actually helps protect you from heart disease by helping to remove cholesterol from the blood. Relatively high HDL levels are heart protective.

100 mg/dL -- LDL Cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is the bad cholesterol that contributes to heart disease by clogging the arteries. Although some charts indicate up to 160 mg/dL is acceptable for people with little risk of heart disease, optimal levels are below 100 mg/dL regardless of individual risk. People at very high risk of heart disease, including those with active disease, should aim for an even lower number, 70mg/dL.

200 mg/dL -- Total Cholesterol
This number is somewhat less important than knowing the breakdown between LDL and HDL, because even if your total number appears healthy, if it includes low HDL then you are still at increased risk.

Just the same, heart-healthy total cholesterol is below 200 mg/dL.

150 mg/dL -- Triglyderides
Triglycerides are another type of fat. You body makes them when it digests sugars, and evidence suggests that this number might be an even better predictor of heart disease risk than cholesterol. Risks increase above 150 mg/dL, so keep yours below that.

100 mg/dL -- Fasting Glucose
Diabetes greatly increases your risk for coronary heart disease. Do your best to avoid developing it, and if you do, keep it under control, including fasting glucose levels under 100 mg/dL.

7% -- Hemoglobin A1c (Hg A1c)
Hemoglobin A1c levels measure long-term control of blood sugar levels, and are an even better indicator of heart disease risk than fasting glucose. Currently 7% is the accepted safe upper limit.

A study published in 2004 in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows a positive correlation between increasing Hg A1c levels and increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The study also suggests keeping A1c below 5% may be even better for your heart.

25 kg/m2 -- Body Mass Index (BMI)
Despite minor flaws (it cannot account for a higher than normal percentage of muscle mass), BMI provides a useful gauge for determining a heart-healthy weight. Keep your BMI just below 25.

35 inches (women) or 40 inches (men) -- Waist Circumference
Studies suggest that people with larger waists are more likely to develop heart disease.

Waist circumference is even more useful when used in conjunction with BMI, and The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has a chart where you can gauge your risk of developing obesity associated conditions, including heart disease, based on both numbers.

If you don’t know your numbers, see your doctor for a checkup and blood tests. Once you know how your numbers compare to the ideal, formulate a plan to bring any out-of-range numbers back in line.

More on Heart Health

source: krdo

Disease That Will Hit Half the Nation by 2020 Type 2 diabetes currently affects about 27 million Americans and is one of the fastest-growing diseases in the nation. A recent report published by UnitedHealth Group's Center for Health Reform & Modernization estimates that over half of the U.S. population will have diabetes or prediabetes by the year 2020! This means that hundreds of millions of people will be at risk of having heart attacks, strokes, erectile dysfunction, dementia and early death due to a disease that is preventable and manageable!

Type 2 diabetes is a condition of elevated blood sugar that is closely tied to obesity, poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. Now, more than ever, it is vital that lifestyle interventions to lose weight and prevent pre-diabetes from developing into full-blown diabetes are put into action. Medication programs to ensure proper diabetes control are also important, but the majority of people can make moves -- on their own -- to keep this silent killer at bay.

One of my patients, who weighed 525 pounds at the tender age of 29, reversed a 12-year history of type 2 diabetes and got off of insulin and oral hypoglycemics by changing his lifestyle and nutrition with the help of The Pennington Plan for Weight Success, which includes a 5-step motivational strategy for weight loss and health recovery. So don't assume that type 2 diabetes is a 'death sentence'. You will need to make a total lifestyle switch to stay healthy, but at least you will be here to tell the tale!

Diagnosing Diabetes And Determining Your Risk
The blood test most commonly used in the evaluation of diabetes is the fasting plasma glucose test. The test is performed after an overnight or eight-hour fast during the day. Your blood is taken and sent to the lab to measure your glucose levels. The test results indicate whether your blood glucose level is normal, whether you have diabetes, or whether you have impaired glucose tolerance, which we now refer to as 'pre-diabetes.' Pre-diabetes is now more commonly used to emphasize the fact that without some lifestyle and nutrition intervention, the majority of people will go on to develop diabetes.

* Normal: Normal blood sugar levels measure less than 100 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) after the fasting glucose test.

* Prediabetes: Blood glucose levels of 100-125 mg/dl after an overnight or eight-hour fast is diagnosed as prediabetes. People with these results are considered to have impaired fasting glucose (IFG).

* Diabetes: Diabetes is diagnosed when the blood glucose is 126 mg/dl or above.

There is a close link between obesity and diabetes type 2 risk. In fact, the majority of overweight or obese American adults either have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. Therefore, weight loss is a good place to start in beating this silent killer. When a person puts on 11 to 16 pounds of body weight, they have double the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Those who gain 17 to 24 pounds triple their risk.

Losing about 10 percent of your body weight (if you're overweight or obese) can help with insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management. Maintaining an active lifestyle, even by just walking 30 minutes a day, you can increase your body's response to insulin (insulin sensitivity) and reduce your chances of needing medication to manage diabetes.

Not Just Deadly, Diabetes Is Costly As Well
The average, annual healthcare cost for people without diabetes is approximately $4,400. But for people with diabetes, the cost is $11,700. And for diabetes patients with complications, the average annual cost rises to $20,700. Add to this the impact on work productivity and employer costs and the numbers increase considerably.

Some 27 million Americans are known to have diabetes, and a further 67 million are thought to be pre-diabetic. And a good many of these folks don't even know that they have these conditions because type 2 diabetes can hang out with you without showing any symptoms at all. The same is the case with pre-diabetes.

It's time to break free from old programming that says we should eat what we want, when we want in the quantities we want and instead start to nourish our bodies and move our bodies to reclaim our natural state of wellness. And since diabetes follows a progressive course, we must intervene early before it's too late.

Go see your doctor. Find out your fasting blood glucose level and a hemoglobin A1c, which measures the average amount of glucose in the blood over a three month period. It's also wise to know your entire cholesterol profile, including total HDL, LDL and VLDL. Don't assume that these numbers aren't trending upward.

It's A Team Effort
You don't need to be in this alone. Studies show that if you have a buddy or family member who is also on the journey to better health you will be more likely to succeed. Accountability is also critical, having a coach can support you with a foundation for success, a structured plan of action that you can follow, and the motivational support you need for continual effort in re-building your life.

For continued support on your path to diabetes prevention and weight success, listen to my radio show, Empowered for Life! for helpful diet and fitness information, live Q&A and more. You may also sign up for a free newsletter on my site for helpful tips and support delivered to your inbox at www.PenningtonEmpowerment.com

About Dr. Pennington

Dr. Andrea Pennington is a respected medical doctor and a leading authority on wellness and prevention. She is the author of The Pennington Plan for Weight Success.

The former medical director for Discovery Health Channel, Dr. Pennington has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Dr. Oz show, the Today Show, CNN and the Early Show on CBS.

source: huffingtonpost

New cardio techniques saving lives It’s American Heart Month, and patients and physicians discuss treatments.

By JOSH NEWTON
Staff Writer

Cherokee County residents know all too well the devastation that can result from serious heart conditions.

Cardiovascular disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed February as American Heart Month, and health experts say it’s a matter of life and death to know both the risks and prevention methods.

“As you know, heart disease is the No. 1 health burden in Northeast Oklahoma. At Northeast Oklahoma Heart Center, we are making a difference by providing local access to care and the results continue to be promising,” said Dr. George Cohlmia, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with Tahlequah City Hospital’s Northeast Oklahoma Heart Center.

