April 2011

As number of individuals who develop diabetes continues to increase, so does evidence that a diet rich in fiber might be the solution for this disease or at least help to control its symptom and reduce its possible complications. In fact, one clinical trial found that eating a fiber enriched bread for only 3 days improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese women by nearly ten percent.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels, it tends to develop when the body can no longer produce enough of the hormone insulin that is needed to lower the blood sugar to normal levels. It may also develop when the body cannot properly use the insulin that it produces.

Fiber works to reverse this effect by delaying gastric stomach emptying thus slowing the entry of sugar into the blood stream and reducing the post meal rise in blood sugar. A diet rich in fiber rich foods that has a low glycemic index seems to be the key to good health. While fiber manages to lower the blood sugar levels, foods that have a high glycemic index like potatoes, refined foods such as white bread, white rice, refined cereals, white spaghetti, and sugar do the exact opposite.

According to the American Diabetic Association you should include six servings of whole grains into your diet each day along with five fruits and vegetables, some sweets and sugars should be consumed in moderation.

Among the health benefits of fiber in the diet is it relieves constipation and hemorrhoids, it prevents certain disease and keeps weight under control.

As for diabetes, adding fiber in the diet will help regulate the blood sugar levels which are important in avoiding diabetes. It also provides significance in the reduction of blood sugar levels and reduces the need for medication or without it at the same time. Fiber consumption speeds the passage of food through the body and protects it against cancer.

Vitamin E helps cure fatty liver and steatohepatitis disease Alcohol is not the only reason for a damaged liver it can also be due to Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). These diseases are mostly being found in US children now-a-days. These diseases even in severe conditions are said to be cured by a special form of Vitamin E.

With the proven result of Vitamin E curing the disease researchers said, “After 96 weeks of treatment, 58 percent of the children on Vitamin E no longer had NASH, compared to 41 percent of the children on metformin (a diabetes drug), and 28 percent on placebo”. NAFLD is caused when excess of fat is deposited in liver and this can be cured initially by weight loss but NASH is the most extreme form of NAFLD which needs a proper treatment. Risk for these diseases is high in men/boy as comparison to women/girl.

Both these have common symptoms like complain of fatigue, malaise, and dull right-upper-quadrant abdominal discomfort. The disease can be diagnosed by liver ultrasound, a biopsy or several other tests available. Apart from Vitamin E regular exercises are also suggested to cure these diseases.

With this study by Stephen P. James, director of the digestive diseases at National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), who funded the study claims, “‘These results suggest that Vitamin E improves or resolves NASH in at least half of children, which we previously showed to be true in adults”.

source: ic-technews

Confused: Which water bottles to buy from grocery stores?

You must have notice that in the grocery there are different kinds of bottled water available. What kind of water should I buy? What is the difference of the many bottled water available in the grocery? Confused.

We need to get enough water in order that our body system works well. I, myself was also amazed of the different water available in the market today. We can go without food for thirty to forty days, but without water, our life would end in three to five days.

I hope the information below would help you decide what kind of bottled water you would buy in your next stop to the grocery stores.

1. Mineral water is water containing not less than 250 parts per million (ppm) total dissolved solids, originating from a geologically and physically protected underground water source or spring that has been tapped at the spring opening. It has constant level of minerals and trace elements at its source.

2. Water that has been carbonated is evident on its sparkling appearance. Carbonated water is a healthy alternative to soda and alcoholic beverages as it contains less number of calories. This is the kind of water that contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence from the source.

3. Water that comes from an underground formation flowing naturally to the surface is what we called spring water. The location of the spring must be identified on the level of any water labeled spring water.

4. Well water comes from a hole bored, drilled, or otherwise constructed into the ground, which taps the water of an aquifer or an underground water source.

Just remember, we need enough water in our body to function it at its best. No medication will be effective if we are dehydrated. So drink your water regularly!

Nutritious and Healthy Fast Food

There are actually many fast food items that maybe good for your diet. However, it depends on you on how to choose from those lists of food items. You must have the knowledge in choosing correctly given the list of food items.

You can follow rules in order to choose a healthy food from fast food restaurants.

First, be cautious about condiments. Some fast food condiments add a lot of fat and calories akin to mayonnaise and oil-based sauces. Others are lower in calories and have no fat, even if they will add some sodium.

Use a little catsup, mustard, marinara, or BBQ sauce as an alternative to creamy sauces and spreads. Half a packet of BBQ sauce or honey-mustard sauce from most fast-food chains, for instance, will add about 23 calories, no fat grams, and about 80 milligrams of sodium.

Next rule would be to watch out for side dishes. Anything on the side that's fried is a suspect, like French fries and onion rings. If you want something to keep your entree company, look for fresh fruit cups or side salads.

The other option is to take your own fruits and vegetables from home. Lastly, look out for liquid calories. The last thing you need when eating at a fast-food chain is to drink something that provides you calories without nutrients, like soda, sweetened tea, lemonade, and fruit drinks. It's even worse if your drink is also overloaded with fat-like shakes.

Choose either a no-calorie beverage (like water, unsweetened tea, or diet soda) or one that contributes some nutrients along with its calories (like low-fat milk or 100% orange juice).

Must read: Amazing Health Foods

Frog embryos help understand human heart health secrets Melbourne, Research on frog embryos has shed new light on the process of tissue formation in the human heart, which can help understand cardiac diseases like DiGeorge syndrome.

The study mapped the embryonic region that becomes the part of the heart that separates the outgoing blood in Xenopus, a genus of frog.

Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet, a developmental biologist at Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine, along with Young-Hoon Lee of South Korea's Chonbuk National University were behind the finding.

"In the frog, we were expecting to find something that was in between fish and higher vertebrates, but that's not the case at all," said Saint-Jeannet.

"It turns out that cardiac neural crest cells do not contribute to the outflow tract septum, they stop their migration before entering the outflow tract. The blood separation comes from an entirely different part of the embryo, known as the 'second heart field'," he said.

Knowing these paths, and the biological signals that govern them, could have implications for human health.

"There are a number of pathologies in humans that have been associated with abnormal deployment of the cardiac neural crest, such as DiGeorge Syndrome," said Saint-Jeannet.

"Among other developmental problems, these patients have an incomplete blood separation at the level of the outflow tract, because the cardiac neural crest does not migrate and differentiate at the proper location.

"Xenopus could be a great model to study the signals that cause those cells to migrate into the outflow tract of the heart.

"If you can understand the signals that prevent or promote the colonization of this tissue, you can understand the pathology of something like DiGeorge syndrome and perhaps figure out what kind of molecule we can introduce there to force those cells to migrate further down," he added.

The study will be published in the May 15 edition of the journal Development.

source: dailyindia

Celebrities That Suffer From Chronic Conditions

I have a trivia question for you. What do these celebrities have in common?

* Halle Berry
* Nick Jonas
* Randy Jackson
* Tommy Lee
* David Letterman
* Bill Clinton
* Toni Braxton

Well, they all have a chronic condition, a.k.a. chronic disease, which is a long-lasting or recurring health issue.

Defined

The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics defines chronic diseases as conditions that generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication – and they don’t just disappear.

About half of the American population has a chronic condition, which comes to about 133 million people. Also, 88% of seniors greater than 65 years old have at least one chronic disease.

Here are a few examples of chronic conditions, which affect celebrities as well:

* Diabetes
* Heart Disease
* Hypertension
* Asthma
* Arthritis
* Crohn’s Disease
* Lupus
* Lyme Disease

Celebrities You Can Relate To

Diabetes

* Halle Berry
* Nick Jonas
* Randy Jackson
* Tommy Lee
* Bret Michaels
* George Lucas
* Meatloaf
* Andrew Lloyd Weber
* Neil Diamond
* Aretha Franklin
* Morgan Freeman
* Sharon Stone
* Larry King

Heart Disease and/or Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

* Bill Clinton
* David Letterman
* Toni Braxton
* Dick Cheney
* Peggy Fleming
* Regis Philbin
* Robin Williams
* Barbara Walters

Bret Michaels has recently made headlines in regard to his experiences with type 1 diabetes. This has helped shine a light on how diabetes and other chronic conditions impact a person’s health and well-being.

Halle Berry was originally diagnosed with diabetes when she was 22. She has been known to advocate for a healthy, portion-controlled diet and plenty of exercise to help her control blood sugars.

Sharon Stone also has healthy behaviors including carbohydrate counting to help with her diet to control her diabetes.

Barbara Walters had a television special in February during National Heart Health Month and she discussed the impact of heart disease on celebrities, including herself.

