The adviser to President Daniel Ortega for social affairs, Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez, said that collaboration is part of the agreements signed recently at talks among officials from both governments in Moscow. According to Gonzalez, the Russian Federation will donate financial and technological resources to build a 303-bed hospital at a total cost of 41 million USD, in eastern Managua. The facility will operate as a center for the development of telemedicine, but there is a Russian project to incorporate these benefits through a provisional communication system, without waiting for the new work to be completed, said Gonzalez. Through videoconferences, physicians in distant regions of the country will be able to access and exchange information when diagnosing and treating complex diseases.

QNI: Telehealth is not threat to district nurses

The Queen’s Nursing Institute in the U.K. has launched a new drive to encourage district nurses to make the best use of new communications technology such as telehealth systems. A recently published report by the institute said some district nursing teams already had made significant changes to their practice as a result of new technology but others lagged behind. It acknowledged that this variation in uptake existed because some nurses were worried that devices allowing remote consultations or measurements could damage their relationships with patients, or increase their isolation.

Fort Sanders hospital introduces eastern Tennessee’s first telestroke robot

Thanks to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center’s new telestroke robot, eastern Tennessee stroke patients now will benefit from early consultation with the hospital’s stroke experts — regardless of where patients are located across the region. Fort Sanders recently introduced eastern Tennessee’s first InTouch RP7 robot, a mobile communications platform that enables stroke patients to receive consults from Fort Sanders’ neurologists via its video screen “face.”

New system lets doctors watch over Rockford, Ill., ICU patients from afar

Getting treatment at Rockford Memorial Hospital’s intensive care unit now looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. That’s because of a new system called tele-health monitoring which helps more patients recover in the ICU. The system basically lets doctors and nurses at an off-site location watch over and teleconference with patients in RMH’s ICU when their regular doctor is away in something like surgery.

New Mexico senator drafting bill to kill telemedicine barriers

Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., anticipates introducing a bill this spring to make it easier for physicians to practice telemedicine in many states instead of applying for a separate license for each state. The bill, which is still being drafted, would streamline licensure portability across state lines, according to Fern Goodhart, Udall’s legislative assistant. “Telemedicine is medicine, just practiced virtually,” she said at a Jan. 31 Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by the American Telemedicine Association, which advocates for use of remote medical technologies.

Law OKs cross-state PTSD telehealth counseling

The recent passage of the National Defense Authorization Act in Congress will make it easier for active-duty personnel and veterans to get mental health care wherever they are, officials said.

A provision of the act, aimed at expanding federal exemptions for behavioral telehealth consultations across state lines, removes the requirement for health care providers to be licensed in the state in which their patients are being treated. Nearly 20 percent of military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a Rand Corp. survey. Telehealth was touted in a recent Army health study as an effective medium for delivering a wide range of behavioral health therapies targeting PTSD among geographically isolated or dispersed soldiers, particularly members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Brain-Controlled Posthetic Arm

A new prosthetic arm operated by a wounded soldier at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) for the first time, enabled the soldier to control the device’s metallic fingers and wrist with his thoughts. The Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) was developed as part of a four year research program by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, WRNMMC, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).Col. (Dr.) Paul Pasquina, Chief of Orthopedics and Prosthetics at WRNMMC and Director for the Center of Rehabilitation Sciences at USU explained that the limb is controlled by surface electrodes that pick up electric signals generated by the muscles underneath the skin, and then convert those patterns in electrical signals into a robotic function. With an amputee, the nerves traveling down the spinal cord are still intact, and they’re still connected to some of the muscles in the arm, said Pasquina. “What we are trying to do is pick up the electrical signals of the muscles that still exist in the arm and then interpret and convert these signals to a computer signal that will then drive a robotic limb. For example, when an individual is thinking about closing their hand, muscles will activate and the prosthetic limb will respond accordingly.”

GPS private tracking still OK in US

The Wall Street Journal headline, Private GPS Use Benefits Alzheimer’s Patients – And Jealous Spouses Too, does grab. In short, last week’s decision by the US Supreme Court ruling that police obtain a search warrant before installing a GPS tracking device on a car (Fourth Amendment) doesn’t apply to private citizens. This is good news for those of us who are marketing or using GPS devices to help keep track of an autistic child or an older person with Alzheimers/dementia–but not great for those of us who might have a jealous spouse or fear a stalker attaching a device on a car. Surprisingly, only California and Texas ban trackers without consent (exceptions for anti-theft devices such as LoJack and for law enforcement).

Awaken

Sleep problems such as insomnia have a significant impact on public health, affect the quality of life and productivity of millions daily, present a yearly economic burden in the billions, and are strongly associated with multiple comorbid conditions. Several factors affecting sleep are primarily behavioral and not always obvious. This project aims to detect the behaviors that affect sleep and use this knowledge to help users improve sleep habits. While asleep, a wearable sensor headband is used to track the quality of sleep. While awake, smart phones are used to capture behaviors that can impact sleep. Based on the data collected, the phones also provide context-sensitive suggestions and coaching elements borrowed from cognitive behavioral therapy to improve awake behaviors and sleep habits, while their communication capabilities are used to enhance social support from sleeping partners and family members.

How radical new collaborations between doctors, patients, and communities will catalyze a revolution in human health.

Despite amazing advances in medicines and medical technology over the past 50 years, health care is in crisis. Costs are skyrocketing, health outcomes are uneven, and the patient experience is unacceptable. The reason: the historical inequality between medical experts and health-care professionals (particularly doctors) and patients. This inequality was based on information asymmetry: only experts could access medical information and use it to conduct medical research, make diagnoses and develop treatments. The Internet has all but destroyed the information asymmetry, but the inequality remains. People, working together in creative new ways, can succeed where the medical establishment has failed. As a society, we have dramatically underestimated the power of ordinary people to transform the system, to take care of their own health, to help develop therapies and to help solve massive public health problems. It’s time for a powershift in health care. We are pioneering new media technologies that will enable radical new collaborations between doctors, patients and communities, to catalyze a revolution in human health.

I’m listening

Increasing understanding of how to categorize patient symptoms for efficient diagnosis has led to structured patient interviews and diagnostic flowcharts that can provide diagnostic accuracy and save valuable physician time. But the rigidity of predefined questions and controlled vocabulary for answers can leave patients feeling over-constrained, as if the doctor (or computer system) is not really attending to them. I’m Listening is a system for automatically conducting patient pre-visit interviews. It does not replace a human doctor, but can be used before an office visit to prepare the patient, deliver educational materials or triage care, and preorder appropriate tests, making better use of both doctor and patient time. It uses an on-screen avatar and natural language processing to (partially) understand the patient’s response. Key is a common-sense reasoning system that lets patients express themselves in unconstrained natural language, even using metaphor, and that maps the language to medically relevant categories.

