Treat Ulcers with Probiotics not Antibiotics

Ulcers caused by the Helicobacter pylori bacterial strain may be more effectively treated by beneficial probiotics rather than by conventional antibiotics, according to a new study published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Researchers from Spain say that probiotic strains like Bifidobacterium have an incredible success rate in fighting inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcers.

The team conducted tests on the effectiveness of several unique strains of bifidobacteria in treating H. pylori and found that one particular strain, Bifidobacterium bifidum CECT 7366, protected against infection roughly 95 percent of the time. Continue reading

Best Ever Home Remedies for Headaches

More than 45 million Americans not only get headaches, but they also get them time and time again. Some people are born with biology that makes them headache prone. Most of these are tension headaches, which account for 90%of all headaches. The pain is typically generalized all over the head, and you may feel a dull ache or a sense of tightness.

But an estimated 28 million people experience migraine headaches, which are even worse. Migraine is a complex disease that causes severe and often disabling pain, usually located on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea, light and noise sensitivity, and other symptoms. Lots of things can set off a migraine attack, including changing hormone levels, poor eating or sleeping habits, dehydration, stress, weather or altitude changes, or more.

When you’re in pain, and ibuprofen just won’t cut it, try these natural pain relievers.

Headaches aren’t fun for anyone and are especially crippling for migraine sufferers. OTC medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen can help, but you have to be careful not to overuse them, which can lead to a rebound effect that makes symptoms worse. Here are the best home remedies to prevent headaches and help them get better faster. Continue reading

The IMini, Siemens Smallest Hearing Instrument, Disappears Invisibly In The Ear

Siemens has developed a new hearing instrument that is even smaller than current models. As a result, it can be inserted far into the auditory canal, remaining basically invisible. The instruments are made individually for each customer at selected iMini manufacturing facilities in Germany for the European market, and in the United States for customers there. This very labor-intensive manufacturing process is necessary because of the extreme miniaturization of the iMini-no two iMinis are alike. And the iMini features BestSound Technology developed by Siemens for greater hearing comfort even in difficult noise environments. Continue reading

Benefiting From Free Radicals

Free radicals are molecules that react readily with other substances in the body, and this can have negative effects on health in certain circumstances, through the damage caused to cells. Free radicals can be counteracted by substances known as ‘antioxidants’, which are common ingredients in many dietary supplements. The idea that free radicals are generally dangerous and must be counteracted is, however, a myth, according to scientists who have conducted a new study of the role that free radicals play in heart physiology.

“As usual, it’s a case of everything in moderation. In normal conditions, free radicals act as important signal substances, but very high levels or long-lasting increases can lead to disease”, says Professor Håkan Westerblad, who has led the study. Continue reading

Is Passivity the Future for Home Health Monitoring?

Proteus Biomedical’s Raisin Personal Monitor

Think there’s not enough evidence to prove the efficacy of wireless, home-based patient monitoring?

Robin Felder, associate director of clinical chemistry and toxicology and a pathology professor at the University of Virginia, disputes that notion. Felder likes to cite a 2007 paper in the Journal of Telemedicine and e-Health. That paper showed a 74 percent reduction in the cost of caring for patients in assisted living with “passive” monitoring devices, and, notably, the rate of urinary tract infections in the study group dropped to near zero. Continue reading