Once a year, the American Heart Association and other agencies bring together all the information on heart disease and make a presentation inside the Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update.

The 2011 update is a source for monitoring cardiovascular health and disease in the population. It is a guideline for medical professionals, researchers and health care policy makers and is important in keeping every one up to date on the risk factors, causes and symptoms of heart disease, especially in women.

“Many women are aware of the risks of breast cancer and receive regular mammograms, but, we find that many women still don’t realize that heart disease, not breast cancer, is the No. 1 killer of American women,” said Cohlmia. “In fact, more women die from heart disease than from the next seven causes of death combined. Every year, heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer.”

Symptoms and warning signs of a heart attack for women can be different from men and far less apparent.

“Warning signs include pain in the chest, upper back, shoulders, neck or jaw; feeling breathless, often without chest pain of any kind; unexplained tiredness, weakness or dizziness and cold sweats, nausea or feelings of anxiety,” said Cohlmia.

According to the American Heart Association, nutrition, physical activity, weight management and stress management are crucial to keeping a healthy heart. High intakes of fats and oils should be avoided and smokers are at an even high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Just in her early 20s, Megan Tinsley has experienced a stroke. She’d been seeing spots and experiencing a loss of vision. Tinsley admits she initially dismissed the symptoms, thinking they were symptoms of a migraine.

“The pain never went completely away, so Deanna Wright, my nurse practitioner, sent me to Tahlequah City Hospital for a CT scan,” Tinsley told the Press during a recent interview.

Preliminary results indicated signs of a stroke. Tinsley was admitted and spent several days in the hospital, undergoing tests to determine what caused the stroke.

“While I was at Tahlequah City Hospital, the neurologist had my heart checked, and tests confirmed I had PFO [patent foramen ovale] with [atrial septal defect],” said Tinsley.

She began preparing for an operation to have her heart fixed. Eventually, an Amplatzer PFO occlude was put in Tinsley to close the holes in her heart. She was released last July from her cardiologist, who told her she should be able to live her life as anyone else can who doesn’t have the heart condition.

Now, she encourages others to talk and be open about conditions.

“The heart condition I had, I was born with, so I don’t know that I could have prevented it had I known,” said Tinsley.

Every Valentine’s Day, TCH hosts its Hearts of Gold Gala, a fundraiser for the hospital’s cardiac unit. The date is scheduled to coincide with American Heart Month.

“Each February we host more than 600 people from Tahlequah and surrounding communities,” said Ami Maddocks, communications coordinator at TCH. “An important part of the event is an update on the heart center by Dr. George Cohlmia. He does a great job of educating the audience on the cardiovascular and thoracic procedures performed at Tahlequah City Hospital. It is encouraging to know that we have one of the best heart centers in the nation right here in Cherokee County.”

source: tahlequahdailypress

What Causes Respiratory Tract Infection? Respiratory tract infections are the most common cause of short-term disability in the United States. Most of these infections such as common cold, pharyngitis (sore throat), and laryngitis which involves the upper airways.

For pharyngitis, viral upper respiratory tract infection that produces postnasal drip, such as the common cold, and seasonal allergies are the most common causes of sore throat.

Organisms such as Streptococcus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause bacterial pharyngitis.

Laryngitis can be caused by cold or flu, acid reflux, overuse of voice and irritation, such as from allergies or smoke.

Infections of the lower respiratory tract occur most frequently in the young, the very old, or individuals with impaired immunity or underlying disease. In all cases, the body’s normal defense mechanisms are impaired.

Here are some of the common lower respiratory diseases and their causes:

Pneumonia is caused by various organisms such as D. pneumoniae, S.aureus, E.coli. Hinfluenzae

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and spread via airborne droplets when infected persons cough, sneeze, or laugh.

Acute bronchitis and Emphysema is caused by cigarette smoking, infection, inhaled irritants, heredity, allergic factors, and aging

Lung Cancer are caused by inhaled carcinogens, primarily cigarette smoke but also asbestos, nickel, iron oxides, air silicone pollution, preexisting pulmonary disorders (TB, COPD).

source: mdinfo

What causes lungs to become weak?

There are many causes to have weak lungs.

Some of these are when you are born immature and the lungs, being the last organs to develop, would be weak also.

* Cigarette smoking because of the nicotine that a smoker inhales. The nicotine travels and gets stuck in the lungs, occupying the spaces which are intended for the oxygen to be utilized by our body.

* Weak chest muscles or body muscles can make the lungs weak because if the respiratory muscles are affected then there will be difficulty inhaling oxygen.

* The last factor will be the underlying disease of the lungs. Once you are inflicted with a disease of the lungs it will never be 100% fully efficient anymore.

Protect your lungs by exercising daily, avoid smoking, and have a good sleep.

Can allergies cause a rise in blood pressure? By Mary Pickett, M.D.

Allergies don't usually cause a rise in blood pressure, but medicines to treat allergies can do this.

Decongestants such as phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) or pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Actifed and others) constrict small blood vessels. This can very commonly increase blood pressure. These decongestant ingredients are found in a large number of combination treatment products for allergy symptoms.

If your favorite allergy product ends with a "D" (for "decongestant" — an example would be "Claritin-D") or if your allergy product advertises that it is a "non-drowsy formula," then it is likely that a decongestant has been added, so read the list of active ingredients closely.

It is worth considering one other way that allergy could raise blood pressure. Nasal congestion can interfere with breathing during your sleep, making it slightly more likely that episodes of sleep "apnea" might occur. With sleep apnea, a person repeatedly stops breathing.

These episodes are short, but the stress of sleep apnea raises blood pressure for hours at a time. If you awaken repeatedly at night or if a sleeping partner has noticed snoring, choking sounds or gasping for air during the night, talk to your doctor.

Mary Pickett, M.D., is an Associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University where she is a primary care doctor for adults. She supervises and educates residents in the field of Internal Medicine, for outpatient and hospital care. She is a Lecturer for Harvard Medical School and a Senior Medical Editor for Harvard Health Publications.

source: intelihealth

Congestive heart failure can be as serious as a heart attack

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country – and for many heart patients who come to the emergency room, it’s not their first heart emergency. Over time, our hearts become weaker and less efficient at pumping blood.

But when we have health conditions that damage the heart – such as a prior heart attack, or health conditions that increase our risk of heart disease – the result can be congestive heart failure. Unlike a heart attack, heart failure isn’t a one-time event, but the progressive loss of the heart’s ability to support the organs that depend on it.

Congestive heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart is not working, but that it’s having trouble pumping enough blood to the rest of the body. When the heart cannot circulate blood efficiently, the kidneys receive less blood and are unable to effectively filter excess fluid out of the circulatory system. This extra fluid collects in the lungs, liver, and other areas and is known as fluid congestion.

Congestive heart failure is one of the most common diagnoses for patients who are readmitted to the hospital, and in fact, it is the number-one reason for hospital readmissions among people over age 65, according to the American Heart Association.

Congestive heart failure has many causes, including coronary artery disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. It can happen at any age, from children to seniors, but is most common in elderly adults or individuals with other heart-related conditions, including a past heart attack, abnormal heart valves, heart muscle disease, lung disease, diabetes and sleep apnea. Children who are born with heart defects – known as congenital heart disease – can have congestive heart failure, as well.