I know what you are thinking: Celebrities have it easier because they have a personal trainer or chef that helps them. Remember, you can do the same thing for yourself.

Consider This

* Take the time to see your doctor regularly and ask questions
* Understand your medications and take them regularly
* Remember that you have a lot of control in terms of:
o Diet
o Exercise
o Getting enough sleep
o Staying hydrated
o Taking medication properly
o Seeing a doctor, registered dietitian or other professional on a health care team as necessary

You can do it. Be proactive and healthy. Don’t forget you are the superstar in your own life.

source: ahealthiermichigan.org

New Tech: "Electronic nose" to detect cancer tumors Scientists have successfully developed a breath test that can detect cancer with an “electronic nose”.

The highly sophisticated device can detect even malignant head and neck cancer tumours, which are often hard to diagnose.

The ‘Nano Artificial Nose’ or Na-Nose has been tested on a small sample group, but there are hopes it could one day be used as a routine test on the cancers.

The device is designed to pick up on microscopic chemical changes that are emitted in the breath of people with the two cancers, compared to those without the disease.

It also distinguished between lung cancer patients and those free of the disease and between head and neck cancer and lung cancer patients.

"There’s an urgent need to develop new ways to detect head and neck cancer because diagnosis of the disease is complicated, requiring specialist examinations," the Daily Express quoted professor Hossam Haick, from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, as saying.

"We’ve shown that a simple ‘breath test’ can spot the patterns of molecules which are found in head and neck patients in a small, early study.

“We now need to test these results in larger studies to find if this could lead to a potential screening method for the disease,” he added.

The study has been published in the Journal of Cancer Research.

source: dna

Aubergines (Eggplant) Effective in Treating Central Nervous System

Aubergines also known as eggplant a vegetable that has a lot to offer nutritionally, it does have some benefits that should be included in everyone’s diet.

Aubergines a glossy, purple-black vegetable, encircled at the base by green, papery leaves. They are roughly oval in shape and widely used in Middle Eastern, Asian and South European countries. They are originally native to India.

Health Benefits
Aubergines a useful source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, which are all essential for health. In African traditional medicine, the vegetables are used as a treatment for epilepsy. In Asia, they are used to relieve symptoms of measles and stomach cancer.

Aubergines are a very good source of Dietary Fiber, the famous plant compound that our bodies need for proper digestion. Dietary Fiber also helps in the areas of weight loss (by making us feel fuller for longer), diabetes management, and heart health. Speaking of heart health, aubergines are also naturally low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Aubergines are extremely versatile with distinctive texture and flavour, they are used as a basis for many dishes. Aubergines are often sliced and fried, (which greatly increases calorie content since the flesh readily absorbs oil and fat) or they can be baked, stuffed etc.

Disadvantages: fat content is high if the Aubergines are fried.

Erectile Dysfunction – New Facts About Its Causes

Erectile dysfunction (ED) (impotence) is a sexual dysfunction where the affected male cannot develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance. ED is a common public health problem. Millions of men worldwide suffer from this condition . An intact neural system and vascular system are required for a successful and complete erection.

Unfortunately our knowledge of the occurrence and etiology of ED is limited. The factors responsible for ED have always acted as sources of controversy. In the past, ED was linked to psychological problems and the normal process of aging. What follows is an gist of facts collected from various studies related to ED:

Age

The incidence of ED increases strongly with age, especially after the age of 60 years. A 100% increase occurs by each one-decade increment in age for 50- to 75-y-old men. The older the men, the higher the reports of ED.

Obesity

Erection occurs due to the entry and retention of blood in sponge-like bodies within the penis. This hydraulic effect is often initiated by sexual arousal. Thus any factor that hampers blood circulation in the penis can cause ED. Obesity is associated with the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and hyperlipidemia. All of these affect the vasculature of the penis and thus increases ones risk of developing ED.

Coffee

The effect of caffeine has been unclear for a while. Some studies have said that it has a protective effect on ED while others branded it as a risk factor. Newer concepts however say that coffee intake does not have an effect on ED.

Alcohol

‘It provokes your desire but takes away the performance’ is what is generally believed about alcohol and ED. However the newer studies have cast its doubts on this and suggests that alcohol consumption may not directly have an effect on the incidence of ED; however if it leads to cirrhosis then the hormonal alterations can surely cause ED.

Smoking

Conflicting findings from various previous studies kept the association between smoking and ED unclear. Impotent men are significantly more likely to be current smokers than men in the general population. Smoking damages the vascular system and thus leading to ED. However current research studies also shows that when the vascular damage is already present in a person, smoking does not give any additional risk. The incidence of ED for past smokers has also been found to be slightly higher than non-smokers.

Smoking results in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and in the long run hampers the mechanisms responsible for bringing erection.

Socioeconomic status

The association between socioeconomic status and ED has not been well established. The effect depends on factors like life-style factors and medical conditions. Higher socioeconomic status has been linked to better health. Though low education is taken as a marker of high prevalence of non-diagnosed diseases, the current studies say that education doesn’t have a significant effect on the incidence of ED.A healthy life style devoid of chronic diseases obviously eliminates ones risk of erectile dysfunction. Forget the controversies and lack of clarity; it would be wise to quit smoking, alcohol, and step out of the fast food culture. Sounds difficult indeed, but genuine efforts will save you from failing when you need it the most!

Source-Medindia

What causes spasmodic dysphonia? Spasmodic dysphonia (or laryngeal dystonia) is a voice disorder caused by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx or voice box. Individuals who have spasmodic dysphonia may have occasional difficulty saying a word or two or they may experience sufficient difficulty to interfere with communication. Spasmodic dysphonia causes the voice to break or to have a tight, strained or strangled quality. There are three different types of spasmodic dysphonia.

What are the types of spasmodic dysphonia?

The three types of spasmodic dysphonia are adductor spasmodic dysphonia, abductor spasmodic dysphonia and mixed spasmodic dysphonia.

What are the features of spasmodic dysphonia?

In adductor spasmodic dysphonia, sudden involuntary muscle movements or spasms cause the vocal folds (or vocal cords) to slam together and stiffen. These spasms make it difficult for the vocal folds to vibrate and produce voice. Words are often cut off or difficult to start because of the muscle spasms. Therefore, speech may be choppy and sound similar to stuttering. The voice of an individual with adductor spasmodic dysphonia is commonly described as strained or strangled and full of effort. Surprisingly, the spasms are usually absent while whispering, laughing, singing, speaking at a high pitch or speaking while breathing in. Stress, however, often makes the muscle spasms more severe.

In abductor spasmodic dysphonia, sudden involuntary muscle movements or spasms cause the vocal folds to open. The vocal folds can not vibrate when they are open. The open position of the vocal folds also allows air to escape from the lungs during speech. As a result, the voices of these individuals often sound weak, quiet and breathy or whispery. As with adductor spasmodic dysphonia, the spasms are often absent during activities such as laughing or singing.

Mixed spasmodic dysphonia involves muscles that open the vocal folds as well as muscles that close the vocal folds and therefore has features of both adductor and abductor spasmodic dysphonia.

Who is affected by spasmodic dysphonia?

Spasmodic dysphonia can affect anyone. The first signs of this disorder are found most often in individuals between 30 and 50 years of age. More women appear to be affected by spasmodic dysphonia than are men.

What causes spasmodic dysphonia?

The cause of spasmodic dysphonia is unknown. Because the voice can sound normal or near normal at times, spasmodic dysphonia was once thought to be psychogenic, that is, originating in the affected person¹s mind rather than from a physical cause. While psychogenic forms of spasmodic dysphonia exist, research has revealed increasing evidence that most cases of spasmodic dysphonia are in fact neurogenic or having to do with the nervous system (brain and nerves).

Spasmodic dysphonia may co-occur with other movement disorders such as blepharospasm (excessive eye blinking and involuntary forced eye closure), tardive dyskinesia (involuntary and repetitious movement of muscles of the face, body, arms and legs), oromandibular dystonia (involuntary movements of the jaw muscles, lips and tongue), torticollis (involuntary movements of the neck muscles), or tremor (rhythmic, quivering muscle movements).

In some cases, spasmodic dysphonia may run in families and is thought to be inherited. Research has identified a possible gene on chromosome 9 that may contribute to the spasmodic dysphonia that is common to certain families. In some individuals the voice symptoms begin following an upper respiratory infection, injury to the larynx, a long period of voice use, or stress.

How is spasmodic dysphonia diagnosed?

The diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia is usually made based on identifying the way the symptoms developed as well as by careful examination of the individual. Most people are evaluated by a team that usually includes an otolaryngologist (a physician who specializes in ear, nose and throat disorders), a speech-language pathologist (a professional trained to diagnose and treat speech, language and voice disorders) and a neurologist (a physician who specializes in nervous system disorders).

The otolaryngologist examines the vocal folds to look for other possible causes for the voice disorder. Fiberoptic nasolaryngoscopy, a method whereby a small lighted tube is passed through the nose and into the throat, is a helpful tool that allows the otolaryngologist to evaluate vocal cord movement during speech. The speech-language pathologist evaluates the patient's voice and voice quality. The neurologist evaluates the patient for signs of other muscle movement disorders.

What treatment is available for spasmodic dysphonia?

There is presently no cure for spasmodic dysphonia. Current treatments only help reduce the symptoms of this voice disorder. Voice therapy may reduce some symptoms, especially in mild cases. An operation that cuts one of the nerves of the vocal folds (the recurrent laryngeal nerve) has improved the voice of many for several months to several years but the improvement is often temporary. Others may benefit from psychological counseling to help them to accept and live with their voice problem. Still others may benefit from job counseling that will help them select a line of work more compatible with their speaking limitations.

Currently the most promising treatment for reducing the symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia is injections of very small amounts of botulinum toxin (botox) directly into the affected muscles of the larynx. Botulinum toxin is produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This is the bacterium that occurs in improperly canned foods and honey.

The toxin weakens muscles by blocking the nerve impulse to the muscle. The botox injections generally improve the voice for a period of three to four months after which the voice symptoms gradually return. Reinjections are necessary to maintain a good speaking voice. Initial side effects that usually subside after a few days to a few weeks may include a temporary weak, breathy voice or occasional swallowing difficulties. Botox may relieve the symptoms of both adductor and abductor spasmodic dysphonia.

source: clevelandclinic.org

Small molecule to fight neurodegenerative disorders?

A substance able to breach the protective barrier surrounding the brain has been identified in research that could improve the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.

Scientists searched through almost 390,000 chemical compounds before they identified the cholesterol blocking substance in the study, published in journal ACS Chemical Biology.

It was previously revealed by Aleksey G Kazantsev and his colleagues that the prevention of cholesterol formation in the brain could protect against some of the damage seen in conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.

The new small molecule blocks the activity of a key protein for cholesterol production.

According to the authors, "it could have a broader application in other neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, for which modulation of cholesterol and other associated metabolic pathways might be of therapeutic benefit".

In other news, wearing a neck patch to increase the blood flow in the brain could stave off Alzheimer's disease, according to scientists.

source: mediplacements

Motor neurone disease 'blocked by stopping protein' A form of motor neurone disease could be blocked by stopping the abnormal movement of the protein, research on fruit flies has revealed.

Blocking the abnormal movement of a protein could block the process of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) - a form of Motor Neurone Disease.

Researchers at Louisiana State University found that by blocking the atypical movement of a protein created by mutated gene FUS, they could block the condition, according to the study published online in journal Human Molecular Genetics.

Senior author Nicholas Lanson Jr said: "Our next goal is to identify other factors such as proteins or RNA that mutant forms of FUS target so that we can get more insights into the disease mechanisms."

The study was performed using a fruit fly model, which developer Dr Udai Pandey says is a quick method for studying many human conditions including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The progression of the model could therefore see a furthering of research into such conditions.

This comes after researchers at the University of Oxford unveiled a new way of delivering drugs to the brain, which could lead to pioneering treatments for people with motor neuron disease as well as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

source: barchester

Best Treatment to Relive Hemorrhoids

Take a warm sitz bath Pour some warm water into a bath tube, mix up with some salt and enter into it allowing the affected region to touch with the water. Stay there for 20 minutes and then come out, this can be used to lessen the pain coming from your hemorrhoids. Rub aloe vera gel to the affected region If you can be able to obtain aloe vera in its fresh form, it will do wonders in the treatment of your hemorrhoids. Simply rub some of the aloe vera in your palms and apply it on the affected area. Apply witch hazel. Anytime you have finished going to the toilet, simply clean your ass with the witch hazel pad, it will aid to make the piles heal fast.

The term hemorrhoids refers to a condition in which the veins on the anus or lower rectum are inflamed. Hemorrhoids can result from straining to move stool. Other factors include aging, pregnancy, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and anal intercourse. Hemorrhoids can be inside the anus (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external).

Foods
Here are some list of foods that will help give you relief from hemorrhoids:

Use the following foods to assist reduction of hemorrhoid bleeding: Alfalfa, Dark green leafy vegetables, Blackstrap molasses, Flax seeds – are high in omega-3 oils, which reduce inflammation and pain, and are also high in fiber. Lima and butter beans are rich in iron, which help to build more blood.

If you have bleeding hemorrhoids, adding more lima beans to your diet would be a good choice. Sweet potatoes actually provide fiber, B vitamins, iron, potassium and many other vitamins and minerals. This is an excellent body building food.

If after trying various hemorrhoid remedies listed here for up to two week and your hemorrhoids do not have shrunk or go away, you might consider seeing your physician.

You really need to find out if your hemorrhoids exist because of a more serious medical condition by the help of your doctor.

Medical Treatment
Medical treatment of hemorrhoids is aimed at relieving the signs and symptoms.

Measures to reduce symptoms include:

• application of a hemorrhoidal cream or suppository to the affected area for a limited time

• tub baths several times a day in plain, warm water for about 10 minutes
Preventing the recurrence of hemorrhoids will need relieving the pressure and straining of constipation. Most often, it is recommended increasing fiber and fluids in the diet. Eating the right amount of fiber and drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid result in softer, bulkier stools. A softer stool makes emptying the bowels easier and also lessens the pressure on hemorrhoids caused by straining. Eliminating straining helps prevent the hemorrhoids from protruding.

Good sources of fiber are vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. In addition, doctors suggest a bulk stool softener or a fiber supplement such as psyllium or methylcellulose.

A number of methods can be used to remove or reduce the size of internal hemorrhoids. These techniques include:

• Sclerotherapy. A solution is injected around the blood vessel to shrink the hemorrhoid.
• Rubber band ligation. A rubber band is placed on the base of the hemorrhoid inside the rectum.
• Infrared coagulation. A special device is used to burn the tissue.
• Hemorrhoidectomy. Occasionally, extensive or severe internal or external hemorrhoids require removal by surgery known as hemorrhoidectomy.

The majority of hemorrhoids can be treated with simple changes to diet and bowel habits. Most do not necessitate surgery or other treatment unless the hemorrhoids are very large and painful.

The goal of nonsurgical procedures used to treat hemorrhoids, called fixative procedures, is to decrease the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so it shrinks or goes away. The scar tissue left in its place helps sustain the anal tissue and helps prevent more hemorrhoids from developing.

Fixative procedures comprise tying off the hemorrhoids with a rubber band (rubber band ligation) or using heat, lasers, or electric current to create scar tissue (coagulation therapy).

Surgical removal of hemorrhoids (hemorrhoidectomy) can be used for huge internal hemorrhoids, when quite a few small hemorrhoids are present, or when other treatments have not controlled bleeding. Occasionally a combination of treatments (for instance, a fixative procedure and a hemorrhoidectomy) is the most effective way to treat hemorrhoids.

Best Treatment

Take a warm sitz bath
Pour some warm water into a bath tube, mix up with some salt and enter into it allowing the affected region to touch with the water. Stay there for 20 minutes and then come out, this can be used to lessen the pain coming from your hemorrhoids.

Rub aloe vera gel to the affected region
If you can be able to obtain aloe vera in its fresh form, it will do wonders in the treatment of your hemorrhoids. Simply rub some of the aloe vera in your palms and apply it on the affected area.

Apply witch hazel
Anytime you have finished going to the toilet, simply clean your ass with the witch hazel pad, it will aid to make the piles heal fast.

source: mdinfo

Energy Boosting Food For Good Health

A high energy foods provide the body with additional energy needed to get through the day.

Here is a list of foods which can help your body be more energetic throughout the day:

Vegetables - Vegetables are very important because they supply the body with high amount of energy which is really complete, such as, sprouts, asparagus, spinach and broccoli are vegetables which provide high amount of energy.

Nuts – Peanuts - soy nuts and almonds are a great energy source and are often very suited to a quick snack. Vitamin B also helps your body convert other nutrients into energy, a good example is Yogurt. A nut can be mixed with yogurt which can be a very good snack.

Eggs - this food will supply a high amount of protein throughout the working day and also a great source of energy.

