Stem Cells Reverse Blindness Caused by Burns
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010Dozens of people who were blinded or otherwise suffered severe eye damage when they were splashed with caustic chemicals had their sight restored with transplants of their own stem cells — a stunning success for the burgeoning cell-therapy field, Italian researchers reported Wednesday.
The treatment worked completely in 82 of 107 eyes and partially in 14 others, with benefits lasting up to a decade so far. One man whose eyes were severely damaged more than 60 years ago now has near-normal vision.
“This is a roaring success,” said ophthalmologist Dr. Ivan Schwab of the University of California, Davis, who had no role in the study — the longest and largest of its kind.
Stem cell transplants offer hope to the thousands of people worldwide every year who suffer chemical burns on their corneas from heavy-duty cleansers or other substances at work or at home.
The approach would not help people with damage to the optic nerve or macular degeneration, which involves the retina. Nor would it work in people who are completely blind in both eyes, because doctors need at least some healthy tissue that they can transplant.
In the study, published online by the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers took a small number of stem cells from a patient’s healthy eye, multiplied them in the lab and placed them into the burned eye, where they were able to grow new corneal tissue to replace what had been damaged. Since the stem cells are from their own bodies, the patients do not need to take anti-rejection drugs.
Adult stem cells have been used for decades to cure blood cancers such as leukemia and diseases like sickle cell anemia. But fixing a problem like damaged eyes is a relatively new use. Researchers have been studying cell therapy for a host of other diseases, including diabetes and heart failure, with limited success.
Adult stem cells, which are found around the body, are different from embryonic stem cells, which come from human embryos and have stirred ethical concerns because removing the cells requires destroying the embryos.
Currently, people with eye burns can get an artificial cornea, a procedure that carries such complications as infection and glaucoma, or they can receive a transplant using stem cells from a cadaver, but that requires taking drugs to prevent rejection.
The Italian study involved 106 patients treated between 1998 and 2007. Most had extensive damage in one eye, and some had such limited vision that they could only sense light, count fingers or perceive hand motions. Many had been blind for years and had had unsuccessful operations to restore their vision.
The cells were taken from the limbus, the rim around the cornea, the clear window that covers the colored part of the eye. In a normal eye, stem cells in the limbus are like factories, churning out new cells to replace dead corneal cells. When an injury kills off the stem cells, scar tissue forms over the cornea, clouding vision and causing blindness.
In the Italian study, the doctors removed scar tissue over the cornea and glued the laboratory-grown stem cells over the injured eye. In cases where both eyes were damaged by burns, cells were taken from an unaffected part of the limbus.
Researchers followed the patients for an average of three years and some as long as a decade. More than three-quarters regained sight after the transplant. An additional 13 percent were considered a partial success. Though their vision improved, they still had some cloudiness in the cornea.
Patients with superficial damage were able to see within one to two months. Those with more extensive injuries took several months longer.
“They were incredibly happy. Some said it was a miracle,” said one of the study leaders, Graziella Pellegrini of the University of Modena’s Center for Regenerative Medicine in Italy. “It was not a miracle. It was simply a technique.”
The study was partly funded by the Italian government.
Researchers in the United States have been testing a different way to use self-supplied stem cells, but that work is preliminary.
One of the successful transplants in the Italian study involved a man who had severe damage in both eyes as a result of a chemical burn in 1948. Doctors grafted stem cells from a small section of his left eye to both eyes. His vision is now close to normal.
In 2008, there were 2,850 work-related chemical burns to the eyes in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Schwab of UC Davis said stem cell transplants would not help those blinded by burns in both eyes because doctors need stem cells to do the procedure.
“I don’t want to give the false hope that this will answer their prayers,” he said.
Dr. Sophie Deng, a cornea expert at the UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute, said the biggest advantage was that the Italian doctors were able to expand the number of stem cells in the lab. This technique is less invasive than taking a large tissue sample from the eye and lowers the chance of an eye injury. “The key is whether you can find a good stem cell population and expand it,” she said
Genetic Mutation Makes Some People to Rid hepatitis C
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010A collaborative study led by Johns Hopkins researchers has uncovered a genetic mutation that gives a person the ability to get rid of Hepatitis C without any treatment.
While some of the people with Hepatitis C suffer throughout the life and develop serious liver disease, including cancer, others are able to defeat the infection and get rid of the virus with no treatment.
“If we knew why some people got rid of the disease on their own, then maybe we could figure out ways to help other people who didn’t. Or maybe even help prevent infections entirely,” Nature quoted Dr. David Thomas as saying.
In a previous study, researchers had found a variation in a single chemical of DNA, known as a single-nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP, near the IL28B gene, which while poorly understood, is thought to help the immune response to Hepatitis C viral infection.
People infected with Hepatitis C, who carried the C/C variation SNP near their IL28B gene, were found more likely to respond to hepatitis C treatment, which can rid some patients of the virus.
Thus, the researchers in the current study wondered if the C/C variation-as opposed to the C/T or T/T alternatives-also played a role in some peoples’ ability to get rid of the virus without the help of medication.
So, they assembled information from six different studies that had over many years collected DNA and Hepatitis C infection information from people all over the world.
Then, the team analysed DNA at the IL28B gene from a total of 1008 patients- 620 persistently infected and 388 who had been infected but no longer carried any virus.
DNA analysis revealed that of the 388 patients who no longer carried virus, 264 have the C/C variation.
“This is the strongest clue to date to understanding what would constitute a successful immune response. We don’t yet know the significance of this C variant, but we know we need to do more work to find out what it means and whether it might be helpful to halting the disease,” said Thomas.
The researchers also noticed an intriguing trend- the C/C variant does not appear equally in all populations.
“We wonder if this SNP also explains some of the genetic basis for the population difference of Hepatitis C clearance. It’s been reported that African-Americans are less
Medicare Expands Coverage To Help Smokers Quit
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010They’ve lived with the health warnings about smoking for much of their lives and doubtless seen the ill effects on friends, relatives and even themselves, yet about 4.5 million older people in the U.S. keep on lighting up. Medicare is finally catching up to most private insurers by providing counseling for anyone on the program who’s trying to kick the habit.
Dr. Barry Straube, Medicare’s chief medical officer, says it’s never too late to quit, even for lifelong smokers.
“The elderly can respond to smoking cessation counseling even if they have been smoking for 30 years or more,” says Straube. “We do know we can see a reduction in the death rate and complications from smoking-related illnesses.” Not only cancer, heart disease and lung problems, which can kill, but also gastric reflux, osteoporosis and other ailments that undermine quality of life.
Smoking-related illnesses cost Medicare tens of billions a year. Straube cites a two-decade estimate of $800 billion, from 1995 through 2015.
Medicare already covers drugs used to help smokers quit, as well as counseling for those who have developed a smoking-related illness. But starting immediately, the program will expand the benefit to cover up to eight counseling sessions a year for people who want to quit.
Next year, such counseling will be free, under a provision in President Barack Obama’s health care law that eliminates co-payments for preventive services.
Older smokers often don’t get as much attention from doctors as do younger ones. “They just figure, ‘Well, it’s too late,’” said Straube, that the damage is already done. That may start to change now.
About one in 10 seniors smoke, compared with one in five people among the U.S. population as a whole. It turns out that smokers age 65 and older present a medical paradox.
Many started when it was fashionable to light up. They are more likely than younger smokers to be seriously hooked on nicotine and less likely to attempt quitting. But research shows that their odds of success are greater if they do try to give up the habit.
Older smokers who receive counseling are significantly more likely to quit than those who only get standard medical care. One study of elderly heart attack patients found that those who got counseling to help quit smoking were more likely to be alive five years later.
It’s unclear why older people who try to quit have better luck than younger smokers.
Some experts think it’s because older smokers are more motivated, perhaps from having seen a loved one die of cancer or heart disease, or by recognizing how the cigarette habit has left its mark in their own bodies, anything from wrinklier skin to shortness of breath.
Straube has his own theory: “They’re under less stress,” he said. “They are not working anymore, and they have more time.”
Medicare’s new smoking cessation benefit will also be available to younger people who are covered by the program because of a disability. About 1 million of them are smokers.
Salt Is a Four-Letter Word
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010The average U.S. adult eats about 1.5 teaspoons of salt a day, more than twice the recommended amount, a U.S. professor of clinical nutrition says.
Dr. Jo Ann Carson of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas says federal regulators have begun urging food manufacturers to cut back on the amount of sodium they add to everything from breakfast cereals to soups.
The aim is for manufacturers to reduce the amount so gradually consumers would barely notice the lower sodium levels, but the final limits have not yet been determined.
“Lowering our salt intake is important to control blood pressure,” Carson says in a statement. African-Americans, the elderly and those with diabetes are recommended to lower their salt intake because they are most often salt sensitive.
For the some 50 million Americans with high blood pressure, research finds the lower the sodium, the lower the blood pressure.
To lower salt intake: Eat fewer processed foods such as frozen dinners, packaged mixes and canned soups; replace salt with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, garlic and vinegar; replace salty snacks with unsalted pretzels or nuts mixed with raisins, graham crackers, low-fat or fat-free yogurt, plain popcorn and raw vegetables; and buy unsalted or low-salt varieties of foods and condiments.
I Am Loving and Capable
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010The kids enthusiastically agreed that they could do everything better if they came from a mind-place of of IALAC: They laughed at images, “If I am really ‘Loving,’ I can be more patient when my dog throws up… or when my little sister grabs my stuff. If I am really ‘Capable,’ I can master my times-tables even though they’re hard for me.” The excitement of accessing a whole idea in a single word that could really alleviate their days’ stresses inspired even the most reticent to at least give it a go. The best part was that IALAC didn’t need to be cleaned, brushed or packed or refolded. Talk about Simple, Fun and Magical!
And did others get it in a way that raised their power and shifted their lives forever? Quite likely.
6. Think IALAC when your tendency has been to brush off courtesy and respect. Too tired for hello, please, thank you? Consciously create the world in which you place yourself. Your environment will mirror your behavior.
7. Think IALAC when your tendency has been to hear selectively or not at all. Pay attention and really concentrate on hearing others. What’s really being said?
9. Think IALAC when your tendency has been to anticipate stress, misery, failure, traffic. Replacing the anticipation of misery with openness and curiosity may not change the traffic, but it changes the damage to your body that negative anticipation creates. Remember that the mind doesn’t distinguish between real and imagined. Think anxiety and your body functions in stress.
11. Think IALAC and decide that the choices you make today will make a positive difference. Don’t let anyone, including you, diminish your IALAC badge (your self esteem). You are loving and capable… well, soon as you choose them.
Yes, these are the same skills shared with the children. Aren’t we, as adults, as much in need of reinforcing the good stuff?
Of course, for those of you who have learned self-hypnosis from me, see and feel yourself in a session of relaxation, coming from IALAC in each of your tasks for quick and deep learning. If you’d like me to make a new personal CD for you with your current goals, please email or contact me personally at my office.
When Liposuction Works and When it Does Not
Saturday, August 21st, 2010Fat.
Those three little letters are freighted with enough baggage to sink a cruise ship. The issue encompasses health and aesthetics, of course, but also self esteem, class, money, and politics. Then there is the moral component. After losing more than 40 pounds, Kelly Osbourne said, “I took more hell for being fat than I did for being an absolute raging drug addict — I will never understand that.” On the flip side, for those with a conscience (and we know you’re out there), the idea of obsessing over a problem that is often rooted in self-indulgence can make a person want to join the Sisters of Mercy and work off the guilt among people with real troubles. Yet even thin women are not exempt, as they may worry about a little roll at the waist, a hint of a double chin, jiggly arms, or chubby knees. No amount of Spinning or sit-ups can eliminate certain stubborn bulges or change the dictates of our genes.
Enter the plastic surgeon. In 2009, more than 243,000 women had liposuction to remove fat from various body areas, and about 123,000 underwent stomach-firming abdominoplasties. In recent years, doctors have developed several new — and nonsurgical — methods to reduce fat and sculpt the body. To help make sense of all the options, Allure asked experts to weigh in on how (and whether) these procedures work. And don’t be embarrassed about the tape measure. When it comes to fat, there are no silly questions.
What can getting liposuction do — and not do?
