Health Tips - Kalusugan mo

Hypertension study prompts new diagnosis guidance

2011-08-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Taking repeated blood pressure readings over a 24-hour period rather than a one-off measurement in the clinic is the most cost-effective way of deciding who should be prescribed drugs for hypertension, according to a study published Wednesday.

The findings in favor of so-called ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were immediately adopted by Britain's health costs watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in new guidelines on how to diagnose and when to treat high blood pressure.

Bryan Williams, a professor of medicine at the Leicester University and chair of the NICE guideline development group, said the change would affect the treatment of millions of people in Britain and was "a step-change that is likely to be replicated across the world."

An estimated 1 billion people around the world have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally. If it is left untreated, high blood pressure can cause strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and organ damage, including kidney failure and vision problems.

Those diagnosed with hypertension are often prescribed one of many blood-pressure lowering drugs such as Novartis's Lotensin or generic benazepril, candesartan, sold as Atacand by AstraZeneca and Takeda, or Novartis' Diovan, known generically as valsartan.

Patients are often prescribed the drugs for many years if not the rest of their lives.

"Ambulatory monitoring allows better targeting of blood pressure treatment to those who will receive most benefit," said Richard McManus of Britain's Birmingham University, who led a study published in The Lancet medical journal which prompted the NICE guideline change.

"It is cost saving in the long term as well as more effective, and so will be good for patients and doctors alike."

Diagnosis of hypertension has traditionally been based on blood-pressure measurements in the clinic, but studies have found that home and ambulatory measurements are better indicators of who will suffer heart problems and strokes.

Ambulatory blood pressure measurement involves the patient wearing a blood pressure cuff attached to an automatic blood pressure machine for 24 hours. Measurements are taken typically half hourly during the day and hourly during the night.

Experts say one-off blood pressure readings taken during a visit to the doctors can often be artificially raised due to what is known as the "white coat effect" when patients are nervous about going into a clinical setting.

In the Lancet study McManus' team analyzed the cost-effectiveness of the three approaches and found that ambulatory monitoring was the most cost effective way to diagnose high blood pressure in men and women of all ages.

It saved money in all groups and resulted in significant improvements in quality of life for both sexes in the 50-plus age group.

McManus said the new NICE guidelines marked a significant change in hypertension care. "The use of ambulatory monitoring will ensure quicker and more accurate diagnosis," he said, adding that this was "an exciting advance which I am sure will be taken up internationally."

Source Manila Bulletin

Anti Smoking Suportado ng DOH

2011-08-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

Naipaabot na rin sa Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ang patuloy na pagsuporta ng Department of Health (DOH) sa pinatupad na Anti-Smoking Campaign ng ahensiya.

Ito’y sa kabila ng ipinalabas na Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) ng korte na pagpapatigil sa MMDA sa pagpapatupad ng kampanya nito kontra yosi.

Ayon kay MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, sa kabila ng TRO ay nananatiling suportado ng DOH ang kanilang patuloy na panghuhuli sa mga naninigarilyo sa pampublikong lugar na saklaw ng Republic Act 9211 o Tobacco Regulation Act of 1993, tulad ng mga ospital, eskwelahan, pampublikong terminal ng mga sasakyan, simbahan at iba pang enclosed public places.

Muling nilinaw ni Tolentino, hindi naman sila tumigil sa panghuhuli sa mga naninigarilyo sa mga public places maliban na lamang sa mga lugar na sakop ng TRO tulad ng kalsada, sidewalk at footbridge.

Source: Abante Online

Writing problems common in kids with ADHD

2011-08-23T16:58:00.001-07:00

By GENEVRA PITTMAN - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely to have writing problems such as poor spelling and grammar than their peers, suggests a new study. And the difference may be especially conspicuous in girls with ADHD.

Reading and math problems often raise red flags for teachers and parents, but "written-language disorder is kind of overlooked," said study author Dr. Slavica Katusic, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Writing "is a critical skill for academic success, social and behavioral well-being," she added. And if writing problems aren't noticed early on and addressed in kids with ADHD, they can suffer long into adulthood, Katusic told Reuters Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, close to 10 percent of kids ages four to 17 in the U.S. have ever been diagnosed with ADHD -- a number that has been on the rise in recent years.

The current study included close to 6,000 kids -- everyone born in Rochester between 1976 and 1982 who was still living there after age 5. Katusic and her colleagues tracked school, tutoring and medical records to see which kids showed signs of ADHD, as well as how well they performed on writing, reading and general intelligence tests through high school.

In total, 379 of the kids fit the criteria for ADHD, which was more common in boys than girls, the study authors report in Pediatrics. Of all kids in the study, just over 800 scored poorly on tests of writing abilities. Most kids who had trouble with writing also had reading difficulties.

Writing problems were much more common in both boys and girls with ADHD. Close to two-thirds of boys with ADHD had trouble with writing, compared to one in six boys without ADHD.

For girls, 57 percent with ADHD had a writing problem, compared to less than 10 percent without ADHD. And girls with ADHD were almost ten times more likely to have a combination of writing and reading disorders compared to girls without the condition.

Memory and planning problems in kids with ADHD may affect the writing process, the authors explain, and ADHD has been linked to learning disorders in the past.

Annette Majnemer, who has studied handwriting in kids with ADHD at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, said that many with the disorder seem to have difficulty with that component of writing.

"It might be partially the fact that they're inattentive and distractable and hyperactive," she told Reuters Health. It's also possible that motor skills and coordination problems are partly to blame, said Majnemer, who was not involved in the new research.

Katusic added that genetics might be behind both ADHD and some writing problems, but that in general, it's very hard to tease out exactly how ADHD is linked to writing and reading disorders.

Treatment for the ADHD, as well as individual education plans that address some of those related difficulties, can help, Katusic said -- especially if they're started when problems first arise.

"When parents notice something or teachers notice something, (kids) have to be treated not only for ADHD, but they have to be tested to see if they have other learning problems," she said.

"Clinicians and the teachers have to emphasize that the testing has to be done for everything, every kind of learning disability," Katusic said. "It has to be identified early and the treatment has to start early."

Source : Manila Bulletin

Bone Drug Tied to Lower Colon Cancer Risk

2011-08-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

Manila Bulletin - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study adds to evidence that bone drugs may play a role in suppressing cancer development, although there is still no proof that taking the medications would stave off malignancies.

The drugs, called bisphosphonates, have generated both good and bad headlines recently. Some work has linked them to fewer cases of cancer, while other research has found an increased risk of certain thigh fractures and serious jaw problems among women who take the drugs to treat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

Bone drugs on the market include Merck's Fosamax, Roche's Boniva, Novartis's Reclast and Warner Chilcott's Actonel.

In the new study, researchers found that women on Actonel were only half as likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer as those who'd gotten just one prescription for the drug or none at all.

"At this point, I think people who are already taking the drug can be reassured," Dr. Harminder Singh, who worked on the study, told Reuters Health.

But he added that it's too soon to think about taking Actonel to prevent cancer.

"For people to start taking it, there are a few other things that need to be worked out -- the cost and the side effects," said Singh, of the University of Manitoba in Canada.

According to the American Cancer Society, one in 19 men develops colorectal cancer at some point, and slightly fewer women do. The disease is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

An Israeli study published earlier this year found a link between bisphosphonates and a lower risk of colon cancer among women, but it wasn't clear how to explain that result. It could be that the drugs have protective effects, or it could be that women taking them are healthier overall.

In contrast to the Israeli work, Singh's study, which is published in the journal Cancer, takes into account how often people see their doctors -- one factor that might muddy any differences found between those who take bone drugs and those who don't.

The research team tapped into data from a cancer registry in Manitoba, comparing colon cancer patients to people without the disease, but of the same age and sex.

About 1.1 percent (264) of the nearly 25,000 women in the comparison group had been given Actonel by their doctor, while only 0.6 percent (15) of 2,493 women with colon cancer had gotten the drug.

One way to interpret those findings is to chalk the difference up to a protective effect of Actonel. Indeed, women on that medication had 45 percent lower odds of having colon cancer than those who didn't take it.

But with a study design where you only observe patients, you can't ever be certain why some fare better than others, Singh cautioned.

"The ultimate proof of these agents would be a randomized controlled trial," he explained.

What's more, the researchers didn't have enough data to see if the findings would hold up for men, and they didn't find any reliable effects for the other bone drugs.

Even if Actonel did afford some protection against tumors, it's not cheap and its long-term side effects are not well known. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently reviewing evidence suggesting bone drugs might raise the risk of esophageal cancer.

A month's supply of Actonel generally costs over $100.

So far, quitting smoking is one of the only things that experts agree will lower the risk of cancer. For colon cancer in particular, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a federally supported expert panel, advises screening all people between 50 and 75 using stool tests, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.

Glaxo HPV Vaccine Protects Women From anal Cancer: study

2011-08-23T16:35:00.001-07:00

By JULIE STEENHUYSEN - CHICAGO (Reuters) - A vaccine to prevent cervical cancer offered strong protection against anal cancer in a large study of women in Costa Rica, adding to evidence that such vaccines can protect against more than just cervical cancer, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

The study, conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, involved GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix vaccine, which protects against infections triggered by strains 16 and 18 of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

"There was strong protection with the vaccine against anal infection," Dr. Aimee Kreimer of the National Cancer Institute, whose study appears in the journal Lancet Oncology, said in a telephone interview.

GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix and Merck & Co's Gardasil protect against cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide. But various strains of HPV also cause anal, penile, head and neck cancers.

Although rare, anal cancers have doubled in some countries in recent decades. Anal intercourse can increase the risk for anal cancers caused by HPV infections, and while there are more infections in women overall, men who have sex with men are especially vulnerable.

Kreimer's team wanted to see the how well HPV vaccines protected against this type of cancer. Her team found that rates of protection in the study were comparable with those seen in cervical HPV infections.

"We know anal HPV 16, but also 18, cause the bulk of anal cancers. We know if we remove the infection, it will greatly reduce the likelihood for the cancer," she said.

For the study, the researchers analyzed anal tissue specimens in a group of 4,210 healthy women aged 18-25 from Costa Rica. About half got the vaccine in three doses, and the other half got a placebo vaccine. The women were tested after 4 years for anal and cervical HPV 16 and 18 infections.

They found the vaccine prevented 62 percent of anal cancers and 77 percent of cervical cancers caused by HPV infection compared with rates in the general population.

Similar rate

In women with no likely previous exposure to HPV infection, the vaccine prevented 84 percent of anal HPV infections, a rate similar to the 89 percent rate against cervical HPV infection.

The team also found that Cervarix protected was cross-protective against other cancer-causing HPV types 31, 33 and 45.

"We're getting more bang for our buck than we realized with this vaccine," Kreimer said.

The study adds to evidence that HPV vaccines may protect against more than just cervical cancer.

Last December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Merck's Gardasil HPV vaccine for prevention of anal cancers in both men and women, based on studies showing it was effective in men who have sex with men, a group that has a higher incidence of anal cancer.

U.S. vaccine advisers have been weighing whether boys and young men should be routinely vaccinated against HPV, but some worry the vaccine is too costly to justify its use.

Currently, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends HPV vaccinations for girls and women between the ages of 11 and 26. And while doctors are free to vaccinate boys and men ages 9 through 26, health officials so far have stopped short of a recommendation for routine vaccination for males.

Kreimer said she is not sure if her study adds enough evidence for broader use of the vaccine, but it does add evidence that HPV vaccination can protect women of average risk in the general population from anal cancer.

"I do think it is getting close to a tipping point, but I don't know if we are there yet," she said.

An estimated 5,300 new U.S. cases of anal cancer are diagnosed each year.

SOURCE : Manila Bulletin

From the Flight Deck, Diabetics, Watch your Insulin

2011-08-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Changes in cabin pressure during flights may cause insulin pumps to deliver too much or too little of the medication possibly putting sensitive diabetics at risk, researchers report.

They recommend disconnecting the pump before take-off and after landing and making sure there are no air bubbles in the insulin before reconnecting it. But an outside researcher said the concern might only apply to some diabetic patients.

People who are worried should talk with their doctors about the safest way to fly before trying to fiddle with the pumps themselves, he cautioned.

“It’s certainly not a frequent and recurring problem that I hear about from patients who fly,” said Dr. Robert Cohen, an endocrinologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, who was not involved in the new study.

“The people who are very sensitive to small changes in doses are the ones who are going to be most sensitive to this,” he told Reuters Health. “People who are on large doses or are not very sensitive…are far less likely to be affected by this.”

After learning of a 10-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes whose blood sugar got too low an hour after take-off, Bruce King of John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle, Australia, and colleagues found cases of other insulin-pump-using diabetics who reported the same problem during flight.

To see what was going on, they put ten insulin pumps which are meant to deliver insulin throughout the day, generally to people with type 1 diabetes on a commercial flight.

Sure enough, during takeoff (when air pressure was decreasing), the pumps delivered about 1 to 1.4 extra units of insulin, on average. (For comparison, a typical adult with type 1 diabetes might need about 50 units of insulin per day.)

And during descent, when pressure was increasing, some insulin was sucked back into the pumps causing them to give out too little insulin, by less than 1 unit.

Cohen said he expected those types of changes to be more of a problem for kids and people who use low doses of insulin to begin with.

Still, “Any person using an insulin pump should be aware that big pressure changes can cause this effect,” King told Reuters Health in an email.

The pumps used in the study were made by Animas and Medtronic. In a joint statement to Reuters Health, the companies wrote that, “Many factors affect blood glucose during travel and the effect of small dose variations over the course of a plane flight is unlikely to be clinically significant. However, we are both continuing to further explore this subject.”

They advise customers to “consult your healthcare team before taking a trip, always be prepared with extra supplies and sources of glucose, and test your blood sugar frequently.”

King’s team wrote in the journal Diabetes Care that it’s possible that rare flight problems that cause very fast depressurization could mean diabetics get way too much insulin.

To prevent any danger to flyers, the researchers set out a list of recommendations, including that insulin cartridges should only contain 1.5 milliliters of insulin.

Diabetics should disconnect the pump before takeoff, remove air bubbles and reconnect at cruising altitude, then disconnect again and prime the line with 2 insulin units after landing before reconnecting for good. They should also disconnect the pump during flight emergencies when there’s a big drop in cabin pressure, King and colleagues wrote.

“I believe most people would rather know exactly how much insulin their pumps were giving. Following the recommendations means that they know and are in control of what is happening with their pump,” King said.

Cohen added that it’s important patients know how to carry out these recommendations safely, if they’re going to follow them. Otherwise, he said, “their solution may be worse than the underlying problem if somebody doesn’t really understand how to carry it out.”

Patients can talk to their doctors to see if this concern applies to them, and if so, learn how to safely disconnect and reconnect their insulin pumps while flying, he said.

The researchers added that it’s possible other big changes in pressure could cause insulin pumps to deliver too much or too little of the drug such as ski lifts, or even a trip up the Empire State Building for very young kids, King said.

“There aren’t very many other major pressure changes that we experience,” Cohen said. Still, he added, “I don’t know how to advise people about what they should do with their pumps if they’re going parachute jumping.

Source: Manila Bulletin

A Successful Weight Loss Project

2011-08-22T16:40:00.001-07:00

Generally, the very first thing you should do when you’re starting a new project is to find out what exactly you’re going to be dealing with. If it were a trip, you’d study the country you were visiting; if you were waging a battle, you’d get to know your opponents. If you went ahead without being forewarned with as much information as you could manage to get, it’s not likely that you’d be very successful.

With that in mind, since the entire focus of this project is to become healthier, whether that might mean losing weight or gaining lean mass, we know that aside from embarking on a fitness program that meets our needs and goals, we also have to be aware of what we’re putting in our mouths and stomachs.

The Top Three

There are three major nutrients or macronutrients that provide the body with energy for physical activity, tissue growth and repair, metabolism and immunity, and these are Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fat. The other nutrients are water, vitamins, minerals and fiber or roughage.

Some health professionals don’t consider fiber to be a nutrient because the body cannot break down insoluble fiber, but we recognize it because it’s essential for good health.

Even if all the nutrients each have their own importance, they need to be balanced for optimal health. The most ideal ratio, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (in their Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005), is:

- 45–65% Carbohydrates
- 20–35% Fat
- 10–35% protein

Each gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories, each gram of protein also 4 calories, but a gram of fat has 9 calories. If your doctor has decided that it’s in your best interest to lose weight, then reducing calories and exercising will have more of an impact than merely relying on the proper macronutrient ratio.

Carbohydrates

Many foods contain carbohydrates, and they are broken down by your digestive system into glucose or blood sugar and used for fuel for the cells, tissues and organs for example, your brain cells use twice the amount of energy used by other cells in your body. Some carbs get stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles as an immediate source of energy and what the body doesn’t use is stored as fat.