Trading & Partnering with Mexico

To increase the trading relationship between the U.S and Mexico especially in health technology, a delegation of U.S. healthcare technology firms are going to Mexico on May 14th and 15th, 2012. The companies are going to obtain first hand information on market opportunities and to develop successful business relationships in health IT. The U.S Commercial Service Global Healthcare Technologies Team in Mexico have made arrangements for participants to meet with Mexican policy makers and regulators, visit some of Mexico’s top healthcare institutions, and conduct discussions with industry thought-leaders and decision-makers. Mexico is looking to import all types of medical devices, medical equipment, instruments, and dental products. According to the Commerce Department’s International Trade Association publication “Healthcare Technology Resource Guide” 2011-2012, about 90 percent of medical equipment and instruments and about 20 percent of medical disposable products are imported. Medical products of U.S. origin are appreciated because of their high quality and good price as compared to other similar quality products.

One VA Division Reports Significant Telemedicine Savings

VA healthcare is divided up into 23 VISNs (Veterans Integrated Service Networks).  VISN 20 is located in the Pacific Northwest. Until the VA embarked on a robust telemedicine program a couple of years ago, veterans who lived in outlying areas had to drive to the main VA medical center in Roseburg, Oregon.  As part of the healthcare coverage we offer our valued veterans, they are reimbursed for the travel and lodging expenses they incur. Now that the VA is using cameras and Image Automation Software in its C-BOCs (community-based outreach clinics), veterans can stay in their local communities and make their visits with doctors via telemedicine. A single veterans hospital in rural Oregon saved more than $88,000 in travel expenses during FY2011 by shifting 3,224 in-person visits to telemedicine visits.  Neil Versel covered last week’s TAO (Telemedicine Alliance of Oregon) meeting in Portland.  His article, titled “VA Division Saves $742,000 With Telehealth,” pretty much tells the story about the benefits of telemedicine.  In VISN 20 last year, they did 23,580 remote consultations.  Like many VA installations, VISN 20 has been dealing with an influx of wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan.  It serves Alaska, Oregon, Washington State and sections of California and Montana.

Consensus Is Building for National Telemedicine Legislation

A 90-minute meeting in Washington may have been the most important yet in the drive to make healthcare more accessible to us via telemedicine.The Capitol Hill Briefing was sponsored by the American Telemedicine Association, and Gary Capistrant, the ATA’s Director of Public Policy, tells me that the turnout “exceeded expectations in both quality of discussion and attendance.”  He says about 85 people were there, ranging from Congressional assistants and federal officials to providers and facility administrators.  Capistrant says he and others came away from the meeting feeling very positive about the chances of a bill being introduced in Congress this Spring that would set up the mechanism for what would eventually become a national telemedicine licensure process.  In his words, “the opportunities may not be as long in coming as most people would have thought.”

Upcoming International Events

International Congress on Telehealth and Telecare 2012

The King’s Fund, London, United Kingdom

March 6-8, 2012

______________

Telemedicine Experience@Prospects

Donetsk, Ukraine

March 19-20, 2012

_____________

Med-e-Tel 2012

Luxembourg

April 18-20, 2012

_____________

ISPHT 2012

Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

May 14-16, 2011

_____________

World Health Care Congress Europe

Amsterdam, Netherlands

May 23-24, 2012

_____________

IFA 11th Global Conference on Ageing

Prague, Czech Republic

May 28 – June 1, 2012

_____________

3rd International Conference on Transforming Healthcare with IT

Hyderabad, India

August 31 – Sept 1, 2012

_____________

Health 2.0 Europe (2012)Berlin, Germany

Nov 6-7, 2012

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Mixed incontinence is a combination of the two.

RECOMMENDED: A Little Bit of Exercise Can Help Your Bladder Problems Urinary incontinence’s causes are rooted in the brain. Damaged nerves along the passage between bladder and brain make people lose bladder sensation and motor control. In some cases, the underlying cause can be much worse than incontinence: brain or spine tumors; stroke; Alzheimer’s disease; diabetes; multiple sclerosis; Parkinson’s; or multiple sclerosis.

Physical causes include a weak bladder muscle, bladder irritation, bladder stones, or chronic urinary tract infection. For stress incontinence, weakened or damaged muscles on the pelvic floor or urethra are often the cause, making leakage more likely if the bladder feels pressure. The other
major group of causes consists of drug side effects (check the label of any you are taking).

Alternative medicine offers some attractive treatments.
Cranberry juice is great. For women, soy is recommended. Overall, eat fresh, natural foods such as fruits and vegetables, grains, soybeans, olive oil, nuts, and fish. Limit caffeine. For supplements, try soy isoflavones. Other capsules that could help stop inflammation include vitamins C and E,
flaxseed oil, bromelain, the minerals zinc and magnesium, and carotenoids. The herbs “uva ursi” and goldenseal may work for cases where an infection has triggered the urinary incontinence.

Condition your bladder back into a state of control using “kegal” exercises meant to strengthen muscles. They need to be performed regularly, but that’s not a problem because they are very simple. When you’re urinating, try to stop by using the one muscle that will do it. Don’t use any other muscles. Count four seconds, then release the muscle. Experts say to do this for about two minutes at least three times a day. You are basically teaching those muscles to open and close (to relax and constrict) on your command. Incontinence comes from weak muscles and kegal exercises will build strength and lead to greater control.

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in those people with a specific genetic factor, there is a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

This has opened the door for some new ideas about how to treat and possibly prevent Alzheimer’s. It turns out that the herpes virus is suppressed when exposed to an environment rich in lysine and poor in arginine. Researchers are now speculating that supplementation with lysine could help in
the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

To boost your levels of lysine, try eating these healing foods: cheese; fish; soybeans and tofu; legumes; eggs; and nuts. As far as supplementing with lysine goes, the amino acid is available as a tablet, capsule, cream or liquid, usually found under “L-lysine.” Most people don’t need to
take lysine supplements, but if you have a recurring herpes problem and/or family history of Alzheimer’s, get your doctor’s advice about taking an extra dose of the amino acid. For nutritional purposes, it’s thought most people need about one gram of lysine a day

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is essential to having a long and productive life and one that will remain ultimately meaningful for you. With that in mind, here are five exercises aimed at protecting and boosting your brain power as you age.

1. Puzzles. You can do a traditional puzzle, but puzzles come in many different forms. There are word, number, visual and logic puzzles. Give each of them a try and figure out which ones are fun for you. If you don’t enjoy one type of puzzle, keep looking until you find one that’s interesting and challenging.

2. Riddles. Remember how Bilbo Baggins in “The Hobbit” saves his life by solving riddles? Well, you can save your brain by giving a few a try. Riddles can be simple or very difficult. Start with some easy ones and progress towards the more challenging ones.

3. Board Games. You played them as a kid, now it’s time to bring them out again. Board games can engage many parts of your brain, including those responsible for reasoning, decision-making, and even memory. No longer do you just have to play checkers or “Monopoly.” There is a huge variety of games to choose from.

4. Don’t like traditional games? How about figuring out some optical illusions? They can be surprisingly
challenging and can engage your brain and visual processing skills at the same time. Optical illusions also
give a workout to the parts of your brain responsible for creativity.

5. Word problems can exercise the parts of your brain responsible for logic, reasoning and creativity. Translating words into numbers that will give you the answer you are seeking can give your brain a real workout.