Liposuction treats fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise, such as saddlebags or the lower abdomen, which means it’s not a substitute for traditional weight loss. In fact, diet and exercise are essential before and after the procedure to obtain the best results, says Jeffrey Kenkel, professor of plastic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. A doctor can suction out up to five quarts of fat, but there is usually little change in body weight — at most a pound or two. Liposuction can’t eliminate stretch marks or cellulite, and it may even make cellulite more pronounced, Kenkel says. Once the fat is taken out, “we can’t predict or control how much the overlying skin will contract,” he says. “In general, patients with good skin tone will experience tightening as the skin redistributes itself. But others with thin, soft skin may develop sagging in the areas suctioned.” Doctors are developing alternative and noninvasive ways to remove fat, but for now liposuction is considered the gold standard.
Adding padding
- Reduce fat, reuse it, recycle it. That’s the goal of a procedure called fat grafting, fat transfer, or lipofilling, in which a doctor injects the face with a patient’s body fat — from the abdomen, thighs, or buttocks — to smooth lines and fill hollows. Many of the injected fat cells don’t survive, and there can be loss of volume over time, so doctors usually overfill the area to compensate. But the final outcome may still look overdone, and if a patient gains five to ten pounds, the grafted fat can grow, says Val Lambros, a plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, California. Most problems (such as lumpiness or asymmetry) can be corrected by adding or removing fat, says J. Peter Rubin, associate professor of plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and codirector of its Adipose Stem Cell Center.
Does lipo ever need revision?
Yes — about 20 percent of patients request a redo, says Lori Brightman, director of dermatology at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Common causes are unevenness (for example, one outer thigh not seeming symmetrical with the other) or a lumpy look, in which case the doctor can usually do a touch-up by removing more fat. Another potential complication is track marks, the result of fat taken too close to the skin’s surface. “This is a lot harder to repair and in some cases may require transferring fat from somewhere else in the body,” Brightman says.
Once the fat is removed, can it come back?
If you gain weight after the procedure, you may find it collecting in unlipo’d areas on the body. The redistribution is unpredictable, says Gerald H. Pitman, a plastic surgeon in New York City and clinical professor of plastic surgery at NYU School of Medicine. “Patients who gain weight after liposuction of the hips and thighs may say, ‘My arms are bigger’ or ‘My bra is tighter.’”
People are talking about laser lipo. What is it?
In laser-assisted liposuction (LAL), fat is loosened with a laser before being suctioned out, which is why it can take twice as long to perform — for example, about 60 to 90 minutes for traditional liposuction of the abdomen versus 120 to 180 minutes for LAL, says Rhoda S. Narins, chief of liposuction in the dermatology department at NYU School of Medicine. The laser is said to stimulate collagen and elastin repair in the overlying skin and to result in less bruising than regular lipo, because it coagulates blood vessels. “You don’t need laser lipo for someone with good-quality skin. It’s for an older patient who has lost elasticity,” says Barry DiBernardo, clinical associate professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. LAL is best for relatively small areas without thick fat, such as under the chin, he says. (In ultrasound-assisted liposuction, fat is also liquefied before suctioning.)
Some doctors are skeptical of using lasers this way, pointing out that there currently isn’t scientific data to support the claimed benefits. Also, “you are potentially heating the skin to dangerous levels in order to achieve skin tightening,” Kenkel says (there have been some burns reported from LAL). And the tumescent anesthetic solution that’s commonly used in regular liposuction results in little to no bruising anyway, Narins says.
- Timeline: Through thick and thin
Throughout history, women have practiced many forms of girth control — and doctors’ fat-fighting prescriptions have changed with the times.
1926: A woman in France asks her doctor to cut fat out of her knees and calves, but complications result in amputation.
1950s: Surgeons develop a way to inhibit the body’s absorption of food. Weight loss is significant, but so are nutritional deficiencies.
1964: A German surgeon performs lipexeresis, removing fat with a scraping instrument, but the practice never becomes popular.
1966: Gastric-bypass surgery is born. After a small pouch is made in the stomach, only tiny amounts of food can be eaten at once.
1969: A Brazilian surgeon gains media attention for an operation that removes unwanted fat from the buttocks (but leaves long scars).
1970s: Doctors based in Switzerland, Italy, and France experiment with suctioning fat out of the body through incisions, pioneering liposuction.
1985: The advent of tumescent anesthesia, injected under the skin, allows patients to stay awake during liposuction and eases removal of fat.
1997: Liposuction becomes the most popular plastic surgery in the country (it is eventually surpassed by breast augmentation in 2008).
2001: The Lap-Band receives FDA approval. This surgical method is considered safer, although slower, than gastric bypass.
2006: Doctors introduce SmartLipo, a device that melts small areas of fat with a laser before suctioning and is said to minimize bruising.
2007: Clinics offer “lipodissolve” injections containing chemicals to dissolve fat; the FDA states there is no evidence that they work.
Future: UltraShape and LipoSonix, used in other countries to melt fat with ultrasound waves, could gain FDA approval within a few years.
There are several LAL devices, including SmartLipo, SlimLipo, ProLipo, and LipoLite. A new one, LipoEze, can remove large quantities of fat and presents no risk of burns, because the laser is positioned inside the suction tube away from the skin, Narins says.
For a jiggly belly, is a tummy tuck better than lipo?
“Liposuction and abdominoplasty treat different problems,” says Al Aly, professor of plastic surgery at the University of California, Irvine. If the issue is simply extra fat, plastic surgeons generally recommend liposuction, but if there is very loose skin and muscle-wall weakness, which is not unusual in women who have given birth, then a tummy tuck may be preferable. This repositions muscles and skin, as well as removes fat; “it usually takes a couple of weeks before the patient can walk normally,” he says. (A mini tummy tuck, which targets small amounts of excess skin and abdominal weakness, may involve a shorter recovery.)
What about all the spas that offer fat-melting injections?
These shots sound good — but not to the FDA, at least for now. The agency has threatened legal action against spas advertising fat-dissolving procedures called lipodissolve, lipozap, lipotherapy, injection lipolysis, or mesotherapy. None of the chemicals, drugs, vitamins, minerals, or herbal extracts in these injections are FDA-approved to eliminate fat, and the FDA cites “reports of permanent scarring, skin deformation, and deep, painful knots in the injected areas.” Studies are under way to find out which ingredients, if any, might work, and some injectable drugs show promising, though modest, results. For example, a study of one formula found that after people got 71 shots on one side of the abdomen, over eight months, they lost about a centimeter (less than a half inch) of fat, according to V. Leroy Young, a plastic surgeon in St. Louis. Tests of a drug called ATX-101 — which contains deoxycholate, a bile that breaks down dietary fat in cows’ digestive process — have shown that it can safely reduce very small fatty deposits in the back and under the chin.
What’s the least invasive fat removal option?
Zeltiq, a device applied to the skin, is completely noninvasive: It chills fat cells, enabling the body to process and excrete the fat. Studies suggest that this treatment (also known as cryolipolysis) is for very fit people with isolated fat deposits, Brightman says. The procedure is slow, and the results take a long time — up to four months — to show. Zeltiq is cleared for localized fat reduction in Canada; here, it is FDA-approved only for skin cooling during dermatological treatments, and doctors are using it off-label. After trying it on one of his own love handles, Mathew M. Avram, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center in Boston, reports, “It’s boring, but it’s not painful. There was a noticeable change on the treated side versus the untreated side, which I was happy with.”
Study Shows That You Can Be Both Fit And Fat
Saturday, August 21st, 2010
If you work out 5 days a week, eat super healthy and never lose weight, you’ve probably concluded that you just have to work with what you have. Well, what you have is perfect! Erase the preconceived notions in your mind that you have to be skinny to be healthy. Researchers have found that there is such a thing as being “fat and fit.” Wondering if you fall into that category?
The prestigious Harvard School of Public Health tested fitness levels of over 100,000 people. The results were not totally shocking, except for a few notable circumstances. First of all, many people who are heavy are unfit but so are people that are skinny, despite the fact that less skinny people are unfit. While these all hold up to the classic standards, it has been proven that you can be heavy and be extremely fit.
How is this person classified? A person that is heavy but fit is someone who has a great cardiovascular and metabolic system, works out, eats right, and has healthy organs but just can’t lose that weight. Fat fit people tend to hold their weight in places that don’t affect them as much like their buttocks, thighs, and hips.
Bottom line: go to your doctor and see what he says. If he says you are in good health, don’t focus on losing weight. Focus on staying healthy. Keep doing good things for yourself and your body. If you lose weight, that’s awesome. If you don’t, don’t get down on yourself. You are probably healthier than your skinny friend eating that Big Mac.
Introducing – L-Carnosine
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010L-Carnosine is a dipeptide consisting of of ß-alanine linked at its carboxyl terminus to the amino group of L-histidine (ß-alanyl-L-histidine). It is synthesized by the enzyme carnosine synthetase, and broken down by carnosinase. It is widely distributed in tissues, and is present at particularly high concentrations in skeletal muscle and the olfactory lobe of the brain. Carnosine has a number of important properties, including antioxidant activity, ability to chelate divalent cations such as copper, neutralization of acids (such as lactic acid), and the inhibition of nonenzymic glycosylation of proteins. It is found in long-lived tissues in surprisingly high amounts (up to 20 mM in human muscle) and has been shown to delay aging in cultured cells. When added to cultures of human lung and foreskin fibroblasts, the dipeptide extended cell survival and increased maximal cell division potential while also inducing a more juvenile phenotype in senescent human and rodent cells. This suggests that other properties of the dipeptide are involved. There are suggestions that the concentration of tissue-associated L-carnosine declines with age. L-Carnosine and related dipeptides have been shown to prevent peroxidation of model membrane systems, suggesting that they represent water-soluble counterparts to lipid-soluble antioxidants such as a-tocopherol in protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage. Other roles ascribed to this dipeptide include acting as a neurotransmitter in the modulation of enzyme activities.
L-Carnosine significantly reduces the formation of 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OH dG) in cultured cells, thus demonstrating protection of DNA. The presumptive anti-senescent effect of L-carnosine may be related to this inhibition. L-Carnosine also inhibits protein carbonyl formation. A common molecular indication of cellular aging is the accumulation of aberrant proteins, especially polypeptides bearing carbonyl (CO) groups.
High Earners Who Munch Frequently at Work, Stay Healthier
Friday, August 13th, 2010WASHINGTON – People who earn more money are more likely to munch on muffins or chocolate bars while working, according to researchers at University of Texas at Austin.
What’s more, such people boost their chances of staying healthy – thanks to the regular munching.
Economist Daniel Hamermesh and his colleagues used data from the American Time Use Survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to reach the conclusion.
And they examined how much time Americans spend eating meals each day and how much time they spend “grazing” – snacking or drinking while working, watching TV or doing some other activity.
“When their time becomes more valuable, people substitute grazing for eating, essentially switching to multi-tasking. Overall, better health is associated with more time spent eating, but especially with spreading that time over more meals per day,” said Hamermesh.
It was found that over fifty percent of all adults graze each day, with their grazing time almost equalling the time they spend eating meals.
The average American adult spends about two-and-a-half hours eating or grazing every day.
The study also revealed that men graze less but spend more time eating meals than women. Overall, men spend about three-and-a-half more minutes a day eating meals than women.
It was also found that better-educated people eat more frequently, spend more total time eating, graze more frequently and spend more total time grazing than those with less education.
Higher earners also spend more time eating individual meals, graze more frequently and spend more time during each individual grazing episode.
Those who spend more time eating have a lower body mass index (BMI), on average, and view themselves as healthier than those who spend less time eating.
Introducing – L-Carnitine
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010L-carnitine is a non-essential amino acid that is made by the kidney and the liver and is derived from the amino acids methionine and lysine. Carnitine plays an important role in transporting long-chained fatty acid across the mitochondrial membranes in cell in order to produce energy. Recent research has determined that carnitine may play a role in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as improving cardiac performance.
What is L-carnitine used for?
L-carnitine has been used as a supplementative treatment in patients who have high cholesterol levels. Previous research has also indicated its use in cardiovascular disease, infertility, enhancement of athletic performance, and weight loss.
Where is L-carnitine normally found?
There is enough arginine made by your body, so supplementation is not generally required. It is also found in a variety of meat and dairy products.
How much do I take to lower my cholesterol levels?
There is currently no RDI established for L-carnitine, however, doses tend to average between 500 and 2000 mg a day.
How do I know if I am deficient in carnitine?
Arginine deficiency is rare, since your body makes the arginine it needs. Symptoms of a carnitine deficiency include muscle weakness, stiffness, or soreness, impaired glucose control, high cholesterol and dark reddish-brown urine. These symptoms could be the symptoms of antoher disorder, so you should consult your health care practitioner if you experience any of these symptoms.