Carbohydrates are generally digestible or non-digestible. Starches and sugars can be digested and cellulose and other fibers cannot. The two major types of carbs are simple and complex.
Simple carbs are from refined sugars, such as table sugar, pastries, candy, milk and milk products and fruit. The main differences are that the fruit and milk contain more nutrients than candy and the pastries and contain less calories.

Complex carbohydrates include legumes and vegetables, cereals and grain products such as rice, crackers, bread and pasta. Grains that have been refined or processed like white rice and white flour contain less nutrients and fiber than unrefined grains which are rich in fiber and assist your digestive system in functioning optimally.

One significant side effect of fiber is that aside from giving you energy over a longer period of time, it also gives you the feeling of fullness, which is very helpful in avoiding overeating. If a bowl of oatmeal and a slice of cake contained the same amount of calories, the oatmeal would satisfy you and keep you feeling full longer than the slice of cake could.

Fiber has many other health benefits it lowers your risk for certain conditions like cancer, Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease.

Complex carbs take longer to break down in the body so they release energy gradually over a longer period of time rather than in one big burst like simple sugars do.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Foods that Keep you Full and Help you Lose Weight

2011-08-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

One of the tricks to weight control is choosing the foods that you eat food that will make you feel full so that you don’t always feel so hungry that you start eating junk food.

1) Egg approximately 70 calories, but it has 6 gms of protein. Eat the white of an egg for breakfast, it will fill you up, give you more energy. And you will not feel hungry mid morning.

2) Soup try to start your meals with a soup. Drink a glass of water, eat some soup before your meal. Both will fill you up, lessening your appetite to eat a lot. Eat a healthy soup like monggo, miswa, etc- preferably soups with vegetables.

3) Avocados Their healthy monounsaturated fats may help slow the rate at which your stomach empties. They’re also loaded with folate, potassium and vitamin E, and early research suggests that foods containing these nutrients may fill you up faster than other foods, example like rice.

4) Yogurt yogurt is a good snack it’s protein, it has good bacteria for your stomach. And keeps you filling full.

5) Oatmeal oatmeal is great because it has fiber and protein at the same time. Try to eat oatmeal several times a week, add a banana or mango and milk and off you go. Add a dash of honey and cinnamon!

6) Apples apples are very filling they only have 80 calories, but one can be as filling as a meal because of the 4 grams of fiber.

7) Beans/lentils They’re high in protein about 7 grams per half cup and high in complex carbohydrates, the type that take longer to break down.

Nuts- They have the perfect combination of fiber, protein and fat. The nutritionists’ faves? Walnuts, almonds and pistachios. Just stick to an ounce or less to avoid calorie overload.

Source: Abante Online

Study Questions Testosterone’s Link to Early Death

2011-08-22T16:22:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Drooping testosterone levels probably don't cut years off a man's life, although earlier studies had suggested they might, according to a new report.

Instead, decreases in the male sex hormone may simply be a sign of overall health status, which also dips with age, researchers say.

The findings come in the wake of surging interest in testosterone's role in men's sex drive, their mood and thinking, and even early death.

While drug companies refer to "low T" as a treatable medical problem affecting millions of American men, critics say they are trying to make a buck by turning normal aging into a disease.

There is no doubt that very low testosterone levels affect the body and dampen sex drive.

But where to set the threshold between normal and abnormal levels is still an open question, whose resolution is not made easier by natural variation in the male sex hormone.

It dwindles with age, for instance, and fluctuates between countries, races and individuals -- even from one hour to the next.

The new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, takes an in-depth look at earlier research into the link between testosterone and death.

"It's the ultimate endpoint," said Andre Araujo of the New England Research Institutes, who worked on the study.

So far, he said, most but not all research shows men with low testosterone die before their peers with higher hormone levels.

"The results were disparate, they were confusing," he told Reuters Health.

So he and his colleagues gathered all the medical literature they could find on the topic, including a report of their own that had found no link. They only chose studies of men living in the wider community, as opposed to hospitals or long-term care, to try to avoid the muddying influence of severe illnesses on the data.

Correlation, not causation

Based on 11 studies, which tracked more than 16,000 middle-aged men for between five and 17 years, the researchers did find signs of trouble: it appeared that men in the lowest third of testosterone levels had a 35-percent higher chance of dying than men in the highest third.

"There is certainly a link," said Araujo. "But the important thing is that the estimates are a little bit off from one another."

That means they aren't really comparable, statistically speaking. Digging deeper, Araujo found that shorter studies were more likely to find a connection, as were those including mainly older men.

On the other hand, low testosterone levels did not seem to be associated with early deaths in younger men.

Although the work is limited by including only 11 studies, "these data indicate to me that testosterone seems to travel with declines in health and (with) mortality, but it is not really driving the mortality," Araujo said.

The new results add to earlier evidence that companies promoting testosterone replacement for "low T" may be jumping to conclusions, or at least reaching beyond the evidence.

Experts say more than a million testosterone prescriptions are written in the U.S. every year, and many go to middle-aged and older men with stunted libido and depressed mood.

A Google search for the phrase "low testosterone," for instance, yields a link to the "Is It Low T" website, owned by Abbott, which produces a testosterone replacement product called AndroGel that costs about $280 per month.

On the site, a visitor can take a quiz asking about things like grumpiness, lack of energy and decreased libido. If you answer yes to three questions, or have decreased libido or "less strong" erections, you are urged to "Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and ask if you should be tested for low testosterone (Low T)."

But so far, there isn't any solid research to prove that dips in testosterone will necessarily cause those problems -- or that testosterone therapy will fix them.

"Causality, I mean hey, causality is a very tough bar to reach," said Araujo. He is a consultant to drugmaker Eli Lilly, which makes a testosterone gel called Axiron, but declined to spell out what he does for the company.

Araujo said the National Institutes of Health is currently running a trial to test the efficacy of testosterone replacement therapy.

Last year, Dr. Michael Marberger, who heads the urology department at the University of Vienna Medical School in Austria, told Reuters Health testosterone replacement has become a common fix for sexual problems.

"It is like putting more gas in the car to make it go faster," he said, adding, "We need a lot less testosterone for sexual function than people used to think,"

Abbott did not respond to an email request for comment.

According to the company, nearly 14 million American men "may have" low testosterone. But independent work suggests the number of men who qualify for a strict diagnosis of "late-onset hypogonadism", in which the testicles stop or almost stop making testosterone, is much lower.

Sick or just getting old?

Meanwhile, sociologists are worrying about the effects of putting a medical label on what many consider normal aging.

"With something like sexuality and sexual performance the medicalization has gone pretty far down the road," Susan Bell, a social scientist at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, told Reuters Health.

"Essentially it says, you should have the same kind of sexual function as you did when you were 20 or 30. If you don't, there is something wrong with you, and therefore you can use Viagra or another drug."

She said the push now for men to use testosterone to stave off aging mirrors the earlier urging of women to start hormone replacement therapy around the time they hit menopause to preserve youthfulness.

Yet in effect, that treatment turned out to do more harm than good for many women, producing slight increases in heart attacks and breast cancer among other problems.

"The cautionary tale is that hormone replacement has had damaging effects on women's bodies that have become apparent over time," she said, adding that some women with severe menopause symptoms might still benefit.

"One of the messages for men is, what does this mean for the rest of your life and what do we know about dangers of taking a medication over a long period of time?"

Short-term side effects of taking testosterone are swelling around the joints and in the breasts, but the long-term consequences are less clear.

Bell said the new study strikes a cautious note that is less commonly heard in industry marketing messages.

"That kind of gap between the uncertainly in the medical community and the enthusiasm in the pharmaceutical industry is similar to what happened with women's hormone replacement therapy," she said.

Source : Manila Bulletin

Moderate Drinking Cuts Risk of Alzheimer’s, Study Shows

2011-08-22T16:19:00.001-07:00

Light to moderate social drinking, a glass or two of wine or beer a day, can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to American researchers.

After analyzing more than 140 studies dating back to 1977 and involving more than 365,000 people, scientists at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine found that moderate drinkers were 23 percent less likely to develop forms of dementia and cognitive impairment.

Moderate drinking is defined as a maximum of two drinks per day for men and one drink for women.
“It is well accepted that a glass of wine is good for your heart and reduces coronary artery and cardiovascular diseases,” said Edward J. Neafsey, a co-author of the study.

The findings show the moderate alcohol consumption has same effect on the brain.

Wine was more beneficial than beer or spirits, according to the findings published in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. But the researchers said most studies in the analysis did not distinguish between the different types of alcohol.

But heavy drinking, three to five drinks a day, was associated with a higher risk of dementia.
Both Neafsey and his co-author Michael A. Collins, professors of molecular pharmacology and therapeutics, suggest that small amounts of alcohol stress and toughen brain cells and enables them to better cope with the stresses that lead to dementia at a later date.

“It causes a mild stress ahead of a serious stress which then protects the tissues and the cells,” Neafsey explained.

Another theory suggests that the well-known cardiovascular benefits of moderate drinking can also improve blood flow to the brain increasing the brain metabolism.

Neafsey does not recommend non-drinkers to suddenly start drinking, and for people who do drink to enjoy their alcohol in moderation. Exercise, education and a Mediterranean diet can also reduce the risks of developing dementia.

“The key words here are light to moderate drinking,” he said. “The enjoyment of a good meal with friends and glass of wine is a traditional human pleasure that most people enjoy.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Stress gives rats, humans, the munchies: Researchers

2011-08-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

We've all done it — stressed out from work, the kids, and traffic, we grab a jelly doughnut, a bag of chips or large fries.

For many it gives us that occasional comfort. But for those trapped in a repetitive pattern that can cause overeating due to anxiety, scientists at the University of Calgary have just completed a study researching the link between stress and appetite.

Researchers at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute have uncovered a mechanism by which stress increases food drive in rats.

The new discovery, published online this week in the journal Neuron, could provide important insight into why stress is thought to be one of the underlying contributors to obesity.

Researchers Jaideep Bains and Quentin Pittman conducted the study which created stress in rats by taking away their food. They found that the rats' stress response temporarily caused a "re-wiring" of the brain which inhibited their ability to regulate food intake.

Interestingly, the rats also chose to eat comfort foods and higher fat foods when they were stressed.

And humans, whose stress hormones are released for a myriad of different reasons, may in fact react the same way, explained Bains.

"This is important for humans because it provides an explanation for what we already see in our lives.

"If you're stressed, you'll reach for that bag of chips, because it's a comfort."

The question now, Bains says, is whether we can control the release of that stress hormone so that we can control overeating.

"That is the million dollar question in our industry."

The researchers say their study also leads to so many other questions, like what causes certain stress responses in different people, and why they cope in different ways — better or worse than others.

As well, adds Pittman, not everyone responds to stress through eating, with some choosing not to eat at all, others turning to liquor, alcohol, and some still choosing to do the right thing, like exercise.

Pittman and Bains looked specifically at nerve cells (neurons) in the region of the brain called the hypothalamus, known to have an important role in the control of appetite and metabolism and has been identified as the primary region responsible for the brain's response to stress.

The results lay the foundation for future studies to investigate the use of therapies that affect these systems in order to manipulate food intake.

They also open the door to studies looking at whether or not the stress brought about by lack of food may affect other systems.

Students working on summer courses this week at the U of C applauded the scientists research, and encouraged them to find solutions on how to curb overeating caused by stress.

"Whenever I'm stressed out over exams, or overworked, I always reach for the chocolate ice cream," said Kayla Thompson, hunched over her laptop on campus Friday morning.

"I need the miracle solution to help me stop doing that, because I don't have the willpower."

Her classmate Julie Smith added: "I know a lot of people who count on food to make them feel better, feel more relaxed. But it's only temporary, and then they just end up feeling worse that they couldn't stop eating."

By Eva Ferguson, Postmedia News

eferguson@calgaryherald.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

A Fat-Converting Hormone is New Weight-Loss Secret

2011-08-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

The “ber” months are fast approaching and if the rainy weather has kept you covered up, you may not notice you’ve packed on a few pounds.

Rainy weather or not, this columnist likes to eat, so rain or shine I never shun a lunch/merienda or dinner date and this has left me rather displeased with the image I see staring back from the mirror. My lifestyle is relatively active, but no amount of yoga or workout seems to match my food intake so rather than spend on a whole new wardrobe (which would just allow me to eat more) I decided to look into diet options.

There were the more commercial choices, such as South Beach or the growing-in-popularity Cohen diet; but in the span of a week two friends turned me on to the benefits of the HCG Program and I took that as a sign to try something relatively new.

HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and, yes, quite a mouthful to say, hence the shortened version which is easier to remember. Before I begin, a caveat: I am not a dietician, a doctor or a nutritionist by anyone’s standards; I simply did research on my own and HCG fell under the homeopathic way of losing weight.

If, after reading this, you feel HCG is for you, take the time to do your own study, and definitely ask your doctor if this is something you can do. The regimen is definitely not easy, because aside from ingesting the drops sublingually (three times a day 10 to 15 minutes before each meal) you have to combine it with a 500 calorie-a day diet. Yes, you read right: 500 calories a day and that’s it.

So how exactly does HCG work? As explained in the info sheet I got with my kit: “Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone produced in women during pregnancy. As soon as the new embryo starts to develop, the mother’s body begins releasing large amounts of HCG into the bloodstream. Current scientific philosophy believes that HCG helps maintain the pregnancy and the early growth of the fetus.

By moving nutrients from the mother’s stored fat supply into the bloodstream, HCG helps ensure that the developing fetus always has an adequate food supply, even when the mother is eating too little.” In simple English, if you are keeping your calorie intake on a lower than normal level, HCG kicks in and uses your “abnormal” fat and converts it into energy. To quote the website: “In the 1950s, Dr. A.T.W. Simeons discovered that HCG can safely be used as a weight-loss aid in people who are not pregnant.

It works for both women and men. He found that HCG moves about 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day of stored fat into the bloodstream where it becomes available for metabolism. With these additional nutrients in the bloodstream, a person can successfully stay on a very low-calorie diet without experiencing extreme fatigue, weakness, or hunger.”
Followed strictly, people can experience a dramatic weight loss of two to three pounds a day. Also, since HCG “grabs” from abnormal fat, you may soon kiss that double chin, potbelly or inner thigh jiggliness goodbye.

A childhood friend of mine, who started the diet a month before I did, lost 43 pounds in under two months and good-naturedly joked that one of her chins disappeared. She was very strict, though, as the HCG diet recommends you remove all oil from your lifestyle; she even changed her oil-based cosmetics and refrained from getting massages. Other results weren’t too dramatic, in my case (and this is because I cheated quite often). I averaged about four to five pounds a week.

I didn’t feel sluggish or weak (dizziness can also be a side effect in the beginning) but I did sigh and whine a lot while inputting my calorie count into my iTouch. (Oh, if you are going to do this, I would highly recommend you download the free app called Calorie Counter by My Fitness Pal which has relatively accurate calorie amounts and even includes some Filipino dishes like adobo and karekare.)

The program recommends you follow its four phases: Loading (right before), Core (during), Transition (as you are about to end) and the most important, Maintenance.
These steps allow you to get into the habit of portioning and bring greater awareness of how much food your body really needs in order to function. You will be surprised at how little it does need; in fact, fluids are way more important (and I mean water and fresh juices, not sodas and coffee!).

It’s been almost three weeks since I finished my HCG regimen and even with two holiday jaunts, I have been able to keep my weight down although it is still a struggle not to go for seconds or thirds at hotel buffets.

All in all, I was able to break my weight plateau and reawaken my sleepy metabolism. Plus the HCG kit, which is good for a month, cost me only P5,000, quite reasonable.

Other friends have since jumped on the HCG bandwagon and each experience is different: the results are strongly dependent on whether you follow the caloric restrictions or not, there is no other excuse. If you’ve had a love/hate affair with your scale or are tired of crash diets, it may be time to give HCG a try.

(source: Phil Star)

Superbug More Common in Kids Who ve Used Antibiotics

2011-08-13T22:07:00.001-07:00

Kids who get lots of antibiotics from their doctors are more likely to harbor the MRSA superbug, although it’s still rare, a new study of British youngsters has found.

While that doesn’t prove the drugs are to blame for the antibiotic-resistant bacterium, it would make biological sense, researchers say.

“This just provides more evidence to support redoubling our efforts to decrease antibiotic use,” Dr. Daniel J. Diekema, who was not involved in the new work, told Reuters Health.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, first arrived in the U.S. in the 1960s. But it wasn’t until 1980, when it infected a burn victim in a Seattle hospital and caused a devastating outbreak, that doctors realized how serious the situation really was.

It is estimated that in 2005, the bug caused severe infections in nearly 95,000 Americans and killed more than 18,500 of them.

While infections caught in hospitals have been declining in recent years, there is less certainty about those contracted outside hospitals — so-called community-acquired MRSA.