The challenge in diagnosing heart failure – particularly in the elderly – is that many of the symptoms are misdiagnosed as signs of other age-related or less severe health problems.

Symptoms of congestive heart failure:

• Shortness of breath during daily activities;

• Persistent coughing or wheezing;

• Difficulty breathing while lying down;

• Weight gain and/or swelling in the legs, ankles, or lower back;

• Fatigue or weakness;

• Nausea or lack of appetite;

• Rapid heartbeat;

• Disorientation

Congestive heart failure cannot be cured, but it can be treated through medication, surgery, or lifestyle changes. This may be as simple as adopting a new exercise routine and nutrition plan, or could involve surgery. Common surgical interventions include angioplasty, which removes any blockages to improve heart function; a coronary artery bypass, which re-routes the blood supply, using healthier, transplanted arteries or veins from another part of the body such as the leg or chest wall; a heart valve replacement, replacing a faulty heart valve with a mechanical valve made from human tissue, metal or plastic; or a heart transplant.

Patients are generally diagnosed through a physical exam, blood tests, a chest x-ray, an electrocardiogram or echocardiograph, and an exercise stress test. An electrocardiogram, also known as an EKG or ECG, painlessly records your heart’s rhythm and the frequency of beats, using small electrodes placed on your chest and connected to an EKG machine. This test can detect a past heart attack, any changes in heart’s left ventricle, and any abnormal heart rhythm.

An echocardiography examines the heart’s structure and function, using ultrasound to create images of the chambers and valves of the heart. You may take an exercise stress test, which is simply walking in place on a treadmill, while hooked up to equipment that monitors your heart. Your heart rate and rhythm, breathing, blood pressure and fatigue are measured during, and after, the test. The test shows whether your heart responds normally and if blood supply to your heart is adequate during the stress of exercise.

source: berksmontnews

What happens during Brain Hemorrhage? Brain hemorrhage is a kind of severe stroke that can kill the patient or can cause paralysis. This can happen inside the brain, between the brain and the membrane that covers it, and in the layers of the brain coverings. Brain hemorrhage happens because of a break in the wall of the blood vessels in the brain and the blood spreads through the tissues, killing them and other cells.

People with conditions like a heavy bulge in the vessels of the brain, inherit weak blood vessels, and those who carry a mutated cystic C gene or vascular malformation should take extra caution to prevent brain hemorrhage.

Some factors contribute in the development of brain hemorrhage: one of these is hypertension which is often the most common contributing factor in brain hemorrhage. Another is diabetes because it can weaken the blood vessels, especially in the eyes. Use of medications such as anti-coagulants that affect blood clotting can also contribute to brain hemorrhage.

Although many cases of brain hemorrhage can occur suddenly, some symptoms can be considered as warning signs like very intense headache, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes the patient will experience sudden paralysis or numbness in different parts of his body. The worst sign of this condition is a leakage of blood in the sensitive areas of the brain and when he starts loosing consciousness or feels dizziness.

The treatment of brain hemorrhage depends on the location and severity of the condition. There are a few treatments available for brain hemorrhage such as Interventional Radiology and Microsurgical Technique. In most cases surgery is done to remove the split of blood and stitch the artery to stop the blood from leaking. By doing this, the patient might successfully come out from this deadly condition or he might give up some functionality of his body organs or he may loose her life.

source: mdinfo

Extremely Rare Breast Cancer Discovered Research discovers oncogene that may be a driving force in breast cancer

Researchers have found a new gene that may be the cause of an extremely rare breast cancer that is also very difficult to treat.

The new gene discovered is called ZNF703, and it is the first discovered oncogene in at least five years. Experts from Cancer Research UK explain that this discovery may pave the way for additional treatments in the future.

Normal-functioning oncogenes are the driving factor behind cell division. In normal cells, the division is perfectly fine, but the oncogenes also influence cell division in tumor cells, sometimes causing unstoppable multiplication of cells. In the cases of tumors, the oncogene can be considered “out of control”.

Experts explain in the EMBO Molecular Medicine journal that there is strong evidence alluding to ZNF703 being a new oncogene.

For the study, nearly 1,200 samples of breast tumors were analyzed.

The ZNF703 gene has been considered to be overactive in close to 10 percent of breast cancer cases.

Other cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are considered tumor suppressors. This new ZNF703 acts in a completely opposite fashion.

source: dailyhealthreport.org

Bladness Signals Prostate Cancer Risk

Men Who Bald Early Have Far Higher Rates of Prostate Cancer

Men who develop male pattern baldness early have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer later in life. Researchers still looking at why that is so.

A study released to the public on Feb. 18 2011 from the online medical journal 'Annals of Oncology' finds that men who go bald early in their lives have a much higher chance of later developing prostate cancer. The study was conducted by researchers at the 'European Georges Pompidou Hospital' in Paris.

"We set out to study if early-onset androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer later in life." the study reads. "Our study revealed that patients with prostate cancer were twice as likely to have androgenic alopecia at age 20."

Study Involved Prostate Cancer/non-Prostate Cancer Subjects

The methodology of the study, called Male pattern baldness and the risk of prostate cancer, was to enroll 669 men as subjects in the study, 388 who had a history of prostate cancer, the remaining 281 who did not have such a history. Each of the subjects were asked to rate their balding severity at the ages of 20, 30 and at age 40. The research team then compared numbers.

While the results told them those with male pattern baldness at 20 were twice as likely to develop prostate cancer later in their life, those results did not allow them to predict which persons would go on to develop prostate cancer.

The results found those who were bald at 20 did not have any higher chance of developing prostate cancer earlier than usual, nor was their prostate cancer likely to be any more aggressive a form. There was no increased likelihood of developing prostate cancer in men who had begun their male pattern baldness at the age of 30 or beyond, the study found.

Early Screening for Prostate Cancers

Early Onset of Male Pattern Baldness Indicates Increased Risk for Prostate Cancer -

An area, the researchers say, that the information may be used is in early screening of potential victims of prostate cancer. There is ongoing debate in the medical profession as to the use of early screening for prostate cancers and this study, it is argued, may provide candidates for early screening.

"At present there is no hard evidence to show any benefit from screening the general population for prostate cancer. We need a way of identifying those men who are at high risk," the study's lead author, Dr. Philippe Giraud of Descartes University in Paris, said in a statement. "Balding at the age of 20 may be one of these easily identifiable risk factors and more work needs to be done now to confirm this."

The researchers, who cannot say for certain why such a link exists, say that more study is needed into early onset of male pattern baldness and prostate cancer.

source: suite101

Hearing problems 'may signal dementia'

“Hearing loss could be an ‘early warning’ for dementia,” reported The Daily Telegraph. It said that this finding from a new study “could lead to early interventions against Alzheimer’s disease”.

This news report is of a study that followed 639 adults, aged 39-90 years old, for an average of 12 years to see if those with hearing loss were more likely to develop dementia. About 9% of the participants developed dementia during this time, and those with hearing loss at the start of the study were at greater risk of developing the condition.

The study has strengths in that it tested hearing and ruled out dementia for some participants at its start. It also has some limitations, however, including its relatively small size, and larger studies are needed.

The study has shown an association between hearing loss in older adults and later dementia. However, it is not possible to say, based on this study alone, why an association might exist. It is unclear whether hearing loss contributes to the risk of dementia, is a sign of early dementia, or whether dementia and age-related hearing loss involve similar processes. If the last two scenarios are correct, interventions to improve hearing are unlikely to reduce the risk of dementia.