Who should not take carnitine?
· Individuals who are taking valproic acid or zidovudine, since these drugs can deplete carnitine from the body. · Individuals with liver disease should consult their health care practitioner or pharmacist before taking L-carnitine. · If you have an underlying condition, or on other medications, be sure to consult with a pharmacist or your health care practitioner before you begin to take arginine.
Cancer Cells Slurp Up Fructose, US study finds
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, U.S. researchers said on Monday in a study that challenges the common wisdom that all sugars are the same.
Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways, the team at the University of California Los Angeles found.
They said their finding, published in the journal Cancer Research, may help explain other studies that have linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
“These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation,” Dr. Anthony Heaney of UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center and colleagues wrote.
“They have major significance for cancer patients given dietary refined fructose consumption, and indicate that efforts to reduce refined fructose intake or inhibit fructose-mediated actions may disrupt cancer growth.”
Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods.
Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy.
Too much sugar of any kind not only adds pounds, but is also a key culprit in diabetes, heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
Several states, including New York and California, have weighed a tax on sweetened soft drinks to defray the cost of treating obesity-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
The American Beverage Association, whose members include Coca-Cola (KO.N) and Kraft Foods (KFT.N) have strongly, and successfully, opposed efforts to tax soda. [ID:nN12233126]
The industry has also argued that sugar is sugar.
Heaney said his team found otherwise. They grew pancreatic cancer cells in lab dishes and fed them both glucose and fructose.
Tumor cells thrive on sugar but they used the fructose to proliferate. “Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different,” Heaney’s team wrote.
“I think this paper has a lot of public health implications. Hopefully, at the federal level there will be some effort to step back on the amount of high fructose corn syrup in our diets,” Heaney said in a statement.
Now the team hopes to develop a drug that might stop tumor cells from making use of fructose.
U.S. consumption of high fructose corn syrup went up 1,000 percent between 1970 and 1990, researchers reported in 2004 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
High-BMI Teens Risk Hypertension
Monday, August 9th, 2010Study suggests those with “normal blood pressure” still at risk.
The body mass index (BMI) of seemingly healthy teens in 11th or 12th grade should be checked to predict whether they are likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure) as young adults. This is the lesson of a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers who just published their findings in the journal Hypertension of the American Heart Association.
The BMI can easily be calculated by dividing one’s weight in kilos by the square of one’s height in meters (or in non-metric countries, the number of pounds multiplied by 703 and divided by one’s height in inches squared). Anyone with a BMI over 25 is considered overweight; if it is over 30, the person is obese.
BGU clinical biochemistry Prof. Assaf Rudich, who headed the large-scale prospective study, said that despite “normal” blood pressure at age 17, hypertension can develop a few years later. The team also found that teenage boys are three to four times more likely to develop high blood pressure in early adulthood than girls.
Currently, systolic blood pressures (the top number of the reading) of 100 to 110 and even up to 120 are considered within the normal range for adolescents. But if their BMI is too high, they may be in trouble and having a lower blood pressure at 17 should now be regarded as desirable, Rudich said.
Known as the “silent killer,” hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and vascular diseases like stroke, he said. “It is increasing along with the obesity epidemic, but regrettably young adults who are otherwise healthy frequently are not screened for becoming hypertensive.”
The BGU researchers examined the development of blood pressure from adolescence to young adulthood in 23,191 men and 3,789 women from the ages of 17 when undergoing medical tests for the Israel Defense Forces and followed them up until the age of 42. They took regular readings of blood pressure and BMI of teenagers who did not have high blood pressure at 17.
The study showed that in boys, there is a strong correlation between blood pressure and BMI at 17, meaning that while the blood pressure reading may be in the “normal range,” there is a greater risk for hypertension when BMI is also evaluated.
The rate of progression to hypertension is higher in boys whose systolic blood pressure is 110 versus those whose blood pressure is 100.
For girls, only the sub-group considered obese had substantially higher risk of high blood pressure. The researchers believe that the hormone estrogen may protect against hypertension.
The study also confirmed the observation that 17-year-old boys have higher blood pressure than girls of the same age. During a follow-up period with these adolescents, 14 percent or 3,810 people developed hypertension.
“Collectively, the study suggests that pediatricians caring for adolescents and physicians caring for young adults should be more aware of the need to monitor weight and blood pressure even when they are considered normal,” said Prof. Iris Shai of the Faculty of Health Sciences‚ epidemiology department.
“For the individual person, a ‘normal value’ may still be associated with a significant elevated risk of disease when the BMI and sex of the patient is also considered,” she concluded.
Personality Set for Life By 1st Grade
Monday, August 9th, 2010Our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives, from our early childhood years to after we’re over the hill, according to a new study.
The results show personality traits observed in children as young as first graders are a strong predictor of adult behavior.
“We remain recognizably the same person,” said study author Christopher Nave, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Riverside. “This speaks to the importance of understanding personality because it does follow us wherever we go across time and contexts.”
The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Using data from a 1960s study of approximately 2,400 ethnically diverse schoolchildren (grades 1 – 6) in Hawaii, researchers compared teacher personality ratings of the students with videotaped interviews of 144 of those individuals 40 years later.
They examined four personality attributes – talkativeness (called verbal fluency), adaptability (cope well with new situations), impulsiveness and self-minimizing behavior (essentially being humble to the point of minimizing one’s importance).
Among the findings:
Talkative youngsters tended to show interest in intellectual matters, speak fluently, try to control situations, and exhibit a high degree of intelligence as adults. Children who rated low in verbal fluency were observed as adults to seek advice, give up when faced with obstacles, and exhibit an awkward interpersonal style.
Children rated as highly adaptable tended, as middle-age adults, to behave cheerfully, speak fluently and show interest in intellectual matters. Those who rated low in adaptability as children were observed as adults to say negative things about themselves, seek advice and exhibit an awkward interpersonal style.
Students rated as impulsive were inclined to speak loudly, display a wide range of interests and be talkative as adults. Less impulsive kids tended to be fearful or timid, kept others at a distance and expressed insecurity as adults.
Children characterized as self-minimizing were likely to express guilt, seek reassurance, say negative things about themselves and express insecurity as adults. Those who were ranked low on a self-minimizing scale tended to speak loudly, show interest in intellectual matters and exhibit condescending behavior as adults.
Changing personality
Previous research has suggested that while our personalities can change, it’s not an easy undertaking.
Personality is “a part of us, a part of our biology,” Nave said. “Life events still influence our behaviors, yet we must acknowledge the power of personality in understanding future behavior as well.”
Future research will “help us understand how personality is related to behavior as well as examine the extent to which we may be able to change our personality,” Nave said.
Patients Experience Faster Recuperation With Healing Touch
Saturday, August 7th, 2010Greenwich Hospital surgical, labor and delivery, and oncology patients are among those who have received a healing boost through a form of energy therapy known as Healing Touch.
The hospital, known for its reputation of service excellence, is among a growing number of medical facilities utilizing Healing Touch, which is a gentle, noninvasive therapy shown to facilitate the relaxation response to enhance the healing process. Research shows that, in addition to inducing a deep sense of calm and relaxation, Healing Touch helps to reduce pain, decrease anxiety, promote sleep and improve an overall sense of well-being.
Healing Touch trained volunteers, gently place their hands on or above a person’s “energy centers” of the body. The patient is fully clothed. The goal is to strengthen the body’s ability to heal itself by restoring balance and harmony to the body’s energy system.
Energy healing therapy involves the channeling of healing energy through the hands of a practitioner into the patient’s body to restore normal energy balance and, therefore, health, as described by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Greenwich Hospital offers Healing Touch to inpatients. The service is also provided by Greenwich Hospital’s Center for Integrative Medicine in Cos Cob, Connecticut. Certified practitioners from the Center are also available to offer Healing Touch in a patient’s home, in corporations and in schools.
Two New Types of “Bad” Cholesterol Discovered This Year
Saturday, August 7th, 2010Scientists have discovered a second “new” form of “bad” cholesterol they say can contribute to heart disease.
Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), apparently does not respond to diet or cholesterol medication – but neither does it carry the same risk as the first-generation “bad” cholesterol, LDL.
According to the findings of a study reported this month in the New England Journal of Medicine, lead author Professor Martin Farrall said Lp(a) appears to upset the blood-clotting process. The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, used gene-chip technology to scan DNA that had previously been identified to contain potential risk areas for heart disease. Two genetic factors were identified.
Nonetheless, Farrall emphasized that “the increase in risk to people from high Lp(a) levels is significantly less severe that the risk from high LDL cholesterol levels. So Lp(a) doesn’t trump LDL, which has a larger impact and which we can already control pretty effectively.” The aim, he added, is to find a medication that will simultaneously control both.
Newer Cholesterol Culprit Identified Earlier
Another new form of “bad” cholesterol was identified earlier this year by a researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Khen-Yu Chen, Ph.D. presented his findings at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society earlier in the year.
In an interview published by Science Daily this past August, Chen said oxycholesterol – which at present also cannot be controlled by diet or current medications on the market — might turn out to be the most serious threat of all to cardiovascular health.
Oxycholesterol was proved to reduce the elasticity of arteries and impaired their ability to expand and carry more blood throughout the body. It also produced more deposits of cholesterol in the lining of arteries and a tendency to develop larger fatty deposits — atherosclerotic plaques — which increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.
“Our work demonstrated that oxycholesterol boosts total cholesterol levels and promotes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) more than non-oxidized cholesterol,” Chen told Science Daily.
Foods containing high amounts of oxycholesterol include anything fried or highly processed, including the average “fast food.” Oxidation occurs when fatty foods are heated — so forget those griben treats (fried chicken morsels produced when rendering chicken fat) that older-generation Ashkenazi Jews love so much. Likewise the ubiquitous Israeli snack foods found on every street corner, the deep-fried chickpea balls known as felafel, and shnitzel — breaded and deep-fried fish or chicken cutlets.
The good news is that a diet rich in antioxidants can counter these effects, accordin to Chen, who said that antioxidants might block the process that forms oxycholesterol. Such a diet includes fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and certain herbs and spices.
Study; Residents of the United Arab Emirates Highly Sedentary
Saturday, August 7th, 2010A mere four percent on people living in the United Arab Emirates walk on a weekly basis, a new study by an international shoe maker has found.
Commissioned by South Korean shoe manufacturer RYN ahead of their forthcoming entrance into the Gulf shoe market, the study into Emiratis’ walking habits found that both UAE citizens and expatriates alike are not walking regularly enough.
In spite the fact that the walking infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates is well advanced compared to most countries in the world, just 4% of residents walk on a weekly basis,” read the report.
Dubai, the economic hub of the UAE, has built extensive pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, such as air conditioned walkways connecting major sites to encourage residents to walk instead of taking the car.
Dr. M. Ashfaq Konchwalla, Consultant Orthopaedic & Sports Surgeon at Dubai’s Medcare Hospital, said residents should take the study as a warning.
“Walking makes us live longer,” he told The Media Line. “Walking 150 minutes per week makes a person lose 7 percent of their body weight, which reduces risk of diseases.”
“Walking strengthens heart and is also good for the brain and the bones,” he continued. “It also helps alleviate symptoms of depression, improves fitness and enhances physical function.”
Gulf-based medical professionals say that the lack of exercise has led to a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
“Six countries in the Middle East and North African Region are among the world’s 10 highest for diabetes prevalence, including the United Arab Emirates,” David Whiting, Epidemiologist and Public Health Specialist of the International Diabetes Federation told The Media Line. “The ageing of populations, together with socio-economic and lifestyle changes, has resulted in the dramatic increase in diabetes prevalence. To a large extent the rise in prevalence is the unintended side-effect of great success in recent years.”
Many Emiratis have stopped eating traditional foods, which are rich in fiber and plant protein, turning instead to a diet of animal protein, fried food and cream, all new ingredients in the local diet.
“Over the past three decades, major social and economic changes have occurred,” Whiting said. “These include progressive urbanization, decreasing infant mortality and increasing life expectancy.”
“Rapid economic development has been associated with tremendous modification in lifestyle towards the westernized pattern reflected by changes in nutrition, less physical activity, tendency to increased obesity and more smoking,” he added.
Recent statistics from the International Diabetes Federation place the United Arab Emirates with the second worst diabetes rate in the world, with 18.7% of the population suffering from the disease.
Saudi Arabia follows close behind with 16.8% of its adult population suffering from diabetes. Bahrain (15.4%) was ranked fifth, Kuwait (14.6%) seventh and Oman (13.4%) eighth.