“It remains a major public health problem, but the dramatic increase that we saw during the last decade seems to have leveled off in many areas and may be decreasing in some,” said Diekema, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

To get a better idea about how MRSA infections arise outside of hospitals, Canadian researchers looked at data from more than 400 doctors’ offices in the UK.

They’d already shown that adults with several antibiotic prescriptions were more likely to harbor MRSA later on, so this time they focused on kids who’d gotten the diagnosis between 1994 and 2007.

There were 4.5 MRSA cases per 100,000 children every year in the UK, although it wasn’t clear from the data whether the children had active infections or just carried the bacteria on their skin, where they are harmless.

“In general, only a minority of people who carry MRSA go on to become infected,” Diekema explained.

Of 297 children who tested positive for MRSA, more than half (53 percent) had been prescribed at least one antibiotic between 30 and 180 days before the diagnosis (the last 30 days were excluded to make sure the drug hadn’t been used to treat MRSA).

By contrast, only 14 percent of more than 9,000 kids who’d visited the same doctors but didn’t have MRSA had recently been taking antibiotics.

After accounting for differences between the two groups of children such as hospital stays or other diseases they might have that amounted to a three-fold difference in the risk of harboring MRSA.

And the more antibiotics the children had been given, the more likely they were to be carrying the resistant bug. Those who got four or more prescriptions, for instance, had 18 times the risk of MRSA.

“Observational studies like this really can’t prove causality,” said Diekema. But he added that it was biologically plausible that antibiotic use would fuel the growth of resistant bacteria.
On the other hand, nearly half of the children who had the bug hadn’t received any antibiotics in the half year before their diagnosis, the Canadian team reports in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

“This is an intriguing observation that we expect will generate some research into the mechanism of MRSA development,” said Samy Suissa, of McGill University in Montreal, who led the new research.

In an email, he said it’s important to curb the inappropriate use of antibiotics, which fight bacteria but have no effect on viruses.

“Parents should freely discuss with their physician if they feel that antibiotics may be overprescribed,” Suissa told Reuters Health.

Low Carb Diet may Help Clear your Complexion

2011-08-13T22:04:00.001-07:00

While a low carb diet is credited with providing a slim waistline, it may also improve acne.

On August 8, WebMD News reported that low-carb eating can help clear up acne by controlling glucose levels, which can promote a healthier complexion.

People with acne may have what is called hyperinsulinemia, which is characterized by excess levels of insulin in the blood. “Foods that are low in the glycemic index (GI) may contribute to the hormonal control of acne,” said Alan R. Shalita, MD, chairman of the department of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York in an interview with WebMD.

“I would encourage patients with acne to moderate the amount of carbs that they eat and not to overdo dairy,” which can also cause acne, he added.

Selecting foods lower on the glycemic index means avoiding blood sugar spikes with white rice, sweets, and white flour breads and opting for fresh foods, such as vegetables, meat, and fruits.
Shalita also debunked the myth that chocolate triggers blemishes, noting that for people who do react to chocolate, it is more a result of the sugar and fat in the candy.

If you have mild to moderate acne, Shalita recommends applying an over-the counter salicylic acid cleanser followed by a benzoyl peroxide leave on product to help dry the skin.
“If you don’t respond, see a dermatologist,” he said.

Other treatments for more severe acne include some oral contraceptives and oral or topical antibiotics.

(source: Yahoo News)

Long Work Hours Linked to Alcohol Abuse: Study

2011-08-11T16:28:00.001-07:00

Source Manila Bulletin - Long working hours can more than triple the risk of alcohol abuse and addiction, New Zealand research has found.

An Otago University study of more than 1,000 people aged 25-30 found a statistically significant link between the amount of hours worked and alcohol abuse.

“Individuals working 50 or more hours per week had rates of alcohol-related problems that were 1.8 to 3.3 times higher than those for individuals who were not employed,” study leader Sheree Gibb said.

The research, to be published in the British peer-reviewed journal “Addiction”, found the figures were similar for males and females.

Gibb said increased alcohol abuse among those who worked long hours might be an attempt to reduce stress associated with their jobs.

She also suggested that social contact with workmates might make people more likely to abuse alcohol.

“Individuals who work longer hours may have more social contact with co-workers, and workplaces where long hours are commonplace may experience a more sociable atmosphere that involves a greater level of alcohol use,” she said.

Gibb said the study showed there was a need for anti-alcohol abuse programs targeting people who worked long hours.

The rise of beauty ingestives

2011-08-11T16:23:00.001-07:00

Source Manila Bulletin, MANILA, Philippines -- Proper skin regimen, good diet, and exercise are contributing factors to beauty. However, advances in the field of medical science have already revealed that sometimes, these are just not enough.

This, according to Dr. Angel Cumagon, a clinical and aesthetic dermatologist with 15 years of experience tucked under her belt. She says: “It’s not just creams and lotions that can make your body beautiful. Topical products can only go to a certain depth in the skin’s layer.”

“By taking supplements orally, the necessary nutrients reach the inner as well as outer skin layers from within. Thus, the expected outcomes like renewing cells, fighting radicals as well as boosting the immune system can be felt and seen,” said Dr. Cumagon.

Riding on this concept, the SM Beauty Section launches “Beauty Within” and gathers the country’s top brands on supplements, vitamins and pharmaceuticals, with a singular mission in mind: To help women in the country reveal their beauty from within.

“True beauty exists from within and with SM Department Store’s Beauty Section now offering an entire area for beauty ingestives, individuals can now unravel more beautiful versions of themselves beyond skin deep,” says Robert Sun, Watsons Personal Care Stores chief operating officer. He adds, “It’s an exciting new concept that empowers women to transform inside and out, providing a breath of new hope and confidence.”

SM’s Beauty Section covers a wide selection of standout beauty solutions grouped into five categories: whitening, skin enhancer and anti-aging, slimming, detoxification, and general wellness. Among the leading partner brands are Mosbeau, Belo Nutraceuticals, Cosmo Skin, Met Tathione, Myra E Capsule, and Xenical. It also offers vitamin brands such as Caltrate Plus, Berroca Performance, and Moringana Capsule. To show its support, the partner brands graced the launch with their image endorsers like Cristalle Henares, Maricar Reyes, Iza Calzado, Melissa Ricks, and Dyan Castillejo.

And to complete its role as a true beauty enabler, the Beauty Section will also have Beauty Within advisors. “Consistent with the campaign’s theme of transformation is the birth of Beauty Within Advisors who will serve as the informed voice towards enlightened beauty choices,” Sun ends.

Visit Beauty Within Sections in the following participating SM branches: SM Makati, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Fairview, and SM North Edsa.

'Amazing' therapy wipes out leukemia in study

2011-08-11T15:55:00.000-07:00

By STEPHANIE NANO, Manila Bulletin - NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists are reporting the first clear success with a new approach for treating leukemia — turning the patients' own blood cells into assassins that hunt and destroy their cancer cells.

They've only done it in three patients so far, but the results were striking: Two appear cancer-free up to a year after treatment, and the third patient is improved but still has some cancer. Scientists are already preparing to try the same gene therapy technique for other kinds of cancer.

"It worked great. We were surprised it worked as well as it did," said Dr. Carl June, a gene therapy expert at the University of Pennsylvania. "We're just a year out now. We need to find out how long these remissions last."

He led the study, published Wednesday by two journals, New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine.

It involved three men with very advanced cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL. The only hope for a cure now is bone marrow or stem cell transplants, which don't always work and carry a high risk of death.

Scientists have been working for years to find ways to boost the immune system's ability to fight cancer. Earlier attempts at genetically modifying bloodstream soldiers called T-cells have had limited success; the modified cells didn't reproduce well and quickly disappeared.

June and his colleagues made changes to the technique, using a novel carrier to deliver the new genes into the T-cells and a signaling mechanism telling the cells to kill and multiply.

That resulted in armies of "serial killer" cells that targeted cancer cells, destroyed them, and went on to kill new cancer as it emerged. It was known that T-cells attack viruses that way, but this is the first time it's been done against cancer, June said.

For the experiment, blood was taken from each patient and T-cells removed. After they were altered in a lab, millions of the cells were returned to the patient in three infusions.

The researchers described the experience of one 64-year-old patient in detail. There was no change for two weeks, but then he became ill with chills, nausea and fever. He and the other two patients were hit with a condition that occurs when a large number of cancer cells die at the same time — a sign that the gene therapy is working.

"It was like the worse flu of their life," June said. "But after that, it's over. They're well."

The main complication seems to be that this technique also destroys some other infection-fighting blood cells; so far the patients have been getting monthly treatments for that.

Penn researchers want to test the gene therapy technique in leukemia-related cancers, as well as pancreatic and ovarian cancer, he said. Other institutions are looking at prostate and brain cancer.

Dr. Walter J. Urba of the Providence Cancer Center in Portland, Oregon, called the findings "pretty remarkable" but added a note of caution because of the size of the study.

"It's still just three patients. Three's better than one, but it's not 100," said Urba, one of the authors of an editorial on the research that appears in the New England Journal.

What happens long-term is key, he said: "What's it like a year from now, two years from now, for these patients."

But Dr. Kanti Rai, a blood cancer expert at New York's Long Island Jewish Medical Center, could hardly contain his enthusiasm, saying he usually is more reserved in his comments on such reports.

"It's an amazing, amazing kind of achievement," said Rai, who had no role in the research.

One of the patients, who did not want to be identified, wrote about his illness, and released a statement through the university. The man, himself a scientist, called himself "very lucky," although he wrote that he didn't feel that way when he was first diagnosed 15 years ago at age 50.

He was successfully treated over the years with chemotherapy until standard drugs no longer worked.

Now, almost a year since he entered the study, "I'm healthy and still in remission. I know this may not be a permanent condition, but I decided to declare victory and assume that I had won."

Red Meat Boosts Diabetes Risk: US Study

2011-08-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Source Manila Bulletin - Two slices of bacon, a hot dog or a serving of deli meat daily has been found to significantly boost the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, said a major US study published on Wednesday.

The research by experts at the Harvard School of Public Health represents the largest study of its kind to date and appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Eating 50 grams of processed red meat every day increased a person’s diabetes risk by 51 percent, while eating 100 grams of unprocessed red meat each day, about the size of a deck of cards, boosted the risk by 19 percent.

However, those risks went down if the red meat was substituted with nuts, white meat, low-fat dairy or whole grain proteins.

“Clearly, the results from this study have huge public health implications given the rising type 2 diabetes epidemic and increasing consumption of red meats worldwide,” said senior author Frank Hu.

“The good news is that such troubling risk factors can be offset by swapping red meat for a healthier protein.”

The data for the study came from questionnaire responses from more than 204,000 people in US nurses and health professionals’ studies. The subjects were tracked for between 14 and 28 years.
Researchers also updated a meta-analysis that included their data with other studies covering more than 442,000 participants.

Diabetes affects nearly 350 million adults worldwide, and more than 11 percent of adults over age 20 or 25.6 million people in the United States have the disease, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that involves high levels of blood sugar, is often caused by obesity, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits.

Ika-4 ang Pinas sa Pinakamaraming Kaso ng Liver Cancer

2011-08-11T15:34:00.001-07:00

Source Abante Online - Ayon sa Philippine Cancer Society ang Pilipinas ang ikaapat sa mga bansang tinamaan ng liver cancer kung saan ayon sa datos ikalawa ang mga kalalakihan ,at ikapito ang mgha kababaihan.

Ang hepatitis B ay malihim na sakit,wala itong sintomas hanggang sa malala na ang isang tao. Mas nakakahawa kaysa sa AIDS at naisasalin sa pamamagitan ng blood transfusion o sexual act at sa mga bagong panganak na sanggol kung positibo ang nanay nito.

Kaya may isang senador na nagpanukala sa lahat ng ospital pampubliko o pribado na magkaroon ng bakuna lalo na sa sanggol sa loob ng 24 oras mula sa kapanganakan at awareness program para sa lahat upang mapigilan ang pagdami nito.

Subalit paano naman ang tayong mga matatanda o abala sa mga gawain. Huwag mabahala ang Lizada Red Ginseng Center na matatagpuan sa room 601, MBI Bldg.Plaza Sta.Cruz Manila.

Telepono bilang 736-7732,7367691 at (032)266 1985 at hanapin si Ms.Digna Lizada .Ito ang kanilang pantapat samapanuksang hepatitis B o liver cancer sa katunayan nagsasagawa rito ng libreng konsultasyon, patotoo ng nga gumaling,at seminar kung papaano labanan at pigilan ang sakit na ito.

Pregnant Women Urged to Avail of Free Pre-natal Care Services

2011-08-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

Source PIA - To avoid complications and other diseases during pregnancy, the city government here through its City Health Office (CHO) has called on pregnant women to regularly visit the health centers for pre-natal checkups.

Public health centers provide free pre-natal care, medicines and vitamin supplements to pregnant women.

According to CHO personnel, pregnant women who do not undergo pre-natal checkup are likely to suffer complications and other problems that go with pregnancy.

Expectant mothers are also advised to deliver their babies in hospitals or birthing homes where professional medical workers can attend to them.

Philhealth members and their legitimate dependents can avail themselves of free medical services in hospitals and/or birthing homes.

Sleep apnea linked to memory decline, dementia

2011-08-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

By GENEVRA PITTMAN, MB.COM.PH - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older women who have sleep apnea may be more likely to develop memory problems and dementia, according to a new study.

It's not clear yet whether treating the sleep apnea can help prevent that memory decline -- but researchers say future studies should address that question.

"It makes sense that good sleep is going to be protective to the brain," said Dr. Robert Thomas, who studies sleep at Harvard Medical School in Boston and was not involved in the new study.

But, he added, clear answers have been lacking on the link between problem sleeping and memory. "We simply don't have data to answer many of the simple questions people may have in the sleep clinic," he told Reuters Health.

To try to shrink that gap, Dr. Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues gave an overnight sleep apnea test to 298 women without dementia, who were an average of 82 years old. The test looks for changes in breathing and oxygen flow during the night, as well as for the short, frequent breaks in sleep that are signs of sleep apnea.

Just over a third of the women had sleep apnea -- which is especially common in older, overweight people.

About five years later, the researchers brought those same women in for a set of thinking and memory tests, and doctors evaluated any of the women who showed signs of memory decline.

In total, a little over a third (36 percent) of the women were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Among women who had shown signs of sleep apnea on their overnight tests five years earlier, 45 percent had developed thinking and memory problems, compared to 31 percent of women who didn't have sleep problems.

When Yaffe and her colleagues took factors such as race, weight, and other diseases and medications into consideration, women with sleep apnea were almost twice as likely to test positive for cognitive impairment or dementia, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Sleep apnea has also been linked to a host of other health problems, including high blood pressure and cholesterol. Researchers pointed to lower blood flow to the brain during sleep as a possible culprit in cognitive problems down the line.

Indeed, when the authors looked at the specific factors that went into a diagnosis of sleep apnea, they found that the lack of steady oxygen overnight was related to thinking and memory problems, not how much total sleep women got or how many times they woke up during the night.

Thomas said that not everyone with sleep apnea has symptoms, which include fatigue and snoring, and that people who are overweight or have heart and blood pressure diseases should also consider getting tested.

But researchers still don't know to what extent treatment -- which involves wearing a mask that delivers pressurized air from a "CPAP" machine to ease breathing at night -- can prevent the complications of sleep apnea, including cognitive decline.

"The single biggest hole in sleep apnea (research) is: what are the outcomes of treatment?" Thomas said.

Yaffe agreed. "That's obviously a next step and important question," she told Reuters Health.

Seva Polotsky, a sleep apnea researcher from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said it's important nonetheless that people with sleep apnea follow whatever treatment regimen their doctor recommends. Still, "there's only one cure for apnea so far we've found, and this is weight loss," he told Reuters Health.

People with sleep apnea should also try to be tested occasionally for signs of cognitive decline, Yaffe concluded.

Height as a Cancer risk

2011-08-09T16:55:00.001-07:00

By EDUARDO GONZALES, MD - Q: Is it really true that tall people have a higher risk for cancer than short people? A friend told me she read a newspaper article that said so. I’m concerned because I’m 6’3”. --Andy P., Las Pinas City

MANILA, Philipines -- A: Taller people might indeed have an increased risk of developing a wide range of cancers. A recent research study whose findings were published online by The Lancet Oncology, a reputable medical journal, last July 21, 2011 suggested as much. The research was conducted by a group of Oxford University scientists led by Jane Green and included 1.3 million middle-aged UK women as subjects. The subjects were recruited between 1996 and 2001 and during an average follow-up time of about 10 years, 97,000 of the women were diagnosed with cancer. The study assessed the association among height, other factors relevant for cancer, and cancer incidence.

After analyzing the data they have gathered, the researchers concluded that for every four inches (10cm) above five feet, a person had a 16 percent increased in total cancer risk from many different types of cancer, including cancers of the breast, ovary, womb, kidney, bowel, rectum, leukemia, malignant melanoma, lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Furthermore, although the study had only women subjects, the researchers said the height link was also present in men because they likewise conducted a meta-analysis after they combined their results with those from 10 previous studies that showed a similar link in men.