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“Our findings suggest that the rewards of a vibrant small business sector are multi-dimensional,” Blanchard said. “In addition to job creation, small businesses yield important non-economic rewards to communities that may improve the health of local residents.”

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http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/an-entrepreneur-in-the-neighborhood-improves-your-health/

 

A newly published study in the Journal of Virology adds additional weight to the case against routine influenza vaccinations. Researchers have found that vaccinating children annually against the flu virus interferes with the development of virus-specific killer T cells. This means that the annual flu vaccine may protect children against the actual viruses in the vaccine; but, at the same time, it makes them more vulnerable to other viruses they are exposed to.

Support Your Immune System Naturally

As an integrative medical doctor, I believe you can support your immune system naturally with a combination of healthy lifestyle choices and targeted supplements for immune support. It is generally not necessary to introduce viruses, chemicals and heavy metals into our bodies in the form of a vaccination. Natural solutions that enhance immune activity while also promoting overall health are always my top recommendation for supporting immunity and vitality in both adults and children.

Common sense and scientific research tell us that one of the most important strategies for staying well is to wash your hands frequently. Washing with soap and running water for 20 seconds is the most effective way to cleanse your hands of all kinds of germs.

It is also important to get enough sleep (more than seven hours per night), get moderate exercise and do not overwork.

Adequate hydration with pure, filtered water is also critical for keeping your immune system healthy and flushing out toxins and harmful invaders. This is one important factor often overlooked in our busy lives.

Nutritional approaches to a healthy immune system include eating plenty of green vegetables; reducing or eliminating consumption of refined sugars and processed/fried foods; and supplementing with immune-boosting vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals.

Some of the most widely recommended immune nutrients also offer critical support for overall health and vitality. These include vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D-3, B vitamins with minerals and co-factors, selenium, vitamin A and probiotics. By combining these critical nutrients with other powerful immune-supporting supplements and following a healthy lifestyle, you can protect and support health from multiple angles.

Immune Support Supplements

In addition to immune supporting vitamins and minerals, some of the most powerful immune enhancers are natural formulas and compounds that combine cutting-edge science with traditional botanical wisdom. These powerful immune supplements also offer comprehensive health support and can provide protection against both acute and chronic illnesses, increase vital energy and promote longevity, naturally. Following are some of my top recommended supplements that offer powerful support for immune and overall health, during the winter and year round.

One of my top recommendations is a blend of six medicinal mushrooms with additional immune-boosting beta glucans. The mushrooms in this formula have been used for thousands of years to promote optimal functioning of the immune system and support overall health. However, this formula is unique because the mushrooms are cultivated in the United States on a blend of powerful immune-supporting herbs that enhance the mushrooms’ natural immune-boosting properties. When combined in a comprehensive formula with additional beta-glucans, medicinal mushrooms are an excellent way to boost your body’s natural defenses and combat infection, especially on a long-term basis. Mushrooms are also of great benefit during times of acute stress or infection and they can be taken in frequent doses with no known side effects.

Another recommendation is Padma Basic, which is a Tibetan Herbal Formula, made with a blend of 19 rare and powerful botanicals that contain a multitude of health-promoting tannins, polyphenols, flavonoids and essential oils. This traditional formula has cooling properties that support balanced immune function, increased circulation, healthy responses to inflammation and powerful antioxidant activity.

Last, but most importantly, is modified citrus pectin, the first natural galectin-3 blocker. Scientists are now finding that blocking harmful excess galectin-3 molecules in the body is critical in promoting cellular health and long-term wellness. In addition to binding and blocking galectin-3 throughout the body, research demonstrates that regular use of modified citrus pectin offers powerful immune support and also safely detoxifies harmful heavy metals and environmental toxins without side effects.

Integrative medicine treats the whole person, rather than the symptom or illness. As a result, these and other natural health solutions offer substantiated immune support while simultaneously promoting overall health and protecting against chronic illness over the long term. And that’s an area where many conventional solutions fall short.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/do-you-really-need-a-flu-shot/

Polygonum Multiflorum

Also known as Fo-ti or He shou wu, Polygonum multiflorum is a Chinese herb used for centuries to slow hair loss, promote new hair growth, restore hair to its original color and to slow the aging process. The seemingly miraculous herb is often mixed in with other herbs to create a tonic that stimulates the scalp and hair growth. It’s available from Asian markets and apothecaries that will mix formulas based on one’s individual needs. Caution is advised because Polygonum multiflorum may cause liver problems in some sensitive people. If you develop symptoms, stop using it and contact your health professional for further guidelines.

Topical aromatherapy applications

Using aromatherapy mixtures topically on the scalp may help regrow hair in some cases. A mixture of essential oils including rosemary, cedarwood, lavender and thyme can be applied to the scalp to stimulate blood flow and hair growth. Never apply the essential oils directly to the skin; rather, first mix three to six drops of each oil in a base such as almond, jojoba or olive oil. Apply the oil mixture nightly to encourage an increase in blood flow and strengthen the existing hair shafts.

Reishi mushroom

Reishi mushroom, or Ganoderma lucidum is another well-known Chinese herb with many health benefits. It’s referred to as the mushroom of mortality and is reputed to slow the aging process and strengthen the immune system. Reishi mushroom is often combined in hair tonics along with Fo-ti and other Chinese herbs to promote hair growth and prevent balding. Find it at Chinese herbal shops where you would also buy Fo-ti.

Additional thoughts

Certain herbal products like Ginkgo biloba can cause bleeding due to its ability to thin the blood. If you take blood thinners, speak to your health practitioner before using Ginkgo. In addition, check medications you may be using to see if hair loss is one of the side effects. If so, request that your physician change your medicine. Examine your diet to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. Good nutrition is necessary for healthy hair.

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ever been conducted on the chemical  (http://www.neotame.com/pdf/neotame_fda_US.pdf). In fact, an investigation conducted by Feingold.org found only four studies relating to neotame in the MEDLINE database.

Two of these “studies” were not studies at all, and the other two were actually one duplicate study conducted by NutraSweet, the company that produces and sells neotame.

So just like with aspartame, the FDA has once again approved for use a dangerous sweetener chemical that metabolizes into formaldehyde when consumed. Except this time, the chemical contains added 3-dimethylbutyl, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed as one of the most hazardous known chemicals, and it does not have to be labeled on any of the products to which it is added.

“Neotame has similar structure to aspartame — except that, from it’s structure, appears to be even more toxic than aspartame,” writes HolisticMed.com on its page about neotame. “Like aspartame, some of the concerns include gradual neurotoxic and immunotoxic damage from the combination of the formaldehyde metabolite (which is toxic at extremely low doses) and the excitotoxic amino acid” (http://www.holisticmed.com/neotame/toxin.html).

The FDA, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all consider neotame to be safe for use, despite the fact that WHO actually published a paper seeking to establish acceptable daily intake levels for neotame. If neotame is so safe that it does not even have to be labeled, according to the FDA, then why do acceptable daily intake levels have to be established? And what is the point of establishing them in the first place?