The 10 Most Important Blood Tests You Need
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010The 10 Most Important Blood Tests
Annual blood testing is the most important step aging adults can take to prevent life-threatening disease. With blood test results in hand, you can catch critical changes in your body before they manifest as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or worse. Having the proper blood tests can empower you to enact a science-based disease-prevention program that could add decades of healthy life.
Sadly, most annual medical check-ups involve the physician ordering only routine blood tests, if blood tests are ordered at all. Far too often, this blood work does not even test for important markers of disease risk. The consequences of failing to analyze blood for proven markers of disease risk are needless disability and death.
Blood tests have benefits that go far beyond disease prevention. For example, by monitoring levels of sex hormones, you can take decisive steps to enhance your quality of life, perhaps by correcting a depressive mental state, erectile dysfunction, abdominal obesity, or by improving your memory and energy levels.
In this article, we discuss the 10 most important blood tests that people over the age of 40 should have each year. Armed with the results of these tests, aging adults can work together with their physicians to avert serious health problems and achieve optimal health.
1. Chemistry Panel and Complete Blood Count
The Chemistry Panel and Complete Blood Count (CBC) is the best place to begin your disease-prevention program. This low-cost panel will give you and your physician a quick snapshot of your overall health. This test provides a broad range of diagnostic information to assess your vascular, liver, kidney, and blood cell status. The Complete Blood Count measures the number, variety, percentage, concentration, and quality of platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells, and thus is useful in screening for infections, anemias, and other hematological abnormalities.
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The Chemistry Panel provides information on the status of your cardiovascular system by testing for total cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipo-protein), triglycerides, and the total cholesterol/HDL ratio.1
The Chemistry Panel also measures blood glucose, which is critically important for detecting early-stage metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. In light of the rapidly growing epidemic of diabetes and other related metabolic syndromes, monitoring your fasting glucose levels is as important as knowing your cholesterol.
Also included in the Chemistry Panel is an assessment of critical minerals such as calcium, potassium, and iron.
2. Fibrinogen
An important contributor to blood clotting, fibrinogen levels increase in response to tissue inflammation. Since the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease are essentially inflammatory processes, increased fibrinogen levels can help predict the risk of heart disease and stroke.
High fibrinogen levels not only are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, but also are seen in other inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney).
In a recently published study from the University of Hong Kong Medical Center, researchers identified increased levels of fibrinogen in the blood as an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with peripheral arterial disease. When left untreated, peripheral arterial disease increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. This 2005 study followed 139 men and women with peripheral arterial disease for an average of six years. Death from all causes increased with elevated fibrinogen levels: 80% of patients with a fibrinogen level above 340 mg/dL survived for less than three years. Researchers concluded that increased fibrinogen was an independent risk factor for mortality in this patient population.2
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In the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, researchers reported an association between increased levels of fibrinogen and risk for venous thrombosis (blood clots).3 A recent study from Greece found an association between higher fibrinogen levels and the presence of multiple coronary lesions in patients who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction.4
A combination of lifestyle and behavioral changes—such as quitting smoking, losing weight, and becoming more physically active—may help to lower fibrinogen levels to the optimal range. Nutritional interventions may also help to optimize fibrinogen levels. You and your physician may wish to discuss the use of fish oil, niacin, and folic acid, along with vitamins A and C.
3. Hemoglobin A1C
One of the best ways to assess your glucose status is testing for hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c).5 This test measures a person’s blood sugar control over the last two to three months and is an independent predictor of heart disease risk in persons with or without diabetes.6 Maintaining healthy hemoglobin A1C levels may also help patients with diabetes to prevent some of the complications of the disease.7
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005, type I diabetes patients who monitored their hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels were able to achieve tight glucose control, thereby significantly lowering their risk of a cardiovascular disease event.7 Long-term elevation of blood sugar, a hallmark of diabetes, is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
The American Diabetes Association recommends testing HbA1c levels every three to six months to monitor blood sugar levels in insulin-treated patients, in patients who are changing therapy, and in patients with elevated blood glucose levels. Since HbA1c is not subject to the same fluctuations that normally occur with daily glucose monitoring, it represents a more accurate picture of blood sugar control.8
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In a recent study, 1,340 type I diabetic patients were followed for a total of 17 years. Patients were randomly assigned to either intensive orconventional diabetic (blood glucose) control. In the group receivingintensive treatment, hemoglobin A1C levels were significantly lower and the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease decreased by 57%. The decrease in HbA1c values was “significantly associated with most of the positive effects of intensive treatment on the risk of cardiovascular disease.”7
Nutritional therapies may help to optimize hemoglobin A1C levels. You and your physician may wish to discuss the use of chromium, cinnamon, and coffee berry extracts.
4. DHEA
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is a precursor to the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. Blood levels of DHEA peak in one’s twenties and then decline dramatically with age, decreasing to 20-30% of peak youthful levels between the ages of 70 and 80. DHEA is frequently referred to as an “anti-aging” hormone.
Recently, researchers in Turkey found that DHEA levels were significantly lower in men with symptoms associated with aging, including erectile dysfunction.9 Healthy levels of DHEA may support immune function, bone density, mood, libido, and healthy body composition.10
Elevated levels of DHEA may indicate congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a group of disorders that result from the impaired ability of the adrenal glands to produce glucocorticoids.11-12
Supplementation with DHEA increases immunological function, improves bone mineral density, increases sexual libido in women, reduces abdominal fat, protects the brain following nerve injury, and helps prevent diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.10
Emerging research suggests that DHEA may have antidepressant effects. In a report in the January 2006 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, investigators found that in HIV-infected men and women, supplementation with DHEA was superior to placebo in treating non-major depression (with a response rate of 62% vs. 33%, retrospectively).13
In another study from the National Institute of Mental Health, investigators found that DHEA significantly improved midlife-onset major and minor depression in men and women aged 45 to 65 years old.14
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Furthermore, a recently published study from Israel demonstrated that DHEA administration decreased self-administration of cocaine in rats, suggesting a potential for DHEA in reducing cravings and supporting recovery from addiction.15
In a recent study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, scientists demonstrated that DHEA levels were significantly lower in elderly persons predisposed to chronic wound conditions, such as venous ulcers, and that administration of DHEA accelerated wound healing in aging mice. This led the research team to suggest that DHEA supplementation may be a safe, effective strategy to improve wound healing in the elderly.16
Natural therapies may help to optimize DHEA levels. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the use of pregnenolone or DHEA. Those with estrogen-related cancers such as breast or prostate cancer should not use DHEA.
5. Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) (Men Only)
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein manufactured by the prostate gland in men. Elevated levels may suggest an enlarged prostate, prostate inflammation, or prostate cancer. PSA levels may also be used to monitor the efficacy of therapeutic regimens for prostate conditions.
Elevated levels of PSA may not necessarily signal prostate cancer, and prostate cancer may not always be accompanied by expression of PSA. Levels can be elevated in the presence of a urinary tract infection or an inflamed prostate. A PSA level over 2.5 ng/mL, or a PSA doubling time (the time required for PSA value to double) of less than 12 years, may be a cause for concern.
The American Cancer Society recommends annual PSA testing for men beginning at age 50. Men who are at high risk should begin PSA testing at age 40-45. PSA levels increase with age, even in the absence of prostate abnormalities.17
More than 15% of men with PSA values between 2.6 and 4.0 ng/mL who are 40 years or older have prostate cancer, according to a prostate cancer screening study published in 2005 in the Journal of Urology.18
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 25% of patients with normal digital rectal exams and total PSA levels of 4.0-10.0 ng/mL have prostate cancer.19 In a later study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, investigators recommended that “lowering the threshold for biopsy from 4.1 to 2.6 ng per milliliter in men younger than 60 years would double the cancer-detection rate from 18 percent to 36 percent.”20 It should be noted that levels below the currently recognized cutoff of 4.1 ng/mL may not distinguish between prostate cancer and benign prostate disease.
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In a recently published study in the journal Urology, prostate cancer was detected in 22% of patients with PSA levels between 2.0 and 4.0 ng/mL, and most of those cancers biopsied were significant, leading researchers to conclude that an “important number of cancers could be detected in the PSA rangeof 2.0 to 4.0 ng/mL.”21 In another study, investigators in Spain detected significant cancers in some patients with a PSA range between 1.0 and 2.99 ng/mL. Although the risk of developing cancer for those in the low PSA range is small, the authors said, it is still relevant.22
A healthy Mediterranean-type diet may offer protection against prostate cancer and other diseases associated with aging. Natural therapies may also help support prostate health. You and your physician may wish to discuss the use of saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, pygeum, and nettle root extracts. (See also “Beta-Sitosterol and the Aging Prostate Gland,” Life Extension, June 2005.)
6. Homocysteine
The amino acid homocysteine is formed in the body during the metabolism of methionine. High homocysteine levels have been associated with increased risk of heart attack, bone fracture, and poor cognitive function.
Incremental increases in the level of homocysteine correlate with an increased risk for coronary artery disease. Data from the Physicians’ Health Study, which tracked 14,916 healthy male physicians with no previous history of heart disease, showed that highly elevated homocysteine levels were associated with a more than threefold increase in the risk of heart attack over a five-year period.23
Homocysteine has also become recognized as an independent risk factor for bone fractures. In a recent study of 1,267 men and women with an average age of 76, investigators in the Netherlands concluded that high homocysteine levels and low vitamin B12 concentrations were significantly associated with an increased risk for bone fracture.24 This mirrors data from two previous studies published in 2004 in the New England Journal of Medicine, in which elevated homocysteine levels were shown to be an important and independent risk factor for osteoporotic fractures, including hip fractures.25,26
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Elevated homocysteine levels have recently been linked to other disorders. In three recent studies, investigators found an association between elevated homocysteine levels and age-related macular degeneration.27-29 In Japan, increased homocysteine levels were found to be associated with the presence of gallstones in middle-aged men. Investigators suggested that this association “may partly explain the reported high prevalence rate of coronary heart disease” in persons with gallstones.30
A study from the Netherlands has shown that among normal individuals aged 30-80, elevated homocysteine concentrations are associated with prolonged lower cognitive performance.31
Natural therapies may help to optimize homocysteine levels. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the use of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folic acid, and trimethylglycine.
7. C-Reactive Protein
Increasingly, medical science is discovering that inflammation within the body can lead to a range of life-threatening degenerative diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, macular degeneration, and cognitive decline. By measuring your body’s level of inflammation through regular C-reactive protein testing, you can devise a strategy of diet, exercise, and supplementation to halt many of these conditions.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of systemic inflammation that has emerged as a powerful predictor of coronary heart disease and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.32 The highly sensitive cardiac CRP test measures C-reactive protein in the blood at very early stages of vascular disease, allowing for appropriate intervention with diet, supplements, or anti-inflammatory therapy. The cardiac CRP test detects much smaller levels of inflammation than the basic CRP test, so is therefore able to identify at-risk patients earlier, even among apparently healthy persons.
A review of epidemiological data found that high-sensitivity cardiac CRP was able to predict risk of incident myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and sudden cardiac death among healthy individuals with no history of cardiovascular disease, as well as predict recurrent events and death in patients with acute or stable coronary syndromes. This inflammatory marker provided prognostic information that was independent of other measures of risk such as cholesterol level, metabolic syndrome, and high blood pressure. Investigators concluded that greater levels of cardiac CRP are associated with higher cardiovascular risk.33
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According to a recently published article in the journal Circulation, “In older men and women, elevated C-reactive protein was associated with increased 10-year risk of coronary heart disease, regardless of the presence or absence of cardiac risk factors. A single CRP measurement provided information beyond conventional risk assessment, especially in [men and women at intermediate levels of risk].”34
Increased levels of C-reactive protein have previously been strongly linked with a greater risk of developing type II diabetes.35 These results were confirmed in a more recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health. In a prospective study of 32,826 healthy women, elevated CRP levels were a strong independent predictor of type II diabetes. According to investigators, these data support the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of type II diabetes.36
C-reactive protein is also an independent risk factor for the progression of age-related macular degeneration, according to recent research published in the Archives of American Ophthalmology.37 This follows a study by the same authors, in which elevated CRP levels were shown to be an independent risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, implicating “the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of [age-related macular degeneration].”38
Elevated levels of CRP have also been associated with the loss of cognitive ability in seemingly healthy people.39 Furthermore, elevated CRP levels have been strongly associated with major depression in men.40
High-sensitivity CRP testing likewise reveals systemic inflammation that is associated with disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.41
Natural therapies may help to optimize high-sensitivity CRP levels. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the use of fish oil, L-carnitine, and soluble fiber before meals.
8. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Secreted by the pituitary gland, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) controls thyroid hormone secretion in the thyroid. When blood levels fall below normal, this indicates hyperthyroidism (increased thyroid activity, also called thyrotoxicosis), and when values are above normal, this suggests hypothyroidism (low thyroid activity). Overt hyper- or hypothyroidism is generally easy to diagnose, but subclinical disease can be more elusive.
Because the symptoms of thyroid imbalance may be nonspecific or absent and may progress slowly, and since many doctors do not routinely screen for thyroid function, people with mild hyper- or hypothyroidism can go undiagnosed for some time. Undiagnosed mild disease can progress to clinical disease states. This is a dangerous scenario, since people with hypothyroidism and elevated serum cholesterol and LDL have an increased risk of atherosclerosis.
Mild hypothyroidism (low thyroid gland function) may be associated with reversible hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol) and cognitive dysfunction, as well as such nonspecific symptoms as fatigue, depression, cold intolerance, dry skin, constipation, and weight gain. Mild hyperthyroidism is often associated with atrial fibrillation (a disturbance of heart rhythm), reduced bone mineral density, and nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, heat intolerance, nervousness, insomnia, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.
One study found that TSH levels greater than 2.0 mU/L increase the 20-year risk of developing hypothyroidism,42 while another study found that TSH levels greater than 4.0 mU/L increase the risk of heart attack in elderly women.43 Recently, published data showed that sub-clinical hypothyroidism was associated with an increased risk of congestive heart failure among older adults with TSH levels of 7.0 mU/L or greater.44
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In healthy postmenopausal women, TSH levels at the low end of the normal range (0.5-1.1 mU/L) are associated with low bone mineral density and a 2.2-fold greater risk of osteoporosis, according to a study published in 2006 in the journal Clinical Endocrinology.45
Measuring TSH is the best test for assessing thyroid function. Currently, the American Thyroid Association recommends screening for TSH levels beginning at age 35, and every five years thereafter.46 If results are abnormal, assessing TSH in conjunction with levels of tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) blood levels may help assist definitive diagnosis.
Natural therapies may help to support thyroid health and optimize TSH levels. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the use of L-tyrosine, iodine, and selenium.
9. Testosterone (Free)
Testosterone is produced in the testes in men, in the ovaries in women, and in the adrenal glands of both men and women. Men and women alike can be dramatically affected by the decline in testosterone levels that occurs with aging.
In the serum of both men and women, less than 2% of testosterone typically is found in the free (uncomplexed) state. Unlike bound testosterone, the free form of the hormone can circulate in the brain and affect nerve cells. Testosterone plays different roles in men and women, including the regulation of fertility, libido, and muscle mass. In men, free testosterone levels may be used to evaluate whether sufficient bioactive testosterone is available to protect against abdominal obesity, mental depression, osteoporosis, and heart disease. In women, low levels of testosterone have been associated with decreased libido and well-being, while high levels of free testosterone may indicate hirsuitism (a condition of excessive hair growth on the face and chest) or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Increased testosterone in women may also indicate low estrogen levels.
Men: In men, testosterone levels normally decline with age, dropping to approximately 65% of young adult levels by age 75.47 This drop in testosterone is partially responsible for the significant physiological changes seen in aging men. In fact, low levels of testosterone are associated with numerous adverse health conditions, including diminished libido, metabolic syndrome,48 erectile dysfunction, loss of muscle tone, increased abdominal fat, low bone density, depression,49 Alzheimer’s disease,50 type II diabetes,51 and atherosclerosis.52
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New research shows that low testosterone levels are a risk factor for ischemic heart disease in men. Recent research published in the journal Endocrinology Research showed a relationship between decreased testosterone levels and increased severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis in men.53
Women: Following menopause, levels of testosterone in women decrease, along with a concomitant decline in libido, mood, and general well-being. Although women produce only small quantities of testosterone, evidence indicates that this important hormone helps women maintain sexual function, as well as muscle strength and mass. Investigators reporting in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that when obese women were given low doses of a synthetic testosterone analogue, they lost more body fat and subcutaneous abdominal fat, and gained more muscle mass, than women given placebo. The testosterone-supplemented women also experienced a slight increase in resting metabolic rate.54
Optimal testosterone levels may support healthy mood, libido, body composition, and cardiovascular wellness. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the use of supplements such as DHEA and pregnenolone. Speak to your physician to determine whether prescription testosterone may also be helpful for you.
10. Estradiol
Like testosterone, both men and women need estrogen for numerous physiological functions. Estradiol is the primary circulating form of estrogen in men and women, and is an indicator of hypothalamic and pituitary function. Men produce estradiol in much smaller amounts than do women; most estradiol is produced from testosterone and adrenal steroid hormones, and a fraction is produced directly by the testes. In women, estradiol is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands, and peripheral tissues. Levels of estradiol vary throughout the menstrual cycle, and drop to low but constant levels after menopause.
In women, blood estradiol levels help to evaluate menopausal status and sexual maturity. Increased levels in women may indicate an increased risk for breast or endometrial cancer. Estradiol plays a role in supporting healthy bone density in men and women. Low levels are associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture in men and women as well. Elevated levels of estradiol in men may accompany gynecomastia (breast enlargement), diminished sex drive, and difficulty with urination.
Women: Diminished levels of estradiol correlate with low levels of bone mineral density, which is a strong risk factor for osteoporosis.55 Optimizing estradiol levels in early menopausal women has been associated with relief from hot flashes, irritability, and insomnia.56
According to a recently published report from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, lower estradiol levels in women are associated with higher levels of markers of cardiovascular disease risk.57
Men: In older men, low levels of estradiol have been linked with an increased risk of vertebral fractures;58 conversely, estradiol levels are found to be positively associated with bone mineral density, suggesting an association between low serum levels and the development of osteoporosis.59 A recent study from France found a correlation between low estradiol and skeletal frailty.60
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Significant positive correlations were found between estradiol levels and levels of total cholesterol, according to results from a recently published study of 111 men with stable coronary artery disease. Researchers suggested that estradiol has a possible role in “promoting the development of atherogenic lipid milieu in men with coronary artery disease.”61
Optimal estradiol levels may support healthy bone density, cardiovascular health, and well-being. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the use of supplements such as DHEA, pregnenolone, soy, black cohosh, and pomegranate. Speak to your physician to determine whether prescription therapies such as bioidentical estrogens may also be helpful for you.
Summary
Yearly blood testing is a simple yet powerful strategy to help you proactively take charge of your current and future health. A well-chosen complement of blood tests can thoroughly assess your overall state of health, as well as detect the silent warning signals that precede the development of serious diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Many diseases and disorders are treatable when caught early, but can severely impair the quality and length of your life if left unattended. Identifying these hidden risk factors will enable you to implement powerful strategies such as proper nutrition, weight loss, exercise, supplements, and medications in order to prevent progression to full-blown, life-threatening diseases. Blood testing can also detect biochemical changes that threaten well-being and quality of life, such as declining levels of sex hormones.
Armed with information on important health biomarkers, you and your physician can plan and execute a strategy to help you achieve and maintain vibrant health.
The Basic Medical Benefits of Sleep
Monday, July 26th, 2010In addition to the many health benefits of sleep, there are other factors that make sleep absolutely necessary to life. Sleep is important for concentration, memory formation and the repair of damage to your body’s cells during the day. Chronic lack of sleep increases the risk for developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and infections.
Lack of Sleep Can Kill
Researchers do not know exactly why people need sleep, but we do know that lack of sleep can kill. In research studies, rats normally live two to three years, but if rats are totally deprived of sleep, they only live about five weeks. They also develop sores, their immune systems do not work well and their body temperature drops. Humans deprived of sleep for long periods begin hallucinating and develop other mental problems.
Sleep and Concentration
When people do not have enough sleep, they cannot concentrate well the next day and have problems forming memories. Researchers believe that during sleep, neurons can shut down and repair any damage done during the day. Without these repairs, the neurons may not function correctly due to a buildup of waste products. Sleep also seems important for the formation of memories.
Growth and Beauty Sleep
Important hormone production is regulated during sleep; in children, human growth hormone (HGH) is released during deep sleep. Insufficient sleep can affect hormonal balance in adults as well. Tissue repair also occurs during sleep, including repair to the daily skin damage done by UV light. Getting enough deep sleep will help your skin repair itself.
Here is How to Live Longer
Monday, July 26th, 20101. Drink Red Wine
Red wine is packed with resveratrol, an antioxidant. These work to protect your body against the effects of aging. One or 2 glasses of red wine a day can help keep your body young.
2. Eat Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a wonderful food that contains a large amount of antioxidants that protect your body from aging. Find good quality dark chocolate, learn to appreciate it, and have a bit of it each day. Eating chocolate may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol while providing an energy boost.
3. Smile
Smiling is a great way to change your attitude, connect with people and give benefit to your body. Like relaxation, smiling can work to counteract the effects of stress. By forcing ourselves to smile, we “trick” our body into believing that everything is good, thereby reducing stress. Like a switch, smiling can actually change your mood. So put a smile on, even if you don’t feel like it, and pretty soon you’ll be smiling for real.
4. Have More Sex
Sex and touching are thought to be essential parts of health. Sex releases an assortment of beneficial chemicals in the body. Sex and touching help us bond with others, strengthens relationships, and increases our own self-worth. Frequent sex may even extend your life by years.
5. Relax
Relaxation is the opposite of stress. While stress brings harmful health effects, relaxation helps our bodies to rest, heal and function better. By practicing daily relaxation techniques, you can train yourself to turn off your stress and replace it with calm energy. This will improve your blood pressure, heart rate and ability to cope with life’s challenges.
6. Make Exercise Play
Physical games and sports are a great way to keep both your body and mind healthy. Simple exercise routines are great for maintaining balance, flexibility, endurance and strength. Group games and sports can give your mind a workout as well, as you anticipate other people’s actions and how to work together. Find a game and activity that suits your level of physical ability and play often.
7. Sleep
Sleep is an essential body function. Most Americans do not get enough sleep. Medications, stress, illness and poor sleep habits all can prevent you from getting between 7 and 9 hours a night. The health benefits of sleep include more energy, better immune function, and more.
8. Spend Time With Loved Ones
Relationships are an important part of health. Not only do strong bonds with other people mean you will have help when you need it, being connected also means protection from loneliness, depression, and mental illness. Spend time cultivating your relationships with friends and family to improve your health and your life.
9. Solve Puzzles and Play Brain Games
Mind games are a great way to stay involved and engaged in the world. Games can exercise different parts of your mind and entice your curiosity. If possible, choose social games like chess or bridge that exercise your brain while keeping you connected with others.
10. Be Positive
Having a positive attitude about aging can add more than seven years to your life, according to researchers. Avoid the cultural push to glorify youth and regret each passing year. Find ways to to pleasure in your increasing age and enjoy greater learning, experience, and control in your life.
How To Grocery Shop for Longevity
Monday, July 26th, 2010Many of our food choices begin in the grocery store. While the grocery store can provide us with foods that enhance our health and increase our energy, it is also a place of endless temptation and potential bad choices. Follow these tips to get the most out of your shopping experience:
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 30 minutes
Here’s How:
- Make it Pleasant
Try to schedule your trips to the grocery store at times when it is not crowded. Early in the morning is usually a good time, even on weekends. The produce is fresh, carts are available and the staff is just starting their day, so they are usually relaxed and helpful. Try not to think of your trip to the grocery store as a chore, but a part of your day to calmly select foods to feed yourself and your family.
- Make a List
Go to the store with a list that you made at home. Try to organize your list into categories according to the store layout (for example: produce, meats, dairy, spices, specialty items, etc.)
- Shop the Perimeter
If we are eating for health, there really is no reason to visit many of the aisles in the store. Most healthy food, such as produce, fish and dairy, is located around the edges of the store. Going down the aisles containing cookies or chips may lead to unwanted items finding their way into our carts through habit or impulse.
- Don’t Shop on an Empty Stomach
We have all had the experience of shopping when we are hungry and coming home with items that we bought on impulse, which are usually are not the best choices for our health. Eat before you go and you will be able to resist temptation.