Actually, the Oxford research study is not the first to explore the relationship between height and cancer. A number of earlier epidemiological studies have already indicated that taller people are at a greater risk of developing cancers. One of the more noteworthy among these studies was conducted by Dr. Jaime Guevara-Aguirre of Quito, Ecuador who found out that people of severely short stature are less likely to develop cancer or diabetes during a 22-year study of 99 Ecuadorian dwarfs. Another significant work was done by a group of US researchers who, after analysis of 13 previous studies found out that the risk of testicular cancer among men increases by 13 percent for every extra two inches in height.

But tall people like you need not worry too much, the existing evidence on this matter is not yet conclusive. Besides, being tall has its own advantages, including lower risk of other conditions such as heart disease.

The studies that have been conducted so far have not identified the reasons for the correlation between height and cancer. A couple of possible explanations were postulated by the Oxford researchers: taller people have more cells and therefore they have more cells that can mutate and become malignant; and, taller people have higher levels of growth hormones while growing up. These higher levels of the hormone that promotes cell growth and division could account for increased risk of mutation among the cells.

Obviously, more confirmatory studies on the relationship between height and cancer need to be undertaken. In the meantime, since there is nothing much we can do about our height, we should be much more concerned with the lifestyle factors that have already been confirmed to contribute to cancer. We can all reduce our risk for cancer significantly if we:

Refrain from smoking
Drink alcohol moderately
Avoid air pollution
Protect ourselves from the sun
Adhere to a low-fat, low-salt and high-fiber diet that includes generous amounts of fruits and vegetables.

(Email inquiries on health matters to: medical_notes@yahoo.com)

Stretching, Breathing, for Complete Fitness

2011-08-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

By ANNA UNSON-PRICE, MB.COM.PH - MANILA, Philippines -- As a brief recap in case you didn’t catch my last article, we discussed cardiovascular and resistance exercise, two of the four elements you should include in your exercise program to ensure optimum fitness.

Today we’ll talk about the two other components which are every bit as important – Flexibility and Breathing.

III. Flexibility – Stretching the Muscles and Joints

The ability of the muscles and joints to stretch or move through their range of motion decreases with disuse much more than just aging. A 60-year-old who stretches regularly can be significantly more flexible than a teenager who hardly or never stretches. Stiffness is just a small part of what happens when your body loses flexibility. When you move into certain positions and your muscles and/or joints are tight, you are at risk for injury, sometimes a very serious, debilitating injury.

Stretches and poses that open joints and elongate muscles are categorized as flexibility exercise. These types of exercise lengthens the connective tissue that surrounds your muscle fibers, increase the range of motion in your muscles and joints, keeps the spine supple and improves your posture.

Don’t worry that increasing your flexibility will take a lot of long hours and tedious work. Even just a few minutes a day of properly performed stretching can make a lot of difference and is a great way to get started. If you’re not sure how to go about beginning a stretching program, you can research online or in books and magazines. Videos are also helpful as long as you try and make sure that the person teaching the stretch is a knowledgeable and safe resource.

IV. Exercising the Breath – Diaphragmatic Breathing

Learning how to control the breath may seem unnecessary considering we’ve been breathing since we were born, but if we can teach the body to use the diaphragm properly, the way we did when we were infants, we can increase the amount of oxygen our lungs take in per breath and just imagine how even a tiny increase multiplied by about 20,000 breaths per day can benefit the entire body.

As babies, we drew breath properly, expanding as oxygen came into the lungs and deflating when we released carbon dioxide. When we get older however, our breathing becomes shorter and shallower, bringing in less oxygen with each inhalation. Instead of expanding the chest and stomach to accommodate all the new air coming in, we tend to pull inwards and upwards. In times of stress when we most need our breathing to be slow and deep so that the brain can think clearly and react properly, we end up breathing fast, which makes us even more nervous and panicky.

Practicing deep breathing for just a few minutes a day, once a day or whenever you can, not only strengthens the lungs but also does wonders for the rest of the body. When you’re at your most stressed, full, slow breaths can calm the mind and allow the body to think instead of merely reacting. In a state of calm, you can come up with solutions to whatever’s causing the stressful situation and find a better, quicker way out of your problem. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing can also help fix small issues like a “stitch” in your side, hiccups, cramping, dizziness, hay fever, insomnia, etc.

A fitness program that contains these four components will be balanced and effective and net you the most benefits in the shortest amount of time. And if you continue working on them, you can look forward to maintaining youth and health for many years to come.

Fitness Bulletin. Yoga for Kids sessions are ongoing on Fridays at 4 p.m. at Yoga+, the first Yoga Studio in Bonifacio Global City. For inquiries and reservations, call (632)238-2768 or text (63)917-808-3957, or check out their site at www.yogaplus.ph.

Spermless mosquitoes could help halt malaria spread

2011-08-09T16:45:00.001-07:00

By KATE KELLAND, mb.com.ph - LONDON (Reuters) - Releasing genetically modified, spermless male mosquitoes into the wild could in future help to prevent malaria transmission and reduce the chances of large outbreaks of the killer disease, British scientists said on Monday.

Researchers from Imperial College London sterilized male mosquitoes by genetically modifying them to neutralize a gene required for sperm production.

In a study to see how these mosquitoes would fare when trying to get a mate, they found that female mosquitoes cannot tell if the males they mate with are fertile, or spermless and therefore unable to fertilize the females' eggs.

The researchers said findings suggest that in future it might be possible to control the size of the malaria-carrying mosquito population by introducing a genetic change that makes males sterile. Female mosquitoes would then unknowingly mate with the modified males and fail to produce any offspring.

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease that affects up to 300 million people and kills nearly 800,000 every year. Its threat is greatest in Africa, where the World Health Organization says a child dies of malaria about every 45 seconds.

Public health experts are working toward the eventual global eradication of malaria, but progress is slow and there is a constant need for better and cheaper ways to get there.

"In the fight against malaria, many hope that the ability to genetically control the mosquito vector will one day be a key part of our armory," said Flaminia Catteruccia from Imperial's life sciences department, who led the study.

But she added that for these currently theoretical control ideas to work in practice, scientists have to establish whether the insects would continue to mate as normal, unaware that their sexual mechanisms had been tampered with.

After mating for the first and only time in her life, the female mosquito goes through certain physiological changes, then eats a meal of blood, and lays a batch of eggs.

In this research, Catteruccia's team found that this behavior pattern was the same whether or not the mating had produced fertilized eggs that could hatch into mosquito larvae.

Using Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes -- the species primarily responsible for malaria spread in Africa -- the team created spermless males by injecting ordinary mosquito eggs with a protein that disrupts the development of their testes and prevents them from producing sperm as adults.

Crucially, this did not interfere with any other sexual function or behavior in either the female or the male, they explained in their study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists said they were also encouraged to find that after mating with a spermless male, the female made no attempt to find another mate -- and so effectively missed out on the opportunity to reproduce and pass on her genes.

This was contrary to what they had expected based on studies of other species such as fruit flies, where females tend to mate with more than one male to ensure their eggs are fertilized.

Another group of British scientists said last year they had created genetically sterile Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which early field trials suggested could be used to halt the rapid spread of another infectious disease, dengue fever.

Limit Aging Through Preventive Nutrition

2011-08-09T16:40:00.001-07:00

by Manila bulletin - While it might be true that with age comes wisdom, it is also true that racking up years also means being subjected to physical changes. Although it’s a bitter pill to swallow, aging is a phenomenon that creeps up slowly and manifests in more ways than one.

Early signs of aging might be observed with subtle limitations in carrying out physical functions such as getting tired easily and body pains following strenuous activities. There are also emotional repercussions like difficulty in dealing with stress, increased anxiety and a notion of deterioration that comes with feeling more restricted and less valuable.

“This is part of a continuum. As you are born, you live your life and you mature and things change. Just like an engine, you have to have some support for the human body to work better,” says Dr. Jeff Inciong, director of Weight Management and chief of section on Surgical Nutrition and Metabolic Support for St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Apart from its obvious effects like decrease in strength and loss of functional capacity, the body is also subject to more significant changes like loss of muscle mass and increase in body fat. “As you age and your lifestyle changes, you become more sedentary. There is less physical activity and because of that there is likewise a decrease in protein synthesis,” Dr. Inciong explains.

While daily exercise plays a big role in limiting the effects of aging, it takes no less than an overall healthy lifestyle to preserve one’s wellbeing. One such factor that demands careful attention is diet and maintaining a balanced nutrition. However, as bodily functions deteriorate as one grows older the digestive system’s efficiency also suffers resulting in improper absorption of essential nutrients.

The practice of preventive nutrition is vital in order to suffice for this deficiency. An effective way of dealing with this issue is taking nutritional supplements. “The use of oral supplements has been proven to give benefits to healthy adults. It helps in improving the ability to perform daily activities and it can help your total nutrient intake without substituting for food,” shares Ma. Eloisa Villaraza, registered dietrician for Pagsanjan Medical Clinic and General Hospital.

One specific component that aids the function of the digestive system is the presence of fructooligosaccharide or FOS. FOS is a prebiotic, soluble fiber which was discovered to be helpful in nutrient absorption. “The main advantage of having FOS in food is it supports growth of good bacteria and suppresses the bad bacteria. It also supports the function of immune cells in the gut and increases the absorption of calcium and magnesium,” Villaraza explains.

FOS helps stimulate the growth of a beneficial group of bacteria called bifidobacteria which aids in maintaining the digestive tracts balance. The increase in bifidobacteria results in better absorption as well as improves detoxification and elimination processes. And as Dr.
Inciong points out that more than 50 percent of our total bodily immunity is found in our gastrointestinal track, the proliferation of these beneficial bacteria also enhances the body’s immune system.

FOS is present also in natural food such as bananas, onions, tomatoes and wheat. On the other hand, as far as supplements are concerned, FOS can be found in brands such as nutritional drink Ensure, which is also a good source of 28 other vitamins and minerals that helps with the body’s over-all nutrition.

It’s never too early to listen to what the body needs. Knowing what is happening and what the body needs is just the first step towards keeping healthy. “Choose the right food, sleep earlier and do exercise. It’s always an interaction between exercise, nutrition and having a healthy lifestyle,” Dr. Inciong counsels.

Kitchen Cures

2011-08-09T16:37:00.001-07:00

By abante.com - Nature has provided us with a lot of things we can use to cure our ailments. No need to go to the drugstore for simple problems- just look in the kitchen!

Banana- Aside from being a healthy snack, banana skin can be used against insect bites. Rub the inside of the banana peel against the insect bite until the itching stops.

Turmeric- Aside from being a healthy spice to add to your food, turmeric can be used against acne.

Add a little water to the turmeric powder until it becomes a paste- apply as a mask on your acne.

Wash hands properly after handling turmeric- it might stain your hands or clothing.

Ginger- Ginger is anti nausea. Pregnant women can take ginger candies to prevent morning sickness. If you have sore throat, drink salabat and add honey. A yummy hot drink to soothe your throat.

Chamomile tea- After you drink your chamomile tea, put in a cup and put in the ref. These cold tea bags can be used to soothe tired eyes or to make your eyebags subside.

Baking soda- this simple powder can be used as a household odor absorber. Put a cup of baking soda inside the ref to remove odors. Sprinkle some baking soda in your shoes, socks to absord bad odors.

When doing laundry, to remove bad smells from clothing, add a bit of baking soda in the water while doing laundry.

Garlic is effective for tooth infection because garlic is anti bacterial, anti fungal. In fact, it is also a good supplement against cholesterol. Garlic capsules are available in health food/ Chinese herbal stores.

Cayenne pepper or siling labuyo- Good for digestion, good for the colon.

Olive oil- if you run out of conditioner or moisturizer, a drop of olive oil in your hair or skin will make it smooth again. In fact, there are a lot of new soaps promoting olive oil as their main ingredients.

Honey- it’s good for small wounds because it’s anti septic. Honey is also recommended for coughs. If you don’t have a cough syrup, use honey instead.

Top Ten best hangover foods

2011-08-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

10 Best Hangover Foods

Top 10 hangover foods: Overdone it on the booze? The good news is help is at hand! While you may be tempted to reach for the junk food to make yourself feel better, loading your overworked liver with more toxins is actually the last thing it needs. Instead, try snacking on one of these alternative foods to aid your recovery and start feeling better in no time at all.

10) Coconut water
Many hangover sufferers swear by sports drinks as a way to hydrate the body and help rebalance electrolytes. However, the main problem with sports drinks is they are generally carbonated, which can irritate the stomach. For a natural alternative to sports drinks, try sipping on some coconut water, which contains essential electrolytes (including calcium, potassium and magnesium) to boost hydration, and is also soothing for the stomach.

9) Sardines
If you're craving something savoury, sardines on toast could be the perfect morning-after breakfast. A major cause of hangovers is an imbalance of electrolytes, and sardines are rich in many of these vital minerals, including sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. In addition to this, sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for protecting the liver as well as lifting the mood.

8) Fruit juice
If you're feeling a bit queasy at the thought of food, then this is the cure for you. While it's great to line your stomach with food if you can, to replace lost vitamins, raise blood sugar levels and rehydrate your body, you can't do much better than a glass of fresh juice. Not only is juice good for immediate relief, the fructose will also help speed up the removal of alcohol from your blood.

7) Oats
Due to the diuretic effects of alcohol, the body loses many essential minerals and vitamins during a heavy drinking session. Luckily, oats can provide you with many of these nutrients, including B vitamins (good for the liver and mood) and essential minerals magnesium, calcium and iron. On top of this, oats can help neutralise acidity levels in the body, cleanse the liver, absorb toxins and slowly raise blood sugar levels, making a bowl of porridge the perfect hangover breakfast.

6) Soup
One of the most important steps for beating a hangover is getting your body rehydrated, and this can be done through what you eat as much as what you drink. To up your fluids and sodium levels and get a shot of nutrients all at once, try some health-boosting vegetable or miso soup. As an added benefit, soup is easy on the stomach so good if you're feeling a bit queasy.

5) Bananas
Bananas are packed with potassium and magnesium, two of the minerals often depleted in our bodies when alcohol is consumed. A lack of potassium in the body can lead to nausea, weakness and tiredness, so stocking up on bananas can help reduce these classic hangover symptoms. As an added bonus, bananas are natural antacids so great for reducing stomach acid, and are good for providing a boost of energy if you have a busy day ahead.

4) Eggs
Scrambled, fried or boiled, eggs are a popular hangover breakfast, and the good news is they are a great choice for beating the nastiest of hangovers. Firstly, eggs are extremely rich in protein, which helps raise mood-boosting serotonin levels as well as helping to reduce nausea. Furthermore, eggs are rich in an amino acid called cystine, which helps fight against the alcohol-induced toxins that contribute to your hangover.

3) Ginger
If too much alcohol has you feeling queasy, ginger is the perfect food to help settle your stomach and relieve nausea. While you may not feel much like chewing on the food in its original form, you could try adding some grated ginger to hot water for a ginger tea, blending into a fresh fruit or vegetable juice, or snacking on ginger biscuits for a stomach-soothing treat.

2) Watermelon
Not only does alcohol deplete your body of nutrients, it can also lead to low blood sugar levels, which may leave you feeling weak and shaky. To counteract this, try snacking on watermelon, which is not only high in fructose but is also water-rich to boost hydration. On top of this, watermelon is high in many essential nutrients, including vitamin C, B-vitamins and magnesium.

1) Marmite
One reason many of us feel so bad the morning after a drinking session is because alcohol depletes your system of essential nutrients, including B vitamins. A lack of B vitamins can cause anxiety and depression, so try munching on Marmite - a rich source of the vitamin B complex - to lift your mood. As an added benefit, Marmite has a high sodium content which can help replace the salts lost through drinking alcohol. Try the savoury spread on toast for an added fix of carbs.

Veggies with the Least Nutritional Value

2011-08-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

After all, every veggie has at least some nutritional value -- and we all need to include more vegetables in our diets, not less!

Vegetables you might as well skip
Celery: Sure, you can nosh on 8 inches of celery for only 6 calories, but are you really getting any nutrients in return? The answer: Yes, but you'd have to go beyond an 8-inch stalk, which provides a mere 1.6 percent of our daily requirement for calcium and 2 percent of our daily requirement for vitamin C. It does, however, boast a decent amount of fiber and vitamin K.
A better alternative: Carrots, which are loaded with eye-protecting beta carotene.

Cucumbers: The cucumber is another low-calorie veggie. One cup of sliced cucumber weighs in at only 16 calories. But it's slim on nutrients, too. In fact, cucumbers contain 5 percent or less of our daily requirement for potassium, manganese, magnesium and vitamin C. A better alternative: Purslane, a peppery herb that's high in heart-healthy alpha linolenic acid (a type of omega-3). It's also higher in beta carotene than spinach. Toss it in salads, fold it into omelets or use it as a crunchy green on sandwiches.

Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in the U.S., along with potatoes (as French fries) and tomatoes, but that doesn't mean it's the healthiest option. While iceberg is low in calories and offers some vitamins and fiber, other dark leafy greens contain much more vitamin A and C. A better alternative: Romaine lettuce, which offers much more beta carotene than iceberg.

WHO Warns Leprosy Spreading in India

2011-08-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

By AMMU KANNAMPILLY MB.COM.PH - NEW DELHI (AFP) -- Six years after leprosy was declared officially eliminated in India, officials and doctors are warning that the disfiguring disease is spreading in poverty-stricken pockets of the country.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in India, Nata Menabde, told AFP in an interview that nearly a third of India's districts needed urgent attention to address the spread of new infections.

"There are about 209 out of 640 districts where the number of new cases exceeds the WHO target of less than 10 new cases per 100,000," she said.

"India is the biggest contributor to the global burden with 120,000 new cases per year," she added.

Leprosy, an ancient disease which causes lesions on the skin and attacks nerves in the hands and feet, resulting in disability, was declared officially eliminated in India in 2005 according to WHO guidelines on prevalence rates.

The WHO allows governments to declare that leprosy is no longer a public health risk if the prevalence rate falls below one case per 10,000 people.

Ten percent of the new cases occurring in India involve children, the WHO's Menabde said.

"The high incidence among children shows that the transmission rate is very high," she said, calling it an early warning for the government.

"It suggests that progress against leprosy can also reverse and it can grow and India can also lose its position as having eliminated the disease," she said.

Vivek Pai, director of the non-profit Bombay Leprosy Project, said a sense of complacency had crept into the government's policy towards leprosy after 2005.

"They changed tracks too soon, took their focus off and now we are seeing a rise in cases in certain pockets," he said, citing the case of Maharashtra, India's richest state and home to the national financial hub of Mumbai.

"Just a couple of months back, the central leprosy division found that the number of new cases in Maharashtra has gone up from 9-10 per 100,000 in 2006-07 to 13 per 100,000 now. It's very worrying," he told AFP.

He said a decline in funding from state and private donors hurt efforts to fight the disease.

"Agencies which used to support us don't think it's important anymore. It's a huge problem. We don't turn away patients but we are forced to delay treatment because of funding constraints," he said.

Pai said that leprosy's most common victims come from a low socio-economic background and fear that they will be stigmatised by their community if news of their illness becomes public.

"Many people who come to us with new infections live in congested localities like Dharavi, a huge slum in Mumbai. Sanitation, overcrowding, poverty, all contribute to the environment that allows leprosy to flourish," he said.

"Then there's the stigma surrounding the disease, which is one of the reasons people hesitate to come forward and report if they have symptoms."

Yohei Sasakawa, the WHO goodwill ambassador for leprosy elimination since 2001, said India needed to do more to address the discrimination suffered by leprosy patients.

"What we must do now is raise awareness that it is a medical and a social challenge. There are many invisible customs we must fight against," he told AFP.

"The numerical target achieved in 2005 was a great success for India, but it is just a mid-term goal. We have not won the battle yet," he said.

Making Motherhood Better than Best

2011-08-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

By AMYLINE QUIEN CHING MB.COM.PH - Admit it. Although motherhood is indeed the best job in the world, sometimes it can also be the worst, especially for moms who have to hold a nine-to-five job and still take care of the family. And it does not help too that kids right now seem more advanced and their needs vastly different from what they have grown to know.

Celebrity mom Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo knows this first-hand, having to balance her showbiz commitments with taking care of her five-year-old son Jacobo and two-year-old daughter Ayisha. She is also involved in socio-civic organizations and is in fact a board member of Bantay Bata. She, however, believes that moms can make “the best job in the world” better and not worse by playing it smart.

One of her many mommy tricks is to know how to prioritize. “It is important that you know what comes first and, for me, that’s my family and their wellbeing.” Dawn, for instance, takes time to bring her children to their paediatrician. “I ask whatever I can when I visit my pedia and when I forget something, I just call her or text her. I also read up a lot when I have time especially on parenting and health.”

Organization and time management is another key, not only because of her but also because of the kids. “Kids now have harder lessons in school. Jacobo, for instance, is just in prep but he [already] has assignments EVERY DAY and he has basic math, science and spelling! It’s no longer just the usual reading, writing and drawing. He is even required to learn Mandarin in his school!” Dawn exclaims in disbelief. Parents are required to sign all assignments so Dawn has to check on them after work.

Moms need to have a clear-cut schedule on when to do things. Dawn does not only impose this on herself but also on the people who work with her. Her household help, for instance, have a bulletin board in their room with the schedule for the day. That way, she does not need to be there to tell them what to do. It’s already there.

Dawn also makes the most of her time. For instance, during her visits to the pediatrician, she asks about nutrition, health, and medicines and she writes all of them in a medical journal that she keeps for her two children. It was through her pedia that she found out about the Eye-Q Nutrition system and the list of nutrients that Jacobo should have while growing up.

“I read up, did some research on the list of nutrients he gave me and realized that my pedia was right. So, I checked out the brand, he recommended for Jacobo’s age— Gain School Advance— bought it and never looked at any other milk brand since then. You’ll see naman how it affects your kid. Nutrition really plays a key role especially at this time when he is learning so many things. It is not just an activity that he does in school. Every time you tell him something, whether to clean up after he plays or to respect elders, they are learning, absorbing. Without proper nutrition, they will be slow to understand, to react. He understands, for instance. that people have jobs and his job right now is to study hard. So, he treats his studies seriously and does his homework first before he plays.

For more information about the Eye-Q Nutrition, log on to www.abbott.com.ph.

Inappropriate Use of Blood Cell Booster Widespread

2011-08-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

By FREDERIK JOELVING MB.COM.PH - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Costly drugs that boost red blood cells are being routinely misused in cancer patients, raising concerns about side effects and wasted resources, researchers say.

A quarter of the time, they found patients got the so-called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) for no more than a week, which is too short to do much good.

"These are very expensive drugs and there are a fair number of side effects," said Dr. Jason Wright of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, whose findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

According to recent estimates, Medicare spends more than $1 billion dollars annually on ESAs, which include brand-name products such as Amgen's Epogen and Roche's NeoRecormon.

The medications are approved for cancer patients who are getting chemotherapy, and the recommended treatment is between two and 14 weeks.

Outside of that, the benefits are murky and could be outweighed by side effects. Those include blood clots and heart problems, and in some cases the drugs might even fuel tumor growth.

"Over the last five years, we have been seeing many side effects that weren't seen in the early clinical trials," Wright explained, adding that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued their strongest warning about ESAs in 2007.

Many other drugs have turned out to hold nasty surprises, not least when doctors prescribe them outside of their approved indication -- so-called off-label use.

On Wednesday, for instance, one research team found an antipsychotic given to tens of thousands of U.S. veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder has no benefit, but causes weight gain and sleepiness.

Wright's team used data on 21,000 Medicare beneficiaries with common cancers who'd been given an ESA, such as Amgen's Epogen, between 1995 and 2005.

As it turned out, 24 percent of the patients got the drugs for a week or less.

"You're subjecting patients to potential toxicity for very little clinical benefit, so it is wasted resources," Wright told Reuters Health.

What's more, eight percent of the Medicare beneficiaries received the medicine for more than 14 weeks, while 14 percent were getting the drugs when they weren't on chemotherapy.

"What we are concerned about is that physicians don't always realize the correct way to prescribe these drugs," Wright said.

It's hard to know exactly how to explain the results. Doctors might be stopping the medicines early because their patients don't tolerate them well.

But when it comes to off-label and prolonged use, there is another, more worrisome possibility. Indeed, previous research shows doctors prescribe more ESAs when they are working in a fee-for-service system. Wright's team also found private practice doctors were more likely to prescribe the drugs for prolonged periods than others, while they were less likely to use them for less than a week.

"Patients need to be aware of the drug that their doctors are giving them," said Wright.

Dr. Thomas J. George, who was not involved in the study, said the enthusiasm for ESAs has dampened somewhat after the side effects surfaced.

"The really important question now is whether it is still being used routinely, because that would be a real public health concern," said George, a cancer researcher at the University of Florida.

In the meantime, he told Reuters Health, "there needs to be a fairly rigorous educational program that accompanies the use of these medications so doctors know who is going to benefit."

How to stay Young, Trim, and Healthy

2011-08-02T15:36:00.001-07:00

by mb.com.ph - To stay young, trim, and healthy, you should set the appropriate objectives and possess the right attitude. Stay healthy and young by doing healthy diet, keep yourself trim and feeling good with proper physical exercise, and give your system period to recover by getting sufficient rest.

Keeping fit and healthy is certainly a tough task every individual faces. It is one of the fundamentals for staying happy, rich, and even fulfilled. Below are a few techniques to remaining young, trim, and healthy:

Set the right objectives and have the appropriate attitude

The key secret to keeping yourself healthy and young is setting realistic goals and being true to them. You must have dedication and discipline to achieve a fit body. Patience likewise helps, knowing that outcomes may only appear after weeks or months of doing healthy behavior.

Stay healthy and young by doing right diet

Diet has an essential role in making you feel good and keeping your body fit. Here are some healthy drinking and eating behaviors you may consider:

* Drink at least eight glasses of drinking water each day. This doesn’t contain fruit drinks and also other fluids. You should consume pure water to keep the body hydrated and keep your entire body systems in good working condition. Water also makes the skin healthy and glowing with a younger look.

* Do not skip breakfast every day. If you think skipping breakfast will let you lose weight, you are wrong. Research shows that without morning meal, individuals tend to take in more calories throughout the day. Missing breakfast also results in increased bad cholesterol levels and also artery blocking, which can cause heart illnesses and various ailments. It also reduces levels of insulin, that controls sugar in your body.

* Add a piece of meat and more vegatables and fruits for lunch and dinner. A veggie salad with bits of chicken and some essential olive oil or vinaigrette dressing is really healthy for a meal. Stay away from mayo-based dressings since they are full of fats.

* Be careful about your snacks. While you need to be watchful of the food you eat during your 3 full meals, you also need to watch your snack foods. Nutritious snacks in portion-controlled amounts, such as a piece of apple, certain cut up vegetables, or a little muffin, are good for you.

* Take supplements with your physician’s consent to help keep you young, trim, and also healthy. There are various nutritional supplements in several forms, like powdered beverages, capsule health supplements including fish-oil to help burn calories quicker, as well as pills, like GenF20 Plus to keep you young and healthy.

Keep yourself fit and feeling great with right exercise

Together with appropriate diet, physical exercise is important to keep your body healthy and strong. At least thirty minutes of physical exercise six days per week is sufficient to burn calories and keep you healthier. You can visit the gym to exercise or do brisk walking, biking, or jogging. Choose an exercise you want to make your physical exercise more fulfilling yet effective.

Provide your body time to recover by having ample rest

Too much pressure could cause the body systems to operate inappropriately, leading to hastened aging and also diseases. To keep your self young and healthy, you can rest at home or in the office by meditating, relax at the beach or any other scenic and relaxing places, go for a massage therapy, and above all, give yourself enough time to sleep. An average of 6 to 8 hours of sleep enables your body to rest well, restore, and get ready for another day.

It may not be very easy to keep yourself young, trim, and healthy, but with the right attitude, the right habits, and determination, a happier and healthier you is never impossible to achieve.

Migraine Isnt Simply a Headache

2011-08-02T15:09:00.001-07:00

By EDUARDO GONZALES, MB.COM - Q:I suffer from migraine about once every several months, usually when I sleep late for several nights in a row. I know when I’m going to have a migraine because I have blurring of vision about 30 minutes before I experience severe right sided headache. What causes migraine? What can be taken to lessen the pain of, or prevent, an attack of migraine? ---Myrna L., Makati City

MANILA, Philippines -- A: The type of migraine you suffer from is called classical migraine, a condition that presents as throbbing or pulsating headache, usually one sided, that is preceded (by 20 to 60 minutes) by an aura that often consists of a visual disturbance like blurring of vision, or perception of flashes of lights, halos, stars, blind spots, etc.

Aside from classical migraine, there are many other types of migraine and in most the headache is not heralded by an aura. There is also such a thing as headache-free migraine, where there is an aura but without a headache. Thus, contrary to common perception, migraine is not simply a headache because there may in fact be none. Rather, it is a poorly understood condition that is characterized by a series of changes among the cells of, followed by complex changes in blood flow to, certain areas of the brain. The blood flow changes include initial narrowing followed by widening of certain blood vessels of the brain. The widening of the blood vessels is believed to activate nearby pain receptors and give rise to headache.

Migraine headache varies in location, character, intensity and duration from person to person and from one migraine attack to another in the same person. Typically, though, an attack usually starts as pain on one side of the head that is aggravated by physical activity, coughing, straining, sounds, odors and light. An assortment of other signs and symptoms often accompany migraine headache including loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, numbness, tingling, weakness, dislike for sound, light and certain smells, temporary paralysis of a limb, ringing of the ear, speech difficulty, temporary blindness, confusion and disorientation.

The course of a migraine attack also varies, but usually, over a period of one to two hours, the pain spreads and increases in intensity before gradually and spontaneously subsiding usually within a few hours. Occasionally, however, the headache persists up to 24 hours or even days.

A migraine attack is triggered by one or a combination of a variety of conditions: emotional or physical stress; lack or excess sleep; hunger; intake of certain foods (e.g., MSG, chocolate, cheese), alcoholic beverages or medications; certain smells (perfume, for example); exposure to intense light or glare; changes in weather, altitude or time zone; and, in women, the drop in the blood level of the female hormone estrogen that occurs before menstruation.

There is no cure for migraine but attacks can be relieved and prevented.

In migraines with aura, ergotamine when taken at the start of the aura prevents or at least alleviates the headache. Unfortunately, ergotamine preparations have been withdrawn from the Philippine market. Mild migraine, on the other hand, is usually relieved by over the counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Severe attacks, however, may require prescription medications such as sumatriptan. Incidentally, a modality that many find effective is acupuncture.

Other measures that often help ease the symptoms of migraine include resting in bed in a dark and quiet room and applying cold compress over the affected area.

The best way to prevent migraine is by avoiding its trigger and most people with the condition know what their trigger is. A variety of prescription drugs to prevent migraine are also available, but these drugs are recommended only for people with frequent attacks (three or more a month) and should only be taken with doctor’s supervision.

6 Head Pains You Should Never Ignore

2011-08-02T14:46:00.001-07:00

By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men's Health - Remember in the good old days, when doctors made house calls? Yeah, I don’t either. But it sounds awesome: No waiting rooms. No cranky receptionists. No parade of nurses, residents, and other strangers poking you. Just you and your doctor, in the privacy of your own home.

We have the next best thing here at Men’s Health: dozens of the nation’s top doctors on speed dial. Cardiologists, neurologists, dermatologists, dentists . . . you name it. They don’t make house calls, but they will talk to us from the privacy of our own phone.

One of our most prolific top docs is T.E. Holt, M.D., a physician at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. We editors write from the patient’s perpective, but Dr. Holt writes from the doctor’s perspective. And he’s always insightful, whether he’s revealing keywords you can say to get a doctor’s attention or explaining how to spot a physician who doesn’t know what he’s doing.

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Recently, Dr. Holt wrote about one of the most common ailments in the world: the headache. If you're like most people, you've probably heard of the three major types of headaches:

1. Tension headache: This is your garden-variety headache, with diffuse pain wrapping across the top of your head. These headaches often result from stress or lack of sleep. They're not usually disabling, typically fade overnight, and can be easily relieved with ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin.

2. Migraine headache: Migraines tend to hit one side of the head, and can last from several hours to several days. They’re usually marked by a sensitivity to sound and light. When a migraine strikes, you can manage it with Advil Migraine or Motrin Migraine Pain (both ibuprofen medications) or Excedrin Migraine (a combination of aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine).

3. Cluster headache: This one is an excruciating attack that explodes behind one eye, reaches a crescendo after about an hour, and then vanishes—only to return in a day or so. This goes on for a few weeks, and then stops for months. Numerous drugs target clusters, including some of the migraine meds.

The good news about these headaches, says Dr. Holt, is that they're all completely harmless. But not every aching head is a simple headache. Here are six that could be a sign of something serious—and potentially deadly. Watch out for . . .

The Thunderclap Headache
If head pain hits you like a bolt out of nowhere, intensifying in a few minutes into the worst headache you've ever had, call 911. The list of causes for this kind of headache isn't long (aneurysm, stroke, meningitis) but almost everything on it can be very quickly fatal, says Dr. Holt.