This dog and pony show of special interest regulatory corruption is a travesty that will have global negative health consequences. Like most other toxins added to foods, neotame will most likely cause chronic damage over a long period of time, which means mainstream health authorities will get away with never having to admit that neotame is a dangerous toxin.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034915_neotame_Monsanto_sweeteners.html#ixzz1lvFT8u9M

neuromuscular and cardiovascular gains in elderly men”.

The results confirm the hypotheses raised in recent decades by various researchers with respect to the capacity of power training to prevent or reduce their loss in older people. As Mikel Izquerdo explains, “It has been established how people between 60 and 70 years of age who participated in a four-month training programme to develop muscular strength and mass regained the functional capacity and muscle power of twenty years previously; in other words, they were the same as their peers who started the same training programme at the age of 40.”

In his view, there are two good reasons why we should encourage people to undertake regular physical exercise from the age of 50 onwards: “Firstly, because it is a cornerstone in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases; and secondly, because it plays a crucial role in preventing and treating the decline in functional capacity, which tends to emerge in a highly significant way at this age.” In this respect, the researcher insists that physical exercise would be a plausible measure for improving the functional capacity of older people and for reducing healthcare expenditure.

The interest in ageing has grown exponentially over the last few decades and some of its aspects, like disability or fragility, have become the centre of attention in basic, clinical and population research. In Spain during the last century the population doubled, the number over 65 increased sevenfold, and the number of octogenarians thirteenfold.

The loss in muscular mass and muscular qualities in ageing is directly related to the reduction in mobility and the capacity to perform the activities regarded as basic or instrumental for daily life. “This loss of muscular mass and qualities (peripheral muscular dysfunction) has manifested itself in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, within the multifactorial process of these diseases and delimits the participation of the patients in activities in daily life, and also contributes towards mortality risk.”

In this context the interventions that have proved to be the most effective in delaying disability and other situations that arise with ageing are the multi-component physical exercise programmes and, above all, power training. These exercises have also shown themselves to be useful in events frequently associated with falls, cognitive deterioration and depression.

Specific training

Relatively intense physical training has to be adapted to the patient’s functional capacity and is accompanied by significant increases in muscular strength, aerobic physical condition, joint mobility, motor skill, self-esteem and longevity, irrespective of age or sex, as long as the intensity and duration of the training period are sufficient.

The initial increases in strength can be as high as 10-30% during the first weeks or 1-2 months of training, both in middle-aged and elderly people.

A second study has been able to show how in older people the prescribing of a training programme that combines muscular strength and endurance exercises is one of the best strategies for improving neuromuscular and cardiovascular function, while improving functional capacity and promoting the enhancement of health and qualify of life.

Likewise, it has been observed that the carrying out of muscular strength exercises before cardiovascular endurance exercises is the best sequencing for obtaining the maximum benefits from a physical exercise programme.

“These results,” concludes Professor Izquierdo, “are of great practical interest for promoting health and quality of life through the participation of older people in exercise programmes.”

Source for Story:

http://www.basqueresearch.com/berria_irakurri.asp?Berri_Kod=3764&hizk=I

As an added bonus, there was a significant decrease in triglycerides and total cholesterol.

Glucose tolerance was improved, and the immune-reaction of pancreatic islet beta cells (beta cells store and release insulin) was boosted. The research team concluded that isoquercetin helped regulate blood glucose level and lipids. They suggested that isoquercetin may be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Buckwheat is often sold as flour. It is darker in color than wheat flour and has a distinctive nutty taste. You can find buckwheat included in a variety of types of flour mixes, like pancake and waffle mix. You can also buy plain buckwheat for making bread if you are allergic to gluten.

You might think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, but it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb. This is one of the reasons for its gluten-free status amongst the grains.

Look for buckwheat in whole or cracked form for use in breakfast cereals or to add some texture (and isoquercetin!) to breads and other baked products. You can even buy cookies and other baked snacks on the go — many specialty stores now have foods made from buckwheat flour to cater to those with gluten allergies.

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doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

and medical experts be wrong about the heart disease-cholesterol myth so long? The answer is MONEY!

Amino Acid Problem

Homocysteine is a renegade amino acid present in our bodies that has been identified as THE cause of heart disease as well as blood clots, stroke and gangrene. What’s more, keeping homocysteine levels in the safe range does not require expensive medication or any drugs at all, only adequate amounts of certain vitamins i.e., B6, B12 and folic acid. This has all been proven.

Since the therapy for high homocysteine requires no drugs, we can begin to see why nobody knows about it. No money. Homocysteine is intimately involved in the aging process, Alzheimer’s, arthritis and cancer. Also, lowering homocysteine causes weight loss, lower blood pressure and, of course, reduced heart disease symptoms and improved general health.

How simple is health, without spending huge amounts of money? I recommend that every one of you read The Heart Revolution by Dr. Kilmer S. McCully, and then read it again.

Take Action

So check your homocysteine level now. Start vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid today.

Further, for those age 60 and over, your B12 intake should be by injection because, as we age, we have no intrinsic factor to enable B12 assimilation. This makes B12 in pill, tablets, etc., useless and unabsorbable. B12 liquid and 100 cc needles are available by prescription. It is very easy to do yourself.

Experts believe that 25 percent of those over age 60, especially vegetarians, are very low in vitamin B12. Plus, the older we get the more likely we are to have a vitamin B12 deficiency because we lose the ability to absorb it. Further, the older we get the more our digestive system breaks down, especially with the standard American diet.

The lining of the stomach gradually loses its ability to produce hydrochloric acid which releases vitamin B12 from our food. The use of antacids or ulcer drugs also lowers stomach acid secretion and decreases the ability to absorb vitamin B12.

In fact, adequate hydrochloric acid in the stomach is critical to life and health. Americans’ hydrochloric acid has been under attack by pharmaceuticals for decades. There is thousands of prescription and non-prescription drugs that Americans consume with wild abandon in order to reduce stomach acid. The final insult is the “purple pill,” which actually shuts down the proton (acid) pump. Wonder how much stomach cancer has been caused by these so-called acid stomach relievers?

By getting off of antacids, paying attention to your homocysteine and getting these vitamins, you can improve your health in a big, big way.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/what-you-know-about-cholesterol-is-wrong/

Neither the first treatment nor the readministered treatment triggered an immune reaction that cancelled the benefits of the inserted genes, as has occurred in human trials of gene therapy for other diseases. The current research targeted Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a retinal disease that progresses to total blindness by adulthood.

Scientists from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania led the study, published today in Science Translational Medicine.

“Patients have told us how their lives have changed since receiving gene therapy,” said study co-leader Jean Bennett, M.D., Ph.D., F.M. Kirby professor of Ophthalmology at Penn. “They are able to walk around at night, go shopping for groceries and recognize people’s faces—all things they couldn’t do before. At the same time, we were able to objectively measure improvements in light sensitivity, side vision and other visual functions.”

Other objective results came from brain signals seen in neuroimaging. When a dimly flickering checkerboard pattern flashed in front of a patient’s recently treated eye, an area in the brain responsible for vision lit up during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).”This finding is telling us that the brain is responding to the eye’s sensitivity to dim light,” said radiology researcher Manzar Ashtari, Ph.D., of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study’s co-leader.