Orange & Other Fruit Juice - Vitamin C can help to lessen levels of fatigue, which will keep you going all day long.

Beans & Lentils – Lentils, baked beans and kidney beans are a great source of carbohydrates and potassium which provide a great source of energy.

Seeds – These are great as a stand-alone snack such as Sunflower and pumpkin seeds and can also be combined with other ingredients in nut bars.

Energy giving foods contain carbohydrates. These are nutrients that will provide the body the energy it needs. These are considered the most efficient fuel. Two main types of carbohydrates are starches and sugar. Starches are considered as complex carbohydrates that are found in foods such as rice, pasta, cassava, yam and etc. When these foods are eaten and digested, glucose is obtained and this is what the body needs.

Simple sugars can also be found in fruits, milk and grain products. One must eat complex carbohydrates for good health and these are beans, cereals and starchy vegetables. They also supply other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that makes them useful. An adequate supply of glucose is needed for the human brain to think and function as needed.

Liquorice root treats respiratory complaints

Liquorice root of a shrub native to south east Europe and south –west Asia and widely cultivated. It has been used as an herbal remedy in Chinese and Asian traditional medicine for thousand of years. In the West ,it is also used by herbalist, and commercially , mainly in the manufacture of liquorice sweets.

Properties: contains glychrrizin (a substance which tastes sweet) along with several other compounds.

Health benefits
In herbal medicine liquorice is well known medicine for respiratory complaints – coughs, bronchitis, catarrh, etc. as it is an expectorant. It is incorporated into lozenges, pastilles and cough remedies for these conditions. Liquorice has a soothing an d protective effect on the stomach and digestive system is helpful in easing the symptoms of ulcers. Chewing the root helps to protect teeth and gums decay.

This herb has been shown to be soothing to irritated membranes and acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Liqorice has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties which explains its uses as an herbal remedy for athlete's foot, canker sores and dandruff.

Disadvantages: should not be eaten by people with high blood pressure as liquorice can disrupt the sodium/ potassium balance within the body and may exacerbate the condition.

Bariatric Surgery Can Improve Memory and Concentration

An excessive amount of body fat leads to obesity. “Overweight” refers to an excessive amount of body weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. As a rule women have more fat than men.

When a person weighs 20 percent or more than his or her ideal body weight, in that case the person’s weight posesa real health risk. Obesity becomes “morbid” when it significantly increases the risk of one or more obesity-related health conditions or serious diseases (also called co-morbidities).

Obesity is more than a cosmetic problem now days. It has become a health related problem which may cause diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, High BP, heart disease, Depression, Sleep apnea, Infertility, Urinary stress incontinence, Menstrual irregularities, Emotional suffering, Laziness and memory loss.An obese or a morbid obese person can lose weight through various treatment options like Non surgical weight loss programs, Traditional open weight loss surgery or Minimally invasive or laparoscopic weight loss surgery or Bariatric Surgery.

John Gunstad, an associate professor in Kent State University’s Department of Psychology, and a team of researchers recently discovered a link between weight loss and improved memory and concentration. The study shows that bariatric surgery patients exhibited improved memory function 12 weeks after their operations.

The findings will be published in an upcoming issue of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, the Official Journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The research report is also available online here.

The cost of Bariatric surgery averages around $17,000. Insurance is available for some because weight loss is proven to reduce risk of diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea, reflux, high cholesterol and joint pain. In India the Cost of Weight Loss Surgery is about 6000 to 7500 US Dollars.

Gunstad said that the initial idea came from his clinical work, “I was working at Brown Medical School in Rhode Island at the time and had the chance to work with a large number of people who were looking to lose weight through either behavioral means or weight loss surgery.” \

Gunstad said he kept noticing that these patients would make similar mistakes. “As a neuro-psychologist who is focused on how the brain functions, I look for these little mental errors all the time,” Gunstad explained.

This research team studied 150 participants (109 bariatric surgery patients and 41 obese control subjects) at Cornell Medical College and Weill Columbia University Medical Center, both in New York City, and the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute in Fargo, N.D. Many bariatric surgery patients exhibited impaired performance on cognitive testing, according to the study’s report.

source: medindia

How antibiotics could cause colitis Powerful drugs must be used judiciously to avoid serious side effects in horses

by Kenneth L. Marcella, D.V.M.

ANTIBIOTICS are powerful and extremely useful drugs that have been largely influential in increasing both the quality and the length of life in horses. They are necessary in many conditions to:

•Help foals recover from devastating respiratory infections;

•Help broodmares eliminate uterine problems to remain fertile; and

•Keep athletic horses from developing bone and joint disease following trauma or reparative surgery.

But antibiotics are still drugs. As such, they also can have damaging side effects, and their use is a constant balance between the good accomplished and the potential for serious consequences.

One of the most serious side effects seen with the use of antibiotics in horses is the development of colitis, an inflammation of the membranes lining the large bowel of the intestine. Normally, this tissue lining is responsible for the secretion of mucus, enzymes, and digestive factors, as well as the resorption of water and certain electrolytes. Colitis can be acute and develop in a matter of hours, or it can be chronic, taking several days to develop and lasting for months.

Colitis's many causes

Many factors can cause colitis, including bacteria, viruses, and parasitic organisms. Bacterial colitis is perhaps the most common.

The horse's intestines are designed to contain a large population of normal bacteria, or flora, that digest grass, hay, and grain. These bacteria are responsible for breaking down what the horse eats into smaller particles--carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins--that the horse's body then uses. Toxins are produced as a normal byproduct of bacterial action during digestion. Normally, the horse's liver detoxifies these bacterial byproducts, and the body eliminates them.

Bacterial colitis occurs when abnormal or pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria grow in the intestine and the toxins produced by them severely damage the intestinal lining. These bacteria can cause the intestinal membrane cells to secrete salts and water, or they could cause the cells to stop working altogether, which disrupts normal function.

Pathogenic bacteria can enter the body via contaminated food or water. If intestinal conditions are altered and the normal bacterial population is affected, small numbers of other types of pathogenic bacteria that normally live in the gut also might begin to grow, and colitis results. The bacteria most commonly associated with colitis in the horse are Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium difficile, and Neorickettsia risticii, the causative agent for Potomac Horse Fever.

Viruses also can cause colitis in horses and in other species. Rotavirus commonly affects young foals, and parvovirus is a leading cause of colitis in dogs. Viruses commonly destroy the cells lining the intestine, which halts the absorption of intestinal fluid and produces the severe diarrhea often seen with these diseases.

Parasites can cause colitis as protozoan and other organisms physically damage the gut lining and again affect fluid resorption.

Exposure to radiation at sufficiently high dosages also will damage the delicate cells that line the intestine; colitis is a major complication of radiation poisoning.

Antibiotics and colitis

The type of colitis that is perhaps the most frustrating to horse owners and equine veterinarians is antibiotic-associated colitis. This occurs when the same drugs (antibiotics) used to help cure a sick horse cause a serious and sometimes fatal colitis. In these cases, it is believed that antibiotics kill off normal gut flora and allow pathogenic bacteria to overgrow. Excessive toxins produced by these bacteria then cause the damage that is seen clinically as colitis.

Horses with colitis show signs of abdominal pain or colic. Usually, these horses will have diarrhea, though some horses with even severe colitis might not show this condition until well into the disease process. Occasionally, in cases of severe, acute colitis that are fatal, the disease might kill too quickly for diarrhea to occur.

Affected horses could have rectal bleeding and painful straining, and they may develop a high fever (often 103¡ or higher), go off their feed, and be depressed.

Antibiotics most often associated with colitis include many that are commonly used in horses:

•Penicillin, amoxicillin, ticarcillin, and cephalosporins (Ceftiofur, Naxcel) are members of a class of antibiotics called beta-lactams. Use of these drugs has been reported to cause antibiotic-associated colitis, and package inserts for many of these products lists diarrhea as a common, adverse drug reaction and colitis as an infrequent consequence.

•Macrolide antibiotics include erythromycin and tylosin. These drugs, along with such others as oxytetracycline, have been linked to colitis.

Jonathan Foreman, D.V.M., professor of veterinary clinical medicine and a board-certified internal medicine clinician at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is well aware of the apparent irony of this situation. "Antibiotics often associated with the development of colitis in horses are tetracycline and macrolides," said Foreman, "yet we use erythromycin [a macrolide] to treat rhodococcal diarrhea, and oxytetracycline is the drug of choice for treating Potomac Horse Fever, which is well known to cause severe diarrhea."