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The Exercise Headache
If your headache comes on quickly and furiously with violent physical exertion, see a doctor right away. Chances are, the cause is benign, says Dr. Holt. But it also could be a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The Headache that Spreads to Your Neck
Benign headaches stay in your head, says Dr. Holt. Headaches that don't can be meningitis or a hemorrhage. So yes, call 911, especially if you have a fever, are just getting over a bacterial infection, have a rash, or can't think clearly.

The Headache that Won't End
A headache that comes and goes for days—with a low-grade fever, visual disturbances, and aching in one or both of your temples—often signals an inflammation of the arteries that can leave you blind if not treated. See your doctor right away, says Dr. Holt.

The Contagious Headache
Your family is all home on a cold, rainy Saturday. As the day goes on you develop a headache that grows steadily worse. If anyone else has the same headache, move everyone outdoors immediately. There's a malfunction in your heating system and it's spewing carbon monoxide. Once you're out of the house, call the fire department. Your headache should clear up in a few hours.

The Headache that Wakes You Up
You should also be concerned if your headache has been worsening for weeks, says Dr. Holt, or if it’s present every morning when you wake up. This is the classic pattern for a slowly expanding mass. It may not warrant a 911 call, but you should see your doctor and schedule an MRI right away.

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Women Who Eat Lots of Fiber have Less Breast Cancer

2011-07-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

A fresh look at the medical evidence shows women who eat more fiber are less likely to get breast cancer.

Chinese researchers found those who ate the most of the healthy plant components were 11 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who ate the least.

Their findings don’t prove fiber itself lowers cancer risk, however, because women who consume a lot of it might be healthier overall than those who don’t.

The results “can identify associations but cannot tell us what will happen if people change their behavior,” said John Pierce, a cancer research at the University of California, San Diego,

who was not involved in the work.
While earlier research has yielded mixed conclusions on the link between cancer and fiber, it would make scientific sense: According to the Chinese researchers, people who eat high-fiber diets have lower levels of estrogen, which is a risk factor for breast tumors.

So to get more clarity, the researchers combined 10 earlier studies that looked at women’s diets and followed them over seven to 18 years to see who developed cancer.

Of more than 710,000 women, 2.4 percent ended up with breast cancer. And those in the top fifth of fiber intake were 11 percent less likely to do so than women in the bottom fifth.

That was after accounting for differences in risk factors like alcohol drinking, weight, hormone replacement therapy and family members with the disease.

Still, it’s impossible to rule out that big fiber eaters had healthier habits overall that would cut their risk, Jia-Yi Dong of Soochow University in Suzhou and his colleagues write in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

And the potential effect was “very small,” Dr. Eleni Linos of Stanford University, who wasn’t involved in the research, told Reuters Health in an email.

About one in eight American women get breast cancer at some point, with less than a quarter of them dying from it.

Although the connection between breast cancer risk and fiber is a small one, fiber is “something that we know is healthy for you anyway,” said Christina Clarke, a research scientist at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California in Fremont.

Known benefits of a high-fiber diet include lower cholesterol and weight loss. If it turns out to cut cancer risk as well, that would be an extra bonus, Clarke said.

Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are all high in fiber.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines, most Americans don’t get enough fiber. The guidelines recommend that women eat 25 grams of fiber per day and men eat 38 grams, while the average Americans gets just 15 grams a day.

“Increasing dietary fiber intake in the general public is of great public health significance,” the Chinese team concludes.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Screening has Little Impact on Breast Cancer Deaths: Study

2011-07-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Falling breast cancer death rates have little to do with breast screening but are down to better treatment and health systems, scientists said on Friday, in a study likely to fuel a long-running row over the merits of mammograms.

Researchers analyzed data from three pairs of countries in Europe and found that although breast cancer screening programs had been introduced 10 to 15 years earlier in some areas than in others, declines in death rates were similar.

The findings suggest that “improvements in treatment and in the efficiency of healthcare systems may be more plausible explanations” for falling deaths rates from breast cancer, they wrote in a study in the British Medical Journal.

World Health Organization (WHO) data show that deaths from breast cancer are decreasing in the United States, Australia, and most Nordic and western European countries but breast screening is a hot topic among experts who disagree about whether nationwide mammogram programs do more harm than good.

The fear among some is that over-diagnosis when screening picks up tumors that would never have presented a problem may mean many women are undergoing unnecessary radical treatment, suffering the physical and psychological impact of a breast cancer diagnosis that would otherwise not have come up.

But sweeping changes in U.S. guidelines two years ago that scaled back recommendations on breast screening caused an uproar among patient and doctors groups who said they put women at risk.

That was swiftly followed by two conflicting European studies which further fueled the row.
The first, by Danish scientists, found that breast cancer screening programs of the type run by health services in Europe, the United States and other rich nations do nothing to reduce death rates from the disease, while the second, by a British team, found “substantial and significant reduction in breast cancer deaths” due to screening.

Then last month, researchers who conducted the longest ever breast cancer screening said it showed that regular mammograms prevent deaths from breast cancer, and that the number of lives saved increases over time.

Every year, breast cancer kills around 500,000 people globally and is diagnosed in close to 1.3 million people.

For this study, researchers from Britain, France and Norway used WHO data to compare trends in breast cancer death rates within three pairs of countries Northern Ireland versus Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands versus Belgium and Flanders, and Sweden versus Norway.

Each pair had similar healthcare services and similar levels of risk factors for breast cancer mortality, but were different in that mammography screening was implemented about 10 to 15 years later in the second country of each pair.

The team, lead by Philippe Autier of the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France, said they expected that reductions in breast cancer death rates would show up earlier in countries where screening was introduced sooner, but their analysis in fact showed little difference.

The findings showed that from 1989 to 2006, deaths from breast cancer fell by 29 percent in Northern Ireland and 26 Percent in the Republic of Ireland; by 25 percent in the Netherlands, 20 percent in Belgium and 25 percent in Flanders; and by 16 percent in Sweden and 24 percent in Norway.

“Trends in breast cancer mortality rates varied little between countries where women had been screened by mammography for a considerable time compared with those where women were largely unscreened,” Autier’s team wrote.

“This is in sharp contrast with the temporal difference of 10 to 15 years in implementation of mammography screening and suggests that screening has not played a direct part in the reductions of breast cancer mortality.”

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Foods Rich in Omega 3 and 6 Help Relieve Dysmenorrhea

2011-07-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Women who experience dysmenorrhea should eat nuts or foods rich in omega 3 and omega 6 at least two or three weeks before her menstrual visits, according to medical expert.

Dr. Rey Salinel Jr., Infectious Disease Specialist and Family Medicine Practitioner, said eating nuts, seeds or essential fatty acid rich in omega 6 which has an anti-inflammatory effect, relieving pain discomfort caused by dysmenorrhea.

Accordingly, various nuts and seeds, almonds and walnuts, butter, margarine, beans, whole-grains, cereals, baked goods and wheat germ are rich in omega-6.

Fish is the best food source of all for omega 3 fatty acids.

He also suggested eating chocolates, which has a mood circulating effect, to divert the attention from one’s menstrual pain.

“Alternate hot or cold compress, or putting of liniment oil may also be done as basic remedy for pain,” Dr. Salinel added.

Dr. Susan Nagtalon, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, who accompanied Salinel Thursday in Bistro Marinero, Intramuros, Manila, who talked about pain management and women related health concerns, suggested exercise as one way of addressing mild menstrual pain.

However, if pain persists, one can take pain reliever drugs, such as Cortal SQR, or anti-inflammatory drugs.

“Women experience specific types of bodily pain associated with dysmenorrhea and PMS (premenstrual syndrome), cystitis, urinary tract stones, musculoskeletal pain and post-delivery pains, can take in anti-inflammatory drugs,” Nagtalon said.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Keep Running Injuries at Bay

2011-07-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

While running is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise, it’s also important for runners to take good care of their bodies and keep it injury-free. This July, Runner’s World Philippines identifies the most common running injuries and features ways to avoid and recover from them.

The feature entitled “The Big 7 Body Breakdowns” also pinpoints who are at risk of sustaining these common running injuries, determines whether or not you can run through these injuries, and reveals how you can prevent a relapse.

Staying injury-free also means taking your rest days seriously. Running coach Miguel Lopez tells Runner’s World: “Recovery days help athletes adapt to the new stresses their bodies are experiencing during their hard days.” Runner’s World gives a rundown of the types of recovery days and helps you determine which one will work best for you.

Runner’s World also gives you ways to avoid and recover from the flu, and answers the simple questions every runner may be too embarrassed to ask.

“We’re glad to have our panel of local running experts and enthusiasts, as well as Runner’s World international’s team of scientists who answered all our running queries based on technical backing and sound experience,” says editor-in-chief Marie Calica.

The July-September issue of Runner’s World magazine with ultra-triathlete Monica Torres on the cover is available in newsstands, bookstores, and supermarkets nationwide.

(source: Phil Star)

Diabetes Awareness

2011-07-29T01:53:00.000-07:00

Diabetes is a disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. It is the leading cause of blindness, and visual disability in adults in developed countries. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. Treatment involves medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms.

In Asia, diabetes is considered as one of the top 10 causes of death. In the Philippines, the incidence of diabetes is on the rise, claiming at least 5,000 lives each year. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the country. The government reports that the diabetes mortality rate has increased by 92 percent over a 10-year period. Many Filipinos who are afflicted with diabetes do not know they have it already. In many urban areas, a proportion of the population is reportedly leading unhealthy lifestyle without exercise.

The World Health Organization reports that diabetics are twice more prone to heart attack and cardiovascular diseases, and that heart disease accounts for 75 percent of deaths among people with diabetes in industrialized countries. It is said that by 2025, most people with diabetes will be in aged 65 years or more, while in developing countries most will be in aged 45 to 65 years range.

Regular exercise is important for people with diabetes. It helps to control blood sugar, weight gain, and high blood pressure. People with diabetes who exercise are less likely to experience a heart attack or stroke than those who do not exercise regularly.

New research and improved treatment are constantly being developed. With blood glucose and blood pressure control, healthy diet, and physical activity, many of the complications can be prevented. Studies show that self-discipline and control of risk factors in persons with diabetes help reduce kidney, eye and nervous system diseases, heart attack and stroke.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Everything You Need to Know About Cervical Cancer

2011-07-29T01:50:00.000-07:00

Twelve Filipinas die due of cervical cancer every day. Yet it is a wholly preventable disease, and women’s health care professionals are helping to fight cervical cancer by campaigning to inform women about it.

“One of our local studies showed that up to 84 percent of women surveyed did not know the important facts about cervical cancer what causes it, and how it can be prevented,” says Dr Maria Julieta Germar, a gynecologic oncologist of the UP PGH.

There are a lot of common misconceptions out there, Dr Germar adds. “Having the correct information is the first step in the fight. Once a woman knows what causes it and how to prevent it, she can then take steps to arm herself against this disease.

Here are the truths about some of the most common myths about cervical cancer. This information can potentially save your life — or that of the woman you love:

• Myth: Cervical cancer is uncommon.

Fact: On the contrary, the Department of Health (DoH) says that cervical cancer is the second most common killer cancer among Filipino women. The DoH estimates that every year, there are about 7,277 new cases of cervical cancer, and that there will be 3,807 deaths because of it.

• Myth: Cervical cancer is not caused by a virus.

Fact: Most people don’t associate cancer with a virus, but the human papillomavirus (HPV), which lives in the skin or mucous membranes, can cause changes in the cervix which in turn can lead to cervical cancer. In fact, HPV is the main cause for cervical cancer in 99.7 percent of all cases. There are about 120 types of the virus; of these types, 15 are considered high-risk or cancer-causing as they can cause cervical cancer.

• Myth: HPV is transmitted only through sexual intercourse.

Fact: HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus, affecting both men and women. It can be transmitted through any kind of sexual activity that involves skin-to-skin contact as HPV infects the skin, particularly around or near the genital areas (such as the thighs and buttocks). Thus, sexual intercourse isn’t necessary for transmission. Furthermore, using a condom won’t prevent an HPV infection, since the virus can be transmitted through contact with parts of the skin that aren’t covered by a condom.

• Myth: Only sexually promiscuous people are at risk of HPV infection.

Fact: HPV is such a common virus that women will be infected with HPV at one point in their lives. Eight out of 10 women will have HPV infection in their lifetime regardless of age, economic status or lifestyle.

• Myth: Cervical cancer cannot be prevented.

Fact: Cervical cancer is highly preventable because there is a long period before cell abnormalities turn into cancer. It is therefore important to have regular pap smears so that early changes in the cervix can be detected and treated..

Fortunately, there is also a way to prevent HPV infection before it starts, that is, by being immunized with HPV vaccines. The HPV vaccine provides significant protection for women against the two most common cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) types (16 and 18), and also against 12 other cancer-causing HPV types which include HPV strain 45, which causes a more aggressive form of cervical cancer among Filipinas. Designed to last for both young and mature women, females from 10 years old onwards can be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.

(source: Phil Star)

Buteyko Treats More Than Asthma

2011-07-29T01:45:00.000-07:00

Talks about passive smoking, air pollution, and other triggers of asthma and allergy attacks or serious respiratory conditions often lead to the question: Is there a lasting, effective, and inexpensive way of treating these diseases?

Filipinos today are discovering a natural treatment when synthetic medicines just can’t cut it anymore Buteyko breathing reconditioning program.

Introduced in the country by Jac Vidgen, an Australian senior practitioner with 17 years of experience in teaching the method, Buteyko has helped many Filipinos for the past 14 years find immediate relief from asthma, allergies (rhinitis and excess mucous), sleep apnea, anxiety disorders, hay fever, coughing, and stress.

The method has also been effective in managing serious cases of emphysema and COPD, migraine, hypertension, chronic bronchitis, digestive disorders, and immune or hormone function. Filipinos have also benefited from the method in controlling weight, treating skin disorders or enhancing sports performance.

“People should realize that even while taking on a healthier lifestyle is reasonably good, they first need to know that breathing properly remains the key in alleviating and even stopping these diseases from developing,” Vidgen explains.

Buteyko breathing techniques help balance the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body. When people overbreathe or hyperventilate, they excessively lose carbon dioxide, which then causes reduced supply of oxygen from blood to cells, plus vessel constriction and disturbance to pH and metabolism, that leads to asthma and even diabetes or cancer if they are genetically predisposed to these illnesses.

Vidgen will conduct free introductory lectures on the Buteyko method on Tuesday, August 2, 7-9 p.m. and Saturday, August 6, 3-5p.m. at Living Life Well, 5th level, Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

He will also speak on Wednesday, August 3, 7-9 p.m. at PhilDHRRA Partnership Center, 59 C. Salvador St. (left off B. Gonzales, Katipunan Avenue), Loyola Heights, Quezon City, and Thursday, August 4, 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at In Touch Community Services, 48-A McKinley Road, Forbes Park (2/F Holy Trinity Church compound across from San Antonio Plaza), Makati City.
Vidgen will conduct a series of workshops (open to adults and children over four years old) in the country starting on August 9. He is also available for private consultations and online coaching. Introducing Buteyko in Southeast Asia, Vidgen also regularly teaches the method in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia.

(source: Phil Star)

A Way to Good Oral Health

2011-07-29T01:40:00.000-07:00

What you don’t chew may harm you… when it comes to gum, that is.

Chewing a non dental gum often leads to cavities and tooth decay. However, chewing gum is not bad. It is, in fact, encouraged because of its oral health benefits provided one chews on the right kind of gum.

Chewing gum helps boost mental and physical energy. It increases blood flow to the brain by producing more oxygen, raises glucose levels and the disposal of carbon dioxide, thus fueling both the mind and the body.

Chewing gum helps to manage weight.

Some studies show that adults who chewed gum ate 36 calories less of it than adults who did not chew gum. Interestingly, both regular and sugar-free gum helped the adults eat less.
Similarly, the physical act of chewing gum may also help reduce cravings for high calorie snacks, and can even burn about 11 calories per hour.

Chewing gum improves oral health. It stimulates saliva, a powerful protector against potentially harmful substances and bacteria inside our mouth.

Increased amounts of saliva help flush out sugars, food debris and acids that cause decay. Chewing gum also freshens breath as it helps whiten the teeth by reducing stains and preventing them from accumulating while helping reduce plaque.

That’s why whenever you feel like chewing gum, choose the one that’s recommended by dentists Xylitol Dental Gum.

Unlike other gums, Xylitol is the first dental health gum in the country that contains xylitol, a safe and natural “sugar-free” sweetener found in berries, fruits, vegetables and mushrooms.
Although as sweet as sucrose or table sugar, xylitol has about 40 percent less its calories. More importantly, when compared to table sugar that feeds cavity causing bacteria in the mouth and makes them multiply fast, xylitol reduces the growth of these harmful bacteria, and thus helps to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Xylitol Dental Gum by Lotte Philippines is available in leading supermarkets, drugstores and convenience stores nationwide.