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and other research institutions in the US. Funding was provided by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Archives of Neurology.

The Daily Telegraph gave a balanced coverage of this study.

What kind of research was this?

This prospective cohort study investigated whether there is a relationship between hearing loss and the risk of developing dementia.

This type of study is ideal for investigating whether an exposure might cause an outcome, or whether a particular phenomenon (in this case, hearing loss) might be an early predictor of increased risk of an outcome (in this case, dementia). One of the study’s strengths is that the participants were given hearing tests and assessments to rule out dementia at the start of the study. This means we can be reasonably sure that the measurements of hearing are accurate and that any hearing loss preceded the onset of detectable dementia.

What did the research involve?

The participants in this study were taking part in an ongoing study called the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. For the current study, the researchers analysed people who did not have dementia, and measured their hearing ability at the start of the study. They followed these people over time to identify anyone who developed dementia. They then compared the risk of developing dementia in people with and without hearing loss at the beginning of the study to see if there were any differences.

The study included 639 adults, aged 36-90 years old (average about 64 years), who were given a thorough assessment and were found to be free of dementia between 1990 and 1994. A standard hearing test identified those with normal hearing (<25>70 dB, 6 people).

The participants also provided information about their lifestyles and were tested for diabetes and high blood pressure. They were followed up until 2008, an average (median) of about 11.9 years. Depending on their age, participants were given thorough cognitive assessments at intervals from every year to every four years, and standard criteria were used to diagnose dementia.

In their analyses, the researchers took into account factors that could influence the results, such as age, gender, race, education, smoking and having diabetes or high blood pressure.

What were the basic results?

At the start of the study, participants with greater hearing loss were more likely to be older, male and have high blood pressure. During follow-up, 58 people (9.1%) developed dementia of any type. Of these, 37 cases were Alzheimer’s disease.

The greater a person’s hearing loss at the beginning of the study, the more likely they were to develop dementia during follow-up:

* In the normal hearing group, 20 out of 455 people developed dementia (4.4%).
* In the mild hearing loss group, 21 out of 125 people developed dementia (16.8%).
* In the moderate hearing loss group, 15 out of 53 people developed dementia (28.3%).
* In the severe hearing loss group, 2 out of 6 people developed dementia (33.3%).

After differences between the groups, such as age, were taken into account, for every 10 decibels of hearing loss, there was a 27% increase in the risk of developing dementia over the follow-up period (hazard ratio 1.27, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.50).

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers concluded that hearing loss is independently associated with dementia. They say that further study is needed to determine whether hearing loss is a marker for early-stage dementia, or whether hearing loss directly affects the risk of dementia.
Conclusion

This study suggests that there is a link between hearing loss and the risk of developing dementia. Strengths of this study include its prospective assessment of hearing, inclusion of people without evidence of dementia at the start of the study, and regular, thorough assessment of cognitive function. There are some points to note:

* The study was relatively small, and the numbers of people in some subgroups, such as those with severe hearing loss (six people), were very small. Therefore, the results for these subgroups may not be representative of all people with this level of hearing loss and may not be very reliable.

* The development of dementia is a slow process, and people in the very early stages of the disease may not show any detectable signs. Therefore, some people included in the study may have already been in the very early stages of the disease. The authors tried to test whether this was the case by carrying out analyses that excluded people who developed detectable dementia shortly after the start of the study (up to six years). These analyses still showed the link between hearing loss and dementia.

* The study took into account some factors that could affect the risk of dementia, such as age, education, smoking and certain medical conditions. However, there may be other factors, such as genetic factors, that affect the risk of dementia but which were not taken into account. These could have affected the results.

* The authors note that the participants had all volunteered to take part and were generally from high socioeconomic backgrounds. Therefore, they were not representative of the community as a whole.

* Though the cause of hearing loss among the participants was not specified, it seems likely that many cases would be due to the common condition of age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). This occurs when the hair cells in the ear gradually deteriorate, and is more common with increasing age. It is not possible to say from this study whether hearing loss might directly contribute to the risk of dementia, or whether it indicates increased risk of the disease. As both presbycusis and dementia are related to increasing age, it is possible that similar physiological processes of cellular ageing are common to both conditions.

Further investigation of this association is needed. However, if hearing loss is only a marker for dementia, or if common disease-related processes underlie both conditions, interventions to improve hearing are unlikely to reduce the risk of dementia. Ideally, these findings need confirmation in larger studies in more representative groups in the community, as the authors themselves acknowledge.

source: nursingtimes.net

ProtoKinetix Targets Diabetes and Other Diseases Caused by Inflammation ProtoKinetix, a biotechnology company that has developed and patented a family of synthetic anti-aging glycopeptides (AAGP™) for medicine, biotechnology and cosmetic industries stated that it has repeatedly demonstrated the ability of their AAGP™ molecule to protect against the attacks of the most hostile inflammation causing agents known. Chronic and acute inflammation is the cause of countless diseases and premature death. As a result, containment, control or prevention of inflammation is, without question, one of the most important, universal health care objectives.

In the short term, ProtoKinetix is undertaking a series of independent tests towards the development of a disease specific therapeutic program. ProtoKinetix is embarking on the structuring of a partnership / licensing agreement to develop treatments for autoimmune diseases and chronic conditions. As an example, the inflammation of the pancreatic cells that produce insulin is now recognized as the cause of Diabetes.

This new direction of focus for ProtoKinetix has been made possible by the successful economic scale up of production of AAGP™ and the evaluation of the extensive testing done to date. The Company will now be in a position to better satisfy the testing demands throughout the world.

To date, medicine had limited options available in the treatment and containment of chronic inflammation. ProtoKinetix strongly believes that the AAGP™ family of molecules will prove to be a powerful therapeutic agent against all inflammatory diseases.

About ProtoKinetix

ProtoKinetix, Inc. is a biotechnology company that has developed and patented a family of synthetic anti-aging glycopeptides (AAGP™) for medicine and the biotechnology and cosmetic industries. PKTX’s primary focus is on the therapeutic potential for AAGP™ in the treatment of Diabetes, inflammatory diseases, skin protection and anti-aging.

source: businesswire

Eels boost heart health, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids

Eels are common and familiar type of elongated fresh water fish, which migrates to the sea in order to spawn and can travel over land.

They used to be popular as jellied eels but are less so now. Eels have grey, shiny skin and white flesh.

Eels are good source of protein, vitamins (especially B12) and minerals (including iron). Contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Health Benefits
Contains protein essential for tissue growth and repair, and vitamins and minerals involved in vital metabolic activities and disease prevention.

Eels contain fish oil that are protective of the heart and circulation and which help to prevent disease.

It is also safe for individuals with type 2 diabetes and can help ease cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high triglyceride levels.

Eels may be steamed, poached, fried, smoked or jellied.

Disadvantage: Rarely, may cause allergy.

Healthy diet helps deoxidize ADHD symptoms

A special restrictive diet may significantly reduce symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young children.

ADHD is a common childhood disorder and children suffering from it have trouble paying attention, focusing and can be hyperactive. Parents have long suspected that sugary foods might be a culprit in inducing symptoms, but there's not a lot of evidence to support this theory. However, food additives and preservatives have recently been singled out as possibly having an effect on children's behaviour, though the evidence isn't yet conclusive.