- Try New Things
Add a sense of adventure to grocery shopping by trying a new food each time. Pick an interesting-looking fruit or a small piece of exotic-sounding cheese to try. You may find a new favorite to add to your healthy repertoire.
Natural Libido Enhancements for Better Sex
Saturday, July 24th, 2010Ginseng: There are several types of ginseng, two of which are Siberian ginseng, which is typically used as an aphrodisiac, and red Korean or Asian ginseng, which is used in Chinese traditional medicine and has slightly more research behind it, Saigal says.
Ginseng, like a lot of herbs, is thought to work by helping the body make more nitric oxide — as does Viagra. A couple of good studies showed some effect from ginseng, so people can look at this as an alternative to Viagra. But it’s not going to be as effective as Viagra or Levitra or Cialis.
Ginseng appears to help women, too. Ginseng gives people energy and may improve mood, and you need energy and endurance for sex.
Black Cohosh: In the past, black cohosh has been used to treat arthritis and muscle pain and was traditionally used for “female” complaints. Today, it is marketed to treat hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, premenstrual syndrome, and other menopausal symptoms.
Black cohosh has estrogen-like properties, and increases blood flow to the pelvis — which increases arousal and response to sexual stimulation. More blood flow means more lubrication, and that’s good for sex. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding studies of black cohosh as a treatment for menopausal symptoms.
Chasteberry (Vitex): Chasteberry is native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia — and is approved in Germany for premenstrual and menstrual problems. It is said to increase sexual desire by boosting the hormone progesterone and the brain chemical dopamine.
Chasteberry also decreases the brain chemical prolactin that interferes with sexual desire. It works for some patients..
L-Arginine (Arginine): Arginine is an amino acid the body needs for many functions, like boosting immunity. The body also uses arginine to produce nitric oxide — an effect similar to the way Viagra works. Arginine has been found to improve blood flow to the penis.
One study showed improvements when L-arginine, glutamate, and yohimbine were combined. (Yohimbine is FDA approved as a drug therapy for ED, so how much of the effect was due to arginine is unknown.) Another study showed “significant improvement in sexual function” when L-arginine and pycnogenol were combined — but not when L-arginine was used alone.
Arginine is generally safe, although there may be drug interactions — especially with high blood pressure drugs. In addition, men taking Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra – or nitroglycerin (nitrates) for chest pain (angina) — should be cautious as combining them with L-arginine can cause a potentially serious drop in blood pressure.
It’s something to try. And if it works for those arteries, it could also help the heart arteries, too. Men with heart disease might benefit most from taking arginine.
Ginkgo: Ginkgo has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Ginkgo leaf extract is used today to boost mental power, help Alzheimer’s, and treat tinnitus, asthma, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction. Some studies show that gingko enhances the effects of nitric oxide — which allows better blood flow to the penis.
Ginkgo is one of those herbs that are pretty popular. The thing is there’s no great data for sexual function on it. Ginkgo is thought to help with sexual dysfunction related to antidepressant use. One study showed that ginkgo made no difference; the other showed some slight difference. There may be a large placebo effect, but there have been anecdotal reports that it helps some people.
Yohimbe: Yohimbe is derived from bark of the yohimbe tree, native to Africa — and traditionally used as an aphrodisiac. In current times, this extract has been shown to be moderately effective in treating ED. It may perhaps increase erections and libido, because it has some effect on the brain.
Some studies indicate that yohimbe may help ED in men taking antidepressants, although research in this area is limited. Caution: Some yohimbe bark extracts may not contain significant amounts of yohimbine, so they may not have these effects. There’s a buyer-beware issue. A lot of supplements use names that sound like yohimbe but are basically worthless. Look at the content label. Make sure it’s from the yohimbe tree. Also, look for the name of the active ingredient — yohimbine or yohimbine hydrochloride.
Maca: Maca is a vegetable native to Peru that is traditionally used as an aphrodisiac, There have been rat studies, but studies to support its use are very limited, but because it’s a vegetable, maca won’t hurt you.
Pycnogenol: Pycnogenol is an extract of the bark from French maritime pine. It is believed that pycnogenol helps protect blood vessels and boost production of nitric oxide — similar to L-arginine, yohimbe, ginkgo, and ginseng.
Some studies show that taking L-arginine and pycnogenol together boosts nitric oxide production. Those weren’t randomized trials [meaning the combination wasn’t compared to placebo], but there was an effect. So there’s some effect in combining the two.
ArginMax: If female patients are interested in herbs, Hutcherson guides them to ArginMax (a combination of Panax ginseng, L-arginine, ginkgo biloba, damiana, multivitamins, and minerals).
Two large clinical studies found that ArginMax improved sexual function in menopausal and other women with low sexual desire.
Zestra for Women: Zestra, a blend of botanical oils and extracts, is designed to increase female sexual desire, arousal, pleasure, and satisfaction when applied to the female genitalia. Zestra’s ingredients include: borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, angelica extract, coleus extract, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
In a preliminary study, Zestra was shown to increase sexual sensation, arousal, pleasure, and satisfaction in “normal women” and women with arousal problems. Zestra also helped with sexual side effects related to antidepressants.
You rub it on your clitoris, which is supposed to increase blood flow.
The NIH is launching a clinical study comparing Zestra to placebo in women with a variety of sexual dysfunctions, including problems with interest, desire, arousal, and orgasm.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E oil — when applied to the vagina — helps improve lubrication. It is very effective. .
Cautionary Notes About DHEA Supplements
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a natural hormone that is converted into male and female sex hormones in the body. DHEA is sold as an antiaging supplement that improves energy, strength, and muscle, plus it increases immunity and burns fat.
However, the NIH says, “there is no conclusive evidence that DHEA supplements do any of these things,” and “there is little scientific evidence to support the use of DHEA as a ‘rejuvenating’ hormone.”
Long-term effects of DHEA supplements have not been studied — but there are “early signs that these supplements, even when taken briefly, may have detrimental effects on the body, including liver damage.”
Even if DHEA does rev your libido, it won’t help erections, If the goal is a better erection, getting more testosterone won’t help. We don’t know the long-term effects of DHEA
Keeping Your Libido Healthy
Pills aren’t the only answer. If flagging sexual desire is the problem, find something that adds spice. Find something interesting that stimulates your mind, since the brain is the largest sex organ.
Her libido-boosting suggestions:
- Sleep in the bedroom. Have sex anywhere else — the den, kitchen, or laundry room.
- Seize the moment wherever, whenever, it hits.
- Buy something new. New lingerie definitely qualifies.
- Send hot sizzling notes to each other during the day.
- Buy a sex toy. Read an erotic novel together. Watch an erotic video.
There are so many things, you can never run out of ideas. What helps most — the best aphrodisiac — is going on a field trip to an adult store together. Try different things, touch, giggle, have a good time. You find you can’t wait to get home to try them.
Protecting Your Sexual Desire
To keep your libido in prime form, you’ve got to walk, jog — do some kind of aerobic exercise — daily. Maybe it doesn’t sound sexy, but a two-mile walk every day keeps the blood flowing.
Losing weight (if you’re obese) and eating a low-fat diet also helps restore sexual function. You’ll feel better about yourself, and your partner will be more interested in you. You’ll also help your heart. And that’s very sexy.
An Erectile Dysfunction Primer
Saturday, July 24th, 2010E.D. Checklist
An occasional problem achieving an erection is nothing to worry about. But failure to do so more than 50% of the time at any age may indicate a condition that needs treatment. Are you at risk for erectile dysfunction (ED)? Take the following quiz and find out.
- Are you overweight? Yes or No
- Do you have any of the following conditions?
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Depression
- Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries from plaque)
- Kidney disease
- Do you:
- Smoke
- Drink alcohol
- Use recreational drugs
- How often do you exercise?
- Daily
- Once or twice a week
- A couple of times a month
- I never seem to get around to it
- How often do you feel stressed?
- Much of the time
- Sometimes
- Rarely
Answers:
- Overweight men are more likely to have ED
- Common causes of ED include nerve diseases, psychological conditions and diseases that affect blood flow. A number of prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs may also cause ED by affecting a man’s hormones, nerves or blood circulation
- Tobacco, alcohol and recreational drugs can all damage a man’s blood vessels and/or restrict blood flow to the penis, causing ED
- Regular exercise can reduce the risk of ED
- Stress and anxiety are leading causes of temporary ED
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Does my erectile dysfunction stem from an underlying illness?
- Could any of my medicines be causing this problem or making it worse?
- Could stress or a psychological problem be to blame for my erection difficulties?
- Are there medications I can take?
Did You Know?
- Misinformation about erectile dysfunction includes the notion that ED, also called impotence, is an unavoidable consequence of aging. ED is not considered normal at any age, nor is it normal for a man to lose erectile function completely as a result of being older.
- Another myth is that tight underwear causes ED. While physical and psychological conditions can lead to ED, tight underwear is not to blame. Tight underwear may be a factor in producing a low sperm count.
- ED can be treated with oral medications, sex therapy, penile injections and surgery, such as penile implants.
- Intercavernous injection therapy is a medication injected directly into the penis to treat ED.
- Intraurethral therapy is a suppository medication that is inserted into the urethra to treat ED.
- Urologist is a doctor specially trained to treat problems of the male and female urinary systems, and the male sex organs.
Know Your Numbers
- At least 20 million American men have some degree of erectile dysfunction, and about one in 10 adult males suffers from ED long-term.
- About 40% of men in their 40s report at least occasional problems getting and maintaining erections. So do more than half (52%) of men aged 40 to 70, and about 70% of men in their 70s.
- Failure to achieve an erection less than 20% of the time is not unusual; treatment is rarely needed.
- Atherosclerosis alone accounts for 50% to 60% of ED cases in men 60 and older. Between 35% and 50% of men with diabetes have ED, and ED may be a predictor for other vascular problems.
Techniques To Find Happiness
Monday, July 19th, 2010Control Desires
Unfulfilled desires can be disastrous to our happiness, if we indulge them. Sometime desiring things motivates us to work on acquiring them, and working to do so can be a great source of happiness. However, when desires for more things, more accomplishments, more money, a better job, a better mate or other such prizes in life dominate our thinking, they can dramatically limit our happiness. We can decide to make our happiness and the happiness of others our greatest desire, and thereby stay focused on what we all really want and need.
Just Get Happier!
A very effective method of becoming happier is to simply sit or lie down, and focus on the feeling of happiness. Whether you just sit and smile, or actively come up with pleasant thoughts like “I feel great,” focusing on nothing else but feeling happier is an excellent way of better getting in touch with, and strengthening, the feeling of happiness. After a while, you’ll find yourself tuning into this pleasant feeling at other times of the day when you’re also engaged in other activities.
Remember to Feel Very Happy!
When we think about remembering, we usually appreciate its importance to academic and work-related learning. The better we commit what we learn to memory, the more effectively and quickly we learn.
We often become so involved in day-to-day activities that we simply forget to feel happy. Remembering to feel very happy is a simple and powerful way of helping our happiness become more habitual.
We often overlook the important role memory plays in creating and sustaining our level of happiness. We can learn to evaluate the events of our lives in ways that maximize pleasure, and minimize displeasure, and thereby achieve greater happiness. However, learning these to create these pleasant appraisals is just the first step. In order for this learning to be most effective, we must commit it to memory so that it is available for us to unconsciously apply to all of our situations. This process of committing beneficial learning to memory is called integration, and our aim is to have our positive appraisals, and our happiness, become habit.
Practice Happiness
Becoming much happier is a skill like playing a piano, throwing a baseball, or writing. The more we work on becoming happier, the happier we will become. As with any skill, it is helpful to schedule practice times and to have a program or routine to follow. To practice my happiness, I sometimes sit at a coffee shop, smile gently, and silently think to myself “I feel very happy,..excellent, wonderful,” etc. while writing down these positive adjectives for emphasis. The basic purpose behind happiness practice sessions is to help us better get in touch with the feeling of happiness, and to help us learn to choose happy thoughts rather than simply accept whatever thoughts happen to come into our minds. Gently smiling throughout our days is also a great way for us to become happier and continuously remind ourselves that happiness is something we should strive to feel always.
Talk about Happiness
We talk about work, money, sports, other people, problems and a myriad of other topics throughout each day. Ironically, the aspect of life most dear to us rarely gets into our conversations as a distinct topic. Talking about happiness with our friends and families is extremely useful to us and to them as well. It will help us understand happiness (what it is and what it isn’t; what will bring it and what will take it away), and it will help us keep our happiness at the forefront of our minds, where it should be.