(source: Phil Star)

Benefits From Taking Fish Oil Increasing

2011-07-29T01:23:00.000-07:00

Fish oil, particularly the Omega 3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) found in it, has long been recognized to help lower triglycerides (a type of blood fat), high blood pressure and the risk of heart attack in people with established heart disease. It has also been found to help ease the pain brought about by arthritis and rheumatism.

It seems the benefits that could be obtained from taking fish oil are increasing. Results of the Vitamins And Lifestyle Cohort study reported in the July 2010 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention have shown that postmenopausal women who took fish oil supplements exhibited lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who did not.

While researchers admitted that it would be too early to make any conclusions, they explained that DHA and EPA fatty acid’s role in affecting breast cancer development is biologically plausible, as DHA and EPA fatty acids have been known to have anti-inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation in the body is thought to play a role in the growth and spread of cancer cells.

Interestingly, the body does not produce its own DHA and EPA fatty acids. And since DHA and EPA fatty acids are considered essential nutrients, health authorities recommend that healthy individuals should consume 500 mg to 1,800 mg daily of Omega 3 fish oil that contains both EPA and DHA, and people with known heart disease or heart failure aim for at least 800 mg to 1,000 mg daily.

While there have been reports of other side effects like diarrhea and skin rashes, the US Food and Drug Administration has given fish oil its GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) classification.

Considering that fish oil rich in Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA could only be found in certain species of fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, as well as anchovies, mackerel and sardines, one of the concerns about eating lots of fish or taking fish oil supplement is the possibility that they will consume amounts of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), methyl mercury, dioxins and other toxic contaminants found in the ocean.

While certain plant sources may claim to contain Omega 3 fatty acids, they are supplemented instead with alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), the type of Omega 3 fatty acids derived in flaxseed, canola oil, and walnuts.

Cardiologists believe it does not have the same benefits because the body does a poor job at converting ALA to the much needed EPA and DHA, at least not in quantities that offer any real health benefits.

Remember that fish oil’s benefits are intangible as it cannot be felt or seen. And for one to really enjoy its benefits, one should continuously take them for at least three to six months.
A number of industry testers note that fish oil supplements are generally safe, especially since their manufacturers like the Australian makers of Cenovis fish oil only harvest three species of fish anchovies, mackerel and sardines since they are small in size and short lived and thus have the least chance of having these toxic pollutants in their bodies.

(source: Phil Star)

Hepatitis awareness isinusulong

2011-07-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Kapag taglay mo ang sakit na hepatitis, iba ang nagiging tingin ng taong nasa paligid mo. Nagiging negatibo. Pero hindi dapat sana ganito.

Totoong nakamamatay ang Hepatitis B. At ang kasong ito ay tumataas sa ating bansa kunsaan ang Hepatitis B carrier ay pumatong na sa siyam na porsyento (sa sampung tao, isa ang carrier).

Sa Pilipinas, tinatayang mahigit sa 7.7 milyong tao ay chronically infected ng Hepatitis B. Sa bilang na ito, nasa pagitan ng 1.1 hanggang 1.9 ang pwedeng mamatay dahil sa cirrhosis o liver cancer. Masakit na katotohanan, hindi ba? Pero may hakbang para sa delikadong sakit na ito.

Sa pangunguna ng Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP), dating Council on Liver Diseases sa ilalim ng Philippine Society of Gastroentology (PSG), tinutulak nito nga-yon ang kaalaman kung paano panghahawakan ang sakit na may kinalaman sa atay dito sa bansa. Katuwang ng grupong ito ang health professionals para sa paghahatid ng clinical care para sa lumalaking bilang ng pasyente ng nasabing sakit.

Aalalay ang HSP upang tutukan ng husto kung anong positibong magagawa para labanan ang hepatitis. Kasapi rin nila sa kampanya ang pamahalaan partikular sa kung paano maiiwasan at malulunasan ang sakit sa pamamagitan ng vaccination kontra Hepatitis B sa mga sanggol at mga batang nasa edad walo pababa.

Kasama ring isinusulong ang “Guidelines for Implementation of the Workplace Policy and Program for Hepatitis B” para mawala ang diskriminasyon sa trabaho para sa mga pasyente ng Hepatitis B.

(source: Abante Online)

Iligtas ang Kidney, Kontrolin ang Blood Pressure

2011-07-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

Taon-taon, milyong buhay ang nawawala sa maagang panahon dahil sa kidney failure, heart attack at stroke na may kinalaman sa chronic kidney disease (CKD), isang grupo ng mga ekspertong Pinoy ang mahigpit na nagpayo sa pagkontrol ng high blood pressure (hypertension), na isa lamang sa mga sintomas at mga dahilan ng CKD.

Sa mahigit 10 milyong Pinoy na may hypertension, 16 porsyento ang hindi pansin na mayroon silang ganitong kondisyon at 20 porsyento lamang ang kayang kontrolin ang kanilang high blood pressure. “We must inform the general public that better blood pressure control slows the progression of CKD, and makes it less likely that a patient will require dialysis or suffer a heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases,” ayon kay cardiologist Dr. Rody Sy, Professor sa UP-College of Medicine (UPCM) at dating presidente ng Philippine Heart Association.

“Abnormalities in kidney function often serve as early warning sign of potentially more serious health problems, provi-ding both doctor and patient with an excellent window of opportunity to address such problems before they worsen. If detected early, kidney disease can be treated thereby reducing other complications,” giit ni kidney at hypertension specialist Dr. Agnes Mejia, Chair ng Department of Medicine, UP-Phil. General Hospital at Professor sa UPCM.

Ipinayo pa sa publiko nina Sy at Mejia na regular na i-monitor ang blood pressure at sumailalim sa urine at blood tests upang masuri ang early signs ng CKD.

Sa maraming bansa kasama ang Pilipinas, naitala na ang uncontrolled hypertension ay 85 porsyento o mataas pa, na nangangailangan ng epek-tibong gamot. Naniniwala ang mga eksperto na ang pagkontrol dito ay sa paraan din ng gamot upang makontrol ang key component ng blood pressure-regulating process, ang renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS)

(source: Abante Online)

Monitor at Kontrol sa Diabetes

2011-07-20T04:44:00.000-07:00

Kapag diabetic ka, bawal sa iyo ang kanin. Bawal din ang matatamis. Ilan lamang ito sa maling paniniwala kaugnay sa sakit na diabetes. Kahit pa diabetic ka, okay lang ang kanin. Okay lang din ang matatamis.

Pwede ang mga iyan kung alalay ka lamang dito. Katamtaman lang dapat ang dami ng kanin at tamis ang makokonsumo ng iyong katawan.

Binigyang paliwanag ang bagay na ito sa ginanap na forum kamakailan hinggil sa sakit na diabetes sa pagtutulungan sa pangunguna ni Dr. Tommy Ty-Willing ng Diabetes Philippines, Dr. Asuncion Maderazo-Anden ng National Health Promotion-Department of Health, Dr. Naoko Tajima ng Japan at iba pang mga doktor.

Ang diabetes ay isang pangmatagalang sakit na tumataas kapag ang pancreas o lapay ay hindi nakakapag prodyus ng sapat na insulin, o kung ang katawan ay hindi epektibong nakakagamit ng insulin na naipoprodyus.

Ang insulin ay isang hormone na ginagawa ng lapay na nagpapaubra sa cells upang makuha ang glucose mula sa dugo at ginagamit ito bilang enerhiya. Ang hindi pagprodyus ng insulin o maling galaw ng insulin ay hahantong sa pagtaas ng glucose levels sa dugo (hyperglycaemia). Ito’y may kaugnayan sa pangmatagalang pagsira ng katawan at pagkahina ng iba’t ibang organs at tissues.

Ang mga senyales ng pagkakaroon ng diabetes ay madalas na pag-ihi, sobrang uhaw, sobrang gutom, pagkabawas ng timbang, madaling mapagod, kawalang ng interes at konsentrasyon, pagsusuka at pananakit ng sikmura, pamamanhid ng kamay at paa, panlalabo ng paningin, madalas na impeksyon at matagalang paggaling ng sugat.

Tandaan na kapag may diabetes naroon ang komplikasyon tulad ng cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve diasease at eye disease.

Payo ng mga doktor, hindi dapat balewalain ang sakit na ito. Mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang paninigarilyo at bawasan ang pag-inom ng alkohol.

Ipinayo rin na mag ehersisyo, at magpakonsulta sa doktor.

(source: Abante Online)

Eat your Tomatoes!

2011-07-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

Read an article from Dr. Leo Galland about all the wonderful benefits of tomatoes- read on!

What’s in a tomato?
Tomatoes are excellent sources of potassium and several vitamins: folic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E

But did you know that eating tomatoes could possibly help to burn fat? Bioflavonoids, which are concentrated in the tomato skin, may counteract inflammation and allergic reactions.

Tomatoes are good in fighting inflammation. Inflammation is what makes us sick, gain weight, get old, and get diseases. Tomatoes are one of my favorite inflammation-fighting foods. When you reduce inflammation, you can possibly make your weight loss hormones, such as leptin, work properly, allowing you to lose weight.

Leptin plays an important role in appetite control, metabolism and weight loss. It is your body’s natural weight control mechanism.

Tomatoes also contain important anti-inflammatory nutrients called carotenoids and bioflavonoids.

Key tomato carotenoids are:

beta-carotene, an orange pigment also found in carrots and sweet potatoes, an important antioxidant that can help to protect against damage from sunlight. Your body also converts beta-carotene into vitamin A.

lycopene, a red pigment, with demonstrated anti-cancer effects. In Western countries, 85 percent of dietary lycopene can be attributed to the consumption of tomato-based products. phytoene and phytofluene, the newest anti-cancer compounds in tomatoes.

Studies indicate that tomato consumption is associated with a potentially reduced risk of:
ovarian cancer, especially in premenopausal women, digestive tract cancers (mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum),cardiovascular disease, asthma and chronic lung disease.
Tomatoes And Prostate Cancer

American men who eat at least four servings of tomato products per week have, according to some research, a 40 percent reduction in the risk of prostate cancer.

Studies of men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer found that increasing consumption of tomato products was associated with a marked decrease in cancer progression. In one study, when men with prostate cancer ate three-quarters of a cup of tomato sauce a day, cooked in various dishes, evidence of cancer regression could be detected in only three weeks for the men in the study. One theory as to the benefit for prostate cancer is due to lycopene.

Health Benefits of Tomatoes Boosted by Cooking

The absorption of carotenoids and flavonoids from tomatoes is greater from cooked tomatoes than fresh tomatoes, since cooking breaks down the tomato cell matrix and makes the carotenoids more available.

(source: Abante Online)

Coffee May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

2011-07-18T00:35:00.000-07:00

Coffee can give you a jolt of caffeine, but a new study published May 11 suggests that heavy daily consumption may also reduce the risk of developing a certain type of breast cancer.

Study results found that women who drink five or more cups of coffee a day are 57 percent less likely to develop estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer than women who drink less than a cup of coffee a day, said study researcher Jingmei Li, of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, in a statement.

Estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer is just one kind of breast cancer, and its growth is not dictacted by estrogen.

This study supports a German study that found a similar trend, but the “relationship was much weaker” Li said.

However, health news source MyHealthNewsDaily cites conflicting research: A review of studies published last year showed that coffee had a protective effect on endometrial and colorectal cancers, but no benefits for breast, pancreatic, ovarian, or prostate cancers.

In research published earlier this year, scientists discovered that drinking four cups of coffee a day can slash your risk for Type 2 diabetes in half.

“I wouldn’t necessarily tell my patients after reading an article like this to drink more than five cups of coffee a day to lower your risk of a particular type of breast cancer,” said Dr. Michelle Shayne, an oncologist at University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, in an interview with MyHealthNewsDaily.

“It’s just that if you happen to enjoy coffee consumption, you may possibly have an added benefit of protection against one subtype of breast cancer.”

(source: Yahoo News)

Health Risk in Eating Smoked Fish

2011-07-18T00:26:00.000-07:00

ONE of the healthy ways to cook fish is by smoke. However, there are certain risk factors to consider before you include smoked fish in your diet aside from salty indulgence.

Smoked fish can produce certain bacteria and parasites and food poisoning is likely to happen when eaten in large quantities.

* Listeria poisoning. Smoked fish is most often served in palapok or as appetizer. One possible hazard is the production of listeria monocytogenes, a rare but severe disease called listeriosis. This disease more commonly occurs in people with weaker or compromised immune systems.

Eating smoked fish can also be risky for women who are pregnant . Symptoms include nausea and vomiting or blood infection or inflammation of the covering of the brain. Infection during early pregnancy often results in miscarriage.

* Histamine poisoning. Cold smoked fish such as tuna, mackerel, herring and anchovies can produce biogenic amines including histamines. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, hypo-tension, headache, palpitations and rashes.

Histamine poisoning, while unpleasant at any level can be mild to severe, but severe cases only occur when very large doses are consumed.

Some studies suggest that consuming large amounts of smoked meat can increase the risk of certain cancers, specifically colon and stomach cancer.

The reason for these claims is that, after the meat or fish goes through the smoking process, it contains nitrite and nitrate salts, which have been linked to certain cancers and high blood pressure in high doses.

How to reduce the risk of poisoning? Ask the seller where the smoked fish was made, stored and handled. Freezing the raw fish before the smoking process greatly reduces risk factors of contamination by parasites.

Salt brines for salted fish must contain between 3.5 to five percent salt. When fish is cold smoked, it must be prepared in a uniform shape and size to ensure proper smoke absorption throughout the whole fish.

(source: Journal Online)

Massage Better than Meds for Back Pain, Research Finds

2011-07-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

Nagging back pain? New research reports that a weekly one-hour massage could be just the thing. A study shows that a 10-week massage treatment reduced pain more than medications and exercises, and the effects lasted for six months.

The research, published July 5 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, involved about 400 patients aged 20 to 65 with chronic low back pain.

Seattle-based researchers from the Group Health Research Institute examined the benefits of relaxation massage, such as Swedish-style massage, and more structural massage, a technique provided by therapists with advanced training.

The study found that both kinds of massage benefited the subjects.

At the end of the 10-week treatment, nearly 40 percent of patients in the massage groups said their pain was nearly or completely gone, compared to 4 percent in the usual care group, which included treatments such as taking pain medications or muscle relaxants, seeing doctors or physical therapists, or not doing anything.

A prior study from the National Institutes of Health found that massage therapy may have immediate benefits on pain and mood among patients with advanced cancer. The study appeared in a 2008 issue of the same journal.

(source: Yahoo News)

Tips on caring for the umbilical cord

2011-07-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

The birth of a baby is a moment which is very exciting and eagerly awaited by the husband, wife and other family members. Babies who are born healthy in a perfect condition of his limbs and functioning properly is the most expected by the parents. Good parent would try to keep the baby in the womb or after birth.

Caring for a newborn is at once exciting and stressful time, especially for those who have never had children and never caring for the baby. When the baby is born, the baby's condition is still weak so it took a serious concern and care. All members of the baby's body is still vulnerable, but the most vulnerable is the head of the mainly top of his head and umbilical cord.

The umbilical cord is actually part of the placenta when the baby is still in the womb is a channel for the baby to get food. When the baby is born the umbilical cord is cut to leave a few inches of the baby's stomach. Condition of the umbilical cord after the baby is born, of course is still wet but will dry and break up within a few days during the treatment correctly.

Caring for baby's umbilical cord is actually not difficult, but also should not be underestimated. No need to believe the myths that make no sense like saving a baby's umbilical cord is broken and can be used as a medicine if your baby has a fever.

In the health world there are new discoveries, including how to care for the umbilical cord. Formerly the umbilical cord of newborns were given alcohol or betadin. But now it is not advisable to use alcohol or betadin unless infection occurs. There are a few tips on caring for baby's umbilical cord is simple. Baby's umbilical cord should be kept so as not to dirty and wet. After the baby is washed, dried umbilical cord immediately. If babies were given the oil and powder, then do not let the cord.

Wrap the cord with a gauze that is soft and hollow so as not to hurt and dry quickly. Avoid baby's diaper or pants on the umbilical cord because it was feared when the baby urinated, the urine travels through the diapers or pants so that the umbilical cord. This can cause a dangerous infection.

WHO: Nearly 6M will Die this Year Due to Tobacco Epidemic

2011-07-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tobacco use will kill nearly six million people this year. More than five million of them will be users and ex-users of smoked and smokeless tobacco, while more than 600,000 will be nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke.

Based on WHO estimates, tobacco could kill eight million people a year by 2030.
Thus, in an effort to reduce the number of cigarette smokers worldwide, the WHO urged more countries to require large, graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging.

In its 2011 global tobacco epidemic report, the WHO said large, graphic health warnings on cigarette packs are proven to motivate people to stop using tobacco and to reduce the appeal for people who are not yet addicted to it.

Tobacco use is one of the biggest contributors to the noncommunicable diseases epidemic, which includes heart disease, stroke, cancers and emphysema, and accounts for 63 percent of deaths, the WHO reported.