Foreman continued, "Oxytetracycline is used daily on the track as an antibiotic because it is broad-spectrum [has effectiveness against a wide variety of bacteria], is given in the vein [which allows for quicker activity], and is inexpensive. There seems to be little concern for its potential diarrheagenic [ability to cause diarrhea] effect."

Noah Cohen, V.M.D., Ph.D., a clinician and researcher at Texas A&M University, advised that the use of oxytetracycline and its link to colitis be put into historical perspective. At one point in time, explained Cohen, oxytetracycline was perhaps the most commonly used equine antibiotic, and the higher number of cases of associated colitis might well have been just a statistical reflection of that use. Cohen said that from an epidemiological standpoint, there is no good evidence that oxytetracycline is any more likely to cause colitis than any other antibiotic.

Stress, drugs, and colitis

In fact, some researchers question the entire idea of antibiotic-associated colitis because stress factors are commonly noted in cases that develop colitis. Changes in diet, environment, exercise routines, and transport are the most frequently listed factors. Foreman and others question if antibiotics are the initiators of the colitis seen in these cases or if stress factors could be the cause.

"Diarrhea is often attributed to the use of an antibiotic," Foreman said, "but in many cases, the horse was depressed and running a fever and then was given antibiotics. Finally, this horse developed diarrhea or colitis. But was the antibiotic the cause of the diarrhea or was the problem already beginning before the antibiotic was even given?"

Research studies are not entirely clear on this point. A recent investigation found that C. difficile was recovered from manure in 40% of horses treated with beta-lactam antibiotics for conditions other than colic, but it was not found in 22 horses with colitis that were not treated with antibiotics. These studies attempt to leap to the conclusion that less than half the horses treated with antibiotics will show the presence of pathogenic bacteria that might cause colitis (but sometimes do not). It is just not a clear enough association.

Most people involved in this area of research and clinical management agree that much more focused research needs to be done. Foreman and Cohen feel more work needs to be done to identify the risk factors at the individual horse level. Knowing these risk factors would help owners and veterinarians to identify those horses that are more likely to have an adverse drug reaction and to develop colitis with certain antibiotics.

Foreman and Cohen feel the effects of stress on individual horses and their interaction with antibiotic use should be evaluated. Much research is under way to develop tests that would allow a veterinarian to quickly and accurately identify pathogenic bacteria and their toxins present in a horse. These tests, many using new deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methods, would allow the veterinarian to recognize, at a much earlier stage, a horse that is at risk for developing colitis--hopefully, before the horse was administered antibiotics. These horses then could be treated appropriately, monitored more closely for development of diarrhea, and possibly treated with antibiotics, although with a lower risk of developing colitis.

The drug metronidazole (Flagyl) has been shown to have some potentially beneficial effects when used in cases of C. difficile colitis, and the antibiotic doxycycline (a form of tetracycline) seems to have a lower rate of gastrointestinal side effects. Another treatment option, Saccharomyces boulardii, which is a probiotic yeast, is being investigated for its potentially beneficial effects in treating and preventing colitis.

Clearly, these projects and others are providing horse owners and veterinarians with a better picture of the issue of antibiotic-associated colitis. But the original problem still remains: how to handle the possible side effect of colitis when deciding whether to use antibiotics in the horse.

Risk versus benefit

Many veterinarians feel such decisions ultimately come down to risk versus benefit. What are the risks of treating a condition with antibiotics versus not treating?

Equine veterinarians have been urged continually to use appropriate antibiotics only when needed in an attempt to slow the trend toward creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This policy should be applied in situations that might cause antibiotic-associated colitis, as well.

If the risk of infection and possible serious consequences is legitimate, antibiotics must be used. At the same time, the veterinarian should try to avoid using those antibiotics known to potentially cause colitis in already sick, febrile, or debilitated individuals, even though those same drugs frequently might be used without problem in generally healthy horses for the treatment of punctures, cuts, and other wounds.

Antibiotics have been of great benefit in the treatment of horses, and their use will undoubtedly continue. These drugs are the "good guys" in the medicine cabinet, and it is very unsettling when a case of antibiotic-associated colitis is reported.

Owners and veterinarians should be cautious when using antibiotics, and each case should be discussed carefully when the decision for or against antibiotic use is made. More research will provide more information and, hopefully, will identify risk factors that will make those decisions easier and more accurate.

source: thoroughbredtimes

Too Much TV May Put Your Child's Health at Risk

A warning to parents who like to plop their kids in front of the TV: A new study finds that children who spend too much time watching television are at an increased risk of developing a slew of health problems later in life, Agence France-Presse reported.

The study, out of the University of Sydney in Australia, found that 6 to 7-year-olds who spent the most time in front of the TV had narrower arteries in the back of their eyes, which increases their chances of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes when they are older.
"Parents need to get their children up and moving and off the couch," Dr. Bamini Gopinath, the study’s lead author, said.

The first-of-its-kind study involved 1,500 children in 34 primary schools in Sydney.

On average, children spent almost two hours a day in front of a TV or computer screen and just 36 minutes in organized physical activity.

But those with the highest level of activity – more than an hour or so – had significantly wider retinal arteries than those who spent less than 30 minutes.

The damage appears to be caused by a combination of concentrating for too long on the screen and not getting enough exercise.

“This suggests unhealthy lifestyle factors may influence microcirculation early in life and increase the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure later in life," Gopinath added.

The study is reported this week in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology – a journal of the American Heart Association.

source: foxnews

Best medicine for proper digestion

Proper digestion of your food relieves discomfort from overeating and usually aids in preventing gas, bloating, burping, heartburn and indigestion. Foods high in complex carbohydrates like grains and legumes, are the primary foods responsible for bloating, gas, and other stomach problems since they are difficult to digest. A lack of digestive enzymes is frequently the problem with intestinal problems, indigestion, and bloating.

These are a few number of natural remedies that promotes proper digestion:

Digestive Formula is a unique two-phase digestive supplement that mimics the two usual phases of healthy digestion. In phase one (the stomach), acidic nutrients are discharged from each tablet, along with the protein digesting enzymes pepsin, papain, and bromelain, to support the healthy acidic enzyme environment of your stomach. In the second phase (small intestine), the tablet discharges bicarbonate, pancreatic enzymes, and bile salts - just like the gallbladder and pancreas – to aid digestion in the upper intestines.

Colon Formula is a unique proprietary blend of various high-quality soluble and insoluble fibers, along with valuable herbal concentrates, and a synergistic blend of beneficial microflora (probiotics).

Aloe Vera Supreme provides you with a great deal of nutritional support in just a few ounces of liquid per day. Taking daily juice or extract of the leaves of Aloe Vera plant frequently produces a great improvement with individuals who have problems with the digestive apparatus like colitis, heartburn, and irritable colon.

Alternative medicines for Digestions Problems:

Taking bitter herbs are unrivaled stomach tonics and they improve the appetite, promoting digestive juices, peristalsis and the flow of bile. It is an
excellent digestive aid especially in cases of nervous stomach and tension-related digestive disorders.

Gentian as well is useful for gastro-intestinal inflammation. Moreover, Gentian root's bitterness enhances gastric secretions,promotes digestion, and calms an upset stomach. Centuary is also an extremely bitter herb, and a very useful one. Since, the use of centuary is ancient, and its use is mentioned in Greek mythology.

A half cup of centuary tea just before meals can be taken to improve digestion and prevent heartburn, gas and bloating.

In addition, the bitter principles in chamomile stimulate the gastric juices, making it excellent for the liver and digestive system.

More Recommendations

The natural approach can be considered first to deal with proper digestion (unless there is an underlying medical problem). Herbs such as ginger, cinnamon, peppermint and chamomile help enhance good digestion. For ginger, you may boil water with slices of ginger root to create ginger root tea.

Another way is to avoid eating cold or raw foods (that includes ice water or cold drinks). Try more consuming hot soups, grain and bean dishes. Make sure when you eat, you are in a relaxed and peaceful environment. Avoid talking too much when you eat as well as watching television, reading or doing any activity aside from eating.

Chew your food well and break down the food each bite before taking another. When you get hungry in between meals, consume cooked fruit as snacks to avoid bloating and intestinal gas. If all else fails, seek your doctor for further assessment of the condition hence, proper treatment will be given.

Difference between primary and secondary hypertension Hypertension is consistent elevation or systemic arterial blood poressure and it is caused by increase in cardiac output or total peripheral resistance. There are two categories of hypertension - primary (or essential) and secondary hypertension.