LCA is a group of hereditary retinal diseases in which a gene mutation impairs production of an enzyme essential to light receptors in the retina. The study team injected patients with a vector, a genetically engineered adeno-associated virus, which carried a normal version of a gene called RPE65 that is mutated in one form of LCA.

The researchers in the current study previously carried out a clinical trial of this gene therapy in 12 patients with LCA, four of them children aged 11 and younger when they were treated. Exercising caution, the researchers treated only one eye—the one with worse vision. This trial, reported in October of 2009, achieved sustained and notable results, with six subjects improving enough to no longer be classified as legally blind.

The Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics (CCMT) at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia sponsored both the initial clinical trial and the current study, and manufactured the vector used to carry the corrective gene. Katherine A. High, M.D., a co-author of both studies, is the director of the CCMT, and a pioneering gene therapy researcher.

The research team’s experiments in animals had showed that readministering treatment in a second eye was safe and effective. While these results were encouraging, the researchers were concerned that readministering the vector in the untreated eye of the patients might stimulate an inflammatory response that could reduce the initial benefits in the untreated eye.

“Our concern was that the first treatment might cause a vaccine-like immune response that could prime the individual’s immune system to react against a repeat exposure,” said Bennett. Because the eye is “immune-privileged” —relatively isolated from the body’s immune system—such a response was considered less likely than in other parts of the body, but the idea needed to be tested in practice.

As in the first study, retina specialist Albert M. Maguire, M.D., a study co-author, injected the vector into the untreated eyes of the three subjects at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The patients had been treated one and a half to three years previously.

The researchers continued to follow the three patients for six months after readministration. They found the most significant improvements were in light sensitivity, such as the pupil’s response to light over a range of intensities. Two of the three subjects were able to navigate an obstacle course in dim light, as captured in videos that accompanied the published study.

There were no safety problems and no significant immune responses. There was even an unexpected benefit—the fMRI results showed improved brain responses not just in the newly injected eye, but in the first one as well, possibly because the eyes were better able to coordinate with each other in fixating on objects.

The researchers caution that follow-up studies must be done over a longer period and with additional subjects before they can definitively state that readministering gene therapy for retinal disease is safe in humans. However, said Bennett, the findings bode well for treating the second eye in the remaining patients from the first trial—including children, who may have better results because their retinas have not degenerated as much as those of the adults.

Furthermore, Bennett added, the research holds promise for using a similar gene therapy approach for other retinal diseases. Ashtari said that fMRI may play a future role in helping to predict patients more likely to benefit from gene therapy for retinal disease.

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/chop-gtf020312.php

lead-glazed pottery, contaminated soil, and contaminated drinking water.

Exposure to these metals is known to have a number of effects on human health, but the effects on human fertility have not been extensively studied, especially when studying both partners of a couple.

The study was published online in Chemosphere. The study’s principal investigator was Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., director of the Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research at the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Other authors of the study were from the NICHD, the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, College Station; The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus; The EMMES Corp. in Rockville, Md.; the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta.

“Our results indicate that men and women planning to have children should minimize their exposure to lead and cadmium,” Dr. Buck Louis said. “They can reduce cadmium exposure by avoiding cigarettes or by quitting if they are current smokers, especially if they intend to become pregnant in the future. Similarly, they can take steps to reduce their exposure to lead based paints, which may occur in older housing, including during periods of home renovation.”

To conduct the study, the researchers enrolled 501 couples from four counties in Michigan and 12 counties in Texas, from 2005 to 2009. The women ranged from 18 to 44 years of age, and the men were over 18. Couples provided blood samples for the analysis of three heavy metals. Women kept journals to record their monthly menstrual cycles and the results of home pregnancy tests. The couples were followed until pregnancy or for up to one year of trying.

The researchers ranked the study participants on the basis of their blood levels of lead and cadmium. The researchers also measured the participants’ blood mercury levels, but found they were not associated with the length of time couples required to become pregnant. Nearly every study participant had some exposure to these common metals, although blood levels of the metals varied across participants.

Researchers calculated the probability that a couple would achieve pregnancy by levels of blood cadmium and lead with a statistical measure called the fecundability odds ratio. The measure estimates couples’ probability of pregnancy each cycle, by their blood concentration of metals. A ratio less than one suggests a longer time to pregnancy, while a ratio greater than one suggests a shorter time to pregnancy. Females’ blood cadmium concentration was associated with a ratio below 1 (0.78), which means that the probability of pregnancy was reduced by 22 percent with each increase in the level of cadmium. Males’ blood lead exposure also was associated with a ratio below 1 (0.85) with increasing levels, or about a 15 percent reduction in the probability of pregnancy for each increase in the level of blood lead concentrations.

The researchers also calculated a fecundability odds ratio based on both partners’ combined lead, cadmium and mercury concentrations. The researchers found a ratio of 0.82 for male lead exposure, representing approximately a 28 percent reduction in the probability of pregnancy for each menstrual cycle, with increasing male blood lead concentration.

“The findings highlight the importance of assessing couples’ exposure jointly, in a single, combined measure,” Dr. Buck Louis said. “Males matter, because couples’ chances of becoming pregnant each cycle were reduced with increasing blood lead concentrations in men.”

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/nioc-nsl020812.php

and monitor how they communicate with one another is crucial for understanding—and, ultimately, treating—a host of brain disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and even psychiatric disorders such as severe depression. The research was published today in the Optical Society’s (OSA (http://www.osa.org)) open-access journal Biomedical Optics Express (http://www.opticsinfobase.org/boe).

Doctors and researchers today commonly use electrodes—on the scalp or implanted within the brain—to deliver zaps of electricity to stimulate cells. Unfortunately, these electrodes activate huge swaths of neural territory, made up of thousands or even millions of cells, of many different types. That makes it impossible to tease out the behavior of any given cell, or even of particular cell types, to understand cellular communication and how it contributes to the disease process.

Ideally, nerve cells would be activated in a non-invasive way that is also highly targeted. A promising method for doing this is photostimulation—essentially, controlling cells with light. Recently, for example, a team of Stanford University researchers altered mammalian nerve cells to carry light-sensitive proteins from single-celled algae, allowing the scientists to rapidly flip the cells on and off, just with flashes of light. The problem with this process, however, is that the light-controlled cells must be genetically altered to perform their parlor trick.

An alternative, says the UW team, led by electrical engineer Lih Y. Lin and biophysicist Fred Rieke, is to use quantum dots—tiny semiconductor particles, just a few billionths of a meter across, that confine electrons within three spatial dimensions. When these otherwise trapped electrons are excited by electricity, they emit light, but at very precise wavelengths, determined both by the size of the quantum dot and the material from which it is made. Because of this specificity, quantum dots are being explored for a variety of applications, including in lasers, optical displays, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and even medical imaging devices.

In the paper published today, Lin, Rieke and colleagues have extended the use of quantum dots to the targeted activation of cells. In laboratory experiments, the researchers cultured cells on quantum dot films, so that the cell membranes were in close proximity to the quantum-dot coated surfaces. The electrical behavior of individual cells was then measured as the cells were exposed to flashes of light of various wavelengths; the light excited electrons within the quantum dots, generating electrical fields that triggered spiking in the cells.