Since some children have negative physical reactions to certain foods - such as eczema, asthma and gastrointestinal problems - that affect different organ systems, it has been suggested that foods may also affect the brain in a way that results in adverse behaviour. To test this theory, the researchers recruited 100 children from Belgium and the Netherlands. The children were between the ages of 4 and 8 years, and all had been diagnosed with ADHD. Most of the children were boys. The children were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was placed on the restrictive elimination diet, and the other group served as a control group and received advice on healthy eating.

The restrictive diet (containing no processed foods) began with a diet called the "few foods diet," which included just rice, meat, vegetables, pears and water. The researchers then complemented this diet with certain foods, such as potatoes, fruits and wheat. The restrictive diet lasted for five weeks.

During the next four weeks, children in the restricted diet group received two food challenge diets, in which certain foods were reintroduced into the diet. The researchers selected foods that were considered both low and high-IgG foods. IgG is an antibody made by the immune system that some alternative medicine practitioners believe is linked to food hypersensitivities; however, IgG testing is controversial among many mainstream physicians and even some naturopaths. Some complementary medicine practices recommend eliminating foods high in IgG.

Forty-one children completed the restrictive phase of the diet. Of those, 78 percent had a reduction in their ADHD symptoms, compared with no improvement in the controls. Nine children (22 percent) didn't respond to the diet. On an ADHD symptom scale that ranges from 0 to 72 points, with a higher score indicating more severe symptoms, the average reduction was 24 points.

Thirty children who had shown a response on the restrictive diet went on to the challenge test. Nineteen of those children had a relapse in symptoms on the challenge test. Moreover, it didn't appear to matter if the children were challenged with a low or high-IgG food.

The findings suggest that a strictly supervised diet is a valuable instrument to assess whether ADHD is induced by food. Dietary intervention should be considered in children with ADHD especially if parents notice that a child's behavior seems to get worse with certain foods.

source: doctor.ndtv

Dental Treatment Key To Optimum Health

Heraeus acknowledges link between oral health and overall health during Heart Failure Awareness Week: February 13-19, 2011

More than just teeth and gums, a dentist may help detect a wide range of health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and oral cancer, but for many people an intense fear of dental treatment prevents them from getting the care they need.

To bring attention to the connection between good oral health and overall health, Heraeus, the leader in advancing dental esthetics and overall dental wellbeing, is acknowledging Heart Failure Awareness Week, February 13-19, 2011.

“Recent scientific studies and data show that dentists can spot early warning signs in the mouth that may indicate disease elsewhere in the body,” says Christopher Holden, President of Heraeus Kulzer. “Importantly, dentists’ significant training and education enables them to recognize conditions that merit referring patients for care by dental specialists or physicians,” he adds.

According to the U.S. surgeon general’s report on oral health in America, approximately one-third of adults in the United States had not visited a dentist for treatment within the previous year.(1)

The barriers to adequate dental care can range from low income to lack of dental insurance to dental anxiety, but the end result is the same: oral health extends beyond dental health and forgoing a trip to the dentist inhibits optimal oral health and may even retard the detection of serious diseases.

For those with dental phobias, there’s good news. New products and technologies are helping to eliminate sensitivities. Gluma® Desensitizer PowerGel by Heraeus is one such product. Scheduled to launch in March 2011, the product helps eliminate sensitivity due to gum erosion. “Patients who forgo annual cleanings may have gum recession, and as a result, they may experience some sensitivity during a professional cleaning,” says Rachel Wall, a renowned dental hygienist and founder of Inspired Hygiene. “Gluma® Desensitizer PowerGel promotes patient comfort by eliminating pain associated with dentinal hypersensitivity,” she adds.

The American Dental Association recommends that individuals brush and floss every day, and see their dentist at least twice a year for regular cleanings and oral exams.

Dental professionals interested in more information can call (800) 431-1785 or visit www.heraeusdentalusa.com.

(1) Department of Health and Human Services [U.S.]. Oral health in America: a report of the Surgeon General. Rockville (MD): National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health; 2000.

About Heraeus

Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company with over 155 years of tradition. Our businesses include dental products and biomaterials, precious metals, sensors, quartz glass, and specialty lighting sources. With product revenues approaching euro 2.6 billion and precious metal trading revenues of euro 13.6 billion, as well as more than 12,300 employees in more than 110 companies worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.

About Heraeus Kulzer Dental

The Heraeus Kulzer Dental Division aspires to deliver unparalleled innovation and exceptional products that deliver ultimate value to both dental practitioners and laboratories. While product safety and efficacy are always our main goals, we also aim to create value-based products that unlock new levels of productivity in dental practices and dental laboratories. Interrelated products including the Venus® brand of low stress composites, Venus White®, Flexitime®, Gluma® and iBond® offer exceptional diagnosis, treatment, and restorative care.

Heraeus also collaborates with health care providers, researchers and academic institutions to support community wellbeing and overall oral health. To that end, Heraeus is a corporate supporter of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides access to care for thousands of underserved children, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Brain Insulin Has Key Role in Developing Diabetes Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered a novel function of brain insulin, indicating that impaired brain insulin action may be the cause of the unrestrained lipolysis that initiates and worsens type 2 diabetes in humans. The research is published this month in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Led by Christoph Buettner, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the research team first infused a tiny amount of insulin into the brains of rats and then assessed glucose and lipid metabolism in the whole body. In doing so, they found that brain insulin suppressed lipolysis, a process during which triglycerides in fat are broken down and fatty acids are released.

Furthermore, in mice that lacked the brain insulin receptor, lipolysis was unrestrained. While fatty acids are important energy sources during fasting, they can worsen diabetes, especially when they are released after the person has eaten, as happens in people with diabetes. Researchers previously believed that insulin's ability to suppress lipolysis was entirely mediated through insulin receptors expressed on adipocytes, or fat tissue cells.

"We knew that insulin has this fundamentally important ability of suppressing lipolysis, but the finding that this is mediated in a large part by the brain is surprising," said Dr. Buettner. "The major lipolysis-inducing pathway in our bodies is the sympathetic nervous system and here the studies showed that brain insulin reduces sympathetic nervous system activity in fat tissue. In patients who are obese or have diabetes, insulin fails to inhibit lipolysis and fatty acid levels are increased. The low-grade inflammation throughout the body's tissue that is commonly present in these conditions is believed to be mainly a consequence of these increased fatty acid levels."

Dr. Buettner added, "When brain insulin function is impaired, the release of fatty acids is increased. This induces inflammation, which can further worsen insulin resistance, the core defect in type 2 diabetes. Therefore, impaired brain insulin signaling can start a vicious cycle since inflammation can impair brain insulin signaling." This cycle is perpetuated and can lead to type 2 diabetes. Our research raises the possibility that enhancing brain insulin signaling could have therapeutic benefits with less danger of the major complication of insulin therapy, which is hypoglycemia."

Dr. Buettner's team plans to further study conditions that lead to diabetes such as overfeeding to test if excessive caloric intake impairs brain insulin function. A major second goal will be to find ways of improving brain insulin function that could break the vicious cycle by restraining lipolysis and improving insulin resistance. This study is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association. First author of the study is Thomas Scherer, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease.

source: dddmag

Vegan diet may increase risk of hardening of arteries

According to a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry last month, the vegan lifestyle may increase people's risk of blood clots and the hardening of arteries - conditions which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

The study out of Hangzhou, China, was based on a review of dozens of articles on the biochemistry of vegetarianism published over the last 30 years. While meat eaters have significantly higher cardiovascular risk factors than vegetarians, the study noted that vegans tend to have elevated blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, and decreased levels of HDL, also known as "good" cholesterol.