Individuals with hypertensive disease may have combined systolic and diastolic hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension. Most cases of combined systolic and diastolic hypertension have no known cause and this is classified as primary hypertension.

While secondary hypertension is caused by altered hemodynamics associated with a primary disease, like arteriosclerosis (hardening of the blood vessels due to calcification), atherosclerosis(plaque formation in the blood vessels), renal problems, endocrine disorders and adrenal disorders.

Great Health Benefits of Lentils

Lentils a small member of the pulse group which comes in various colours. They are widely used in Indian and Asian cuisine.

Today, lentils are used throughout the world, particularly Eastern Europe and India. The famous Indian dish dhal utilizes the pulse with eight of the essential amino acids – with recipe variations the length and breadth of the country.

Red lentils: bright orange split lentils which turns yellow when cooked. This is the most popular and widely used type.

Brown and green lentils: small, hard lentils whish maintain there shape when cooked.

Continental lentils: somewhat larger, disc-shaped, olive-green-coloured lentils with a pleasant earthy flavour.

Properties: an excellent source of vegetable protein, starch, soluble and insoluble fibre, vitamins (especially B,B6 and B9) and minerals (including iron, selenium zinc, phosphorous and manganese).

Health benefits: supply valuable protein (when combined with other vegetable proteins) for tissue growth and repair. They provide slow-release energy, avoiding of peaking of blood glucose levels, and are therefore helpful in the control and prevention of diabetes. Soluble fibre helps to control blood cholesterol levels and may help to prevent heart and circulatory disease.

Insoluble fibre promotes regular bowel function and may protect against disease of the digestive system ,including cancer. Vitamins and minerals are involved in many essentials metabolic functions, disease prevention and maintenance of the health of tissues and organs.

A study carried out by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, Boston has shown that diets high in lentils and peas (which both contain high levels of flavones) have a reduced risk of heart disease and breast cancer. These studies are not exhaustive, but have certainly thrown up some food for thought.

Lentils are one of the highest sources of antioxidants found in winter growing legumes.

Cooking/serving method: lentils should be rinsed in cold water but do not require soaking. They are cooked by boiling in water or in soups, stews, casseroles, curries, etc. They are extremely versatile food used in wide variety of ways.

Orange Juice most naturally healthy beverages around

Following are facts about a few of the important nutrients that make orange juice one of the most naturally healthy beverages around:

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants and it helps support a healthy immune system. Vitamin C may help neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and tissues and lead to disease. One 8-ounce glass of 100% Florida orange juice provides at least 100 percent of the Daily Value.

Potassium plays an important role in muscle function and may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. One 8-ounce glass of 100 % orange juice provides 14 percent of the Daily Value for potassium.

Folate (Folic Acid) is essential for cell division and healthy red blood cells. Adequate folic acid consumption during a woman’s childbearing years is strongly associated with reducing the risk of having a baby with birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, known as "neural tube defects." Folate may help lower homocysteine levels in the blood that may contribute to inflammation that has been associated with cognitive impairment. An 8-ounce glass of 100% Florida orange juice provides about 11 percent of the Daily Value for folate.

Calcium (in fortified orange juice) is a key building block for strong, healthy bones and diets rich in calcium may also help support healthy blood pressure and promote cardio-vascular health. Eight ounces of calcium-fortified orange juice is an excellent non-dairy source of calcium, providing at least 35 percent of the Daily Value.

Vitamin B6 helps the body process energy from the food we eat and is needed for the production of new cells, including healthy red blood cells. An 8-ounce glass of 100% Florida orange juice provides 7 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin B6.

Thiamin is associated with the action of many enzyme systems, the conversion of food into energy and the production/repair of DNA. An 8-ounce glass of orange juice provides 18 percent of the Daily Value for thiamin.

source: orangejuicefacts

Conditions That Can Masquerade as "Dementia Getting Worse" It's easy, but a mistake, to believe that every new physical, cognitive, or behavioral change is caused by worsening dementia. After all, Alzheimer's is a progressive disease. These changes can have many causes. Consider these three:

1. Medication side effects Be especially watchful of new symptoms whenever your loved one is prescribed a new medication or a change in dosage. What looks like a dementia decline may be a reversible effect of the new drug or changed dosage.

Bring all medications (or copies of prescriptions or labels) to appointments with every doctor or specialist you see, including notations of when they were started and why. Include drugs that were started and then stopped (again, with a note about why).

2. Delirium When mental confusion and memory loss suddenly turns worse than usual, the cause may be an underlying infection or dehydration. This unusual state of mental confusion is called delirium. People with dementia are especially vulnerable. Once the problem is identified and resolved, the symptoms usually disappear.

3. Depression People with dementia are at higher risk for depression. What looks like apathy, a dip in memory, or changes to sleep or eating patterns may not necessarily be related to dementia but to a state of depression.

Always report these symptoms to your loved one's doctor and raise the possibility of depression. Treatment (talk therapy and medication) can be effective and lift the worrisome symptoms.

SOURCE: caring

Eating Vegetables Guard, Develop Metabolic Syndrome

Researchers claim that vegetarians are less likely to get heart disease, diabetes or a stroke than semi-vegetarians and non-vegetarians. These three conditions are closely linked to metabolic syndrome (the combination of cholesterol and blood pressure-related symptoms).

They have a 1/3rd lesser probability of these diseases as research shows that vegetarians have a 36% lower rate of metabolic syndrome. The study also found that even though the vegetarians were slightly older than non-vegetarians they had lower triglycerides, glucose levels, blood pressure, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI).

Giving up red meat gradually lowers the risk of developing these conditions. The study is published in the April issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

source: medindia

Psoriasis linked to heart disease, diabetes Psoriasis isn’t just an itchy, unsightly skin disease, researchers say -- it’s also linked to an increased risk of heart disease, abdominal fat, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular issues that together make up what’s known as metabolic syndrome.

In a study published online this week in the Archives of Dermatology, researchers looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003 to 2006. They analyzed data from 2,456 people who had answered questions about psoriasis and given a sample of blood for analysis.

They found that those with psoriasis had a 40% risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome, compared to just 23% among those who did not have psoriasis. They were also more likely to suffer from abdominal obesity (63% compared to 48%) and have lower HDL, or good cholesterol (34% compared to 24%).

"Given its associated serious complications, this comorbidity needs to be recognized and taken into account when treating individuals with psoriasis," the authors write in the study.

People suffering from psoriasis can also develop inflammation and swelling in the joints -- not to mention social stigma and trauma. Check out this first-person account published in The Times this week from a college student who has lived with severe psoriasis.

source: latimes

Fennel has most effective anti oxidant capabilities

Florence Fennel is a bulbous, white-green vegetable that consists of the swollen stem bases of the plant from which stalks and leaves arise. Garden fennel has fine, green stems and feathery leaves, and is used as a herb. Both varieties have an aniseed/liquorice flavour and produce seeds that have been used since Asian times in herbal medicines.

A good source of fibre, vitamins ( especially B 9 ) , minerals and beta carotene ( precursor of vitamin A ). It is low in calories

Health benefits
Contains fibre which promotes healthy bowel function and may help to prevent diseases, including cancer. Beta Carotene has powerful anti oxidant capabilities and helps to protect against diseases. The seeds are aromatic and used to make a distillation or ‘tea’ to treat digestive problems, example wind , blotting, colic and nausea. Fennel is used in ‘gripe water’ to treat infant colic and is said to promote milk flow in nursing mothers.

Fennel is also commonly used to treat amenhorrea, angina, asthma, anxiety, depression, heartburn, water retention, lower blood pressure, boost libido, respiratory congestion, coughs and has been indicated for high blood pressure and to boost sexual desire.

Cooking/serving methods: Florence fennel may be served washed, chopped raw in salads and boiled or braised and eaten as a vegetable. The leaves are used to flavour fish dishes and sauces.

Disadvantages: said to stimulate menstruation so should avoid by pregnant women.

Health Benefits of Good King Henry

Good King Henry, Chenopodium bonus-henricus (also known as Poor-man's Asparagus, Linconshire Spinach and Mercury) is a perrenial plant and a member of the Amaranthaceae (amaranth) family which grows to some 80cm high.

Good King Henry a herbaceous, meadow plant belonging to the goose-foot family, which grows wild in the British Isles.

It is a good source of soluble and in soluble fibre, vitamins(especially C and B1) and minerals (iron and calcium).

Health benefits
It provides soluble fibres which helps to lower blood cholesterol levels and may protect against heart and circulatory disease. Insoluble fibre promotes healthy bowel function and may help to protect against diseases of the digestive system, including cancer. It provides vitamins and minerals that are involved in essentials metabolic functions and in maintenance of the health tissues and organs. Vitamin C has anti-infective and antioxidant properties and is believed to protect against certain diseases and infections.