“We tried prostate cancer cells first because a colleague happened to have the cell line and experience with them, and they are resilient, which is an advantage for culturing on the quantum dot films,” Lin says. “But eventually we want to use this technology to study the behavior of neurons, so we switched to cortical neurons after the initial success with the cancer cells.”

The experiments, says Lin, show that “it is possible to excite neurons and other cells and control their activities remotely using light. This non-invasive method can provide flexibility in probing and controlling cells at different locations while minimizing undesirable effects.”

“Many brain disorders are caused by imbalanced neural activity,” Rieke adds, and so “techniques that allow manipulation of the activity of specific types of neurons could permit restoration of normal—balanced—activity levels”—including the restoration of function in retinas that have been compromised by various diseases. “The technique we describe provides an alternative tool for exciting neurons in a spatially and temporally controllable manner. This could aid both in understanding the normal activity patterns in neural circuits, by introducing perturbations and monitoring their effect, and how such manipulations could restore normal circuit activity.”

So far, the technique has only been applied to cells cultured outside the body; to gain insight into disease processes and be clinically useful, it would need to be performed within living tissue. To do so, Lin says, “we need to modify the surface of the quantum dots so that they can target specific cells when injected into live animals.” The dots also need to be non-toxic, unlike those used in the Biomedical Optics Express report, which often had detrimental effects on the cells to which they were attached. “One solution would be developing non-toxic quantum dots using silicon,” Lin says.

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/osoa-fal020812.php

and it helped reduce LDL levels by a whopping 42% and raise HDL levels by 26%. Patients here also had a reduced number of heart attacks, strokes, and death.

Finally, a 2004 study examined 167 patients with heart disease, who had low HDL levels. One gram of niacin a day added to statin treatment increased HDL levels by 21%, and improved their hardened arteries as well.

2. Raynaud’s Disease, Intermittent Claudication: For this, the preparation of niacin is called “inositol hexaniacinate”, as it contains both nicotinic acid and inositol. Most studies show that this is an effective treatment in the aforementioned two conditions. Raynaud’s causes poor blood flow in fingers, toes, ears, nose, nipples or knees. Pain and skin discoloration ensue. Claudication is a symptom of blocked arteries, causing leg pain during exercise.

A good study on 23 Raynaud’s patients treated with four grams a day found that they had significantly improved symptoms.

In a three-month study of 100 patients with intermittent claudication, those getting four grams a day of inositol hexaniacinate showed major improvement in being able to walk pain-free.

3. Type 1 Diabetes: Many quality studies have tried to see if niacin can prevent or delay this condition. The results are mixed. Good news came out of two studies that showed niacinamide alone, or with vitamin E, could prolong the “honeymoon period”” in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. Thus, it delays it for some time.

And there you have the three-pronged disease-fighting nature of niacin.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

The study is published in the “International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.” It highlights fruit, vegetables, whole-grain foods such as muesli and porridge, and the entire bean family as foods rich in dietary fiber. And foods we should all strive to get more of in our daily diets. (Not surprisingly, these are also the healthiest foods to eat, period.)

Dietary fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage.” It means the non-digestible parts of the fruit and vegetables. Soluble fiber is readily broken down or fermented in the colon. Insoluble fiber absorbs water as it passes through the digestive system, providing bulk for the intestinal muscles to work against and making digestion slow and healthy.

Research has shown that modern food habits have led to an increase in obesity, heart diseases, and type 2 diabetes. This is a common refrain in Doctors Health Press. Western eating habits are even flowing into developing nations, where processed foods high in sugars and saturated fat, beef, and dairy products are replacing more traditional options that are naturally high in fiber.

A loss of dietary fiber is a major risk factor for health problems — but one of the simplest to solve. It is not hard to choose foods wisely, particularly when grocery stores have so much available to us.

Fiber has a vast array of actions in the body. Among them are lowering cholesterol, moderating blood glucose levels, keeping your gastrointestinal tract healthy, boosting your immune system, and ensuring calcium is properly absorbed and used. Getting more fiber could single-handedly protect you from heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, weight gain, and many more serious health concerns.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

DMBA is a powerful toxin which is commonly used to initiate cancer tumors in laboratory animals for cancer research purposes. Four different concentrations of holy basil leaf extract were fed to rats over a five day period, then were injected with DMBA. When cancer symptoms were positively identified, the scientists measured the ability of holy basil to combat cancer. At a dosage of 300mg per kilgram of body weight, holy basil leaf extract significantly reduced the formation of cancerous micronuclei, enzymes which metabolize toxins in the body, and oxidation in both proteins and fats. Antioxidant and healthy enzymatic activity was increased.

Scientists prove that holy basil heals neuropathy caused by surgery

The October 2008 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reports a clinical study which was performed on rats that had sciatic nerve neuropathy. The researchers severed the sciatic nerve in the rats’ paws, then measured the resulting neuropathy. Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) extract was then administered for ten days following the surgeries. The scientists observed that holy basil extract reduced the effects of nerve degeneration, helped to make nerve receptors more sensitive to stimuli, and aided in motor control after the surgery. The herb also curbed a rise in TBARS, an indicator of oxidative stress, and increased the amount of calcium and glutothione in the body of the rats.

Holy basil oil may be useful in the treatment of acne

The International Journal of Cosmetic Science published a 2006 study performed in Thailand which evaluated the effectiveness of three different kinds of Thai basil oil in the treatment of acne. Researchers wanted to study the anti-bacterial activity of oils made from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), and hoary basil (Ocimum americanum). Hoary basil had no anti-microbial effects against acne at all in vitro. However, both sweet basil oil and holy basil oil did. While sweet basil oil was found to be more effective against acne than holy basil oil, both herbs were found to be suitable for a skin care treatment of acne.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034870_Holy_Basil_tulsi_antioxidants.html#ixzz1ljTN459a

a more concentrated form may sometimes be required. That’s why the essential oil of oregano is a common remedy for bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. It’s so effective — and tastes so good — that some restaurants actually sprinkle oregano oil over their salad bars to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for bacteria. And because of the high antioxidant content in the oil, it probably keeps the salad fresh for longer, too!

I have personally used oregano as emergency medicine to completely eliminate digestive distress after eating what I found out was contaminated food. In fact, oregano kills e.coli, salmonella and virtually all other food-borne pathogens.

Personally, I don’t travel without it.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034895_oregano_antioxidants_herbs.html#ixzz1ljNv4hGJ

which means the more soft drink one consumes, the higher the chance of having these diseases.

Overall, 13.3% of participants with asthma and 15.6% of those with COPD reported consuming more than half a liter of soft drink per day.

The odds ratio for asthma and COPD was 1.26 and 1.79, comparing those who consumed more than half a liter of soft drink per day with those who did not consume soft drinks.

Furthermore, smoking makes this relationship even worse, especially for COPD. Compared with those who did not smoke and consume soft drinks, those that consumed more than half a liter of soft drink per day and were current smokers had a 6.6-fold greater risk of COPD.

“Our study emphasizes the importance of healthy eating and drinking in the prevention of chronic diseases like asthma and COPD,” Zumin concludes.