The vegan diet - which eliminates meat and all animal products including eggs and cheese - tends to lack key nutrients like iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower the risk of heart-related diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to decrease the risk of arrhythmias, or abnormal heartbeats, slow the growth rate of plaque and lower blood pressure.

The study recommends that both vegetarians and vegans up their intake of these nutrients, either through food sources or nutritional supplements. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon and walnuts while vitamin B12 is found in seafood, eggs, and fortified milk (including soy milk).

source: independent

Balding at age 20 tied to risk of cancer SAN FRANCISCO — Men who show signs of balding at age 20 are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer in their lifetimes as those who keep their hair or lose it later, according to a French study.

Neither balding at 30 or 40 years of age, nor the pattern of hair loss, pointed to any increased risk of developing the disease, the researchers wrote in the medical journal Annals of Oncology. Early hair loss wasn’t associated with an earlier onset of cancer or a more severe course of the disease, the study found.

Researchers have long known that men who more readily convert the male hormone testosterone into a form called DHT have a higher risk of prostate cancer and are more likely to go bald.

Understanding that relationship better may help doctors identify men who may be helped by cancer screening, said Michael Yassa, a radiation oncologist who helped conduct the study.

“There’s a big debate about who can really benefit from prostate cancer screening’’ with the PSA test that’s used to predict risk of the malignancy in men, said Yassa, who now works at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal.

Studies have shown that men who have elevated levels of the protein measured by the PSA test don’t always have prostate cancer.

Some may end up getting unnecessary procedures and surgeries based on the test results. Those findings have raised questions about whether PSA testing is useful and which men should get the test.

“We’re saying, ‘OK, if we can’t have consensus on the general population, can we get a consensus on people who are at higher risk?’ ’’ Yassa said in a telephone interview. “With balding we don’t need to do any tests. When they walk into the clinic, we can say, ‘Were you bald at 20 or 30? If so, you may be at higher risk of getting prostate cancer.’ ’’

Giraud and his colleagues questioned 669 men, of whom 388 had prostate cancer, about their hair status at different ages.

The men classified their hair pattern according to a modified version of a widely used measure of baldness called the Hamilton-Norwood scale, and the researchers asked physicians about details of the participants’ illness.

source: boston

Genetic evidence that antioxidants can help treat cancer Scientists have provided genetic evidence suggesting the antioxidant drugs currently used to treat lung disease, malaria and even the common cold can also help prevent and treat cancers because they fight against mitochondrial oxidative stress-a culprit in driving tumor growth.

For the first time, researchers from Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center show that loss of the tumor suppressor protein Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) induces mitochondrial oxidative stress in the stromal micro-environment, a process that fuels cancer cells in most common types of breast cancer.

"Now we have genetic proof that mitochondrial oxidative stress is important for driving tumor growth," said lead researcher Michael P. Lisanti.

"This means we need to make anti-cancer drugs that specially target this type of oxidative stress. And there are already antioxidant drugs out there on the market as dietary supplements, like N-acetyl cysteine," he said.

In the study, Jefferson researchers applied a genetically tractable model for human cancer associated fibroblasts using a targeted sh-RNA knock-down approach.

Without the Cav-1 protein, researchers found that oxidative stress in cancer associated fibroblasts leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in stromal fibroblasts.

In this context, oxidative stress and the resulting autophagy (producton of recycled nutrients) in the tumor-microenvironment function as metabolic energy or "food" to "fuel" tumor growth.

The researchers report that the loss of Cav-1 increases mitochondrial oxidative stress in the tumor stroma, increasing both tumor mass and tumor volume by four-fold, without any increase in tumor angiogenesis.

"This study provides the necessary genetic evidence that reducing oxidative stress in the body will decrease tumor growth," Lisanti said

These findings were published in the online February 15 issue of Cancer Biology and Therapy.

source: sify

Home remedies to prevent migraine

A migraine is a common type of headache that may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. In many people, a throbbing pain is felt only on one side of the head.

Some people who get migraines have warning symptoms, called an aura, before the actual headache begins. An aura is a group of symptoms, including vision disturbances, that are a warning sign that a bad headache is coming.

Aromatherapy: One of the best home remedies for migraine is aromatherapy. A few aromas such as those of peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender and sandalwood, can be really good and helpful for treating migraine.

Massage: Massage is also considered to be a very good home remedy for migraine. Massaging head with certain ayurvedic oils can be very effectual in treating migraine. This is not just effectual for treating migraine but is also very nourishing for all your senses.

Acupressure: A lot of people suggest and have seen the benefits of acupressure in treating migraine. This is also considered to be one of the best suited home remedies for migraine.

Cabbage Leaf Compress: For treating migraine, take few leaves of cabbage and crush it. After that these leaves are to be put in the cloth. Tie this cloth on your forehead overnight. This can be done in the day as well. This is also one of a successful home remedy for migraine.

Chamomile Tea: Drinking chamomile tea can bring down the migraine symptoms and this is a simple home remedy for treating migraine.

These few home remedies for migraine are very well suited for treating and reducing the symptoms for migraine. Apart from thee other remedies such as primrose oil, ayurvedic remedy ‘nasyam’and juice of ripe grapes are also a few other effectual home remedies for migraine.

Obesity Increases Heart Attacks Risk

Study Suggests Obesity-Heart Attack Link Is Independent of Other Risk Factors Such as Diabetes

Obesity is a risk factor for fatal heart attacks even for people who do not have the conditions normally associated with cardiovascular disease, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, a study shows.

According to researchers at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, it appears that obesity in its own right is associated with an increased risk of fatal heart attacks.

Inflammation is apparently a strong factor in fatal cardiovascular disease, the researchers say, and obesity is now increasingly being recognized as an inflammatory condition.

“We already knew that being obese meant you had a higher chance of having a heart attack,” study researcher Jennifer Logue, MD, of the University of Glasgow, tells WebMD via email. “We also already knew that obese people were more likely to have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.”

She says it was thought that high cholesterol and blood pressure were the reasons obese people had more heart attacks, and that medications can treat those conditions.

But she says the study has shown “two news things: obese, middle-aged men have a 60% increased risk of dying from a heart attack than non-obese middle-aged men, even after we cancel out any of the effects of cholesterol, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular risk factors.”

This means, she says, that “obesity itself may be causing fatal heart attacks through a factor that we have not yet identified.”

Link to Fatal Heart Attacks

Logue notes that the study found that the increased risk is for fatal heart attacks, not nonfatal heart attacks.

“We do not know why this is,” she says. “Possible reasons include particular chemicals that the fat cells are releasing, or perhaps it is related to the fact that obese people tend to have larger hearts to cope with the additional stress of their larger size, and this already stressed heart does not manage to continue to work during a heart attack.”

She and her research team tracked the health of more than 6,000 middle-aged men with high cholesterol but no history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease for about 15 years.

During that time, 214 fatal heart attacks and 1,027 non-fatal heart attacks or strokes were recorded.

The study began 20 years ago, the researchers say, when the prevalence of obesity was lower. Therefore, says Logue, the death risk associated with obesity may be even greater for men now than the study suggests.

Fighting Obesity

She says that the clinical implications of the study are “difficult” and that “the main message should be that further research is urgently required to confirm these findings.”