Cooking/serving methods: green leaves can be lightly boiled or steamed and eaten as a vegetable resembling spinach.

Microelementosis - New Threat for Human Health During thorough research, scientists discovered a majority of health issues arise as the consequence of the negative influence of the polluted environment on a human organism.

In the process of data analysis the mechanisms of health disorder development were defined and effective recommendations on disease prevention and gentle correction of existing diseases were formulated.

At the present, environmental pollution has reached a critical level. The increased content of various toxic substances and heavy metals in the atmosphere, water reservoirs, and soil facilitates their entry and accumulation in the human organism.

The intensive and prolonged effects of ecologically unfavorable environmental factors can lead to an overload of adaptational systems and the development of premorbid and morbid conditions. In addition, when many modern food products undergo industrial processing, they lose a large number of valuable nutrients, vitamins, and trace elements, and are supplemented by various additives in the form of preservatives, bleaches, fillers, etc., which increases the load on the basic defensive systems of the organism.

In conditions of modern pressures that are not only technogenic but also medicinal, the search for preparations of natural origin for the "gentle" correction of the conditions in question is especially topical.

Environmental Dependence of Diseases

At the present time, the increased frequency of the following chronic pathological processes is considered to be directly or indirectly related to the growing influence of the unfavorable factors of an industrial society:

1) Chronic illnesses of the respiratory organs
2) Genetic and congenital defects
3) Chronic poisonings and drug complications
4) Malignant tumours and blood diseases
5) Chronic diffuse diseases of the liver
6) Peptic ulcers
7) Arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, and ischemic disease of the heart
8) Neuroses, neurasthenia, and vegetative vascular dystonia
9) Caries and atrophy of the gums
10) Disturbances of vision and hearing
11) Increase in the mortality rate from cirrhosis of the liver of toxic and chemical etiology and tumour processes

By analogy with natural focal diseases, one can speak about a relatively new and little studied phenomenon - the focal nature of the ecological pathology of a person. An epicenter is distinguished, where the basic sources of continual environmental pollution are located. Further, several zones (a minimum of two) are located around the epicentre. In the zones beyond the epicentre, the harmful influence of production factors is indirect, more delayed and altered.

Environmentally significant pathology includes microelementosis. Microelementosis is the name given to pathological conditions caused by a deficiency, surplus, or imbalance of macroelements and trace elements. Despite the fact that diseases of this nature have long been familiar to clinical medicine (endemic goiter, iron-deficiency anemias, poisoning by some metals, etc.), they were not, however, distinguished by a unifying name. The overwhelming majority of diseases and syndromes of this class were almost not recorded, since clinically they passed under other "masks" (Skalnyy, 2000).

An extremely widespread and perhaps, in modern conditions, the most important group of microelementoses are the technogenic ones. Among them, especially well studied are the industrial, mainly, occupational diseases. Comparatively recently they were the object of the close attention of epidemiologists, who distinguished proximal microelementoses, i.e., diseases of people who do not participate in production itself, but who live in the vicinity.

Improvement Potential Of Ringing Cedars Of Russia Cedar Nut Oil In Conditions Involving The Influence Of Harmful Environmental Factors

Because of the richness of its chemical composition, cedar nut oil under Ringing Cedars of Russia brand has wide latitude of beneficial action on the organism.

The fatty acid composition of Ringing Cedars of Russia cedar nut oil is characterized by a high content of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The necessity to observe a balance between the different classes of fatty acids is well known. The World Health Organization recommends adhering to a ratio of from 4:1 to 10:1, in this case one should strive to increase the portion of omega-3 fatty acids, since an excess of omega-6 fatty acids does have worse consequences for health.

In Ringing Cedars of Russia cedar nut oil, the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids comes to approximately 2:1. Regular use of unsaturated fats makes it possible to reduce the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood. An increase in the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in the lipid spectrum of the blood plasma impedes the further formation of atherosclerotic platelets and can contribute to their reverse development.

The high content of vitamins A and E in cedar nut oil gives it the properties of a natural antioxidant. In recent years, the problem of lipid peroxide oxidation and formation of free radicals has been attracting considerable attention in population health care fields. In normal conditions of vital activities, many important metabolic and physiological processes occur with the formation of free radicals. They are involved in the accumulation and biotransformation of energy, ensure the detoxification of some foreign compounds, participate in the work of the nonspecific immunological protection system of the organism. Within a standard, the intensity of the processes of free-radical oxidation is supported at a specific level by a complex antioxidant defense system.

Ringing Cedars of Russia cedar nut oil is an effective natural antioxidant, and may be used for the prophylaxis of any illness whose onset and development is related to the activation of the processes of free-radical oxidation.

The use of Ringing Cedars of Russia cedar nut oil thus creates the conditions for an improvement in the functional condition of the skin, and the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract- the organs of the first line of the organism's defense in conditions of ecological danger.

E. L. Poteryaeva, PhD, Head of the Department of Hum an Ecology and Occupational Diseases, Professor.
N. G. Nikiforova, PhD, Professor in the Department of Human Ecology and occupational Diseases.

Novosibirsk State Medical Academy
Department of Human Ecology and Occupational Diseases

source: digitaljournal

Multiple sclerosis: Key facts and fictions

Multiple sclerosis is often described as an immunological disease, but the evidence does not support this view.

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is the most common neurological disease in young adults, and can interfere with their personal and professional lives. The greatest number of cases are diagnosed between 30 and 40 years of age, and it is more common among women than men.

Its causes are unknown, although there are many suggestions, ranging from abnormal copper metabolism to cosmic radiation.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic neurological disease which affects predominantly young people and interferes with their personal and professional lives. The greatest number of cases occurs between the ages of 30 and 40 years of age. Whilst men and women are both affected there is a history of it occurring in more women than in men. Its cause is totally unknown.

There is a plethora of suggested causes, which range from abnormal copper metabolism to the effect of cosmic radiation. However, clinical and epidemiological studies strongly suggest the influence of genetics, environment and geographical location.

The voluminous literature that has purported to prove that MS is an immunologically mediated disorder has failed to be supported by rigorous scientific analysis. Yet another hypothesis has appeared on the horizon for explaining MS, known as chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency or CCSVI. As we will show, it too clearly has failed to convince.

Multiple sclerosis: the facts

There is evidence to show that when a person of susceptible stock migrates from a high-risk area, such as Scotland, to a low risk area such as South Africa, the likelihood of developing the disease is significantly related to the age at the time of migration. This pattern is also found inversely with migration in the opposite direction. There is a curious relationship with latitude, in that MS is more prevalent in the northern hemisphere, with an increasing incidence the further one moves from the equator.

The disease occurs in most races, although, curiously, not in some, including American Indians, Inuits, Australian Aborigines and Maoris. Although there are clearly differences in susceptibility between races, the results of epidemiological studies are not explicable. The likelihood of developing MS increases significantly if one has a first-degree relative with the disease. The rate of concordance in identical twins is 35 per cent, which also confirms a genetic influence, but leaves many questions unanswered. Sophisticated modern genetic analyses have failed to demonstrate a precise genetic anomaly. To date there is no confirmed cure, or any significant treatment that is more effective than placebo.

In MS the permeability of cerebral capillaries is increased, as demonstrated by studies on post-mortem material and neuroimaging techniques. This phenomenon is called breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and it appears to be an integral part of the pathological process. If this barrier is compromised, by a variety of other pathological conditions, in a patient with existing MS, it has been shown that new fresh lesions will occur at this site in the brain. There is no connection that has been proven between blood-brain barrier defects and CCSVI.
Multiple sclerosis: the fictions

Multiple sclerosis is stated in most textbooks and journals as being an autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system of the body is directed against putative brain components. But this hypothesis is incorrect, based on a misinterpretation of histological studies and comparison of the disease to an animal model.

The autoimmune hypothesis has allowed investigators and drug firms to use and test powerful immunomodulating and immunosuppressive agents as therapy. Sadly, such trials persist despite recognised morbidity and mortality among patients.

A review of papers published over the course of 60 years in one of the world’s leading journals in medicine shows that many research articles claim to show that it has an immunological basis. But, alas, not one of these claims has been confirmed, despite glowing editorials at the time of publication.