I have personally found that most people love to talk about happiness, as long as the tone is optimistic and enjoyable. Since most of us are only marginally happy, it can sometimes be unpleasant for others to have their limited happiness called to mind. It’s usually best to talk about what we can do to become happier, and then explore what stops us from doing so. Taking a problem solving approach to the topic of happiness can be extraordinarily productive.
Focus on the Body
We often live in our heads, and this cerebral kind of existence can distract us from “feelings” of happiness found and felt in our bodies. By focusing on the endogenous pleasures within our bodies (e.g. our skin, arms, legs, etc.) we can learn to continuously stay in touch with these happiness-evoking pleasant feelings . Instead of getting our happiness primarily from what is going on around us, or what is going on in our head, we can get it from the pleasant feelings that are an inherent, physical part of us.
Go on Vacation!
Vacations are, for most of us, the happiest times in our lives. Getting away from our work and daily routines for a few days or weeks of leisure and enjoyment is a great way for us to quickly get happier. We can also use vacations to help us understand how much more enjoyable our non-vacation lives could be if we simply made an effort to hotly pursue our happiness year ’round. We should consider our happier vacation days or weeks very important to us. We can appreciate them and have them motivate us to, from then on, hold on to that greater happiness “no matter what.”
Basic Emotions and Moods Work
Psychologists have published findings suggesting that one’s entire emotional experience can be understood in terms of six basic, or universal, emotions. These six emotions are happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust. One principle reason emotions researcher Paul Ekman describes these six emotions as basic and universal is that, unlike with other emotions, people in any part of the world who see a photograph of a person expressing these six emotions can readily identify the emotion. All other emotions are theorized to be comprised of various distinct combinations of our six universal emotions.
Of These six, happiness is pleasant, sadness, fear, anger and disgust are generally unpleasant, and surprise is neutral, leaning toward the unpleasant side. Since these emotions, and the moods they create when sustained, will ultimately determine our happiness, we should strive to minimize the five unpleasant emotions, and to maximize happiness. In theory, becoming happier is just that easy.
Psychologists have also determined that we can choose our emotions by choosing to evaluate the situations and circumstances of our life in certain ways. This process is called cognitive appraisal, and has been used very successfully by cognitive-behavioral therapists to help clients overcome depression. This process of systematically changing one’s evaluations from less pleasant to more pleasant is called cognitive re-structuring, and is one of the principle techniques making cognitive-behavioral therapy the most effective psychotherapy for depression.
Believing
An effective way for us to become happier is to simply believe that we are happier than we actually feel we are. For example, if we feel “not very happy,” we can choose to believe that we are “mildly happy,” “very happy,” or even “completely happy.” As we repeat these new beliefs to ourselves they become stronger, and we gradually come to feel greater happiness.
Psychologists have found that our beliefs can change simply by being exposed to new beliefs, even when these new beliefs are inconsistent with our original beliefs. Advertisers routinely apply this finding in their promotions. For example, a person who at one time believed that Ford made the best automobile may come to believe that Chevrolet deserves this distinction, simply by repeatedly hearing and/or seeing an advertising slogan such as “Chevrolet Makes the Best Car in the World.”
It takes several days for this technique to create a noticeable increase in our happiness. Several weeks will be needed to create a significant increase, and several months to create a more lasting increase in our happiness. There is a limit to how often and continuously we can expose ourselves to a new belief without having the repetitive process become unpleasant, and this limit varies with each individual.
There are several basic ways to apply this technique. One way is to simply tell oneself , for example, “I am very happy” repeatedly throughout the day. Another way is to read this statement various times throughout each day.
Choose Your Thoughts Wisely
Happiness is dependent on our thoughts – We do not have to keep thinking unpleasant thoughts simply because they come into our minds. We can choose to think pleasant thoughts instead. The more we practice stopping our unpleasant thoughts and thinking pleasant ones, the better we will become and the happier we will feel.
See Happiness as the Point of Life
Happiness is the point of life – The better we realize that happiness is the only aspect of life with inherent value (everything else is valuable only to the extent that it increases happiness) the more we will devote time and effort to our happiness and the happiness of others.
Smile Continuously
Becoming much happier is as easy as just smiling more. Smiling feels good, but it also reminds us to feel happy and communicates our happiness to others, encouraging them to feel happy with us. Maintain a slight smile throughout your day, and you will find it much easier to feel happier. Consider that the happiest people you know are the ones that seem always to have a pleasant expression, and you will understand the wisdom behind smiling.
Stay Happy Amidst Sadness
Our sadness usually doesn’t help others – Sometimes we feel that it is appropriate for us to feel sad in order to help others. When we are doing what we need to do to help others, (like visiting a sick friend, or giving charity) we should feel good about our kindness. Many times we are more helpful to others who are going through a difficult time when we keep up our spirits than when we join them in their sorrow.
Compare Wisely
We should compare ourselves wisely, or not at all. There is a popular expression that says comparisons are odious. If we must compare ourselves to others, it is wisest to compare ourselves to those whom we believe are less happy, or are less advantaged than we are. Comparing ourselves to those who are less happy can feel good, but we should also try to become happier by helping them feel happier.
Be Optimistic
Optimism is important to our happiness – We can see our glasses as half full, or half empty. We can hope for the best, and expect that things will turn out well, or we can dread what might go wrong, and worry about our future. Happiness research shows that worry is the number one enemy to happiness, and as we become more optimistic, we become happier.
Choose Happiness over Money
Money has very little effect on our happiness – The better we realize that, above the poverty level, having or making more money will not make us any happier, the more we will spend our time and effort on activities that will make us happier.
Like Yourself and Others
Liking ourselves, and others, is very important to our happiness – Liking feels pleasant, and not liking feels unpleasant. We should strive to like ourselves and others more and more, seeing the best in everyone as much as possible. As we do this we will enjoy ourselves more and more. Since we are with ourselves always, it is especially important for us to like ourselves very much.
Make Happiness Your Success
Our only necessary success, on a personal level, is being very happy – We can be a total failure at virtually every other aspect of our life, but if we are wise enough to succeed at being very happy, we can consider ourselves very successful. Having succeeded at our happiness, our next greatest success should be to help other succeed with their happiness.
Consider Happiness and Obligation
We have an obligation to be happy – When we are less happy we are less fun to be with, and bring down the mood of others. For the benefit of others, we should strive to be as happy as possible. Also, for those of us who are religious, it is important to understand that God want us to feel happy with all the gifts we have been given, and to the extent we refuse to be happy we are being ungrateful.
See Happiness as the Highest Good
Happiness is the highest good – Many of us are very concerned with goodness. When we understand and accept Aristotle’s statement that happiness is the highest good, we realize that the happier we become, the better we are as people. Of course we must not allow our happiness to come at the expense of others.
Invest in Relationships
Other people are our most relied on source of happiness – Knowing this fact will motivate us to invest our time and energy in developing, enhancing, and maintaining close friendships and many acquaintances. We will also realize that since we spend so much time with our family, it is especially important to devote much time and effort to our family relationships.
Blueberry Juice Improves Memory In Older People
Saturday, July 17th, 2010Researchers from the US and Canada have for the first time found evidence that a few glasses of blueberry juice a day improved memory in older adults; the findings come from a small study of 70-year olds showing early signs of memory loss, and the researchers suggest the findings establish a basis for comprehensive human clinical trials to test whether blueberries really deserve their growing reputation as a memory enhancer.
The study was the work of Dr Robert Krikorian, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center in Cincinnati, Ohio and colleagues, and a report about it appears in the 4 January ASAP issue of the American Chemical Society’s bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The authors wrote there is an urgent need to develop preventive approaches to dementia which is on the rise as our population ages and there is no effective therapy for it.
Blueberries contain polyphenols, comprising mostly anthocyanins, which are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, combating oxidative stress, which contributes to some neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
A paper in a February 2008 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, that presented the findings of the 2007 International Berry Health Benefits Symposium, suggested that these compounds have beneficial effects on cancer, aging, neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes and bacterial infections.
The authors also wrote that animal studies have found they contribute to increased neuron-to-neuron communication, improved use of glucose in the brain, and are involved in memory function.
It would be reasonable to expect, therefore, that such compounds might delay neurodegeneration in humans, hence the motive for this work.
For the study, Krikorian and colleagues recruited 9 people in their 70s showing early signs of memory changes, got them to complete memory and cognition tests, then asked them them to drink two to two and a half cups of commercially available blueberry juice a day.
12 weeks later, the volunteers underwent the same memory and cognition tests. When they compared the before and after results, the researchers found the volunteers who had drunk blueberry juice had improved paired associate learning (p = 0.009) and word list (p = 0.04) recall. The results also showed a trend toward reduced depressive symptoms (p = 0.08) and lower glucose levels (p = 0.10), said the researchers.
These results were then compared with the results of another trial of the same design involving a demographically matched group of people in their 70s who also had early signs of memory changes, but this time they were given a placebo that they thought was blueberry juice.
The researchers said that the improved performance of the blueberry group over the placebo group on the paired associated memory test was similar to the difference in the before and after results observed in the blueberry group in the earlier trial.
They concluded that:
“The findings of this preliminary study suggest that moderate-term blueberry supplementation can confer neurocognitive benefit and establish a basis for more comprehensive human trials to study preventive potential and neuronal mechanisms.”
“These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” they wrote.
Source: American Chemical Society.
Healthy and Healing Herbs
Friday, July 9th, 2010Article Courtesy of: Pharmacy Technician Certification. Net
1. Mint
Good for more than just mojitos, mint freshens breath, calms the stomach and plays numerous other valuable roles in herbal home remedies.
2. Dill
This spunky little herb assists in digestion, combating halitosis and the lessening of swelling, boils, cramps – among other great benefits.
3. Basil
A popular additive in cuisines from around the world, basil enjoys praise for its defenses against low blood sugar and antioxidant properties almost as much as it does for the rich flavor.
4. Parsley
Chomp down on parsley for a beneficial boost to Vitamin C and A levels, as a conduit for stabilizing blood pressure, a natural breath freshener and more!
5. Sage
Sage is a very common addition to home herb gardens due to its value as a flavoring agent and easy care. But many do not realize that it also helps relieve cuts, inflammation, memory issues and other health problems in need of addressing.
6. Rosemary
One of the most flavorful herbs available – especially when it comes to poultry! – rosemary also serves the added benefit of infusing a diet with the antioxidants needed to keep the body free of harmful compounds.
7. Thyme
Home herb gardeners looking for a natural disinfectant, digestive aid or infection cure would do well to plant a bit of thyme.
8. Coriander/Cilantro
For those who do not taste soap when they nosh on a sprig of cilantro, the fresh, slightly peppery taste enjoy the myriad benefits it provides against oxidants, stomach upsets, cholesterol and other health issues.
9. Fennel
Many parts of the lovely, licorice-tinged fennel plant – the seeds in particular – find their way into herbal remedies as a breath freshener, natural pesticide and defense against upset stomachs.
10. Chamomile
Head Automatica was a little bit right when they promoted “chamomile for nerves of steel.” This popular flower frequently finds itself playing a starring role in herbal teas to stimulate muscle relaxation, quell depression and anxiety and promote sleep – all of which a body needs to remain alert and operating at peak performance.
11. Jasmine
Jasmine mainly comes accompanied by the always valuable green tea, making it a nice way for home gardeners to add a touch of delicate flavor to their antioxidant intake. Many also claim that it greatly benefits ocular and dermatological health and well-being, too!
12. Lavender
Gentle lavender boasts a sweet, soothing scent perfect for inspiring relaxation and promoting healthy sleep patterns – so much so that many herbalists recommend it as a natural treatment for headaches and migraines.
13. Catnip
Grown primarily as a stimulant for feline friends to go entertainingly insane, but humans can take advantage of the plant’s minty goodness as a relaxing agent, diuretic and laxative to enjoy while watching their cats absolutely lose it.
14. Chives
The perfect partner for tangy sour cream, this member of the garlic family reduces inflammation, prevents cancer, repels insects and serves as an excellent source of beta carotene and Vitamin C as well – among many, many other amazing benefits.
15. St. John’s Wort
Moderate amounts of St. John’s Wort are believed to alleviate – though not cure – depression and anxiety. Many also use it in order to combat muscle pain as well. However, anyone considering growing the plant may want to discuss doing so with a medical professional beforehand, as ingesting too much of the stuff can cause a few health problems.
16. Garlic
For a simple, cheap, healthy and extremely flavorful way to prevent cancer and swab out dangerous free radicals in one fell (if stinky) swoop, bite down on this beloved bulb.