However, she adds, “it certainly makes me think that we cannot just treat cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes in obese men without also considering their weight. We need to find easier and more effective ways to help people lose weight and see if losing weight can help reduce the risk of fatal heart attacks.”

Logue also says that health providers and public officials “need to dedicate far more resources to preventing obesity.”

Markers of obesity-induced inflammation are more strongly associated with fatal than non-fatal heart attacks, the researchers say.

Therefore, treating conventional risk factors alone may not be enough to counteract the risk of death from coronary heart disease in obese men, the study suggests.

The study is published online in the journal Heart.

source: webmd

High risk of heart disease in preadolescent kids with type 1diabetes Preadolescent children with type 1diabetes have a 200 percent to 400 percent greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease than those without diabetes, according to a new study.

Medical College of Wisconsin researchers at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin discovered that the early signs of cardiovascular disease are likely to manifest before the onset of puberty in many children with diabetes.

Led by Ramin Alemzadeh, professor of paediatrics at the college and paediatric endocrinologist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, they researchers studied 21 preadolescent children (average age 8.5 years) with type 1diabetes, and compared that group to 15 healthy siblings.

Children who had high blood pressure, family history of high cholesterol or premature cardiovascular disease from other causes were excluded.

The researchers looked at flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), a gauge of the health of a major blood vessel of the upper arm artery, in both groups.

FMD percentage (FMD percent) is a way to measure any stiffening of the blood vessels; stiffening blood vessels is an early precursor of cardiovascular disease.

Blood samples were collected from all participants to monitor cholesterol and sugar levels.

When tested, the blood vessels of children with type 1 diabetes had a lower FMD% change, which means their blood vessels were less expandable than the control group suggesting that higher circulating glucose results in increased rigidity of blood vessels independent of serum cholesterol levels.

They also had vascular inflammation, which is a known harbinger of future cardiovascular risk.

The researchers said long-term studies were needed to evaluate the progression of those vascular changes through puberty and beyond.

The findings are published in the online version of Diabetes Care and will be in the March issue of Diabetes Care.

SOURCE: sify

Cause of impotent in men after 40

As male ages, there are great possibilities of impotency. Scientifically, erection requires a relatively precise sequence of events to occur, damage or disruption of any of these events may be the cause of male impotence. Such sequence involves:

*Nerve impulses to the brain, spinal column, the area around the penis, the response of muscles, fibrous tissues, veins and arteries in and near the corpora cavernosa.

*Damage of the following: Nerves, arteries, smooth muscles and fibrous tissues often as a result of disease are usually the most common impotence causes.

*Diseases such as kidney disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, alcoholism, atherosclerosis, vascular disease and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, are the cause of male impotence in nearly 70 % of cases of erectile dysfunction

*Many common medicines such as those used for high blood pressure, antidepressants, antihistamines, tranquililizers, appetites suppressants and various other prescription and over-the- counter medications may also be a cause of male impotence.

*Pychological factors such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression and the fear of sexual failure are considered to be the cause of male impotence in approximately 10% to 20% of cases, men also experience these same symptoms when the cause is believed to be physical, resulting in difficulty determining which is primary, the physical or the psychological problems.

In addition, two other infamous impotence causes are smoking which affects the blood flow in veins and arteries, and hormonal abnormalities such as low levels of testosterone. Obviously, it is advisable to quit smoking for both sexual and general health, and fortunately medical science continues to research treatments which will someday assist in producing higher levels of testosterone, naturally increasing both sexual desire and performance.

However, psychological impotence is an all too common reality which is frequently treated effectively with other alternative treatments.

source: mdinfo

Prostate cancer genome to be decoded Dr. Tom Hudson anticipates that within five years, gene-based diagnoses will help doctors determine which people with prostate cancer will need require more intensive therapies.

Prostate cancer's genetic mutations will be mapped under a new $20 million Canadian research project that aims to eventually improve diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

The Canadian Prostate Cancer Genome Network will identify changes in the DNA sequences of prostate cancer.

The project is part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, which is also looking at more than 10,000 tumours in the blood, brain, breast, colon, kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, stomach, oral cavity and ovaries.

Currently for men with prostate cancer, doctors evaluate the stage of cancer and use the PSA blood test that reflects the health of the prostate and the Gleason score, which is based on how aggressive the cancer cells appear under a microscope.

"We anticipate that within five years, gene-based diagnoses will help physicians in determining which patients require more intensive therapies and which patients would benefit from careful monitoring, a process called 'watchful waiting,' said Dr. Tom Hudson, president and scientific director of Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, which is contributing $5 million in funding for the project.

"It is also expected that some prostate cancer mutations detected by CPC GENE will stimulate the development of new cancer drugs," he added in a release.

Dr. Robert Bristow, a senior scientist at the Ontario Cancer Institute and a radiation oncologist at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital, will lead the prostate project, also known as CPC GENE.

It's hoped that patients' precise genetic information will help personalize their prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment to improve their quality of life, Bristow said. Researchers in the international genome project share those goals for all the cancers under study.

CPC GENE brings together researchers working in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Kingston and Montreal who will also work with international teams based in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Prostate Cancer Canada will provide up to $15 million for the project.

About 25,000 Canadian men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. It ranks third in terms of mortality, with about 4,300 deaths a year, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

source: cbc.ca

Is drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss effective?

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss isn't likely to be effective.

Proponents of the apple cider vinegar diet claim that drinking a small amount of apple cider vinegar before meals or taking an apple cider vinegar supplement helps curb appetite and burn fat. However, there's little scientific support for these claims.

Although occasional use of apple cider vinegar is safe for most people, it won't likely lead to weight loss — and it may pose problems of its own. For example:

* Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. It may irritate your throat if you drink it often or in large amounts.

* Apple cider vinegar may interact with certain supplements or drugs, including diuretics and insulin. This may contribute to low potassium levels.

Remember, there's no magic bullet for weight loss. The key to losing weight is burning more calories than you consume. Choose healthy foods — such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein — and include physical activity in your daily routine.

source: mayoclinic

Effective funny ways to help your heart

You don't experience high blood pressure symptoms until it's already very high, so learn to keep it out of the danger zone.

America's blood pressure is way too high. In fact, nearly one in four men between the ages of 35 and 44 have hypertension, as well as 12 percent of men between 20 and 34, according to the American Heart Association. It's so bad that the Institute of Medicine is urging the government to start trying to shake salt out of our diet, since too much of this key taste enhancer can cause you to retain water in your blood, which adds volume and boosts blood pressure.

This, in turn, exposes you to a greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and even erectile dysfunction. But sodium isn't the only culprit. Smoking, excessive drinking, inactivity, and bad food choices can also make your arteries burst at the seams. Worse, you may never know what hit you. "Many men don't pay attention to their blood pressure until they're older," says nephrologist George Bakris, M.D., president of the American Society of Hypertension. "But you don't experience symptoms until it's very high."

But there's good news amid the gloom: Keeping your blood pressure out of the danger zone doesn't have to be just about restraint. Use our expert advice to find your perfect — and perfectly fun — pressure-release valves.

Swing by the candy store
You may be able to significantly lower your blood pressure with nothing more than a daily dose of dark chocolate. In a 2008 Italian study, people who had both prediabetes and high blood pressure managed to do just that by eating 31/2 ounces of dark chocolate each day for 15 days. They lowered their systolic BP (the upper number) by 4.5 points and their diastolic (the lower number) by 4.2 points, thanks to the flavonoids—antioxidant compounds—found in dark chocolate. A sustained improvement of that extent could lower your risk of cardiovascular problems by 20 percent over 5 years.