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/w-dla020712.php

suffer from seizures caused by epilepsy according to a 2001 report by the World Health Organization (WHO). Medical evidence shows that compared with the general population, epilepsy patients have significantly poorer health-related quality of life, higher rates of co-morbidites, and lower rates of employment, marriage, and education levels. Previous studies found that while a majority of those with epilepsy do respond to antiepileptic drugs, over 30% patients are refractory to medical therapy.

“In cases where medical therapy fails to control seizures, epilepsy surgery is a safe and effective treatment option,” explains lead author Dr. Matthew Smyth with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. “Despite the increase in the number of epilepsy surgeries performed, and reports in the medical literature of the success of surgery relative to medication, it remains an underutilized therapy for seizure control.” A 2001 study estimated that less than 0.1% of the more than 4 million people worldwide who could benefit from epilepsy surgery actually receive the intervention.

To advance understanding of long-term seizure control rates, researchers analyzed data of seizure and quality of life outcomes for 361 patients who underwent epilepsy surgery between 1967 and 1990; Dr. Sidney Goldring, a prominent neurosurgeon and pioneer of epilepsy surgery, performed the procedures. Patients were then surveyed to assess seizure control and quality of life.

Of the 361 patients, 117 completed follow-up interviews for the study and 48% were determined to be free of disabling seizures. On a survey assessing the quality of life for those with epilepsy, 80% of patients reported their overall quality life was better than before the surgery. As the authors expected, surgical complications and mortality following surgery declined over the long-term. No statistically significant association between postoperative complications and long-term seizure control or quality of life outcomes was observed.

“Our findings demonstrate that the benefits of epilepsy surgery are sustained over long time periods,” concludes Dr. Smyth. “Increased use of surgical intervention offers patients with epilepsy the possibility of long-term seizure control and improved quality of life.”

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/w-lss020312.php

The researchers found that the level of 35 decibels could result not only from a plane overhead but also from a bed partner snoring or automobile traffic outside. Plus, this hypertensive threat occurred even if the noise did not wake the sleeper.

The study, which was published in the European Heart Journal, discovered, as you might expect, that the louder the noise, the larger the increase in blood pressure. For every 5dB increase in aircraft noise, there was an increase of 0.66 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading).

Another study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, demonstrated that people who live for at least five years near an international airport, under a flight path, have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure than people who live in more peaceful surroundings.

Losing Your Hearing

But airport noise may only be a minor player in today’s epidemic of noise exposure. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that nine of 10 city dwellers may experience enough noise exposure to risk hearing loss. And much of the exposure is self-inflicted because people listen to their iPods, MP3 players and stereos at ear-busting volumes.

“That two out of three people get the majority of noise exposure from music is pretty striking,” says Rick Neitzel, one of the researchers. “I’ve always viewed the workplace as a primary risk for noise exposure. But (our findings) suggest that just focusing our efforts on the workplace isn’t enough…”

Stroke Risk

Stroke is another risk associated with noise. A study that appeared in the European Heart Journal showed that for those over the age of 65, every increase of 10 decibels in daily traffic noise raises the stroke risk by a shocking 27 percent.

“Our study shows that exposure to road traffic noise seems to increase the risk of stroke,” says Dr. Mette Sorensen, senior researcher at the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark. “Previous studies have linked traffic noise with raised blood pressure and heart attacks, and our study adds to the accumulating evidence that traffic noise may cause a range of cardiovascular diseases.”

Tumors In The Ear

Years of loud music can also increase your risk of developing tumors in your ears that cause hearing loss. While these tumors are not cancerous, research at the School of Public Health at Ohio State University shows that these growths, called acoustic neuromas, press on the cranial nerve that is responsible for sensing sound. They also impinge on nerves that help with balance. The tumors can cause tinnitus (unceasing ringing in the ears) along with hearing loss.

The scientists found that the two types of loud noise that posed the greatest risk of acoustic neuroma development were exposure to machines, power tools and construction equipment and exposure to loud music. People employed in the music industry were 2.25 times more likely to develop these tumors.

Risky Business

Other health problems linked to noise include:

• Insomnia: A study published in the journal Sleep found that if you suffer noise-related hearing loss, you have a greater risk of having difficulty falling asleep, being sleepy during the daytime, waking up at night and not being able to go back to sleep, snoring and being subject to excessive restlessness at night.
• Impaired work performance: If your bedroom fills with nighttime traffic noise, your morning work performance suffers. Research in Germany showed that noise at night affects how well your muscles and nerves function the next morning.
• Hearing loss: While it’s no surprise that excessively loud music hurts your hearing, researchers have been surprised to find that 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels daily.

Ear Protection

The simplest way to protect yourself from noise is to turn the volume down on your portable music player and on your stereo. In addition, wearing ear plugs in noisy places like the subway or in heavy traffic can also help.

Scientists have also discovered that taking supplements of beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E, as well as magnesium may also help save your hearing. Lab tests at the University of Florida found that giving these supplements to animals before exposing them to loud noises prevented both temporary and permanent hearing loss.

“Ear protection, such as ear plugs, is always the best practice for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, but in those populations who don’t or can’t wear hearing protection… these supplements could provide an opportunity for additional protection, notes researcher Dr. Colleen Le Prell.

If you don’t want to be a victim of noise, preventive precautions against a loud world are your best bet. Antioxidant supplements and keeping your music at a manageable level can not only preserve hearing, it may be just as important for the health of your heart and the rest of your body.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/turn-down-the-volume-to-lift-your-health/

People in the middle range ran a lower risk. Also, the same researchers noted that the risk of a heart problem didn’t occur until sodium levels reached J curve, and/or exceeded 6,500 mg a day. This seems to indicate that we need more sodium than has been generally accepted. But we should limit the type of salt we get in processed foods like potato chips and canned soups.

Across The Great Divide

However, there seems to be a huge scientific divide: Consumers have been told for what seems like ages that daily sodium intake should be no more than 2,000 mg a day according to the World Health Organization (WHO); 1,500 mg a day according to the U.S. American Heart Association (AHA); and 1500 to 2300 mg, depending upon age, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Personally, and as a retired natural nutritionist, I think the WHO, AHA and HHS figures are — and have been — off the mark for several reasons.

First and foremost, there are subtle differences between plant-based sodium and table salt that the medical and pharmaceutical industries and health agencies don’t make clear to  consumers. Said differences influence whether body chemistry works efficiently or detrimentally. Sodium is essential to life processes, and that’s why nature includes it in all food.

Salt Observation

Sodium (Na for the Latin Natrum) is in the alkali metals group of elements possessing number 11 on the Periodic Table of the Elements and is the sixth most-abundant element. The most familiar or common sodium compound is halite (sodium chloride, NaCl) also known as table salt, which is refined salt that is overused — if not abused — by the food processing industry.

Sodium is a key mineral element in maintaining fluid balance in and between cells in the body, plus it plays a vital electrical role critical for nerve function.