17. Onion
In spite of their odiferous reputations, onions actually have much to offer the human body. This anti-inflammatory anti-bacterial benefits the cardiovascular, skeletal, and digestive systems while simultaneously working to prevent cancer.
18. Bay Laurel
Teas brewed from bay laurel leaves have been known to help those suffering from dandruff slough off their itchy white flakes and stave off the pain caused by arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
19. Kava
Kava roots have been used extensively throughout the Pacific for its tranquilizing properties that come without a crash or a hangover, though it is illegal in Canada and France. But even beyond the anesthetics, kava serves as a go-to source for maladies as diverse as migraines and gonorrhea.
20. Dandelions
Individuals who embrace this commonly (and wrongly!) perceived weed will be treated to a natural diuretic and laxative that helps promote healthy liver and kidney functions. Just be sure not to eat any wild ones, as they may have come in contact with harmful pesticides and herbicides.
21. Arrowroot
A natural antiseptic, cookies crafted with arrowroot flour are a common treat for young children in order to keep their digestion and waste elimination regular.
22. Ginger
One of the cornerstones of Chinese herbal medicine, tangy ginger serves as a natural relief for nausea, menstrual, heartburn and migraine pain in addition to potentially killing off ovarian cancer cells.
23. Ginseng
Energy drink manufacturers plop ginseng into their cloyingly sugary wares to boost mental and physical functionality, though different varieties do boast different features.
24. Green Tea
Tiny tea bushes are legal plants that provide home gardeners with a steady source of antioxidants and a means of lowering their risk of heart disease. Toss in other herbs and spices for rich flavoring that quells monotony.
25. Peppermint
As with many of the other members of its family, peppermint is particularly notable for its ability to promote proper digestion and agreeable breath. However, many do not realize that it also stands as a nice source of Vitamin B, calcium and potassium as well.
26. Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is a terrifically easy plant to grow, so with minimal effort home gardeners may enjoy improved blood flow, antioxidants and hundreds of nutrients whenever they so desire.
27. Safflower
Oil produced from the safflower plant lowers one’s risk of contracting diabetes later in life by encouraging weight loss, and on top of that it also contains anti-inflammatory properties.
28. Salvia
One must be careful of which variety of salvia ends up in a garden, as the hallucinogenic features possessed by a few species elicit a bit of legal turmoil. The non-controversial plants – many of which are common types of sage – have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries in order to promote healthy hearts and livers.
29. Peony
As with many of the ingredients for herbal and natural remedies featured on this list, teas can be fashioned from the roots, leaves and flowers of peonies for a natural means of curbing menstruation pains and finding some degree of physical relief from terminal illness.
30. Shiitake
Though not technically an herb from a botanical standpoint, dried shiitake mushrooms have earned a well-respected place amongst natural medicine enthusiasts for bombing the body with numerous vitamins, nutrients and minerals that fortify it against heart disease and infection.
31. Indian Winter Cherry
Different parts of the Indian Winter Cherry get used in different alternative treatments, appreciated for its numerous benefits to memory, arthritis, dermatology and other facets of health and wellness.
32. Stevia
Grow the pretty little stevia plant for quick access to one of nature’s own sweeteners with no pesky calories to get in the way of a fun, healthy time.
33. Yerba Maté
This nifty shrub is used to brew a smoky tea in Latin America, beloved for the flavor and possession of over 24 necessary vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function properly.
34. Goji Berries/Wolfberries
Wolfberries, known more by their market name of goji berries, have become quite a trendy little ingredient lately. They have earned the accolades, though, possessing the antioxidants needed to fight cancer, heart disease and complications from aging.
35. Licorice
Popping an antiviral licorice plant into an herb garden rewards the resourceful green thumb with an impressive plethora of benefits – including antioxidants, antifungals, the slowing of HIV/AIDS, ulcer relief, skin care and many more.
36. Camphor Laurel
As the most pungent ingredient in Tiger Balm, the camphor laurel is a great plant for encouraging the muscles to relax. Beyond that, though, it also stimulates proper circulation, respiration and metabolism.
37. Boldo
South Americans with an appreciation for herbal, natural remedies appreciate the boldo plant for its digestive properties and nurturing of gall bladder health.
38. Rhubarb
Anyone growing rhubarb should always remove the leaves entirely before consumption, as they are toxic to humans. The stalks, however, possess an astringency valuable to relieving constipation, cleaning the blood and keeping eyes functioning properly.
39. Cloves
They may smell like a Cure concert (which, for most people, is by no means a bad thing), but cloves certainly appeal to a general audience. This pungent partner to a smoky ham also kills off many harmful bacteria strains, staves off inflammation and relieves the pain from stomach and tooth issues.
40. Chervil
A lovely little herb, chervil may provide a bit of a bolster to human brain functioning as well as a bit of depression alleviation. Some use it to create eyewashes to relieve soreness and swelling.
41. Winter Savory
Crushed winter savory boasts a number of useful applications for the home herbologist, with diverse benefits ranging from clearing up oily skin and insect bites to relieving sore throats and colds.
42. Hyssop
Hyssop and its affiliated essential oil have plenty to offer humanity, and anyone seeking to relieve a staggering variety of painful maladies would do well to toss a plant or 2 into their gardens.
43. Witch Hazel
Anyone hoping to use herbal treatments in the fight against painful and scarring acne, varicose veins, eczema, poison ivy, hemorrhoids and more may like the idea of growing witch hazel, a natural astringent, to help them out.
44. Aloe Vera
Everyone associates aloe vera with burn and skin disorder relief, rarely realizing its detoxifying potential when taken orally. In juice form, the plant encourages healthy digestion, facilitates weight loss and keeps circulation flowing smoothly.
45. Rooibos
Also known as red tea, rooibos provides consumers with antioxidants, relief from diseases as diverse as HIV/AIDS and compromised respiratory systems, a way to possibly slow aging and more when brewed.
46. Asarum
Frequently travelling under the moniker of “wild ginger,” asarum promotes improved circulation in addition to many of the other benefits offered by the fellow plant with which it shares a name.
47. Rue
Pregnant women must avoid rue, as it triggers a natural abortion. Everyone else, though, may appreciate it when they need a stimulant, an antiseptic or a conduit for relieving gas and worms.
48. Dang Gui
Traditional Chinese medicine considers Dang Gui one of its main components, using it in the treatment of PMS and other menstrual problems. However, it also assists everyone with circulation, pain relief and the alleviation of swelling.
49. Pennyroyal
Because pennyroyal is toxic under certain circumstances, extreme care must be taken when incorporating it into an alternative medicine regimen. Teas brewed from the plant allegedly relieve the pain from multiple diseases, including cancer and indigestion.
50. Reishi
Another mushroom wielded by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, the reishi variety garners praise for its assistance in alleviating liver diseases and cardiovascular difficulties.
51. Watercress
Herb gardeners with access to a small pond may want to beautify their natural spaces with watercress, which can be harvested to imbue a diet with insane amounts of the vitamins and minerals necessary to keep a body happy and healthy.
52. Wintergreen
This small evergreen shrub boasts numerous healthful properties and can be served up in a number of different ways. Depending on a patient’s needs, the various ways wintergreen gets cooked up can relieve pain in a manner similar to aspirin or soothe indigestion – among other positives.
53. Bupleurum
Bupleurum may contain some excellent, healthful facets, but it is best known as an alternative remedy to treating various liver ailments.
54. Tarragon
Known mainly as a fragrant and tasty kitchen herb, many brew tarragon into a tea to take advantage of its antioxidants, generous punch of vitamins and minerals and support of liver and stomach functions.
55. Nettle
Some alternative medicine aficionados use nettle tea to alleviate headaches, prevent allergies, relieve the symptoms of PMS and many, many other benefits – including improved heart health.
56. Lemongrass
Fans of herbal remedies looking for antioxidants such as beta carotene or a defense against cancer and eye inflammation should check into whether or not their area is conducive to growing flavorful lemongrass stalks.
57. Hibiscus
These beautiful, exotic flower has much more to give than a pretty pastel face. Cancer prevention, for one, and improved blood circulation for another.
58. Marjoram
Grow marjoram for more than culinary reasons, as it also holds the potential to lessen inflammations and encourage healthy appetite and digestion – and more!
59. Astragalus
Another herb valued by anyone practicing traditional Chinese medicine, the astragalus earns its keep by encouraging the immune system to keep fighting against numerous nasties out to do a body harm.
60. Garden Cress
The cardiovascular and respiratory systems and digestive tract all love garden cress, which also carries with it a slew of necessary vitamins and minerals.
61. Oregano
A beloved accompaniment to lush Mediterranean food, oregano imbues meals with an antibacterial antioxidant. It can also help keep skin feeling happy and healthy by alleviating any itching, pain, swelling and inflammation when applied alongside olive oil.
62. Myrrh
Resin crafted from the myrrh tree – definitely difficult to grow in many regions – nurtures the production of “good cholesterol” and helps combat the negative effects of the bad.
63. Bindweed
Better known as the morning glory, bindweed galvanizes bile when taken internally and eases abscesses and bleeding when applied externally.
64. Kaffir Lime
The leaves of kaffir lime reinforces dental hygiene and can serve as a natural cleanser for improved hair and skin health – not to mention all the scurvy-fighting goodness of the limes themselves!
65. Turmeric
Fragrant and richly colored, turmeric has always been valued as an anti-inflammatory. Though as of late, it has also earned praise for many of its other eclectic uses as well.
66. Magnolia
The magnolia is such a pretty flower that few realize the medicinal potential that lay beyond its ivory petals. When used properly, it may actually serve as a great stress reliever that discourages anxiety-related weight gain.
67. Coptis Chinensis
Chinese herbalists frequently use the root of a Coptis Chinensis plant in the treatment of maladies as diverse as insomnia and acne, though many of its benefits tend to involve digestive or cramping issues.
68. Celandine
Home herb gardeners in search of detoxifying agents and the stimulation of various organs may want to plant a celandine or 2 in their yards.
69. Milfoil
Alternately known as yarrow, milfoil primarily works as an anti-inflammatory that also staves off the symptoms of aging and regulates blood pressure and metabolism as well.
70. Calendula
Brewing a tea of calendula flowers bolsters the body with an excellent number of vitamins and minerals, and creating a poultice of the stuff can help to bring down inflammation.
71. Sea Buckthorn
Rich in vitamins and other integral nutrients, the sea buckthorn has plenty to offer in terms of keeping skin healthy and free of redness, pain, itchiness and swelling.
72. Meadowsweet
Herbalists praise the meadowsweet plant for its aspirin-like properties, using it in the exact same ways as mainstream physicians use the little white pills.
73. Rose
Already a popular addition to many gardens around the world, many do not realize that these aesthetic flowers also play host to a treasure trove of health benefits! Given their ability to ease inflammation in the joints, they are certainly of great use to anyone suffering from arthritis and similar afflictions.
74. Perilla
Most “Westerners” recognize perilla as the leaf uses to beautify plates of sushi, but noshing on these plants can serve as an anti-inflammatory that also helps keep allergies in check.
75. Chrysanthemum
This natural antioxidant swirls with vitamins and minerals, and Chinese herbalists frequently fashion a tea out of the flowers in order to improve upon a patient’s sense of sight and hearing.
76. Flax
Flax seeds and juice both encourage healthy digestion and regular waste expulsion with its hefty amount of fiber – not to mention how the plant also reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease as well!
77. Feverfew
As with many other plants utilized in herbal remedies, feverfew finds itself called upon in order to lessen the torment of inflammation and other skin ailments.
78. Milk Thistle
For a natural combatant against acne, liver problems and digestive upsets, plant a few milk thistles in an herb garden for quick and easy cultivation.
79. Pawpaw
Grow a pawpaw tree in a climate that meets its needs. It not only provides a sweet source of vitamins and minerals, but also chases away pests that eat away at other valuable plants or spread nasty diseases as well. Among other assets, of course.
80. Cumin
Tiny little cumin seeds pack a massive punch of necessary nutrients that perform a plethora of functions meant to keep a body running smoothly and efficiently.
Though not every plant or fungus on this list qualifies as an herb from a botanical perspective, practitioners of traditional medicine seem to lump them together under this banner. All of them may legally be grown in most areas, though whether or not the overall climate is conducive to their growth varies from region to region. After discussing the pros and cons of each herb, consider planting a garden that serves as a quick pharmaceutical bounty for basic health and wellness needs.