The latest hypothesis concerns the role of the aforementioned condition, chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). The proponents of CCSVI claim that there is an anomaly in the venous drainage from the brain. Some state that this condition arises as a result of multiple sclerosis, while others propose that it is a developmental abnormality. Those convinced of its existence believe that manipulation may clinically improve multiple sclerosis, and claim that the anomaly is to be found in 100 per cent of MS patients and not in healthy controls.

Others claim that it is statistically abnormal in MS patients but also found in healthy individuals; further studies have shown it to occur in healthy patients without any evidence of multiple sclerosis, and yet further groups have found it not in patients with multiple sclerosis but with other neurological conditions. Further, CCSVI has been claimed to be involved in a purported autoimmune process in MS.

Such a tangled web of controversies surround CCSVI that it is impossible even to define what the condition is. Another consideration often overlooked is the financial cost to the patient. Indeed, in a chronic disease that has normal life expectancy, pharmaceutical firms would regard a drug with any proven efficacy as a substantial prize. Treatment of CCSVI will be subject to the same considerations.

The prospect of a cure or a treatment offering some relief in multiple sclerosis has enormous appeal and raises, as in this case, the hopes and aspirations of patients. Sadly, the proposition that CCSVI causes multiple sclerosis is yet another example of hope dashed on the rocks of reality.

Peter Behan is Professor Emeritus of Neurology at University of Glasgow. Simone Hutchinson is Research Assistant at Glasgow Caledonian University.

source: telegraph

FDA approves new test for intestinal superbug A new test is available that can rapidly detect Clostridium difficile and the presence of toxin B gene, a strain of bacteria that causes diarrhea, colitis and in some cases, severe intestinal conditions that can result in death.

Cepheid Xpert C. difficile/Epi assay can help clinicians determine if C. difficile is present in a patient's stool, but also if the bacteria is of the epidemic 027/NAP1/BI strain, known for its increased prevalence and hypervirulence.

“Health care professionals in the infectious disease community who have seen various outbreaks of C. difficile-associated infections with aggressive strains in recent years now have a new testing tool to detect this disease,” Alberto Gutierrez, PhD, the director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics Device Evaluation and Safety at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a press release.

Those at highest risk of developing C. difficile infection include the elderly, patients in hospitals or those that live in a nursing home and people who are taking an antibiotic for another infection.

FDA encourages clinicians to monitor the number of C. difficile infections at their health care facility, particularly if the rate of disease increases or patient outcomes worsen.

source: clinicaladvisor

Nuts Recipe: For Healthy Snacks

Here on Health berth, we encourage the consumption of nuts in all forms as they enrich us with essential hearth healthy good fats and proteins...Not to mention they are delicious additions to any meal or snack. Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, cashew nuts, anything goes. But instead of eating nuts as they are, here are three interesting ideas for including nuts in your daily diet. Read on for recipes with nuts for healthy snacks.

1. Make your own nut butter: You can buy peanut butter in a supermarket, but there are many healthier options you can make at home. You can make almond butter, macadamia nut butter, hazelnut butter etc. Add these to your recipes instead of just spreading them on bread or just simply eat a spoonful of any of these nut butters to fight hunger pangs.

Ingredients

1 cup roasted nuts or seeds

1 tbsp and 1 tsp of coconut oil

Method

Throw in the above ingredients into a mixer and process on medium to high speed, stopping periodically to scrape out the sides. Blend until smooth (or chunky if you prefer). Store the mix in the refrigerator and warm to room temperature when ready to use.

2. Flourless pie crust: Making pie crust at home from scratch is a great idea for a homemade dessert (think apple pie). And this crust is flourless, made from nuts instead.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups almond meal (Almond with skin pulverized in a mixer to a course flourlike consistency)

2/3 cup coconut oil

¼ tsp salt

5 tbsp of icy water

Method

Combine the almond flour and salt in a mixing bowl and mix until mixture resembles course crumbs. Mix in water, 1 tbsp at a time, until dough is formed. Refrigerate until ready to use. When ready, roll out and place in pie dish. Fill your favourite fruit (apples or strawberries) and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes or until the crust turns rich, golden brown.

3. Add some crunch to your salads and stir fry dishes: While salads and stir-fry dishes are delicious, they sometimes just lack the texture. Add some crunch by adding your favourite nuts (if roasted, even better) to your salads and feel the difference they make.

These pointers on how to use the goodness of nuts to substitute other less wholesome ingredients offer you flexibility to consume nuts as part of your regular diet.

Wondrous Health Promoting Effects of Fibre

Fibre is an important component of a healthy balanced diet. We get fibre from plant-based foods, but it's not something the body can absorb. This means fibre is not a nutrient and contains no calories or vitamins.

Dietary fiber is found in plants. While all plants contain some fiber, plants with high fiber concentrations are generally the most practical source.

Fiber-rich plants can be eaten directly. Or, alternatively, they can be used to make supplements and fiber-rich processed foods.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends consuming a variety of fiber-rich foods.

1. The presence of fibre necessitates chewing and slow down eating. A feeling of fullness is obtained earlier in the course of meal and there is less likelihood of consuming too much. Hence, eating plenty of fibre is a good method of calorie control and reduces the risk of weight gain.

2. Fibre helps to retain food in the stomach, promoting a gradual release into the intestine. This decreases the peaking of blood sugar levels which tend to occur during digestion , resulting in a more sustained provision of energy. Avoidance of blood sugar peaks is important in the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus.

3. The presence of fibre promotes the release of digestive enzymes and regulatory hormones from the pancreas.

4. Soluble fibre helps to lower blood cholesterol and prevent circulatory and heart disease.

5. Plenty of fibre ensures the efficient working of the bowel and reduces the risk of the development of diverticulae (abnormal pouches formed in the wall of the gut) and hemorrhoids (piles). Efficient working of the bowel helps to promote the speedy elimination of any harmful substances that may have been ingested with food.

6. Dietary fiber favours the growth of helpful , acid loving bacteria in the lower gut. These bacteria work to provide the body with helpful fatty acids, some of which have anti-carcinogenic properties.

7. Soluble fibre is gentle and helpful form of treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – a condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent.

8. Some form of fibre (eg. mucilages from peas and beans, pectins from fruits, and agar from certain seaweeds) help to eliminate harmful toxins from the body by binding to them and prevent there absorption.

Rusting your diet with vitamins: dos and don'ts

Fast-paced lifestyles may make it difficult for many of us to maintain a balanced diet. Worried about symptoms like low energy levels, greater difficulty in concentrating and wounds that take an inordinately long time to heal, some people resort to taking vitamin and mineral supplements and/or foods fortified with these. If you suspect you may be suffering from vitamin deficiencies, here are a few points worth considering.

- It's better to talk to a doctor before you begin supplementing your diet with vitamins because improper intake can cause incorrect absorption and pose the risk of overdose and other complications. This is imperative for people with certain illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure as large doses of some supplements can interfere with the function of some medications.

- Always remember that water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C, can be consumed in large amounts as the body can get rid of excessive levels via one's urine.

- Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) can accumulate in the body and an excessive level can be risky because they are stored in the liver and in the body fat and may result in liver damage. Also, pregnant women who overdose on fat-soluble vitamin may be at risk of giving birth to a child with physical deformities.

- Ensure that you take fat-soluble vitamins with food; they are absorbed better when fat is present in the stomach.

- Deficiencies of zinc and iron _ minerals which are abundant in oyster and animal proteins, particularly red meat _ are commonly found in vegetarians. An inadequate intake of these two minerals normally results in skin inflammation and anaemia, a decrease in the number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of haemoglobin in the blood.

- Some vitamins will work better when combined with certain minerals. For example, vitamin D and calcium work well together as the vitamin requires calcium in order for it to be absorbed from the digestive tract. In addition to acquiring vitamin D from our diets, our bodies can also produce this vitamin if exposed to the proper amount of sunlight. About 45 to 60 minutes of sun exposure every day _ from 7 to 8am or 4:30 to 5:30pm _ will secure the needed amount of the vitamin.

- People can get the most out of vitamin C and E pills by taking them together.

- Calcium, magnesium and vitamin D are most beneficial when taken together. The vitamin helps ensure maximum calcium and magnesium absorption, leading to healthier bones.

- Taking co-enzyme Q10 with vitamin E helps increase the heart-healthy benefits as well as nurturing both skin and blood vessels in the brain.

- Use supplements when necessary. Take them on working days when the preparation of a healthy meals is more difficult. Omit supplements and enjoy a well-balanced diets on weekends.

- Whole foods are the best source of vitamins and minerals which can be easily absorbed by the body. Whole foods also provide fibre that helps promote digestion.

source: bangkokpost

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