Here’s where it may get a little confusing: Humans evolved over thousands upon thousands of years eating plant foods that basically were balanced by nature with correct ratios of sodium to potassium for cellular functions. That apparently unrecognized factoid was not valued, either was forgotten or deliberately ignored, and consequently not factored in when the food processing industry began adding huge amounts of salt to food. In addition, food additives deposited in processed foods often include sodium in their composition.

Minerals In Vegetables

Contrast this unbalanced emphasis on sodium to the mineral balance in vegetables. Fresh asparagus, which is a great aid to kidney health, contains almost six times as much potassium as sodium. Bananas are also rich in potassium. Nature embedded various nutrients within all plant foods that automatically balance nutrient status if and when we eat a varied diet of organically grown food, as raw or unprocessed as possible, without chemicals or genetically modified organisms.

Additives to table salt can include — depending upon country — iodine in the form of iodide salts (United States); fluoride (a protoplasmic poison) in countries where water fluoridation does not occur (France); numerous chemical anti-caking agents; iron; folic acid; and even a form of sugar (usually dextrose supposedly to stabilize iodide).

In the JAMA study I mentioned at the beginning, heart problems only seemed to be linked to excess salt when daily sodium levels reached 6,500 mg. Because what is truly important is the balancing of the four cationic electrolytes: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

But conventional medicine is trying to pigeonhole everyone’s sodium/potassium ratios into a one-size-fits-all model that over-prescribes blood pressure medications. But these medications may be doing more harm than good, by taking minerals out of the body and harming the kidneys.

Sea Salt

According to conventional wisdom, I should have been on high blood pressure meds for years. But my diet contains sea salt. Consequently, my most recent blood pressure reading was 106/60. Of course, I don’t eat processed foods or allow chemicals in my food or water and haven’t for 40 years.

The way electrolytes function in the body, sodium usually works outside cells while potassium functions inside the cells. This placement functions in the maintenance of a bodily balance of these minerals.

But when you take diuretic drugs for your blood pressure and don’t get adequate sea salt, you throw this balance out of whack. Studies like the one in JAMA show that we are long overdue for a re-evaluation of the medical hypertension paradigm.

In addition, there’s no telling how many seniors who are on hypertension meds become dehydrated. Often, in these cases, doctors provide an intravenous drip to re-supply fluid and electrolytes. Eating plenty of leafy greens and high potassium foods, plus losing some weight, could bring blood pressure into normal range.

An imbalance in sodium and potassium may also be responsible for heart arrhythmias or, perhaps, dementias linked to strong diuretics that drain the body of fluids and essential nutrients. And too many people forget to drink plenty of pure water.

To give you an idea of where sodium is in your diet, here are some examples of salt content from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference:

One cup drained snap green beans canned……… 354 mg sodium [mostly NaCl]
One cup cooked without salt fresh green beans….   1 mg [natural-occurring] sodium
One cup drained broccoli cooked without salt ……64 mg [natural-occurring] sodium
One tablespoon salted butter…………………….  82 mg sodium [mostly NaCl]
One tablespoon unsalted butter…………………     2 mg [natural-occurring] sodium
12 oz carbonated ginger ale soda………………     26 mg sodium
One cup drained carrots canned………………… 353 mg sodium [mostly NaCl]
One cup drained cooked fresh carrots…………..   90 mg [natural-occurring] sodium

In these values, you can readily see how food processing changes sodium content. To find the natural sodium and table salt contents of foods listed from A to Z on a total of 26 pages, you can study this U.S. Department of Agriculture website.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/dont-have-faulty-ideas-about-salt/

The agency is basically now recommending that all young men and women get the Gardasil vaccine.

The CDC announcement comes just days after Canadian health officials made a similar announcement recommending that all boys between the ages of nine and 26 in that country be jabbed with Gardasil. Together, the two announcements could potentially double profits for the vaccine, that is if enough members of the public are foolish enough to actually comply with these new recommendations.

ACIP heavily influenced by Big Pharma

Many of ACIP’s members are nominated directly by the drug industry, and often have significant financial ties to vaccine manufacturers. So it is really no surprise that ACIP has made such egregious recommendations without considering the fact that Gardasil has been shown to be medically useless for its stated purpose, and a significant threat to health in many cases.

Dr. Carol Baker, executive director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research, and huge proponent of vaccines, is head of ACIP, which made the recommendation. And Dr. Larry Pickering, executive secretary of ACIP and senior advisor to the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, also has an extensive history working for groups that promote vaccines.

Thousands of young girls around the world have suffered debilitating, permanent neurological damage from getting the Gardasil series of shots. Many of them are now paralyzed as well, and suffer from chronic autoimmune disorders, extreme fatigue, and incapacitating muscle weakness, and at least 100 girls have died. If boys start getting the shot as well, you can expect a massive upswing in serious negative side effects and deaths among this segment of the population as well.

The fact of the matter is that Gardasil is a dangerous, unproven vaccine that has no place in medicine. And yet health officials are all too eager to recommend it to practically everyone as if it was some type of miracle treatment.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034886_CDC_Gardasil_boys.html#ixzz1ldn1e74V

 

In Barrett’s esophagus, due to stress on the tissue, normal epithelial cells are replaced by cells similar to those lining the intestinal tract. Since licorice targets these cells specifically, it has strong potential to help heal tissue damage related to Barrett’s esophagus.

How DGL helps heal Barrett’s esophagus

DGL can be used in chewable form to coat the esophagus and have a direct effect on the mucosal tissue. The salivary enzymes release the healing properties, increase absorption and stimulate healing to occur immediately as it is swallowed. DGL addresses Barrett’s esophagus in many ways. It can decrease inflammation, reduce discomfort, heal the gastric tissues and even reduce the gastric spasms that often cause the acid and tissue irritation to leak in the first place.

There are many active constituents behind the vast healing powers of DGL. The root of the licorice plant contains 10 triterpenes and 22 flavonoids. Licorice’s flavonoids, including isoliquiritigen, help inhibit acid secretion and prevent the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria. Licorice magnifies the effect of the mucus by increasing blood flow and promoting secretion, growth and activity of the protective mucosa cells. It provides both a protective mucus layer and deep anti-inflammatory effects. Licorice also reduces spasms in the visceral muscles, relaxing the tissue.

DGL can also increase the concentration of bilirubin in the bile. Bilirubin is a bile pigment created by the breakdown of heme in red blood cells. There is some debate on its healing or harmful effects. Although high concentrations of bilirubin often indicate disease, new studies show it can also act as a cellular antioxidant protecting tissues from free radical damage. Antioxidants are definitely desirable when preventing and repairing any tissue damage.

There is vast research on the overall medicinal benefits of Glycyrrhiza glabra, but not any clinical trials for the treatment of Barrett’s esophagus specifically. Licorice shows great promise as a treatment for Barrett’s esophagus and hopefully will soon have more research to back it up. Barrett’s esophagus is a largely due to lifestyle, and the causative factors, such as smoking, drinking, and poor diet, must be removed if you truly wish to restore health, balance and happiness.

Never take any licorice products if pregnant or nursing. Always consult a doctor before initiating or changing your treatment plan.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034863_licorice_Barretts_esophagus_remedies.html#ixzz1lddxdxbl