A daily dose of dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure.

But you need to eat the right type of chocolate. Darker chocolate contains more antioxidants and less of the sugar that may counteract chocolate's beneficial effects, according to research from Yale. Choose dark chocolate with a minimum of 65 percent cacao, such as Ghirardelli's Intense Dark 72% Cacao Twilight Delight Bar.

Take her to bed
Keep your blood flowing by hopping into the sack two or more times a week. Men who do are 65 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, compared with those who have sex less than once a month on average, according to a recent New England Research Institute study. In a 2006 study at the University of Paisley, Scotland, people who had sex at least once over a 2-week period had lower blood pressure than those who engaged in no sexual activity, and their blood vessels responded better to stress.

But going solo won't help you out. While researchers are still examining why intercourse is so much better than other kinds of stimulation, they believe it has to do with the intimacy. Oxytocin, a hormone associated with intimacy and reduced stress, is released during sex and particularly during orgasm. Intercourse may be more intimate than other kinds of fooling around, which may lead to a more effective release of oxytocin, says Stuart Brody, Ph.D., the study's author. Sex can also be a great workout, burning up to 60 calories per half hour in bed. Raise the calorie burn with vigorous sex.

The right kind of music can relax your blood vessels.

Music is a perfect tool for loosening your arteries. Listening to 30 minutes a day of "rhythmically homogeneous" music (that is, anything with a steady beat), combined with breathing exercises, can lower your systolic blood pressure by more than 4 points after 3 months, according to a 2008 Italian study. Breathing in and out with an inhale/exhale ratio of 1 to 2 while listening to slow, steady music relaxes your vessels, says Randall Zusman, M.D., director of the hypertension division at the Massachusetts General Hospital heart center.

The key is to cue up the right type of music, says Michael Miller, M.D., who coauthored a different music study in 2008. That study found that when people relaxed and breathed steadily while listening to music they found pleasurable — whether it was Mozart or Maroon 5 — the linings of their blood vessels dilated by 26 percent. Those who listened to music that made them anxious experienced a 6 percent narrowing of their blood vessels. It's your emotional connection with the music that may be key to a lower BP, Dr. Miller says.

Fire up the game console

Pumping 23,000 rounds of ammo into space aliens should do wonders for your stress and, by extension, your blood pressure. But sorry, you need to stand up from the couch to make video games count. The American Heart Association officially stamped its seal of approval on Nintendo's motion-sensor-based Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort games in May, recommending them as legitimate ways to stay active.

Video games can help lower blood pressure, but you have to get off the couch to make it count.

Timothy Church, M.D., chairman of the American Heart Association's physical activity committee, says playing certain Wii activities, such as boxing and jogging, is as good as hitting the gym — as long as you're playing with at least moderate intensity for a minimum of 150 minutes a week. This can lower your systolic blood pressure by 2 to 5 points. "Some of the activities in Wii Fit can qualify as your 30 minutes a day of physical activity," he says. "You'll be sweating buckets."

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Animal farming and human health are intimately linked

A Hong Kong resident prays while wearing a surgical mask during a Sars outbreak in 2003.

When avian flu arrived in Indonesia in 2003, it found the perfect stage for a rapid, destructive spread in the country's growing poultry industry. Despite the slaughter of millions of ducks and chickens, the highly pathogenic virus established a foothold throughout the vast country, where it threatened to mutate into an easily transmissible human killer.

Indonesia is the classic example of a "hotspot", where development and rapid change surpassing the speed of the industrial revolution threaten animal and human health in ways we have never seen before. Prosperity has stimulated a raid expansion of poultry operations in Indonesia, yet the country lacks adequate veterinary health resources, rendering it vulnerable to the emerging diseases that can prosper on its farms.

An entirely different set of health problems threaten "coldspots" throughout much of Africa – areas locked in a timewarp of underdevelopment and crippled by old diseases. Here, the past three decades have seen an entrenchment of livestock diseases like cattle "lung plague", caused by a bacterium eradicated from the herds of most wealthy countries a century ago.

In contrast to these "hot" and "cold" spots, the United States, Japan and the European Union have well-established, reasonably well-regulated livestock industries that can usually get new diseases under control. In these wealthy countries, consumer outrage over the occasional appearance of tainted foods is often greater than the disease risk that those foods pose to consumers.

How diseases are managed in these three different regions – hot, cold and worried – should differ.

A new human disease emerges around every four months, usually after jumping from animals. Many of these infections are minor and of interest only to microbiologists. But as intensive agricultural production expands and populations push into uninhabited areas, epidemics of devastating diseases, like Sars and HIV, which started out as animal pathogens, are likely to become more common.

Agriculture and health are intimately linked. Many infectious, and even occupational, diseases are associated with the food chain. These diseases create an especially heavy burden in poor countries, so we need to start viewing agriculture-associated disease as intimately related to public health. This starts with incorporating the health of people, animals and the environment into agricultural research, which has traditionally ignored human health issues and focused on improving yields and productivity.

Big agriculture, whether farms of hundreds of thousands of closely packed chickens or largescale irrigation projects that create new homes for disease spreaders like the mosquito, offer unprecedented opportunities for the emergence of new illnesses.

In a world of limited financial and technical resources, it makes sense to integrate our disease-combating efforts across scientific disciplines while focusing on different priorities in different parts of the world.

Too many emerging economies fail to take into account the risks of intensified livestock operations along with the benefits. Sars – a disease that broke into the human population at the intersection of traditional "wet" markets, where live animals are sold, and globalised travel – is the classic example of such risks.

In these countries, increasing demand for meat, milk and eggs is fostering more intensive cattle and poultry farming. But the countries lack the veterinary staff, surveillance and other tools required to control diseases that come with this expansion.

At the other extreme are neglected areas, "coldspots" that lack even the most basic services and where people suffer poverty, malnutrition and powerlessness. Here, the best hope for disease control may be a technical fix that leapfrogs the conditions of underdevelopment. This is why we and other organisations are working on vaccines to combat epidemics of the deadliest livestock diseases, even as we recognise that poverty, a main cause of the diseases, must also be battled at its roots.

Our responses to disease threats are often compartmentalised. Instead of jointly assessing the trade-offs between agriculture's benefits (food) and risks (disease), those in the agriculture sector remain focused on produhttp://10.192.130.30:8079/cgi-bin/MogulServiceLib?Action=GetAssetData&dbName=GNL+Picture+Library&userName=Pushpinder+Khaneka&key=PD*3330416ctivity and those in the health sector on disease.

The best way to counter diseases associated with agriculture is by assessing their impact on humans and animals alike, as well as the costs of implementing interventions to control them. Using these methods, authorities in Mongolia, for example, were able to show that while brucellosis was a minor threat to people, factoring in both human and animal health benefits showed that a brucellosis vaccination campaign was a wise investment.

Understanding the multiple burdens of a disease is a first step in its rational management. Addressing agriculture-associated diseases requires systems-based thinking and new multidisciplinary approaches, which in turn will require new institutional arrangements.

Yet for all the complexity of disease outbreaks, we should never ignore the obvious. Sometimes, there can be simple solutions to fight an epidemic, which is why effective vaccines are such a powerful tool.

source: guardian

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