Nineteen countries are now covered by laws requiring graphic warnings on packages of tobacco. Peru, Mexico and the United States were the latest countries to require graphic warnings on cigarette packs.

“Large, graphic health warnings of the sort pioneered by Uruguay, Canada and a handful of other countries are an effective means of reducing tobacco’s appeal,” Dr. Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative, said in a statement.

WHO reported that 23 countries have implemented at least one strong anti-tobacco campaign in the last two years. WHO Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Dr. Ala Alwan said the WHO is pleased that more and more people are being adequately warned about the dangers of tobacco use.

“At the same time, we can’t be satisfied that the majority of countries are doing nothing nor not enough,” Alwan said in a statement. “We urge all countries to follow the best practices for reducing tobacco consumption and to become Parties to, and fully implement, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”

Among the demand-reduction measures the WHO laid out for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are the following:

Requiring large, graphic health warnings;
Monitoring tobacco use;
Protecting people from tobacco smoke;
Helping users quit;
Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and
Raising taxes on tobacco.

PHL situation

But in the Philippines, the Health Department’s move to require graphic health warnings on cigarette packs has been met with opposition by the tobacco industry, which sought to block the implementation of the DOH administrative order (AO) in May 2010.

Several tobacco companies questioned the administrative order before lower courts, and a preliminary injunction was issued against the printing of graphic warnings on cigarette packs. DOH has also filed motions to dismiss the filed cases in the respective courts.

Two companies have secured a preliminary injunction against the AO, while one case has been dismissed, said Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Alliance Philippines.

Limpin said the cases are still ongoing, but due to the TRO, the DOH cannot disclose any more information about the cases as of posting time.

Earlier this year, five former DOH chiefs filed an intervention case with the Supreme Court, asking the high court to validate the DOH AO. Former Health chiefs Esperanza Cabral, Francisco Duque III, Alberto Romuladez, Jaime Galvez-Tan and Alfredo Bengzon said they felt the need to intervene after injunction orders were issued in favor of the cigarette manufacturers.

(source: Yahoo News)

Kaso ng Leptospiros Tumaas

2011-07-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Pinayuhan ni Health Secretary Enrique Ona ang publiko na huwag maglaro sa tubig baha at gumamit ng rubber boots upang maiwasan ang leptospirosis matapos na mu ling tumaas ang bilang nito.

Mula Enero hanggang Hunyo 25, 2011, umaabot sa 521 kaso ang naireport o mataas ng 65.4 porsiyento kumpara sa nakaraang taon na umabot lamang sa 315 cases. Naitala naman sa 38 ang namatay.

Karamihan sa mga kaso ay mula sa Western Visayas, 131 cases; Bicol Region, 64, at Davao Region, 56.

Ang leptospirosis ay isang uri ng impeksiyon na nakukuha mula sa tubig na kontaminado ng mga ihi ng daga.

Kabilang sa mga sintomas ang lagnat, pa nginginig, matinding pananakit ng ulo na maaa ring mauwi sa meningitis, problema sa pag-ihi at paghinga na posibleng humantong sa kamatayan.

(source: Pilipino Star Ngayon)

High Salt + Low Potassium Early Death U.S. Study

2011-07-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Put down the salt shakers. Eating too much salt and too little potassium can increase the risk of death, U.S. government researchers said on Monday.

The findings from a team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a counterpoint to a fiercely-debated study released last week that found no evidence that making small cuts in salt intake lowers the risk of heart disease and premature death.
“Salt is still bad for you,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, Health Commissioner for New York City, which is leading a campaign to reduce salt in restaurant and packaged foods by 25 percent over five years.

Most health experts agree with Farley that consuming too much salt is not good for you and that cutting salt intake can reduce high blood pressure, which raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Salt intake has been rising since the 1970s, with Americans consuming about twice the recommended daily limit.

The CDC study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, specifically focused on growing research that shows a diet high in salt and low in potassium is especially risky.
Farley, who wrote an editorial on the CDC study, said it is one of the best yet looking at the long-term effects of eating too much salt.

“It is entirely consistent with what we’ve said all along about sodium intake,” Farley said in a telephone interview.

For the study, researchers looked at the long-term effects of sodium and potassium intake as part of a 15-year study of more than 12,000 people.

By the end of the study period, 2,270 of the study participants had died; 825 of these deaths were from heart disease and 433 were from blood clots and strokes.

POTASSIUM IS KEY

They found that people who had a high salt intake and a low potassium intake were most at risk.
“People who ate a diet high in sodium and low in potassium had a 50 percent increased risk of death from any cause, and about twice the risk of death — or a 200 percent increase — from a heart attack,” said Dr. Elena Kuklina of the CDC who helped lead the study.

She said consumers need to increase the levels of potassium in their diet by adding more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, grapes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and low fat milk and yogurt.

The Salt Institute, an industry group, challenged the findings, pointing out that the CDC study found that the link between salt intake and heart disease was statistically insignificant.
“This is a highly flawed publication that reveals more about the anti-salt agenda being pursued by the CDC than about any relationship between salt and health,” said Mort Satin, the Salt Institute’s Director of Science and Research.

“The only significance is between low potassium and mortality,” Satin said in a statement.
Dr. Robert Briss, director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the CDC, said the findings support the general weight of evidence and suggests that higher doses of sodium are linked with poor health consequences.

And it suggests “that higher potassium may be better for you,” Briss said in a telephone interview.

“About 90 percent of Americans consume more sodium than is recommended. This impacts their blood pressure,” Briss said.

“Most of that sodium is not related to the salt shaker but it is in foods and especially processed and restaurant foods that we buy and order from restaurants. Consumers, even motivated ones, don’t have as much choice as they could,” he said.

Kuklina said potassium often counteracts the effects of salt in the diet. This equilibrium is affected when people eat highly processed foods, which tend to increase sodium levels and decrease potassium content.

“If sodium increases your high blood pressure, potassium decreases it. If sodium retains water, potassium helps you get rid of it,” she said.
Instead of focusing only on salt, Kuklina said researchers should focus on the balance between potassium and salt.

“We need to strive to do both decrease your sodium intake and increase your potassium intake,” she said.

(source: Yahoo News)

Pag-Agapay sa Diabetes at Stress

2011-07-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Kapag ikaw ay may diabetes, ang stress ang mahalagang nakakapekto kung paano makokontrol ang naturang sakit o pagtaas at pagbaba ng inyong sugar level. Kapag nakakaramdam ng stress, malamang makalimutan ang oras ng pagkain o oras ng pag-inom ng gamot, kaya’t apektado ang sugar level. Kaya’t nararapat na matutunan ang akmang gagawin kapag nakakaramdam ng stress, lalo’y may diabetes.

Kahit mahirap naman talagang alisin ang stress sa ating buhay, may ilang mga pamamaraan kung paano mababawasan ito at kapag natutunan ito ay malaking tulong para maging kontrolado ang ating sugar level. Narito ang ilang pamamaraan:

TRATUHIN ang STRESS na may Positive Attitude

Kung tila lahat na nangyayari sa buhay ay puro palpak o mali, pi-liting tumingin ng mga positibong aspeto sa mga kaganapan. Tama nang mas madaling makita ang mga pangit kesa sa mga magaganda sa mga nagaganap pero meron pa ring mga positibo sa iyong buhay, trabaho, pamilya, kaibigan, maging sa iyong kalusugan. Ang pag-iisip sa mga magaganda ay nakakatulong para maalpasan ang pangit at malaktawan ang stress.

Maging Mabuti sa SARILI

Ano ba ang iyong mga talento, kakayanan at mga pangarap sa buhay? Baka naman sobra-sobra ang pinapangarap mo para sa iyong sarili? Huwag labis labis ang ginagawang pangarap sa sarili kesa sa alam mong kaya mong gawin.

TANGGAPIN na LANG ang mga DI KAYANG BAGUHIN

Para sa mga sobrang stressful na kalagayan o mga problemang di na kayang baguhin, gumawa ng simpleng plan of action. Tanungin ang sarili ng mga sumusunod na katanungan:

Mahalaga pa kaya ito pagkaraan ng dalawang taon?”

May kontrol ba ako sa sitwasyo?

Maaari ko bang baguhin ang sitwayson ?”

IHINGA sa IBA ang NARARAMDAMANG Stress

Huwag sarilinin ang mga intindihin na nagdudulot ng stress sa iyo. Kung ayaw mong kausapin at sabihin sa mga kapamilya o malapit na kaibigan, may mga counselors o kagawad ng simbahan na sinanay sa pagbibigay ng mga kaukulang payo. Maaari ring konsultahin ang inyong doktor para sa kailangang mgan psychologist o counselor.

Mag-EXERCISE para LABANAN ang Stress

Ang kapakinabangan ng ehersisyo sa pagbabawas ng stress ay kabisado na, lalo ng mga may diabetes. Ang pag-eehersisyo ay parang nakakakumpleto sa sariling kakayanan kaya’t nawawala ang mga simtomas ng stress.

M A G R E LA X

Praktisin na ma-relax ang muscles, huminga ng malalim at magsagawa ng meditation o visualization.

Magtanong sa inyong doktor o health care provider ng inyong tanggapan para sa kaukulang impromas-yon o mga available naganitong programa.
Tandaang tulungan ang sarili para makaagapay sa stress kahit ikaw ay diabetic at kaya mo iyan Kid!

(source: Abante Online)

4 Delicious Ways to Fight Arthritis

2011-07-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Bananas are known for containing large amounts of potassium, bananas are even healthier than you might think.

According to Reader’s Digest, Vitamin B and C as well as folate are essential in the fight against arthritis, and bananas have them in large quantities.

The best time to eat bananas is when they are fully ripened which means they have a very bright yellow peel. If plain banana isn’t your thing, try blending one with some other fruits and a little bit of milk to make yourself a great tasting shake that is p acked with tons of arthritis fighting nutrients.

2) Sweet Peppers- Just one green pepper contains 176 percent of your daily requirement of Vitamin C. Yellow and red peppers have double that amount. They are also great sources of both folate and Vitamin B. And sweet peppers can be prepared in different ways to help compliment your meal. Keep peppers it in the fridge until you are ready to use them. Remove the seeds when preparing to cook.

Roast or saute them with olive oil, salt, pepper and the herbs of your choice to bring out their flavor.

3) Cheese- The one thing all cheeses have in common is a good amount of folate and Vitamin B6, both essential in the fight against arthritis.

4) Green tea- Green tea has become popular in recent years because of reports that it contains powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols. These antioxidants are held in high regard for fighting cancer and heart disease, and according to Reader’s Digest, they are currently being tested as a deterrent for rheumatoid arthritis.

(source: Abante Onlilne)

Laughter Yoga is an Excellent Way to Relieve Stress

2011-07-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. This is why an evolving form of yoga is becoming popular in the country which makes use of laughter as its main principle.

Laughter yoga, or “Lyoga”, was founded by Dr. Madan and Madhuri Kataria in India.

In the studies conducted by Dr. Kataria, our bodies release a cocktail of hormones and chemicals that have startling positive effects on our system as we laugh. Therefore, stress is reduced, blood pressure drops, depression is lifted and your immune system is boosted.

“LYoga” was later brought to the Philippines by Elvie Estavillo and she soon established the Laughter Yoga Club of the Philippines in 2008.

In Laughter Yoga, laughter is a tool and not an emotion. The tension-releasing laughter exercises are combined with stretching exercises, rhythmic clapping and chanting in unison.
According to Elvie, she initially started with a few students in Metro Manila. “LYoga” proved to be a hit among Filipinos.

“I love to laugh and I carry laughter wherever I go and I can say that it really reinforce positive response. So I somehow concluded that many Filipinos need laughter to help them relax and de-stress,” says Elvie.

Elvie says that during these difficult times, “LYoga” is a good way to relax. Since she started the yoga sessions, she has steadily gained students from all over the country inviting her to come over and conduct “LYoga.”

“I have about 70 standing requests for LYoga sessions to date from Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Cebu, Legaspi, Baguio, Pangasinan, Bataan, and Cavite,” Elvie says.
She adds those who may want to try “LYoga” should first believe in the power of yoga to reap its health benefits.

(source: Yahoo News)

Too Little Sleep Leads to Weight Gain – US Study

2011-07-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Want to avoid weight gain? Maybe some more sleep would help.

People who got very little sleep ate more but didn’t burn any extra calories, according to a U.S. study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that adds to evidence supporting a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain.

Approximately 50 to 70 million U.S. residents — including a significant number of shift workers — suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health.

“If you’re trying to control your weight, it would be helpful not to be sleep-deprived,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge of the New York Obesity Research Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, who led the study.

Although the most recent study, like other that have gone before, doesn’t prove that sleeplessness causes people to pack on the extra weight, they do show that sleep should be a priority, experts said.

St-Onge and her colleagues recruited 30 men and women in their 30s and 40s, all of roughly normal weight. The participants lived and slept in a research center during two different five-night periods.

During one of those visits, they were allowed to sleep for nine hours each night. During the other, they were only allowed four hours of shut-eye. Both times, they were fed a strict diet for the first four days of their stay and then were allowed to eat whatever they wanted on the fifth and final full day.

Tests showed that regardless of which sleep schedule they were on, people burned a similar amount of calories, about 2,600 per day.

But when they were sleep-deprived, they fed themselves about 300 more calories on average on the final day of the study compared to when they had been sleeping normally. Well-rested participants ate an average of 2,500 calories that day, compared to 2,800 when they were running on less sleep.

If that kept up in a person’s normal daily life, it would put the sleep-deprived at a higher risk of obesity, the authors said.

Participants also said they felt more sluggish and less energetic after a few days on the short sleep schedule.

There are a few possible explanations behind the link between sleep and eating, with previous studies having shown that sleep-deprived people burn fewer calories.

One is that sleep “seems to play a role in how your body manages the hormones that control how hungry you are, when you’re hungry (and) what kinds of foods you’re hungry for,” said Michael Grandner, who studies sleep and sleep disorders at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Another explanation is that when people are tired, they may be less good at making healthy eating decisions.

“It’s possible that when you’re on short sleep you’re more susceptible to giving in to your desires,” St-Onge told Reuters Health.

“You walk past a (food) cart or bakery and it smells so good. If you’re sleep-deprived, you may be like, ‘oh, what the heck.’”

Grandner added that it’s possible the link goes both ways, and that eating too much of certain kinds of foods can disrupt a person’s sleep schedule, or that somebody with a stressful job may sleep too little and also eat too much as a result.

Too little sleep has also been tied to a host of other health problems, including heart disease and diabetes, which have their own associations with weight, complicating the picture even further, he added.

The findings do show that “sleep should be a priority,” he said.

(source: Yahoo News)

Glow With Fruits

2011-07-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

THE benefits of fruit go beyond improving your health.

Fruit is so versatile. It’s good for both health and beauty. You can treat your skin with fresh fruit. Fruit is the secret ingredient behind sensuous skin.

Stop spending a lot on costly beauty products or on expensive spa treatments. Anything you can do at a spa, you can do in the comfort of your own home.

Here’s how:

* Remove skin debris with pumpkin filling and nutmeg. Get a can of pumpkin and keep it in the refrigerator. Take a scoop and mix it with a sugar honey exfoliant.

* Apply cranberry juice as a cleanser. It’s slightly acidic and has antibacterial properties, so it tones while cleansing at the same time.

* Crush a peeled tomato, and spread it over your face. Tomatoes contain acids that balance the skin’s pH levels and tighten pores.

* Mash half a banana and rub it into clean, dry skin. Leave it on for five minutes. Then rinse well. This mask will leave your skin baby soft, plus the potassium in the bananas will help erase any circles under your eyes.

* Mash half a ripe peach, and rub it into your face in a circular motion to bring out the glow.

(source: Journal Online)

Can Ketogenic Diet Reverse Kidney Damage?

2011-07-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

EATING food that lowers blood sugar has been proven to prevent kidney failure. However, a new study found that kidney failure can be reversed.

The new research was conducted at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City focusing on high fat “ketogenic” diet that may actually reverse the kidney damage caused by diabetes.

It showed that mice who were fed a high-fat diet of five percent carbohydrate, eight percent protein and 87 percent fat – were the first to show dietary intervention, enough to reverse kidney failure caused by diabetes. Is it really possible?

Some doctors doubt the potential of ketogenic diet on kidney disease patients since there are stages where reversibility is impossible.

One medical expert in transplant surgery, metabolic and nutrition services said the study may only give hope to patients especially those on end-stage renal disease. It is not recommendable for the meantime to patients on dialysis.

Dr. Dolet Bonzon, former chairman of Physiology department of the UP College of Medicine believes that kidney damage can only be reversed through dialysis or kidney transplant.
The human kidney contains millions of tiny blood vessels that act as filters – removing waste products from the blood. Failing kidneys lose their ability to filter out waste products, resulting in kidney disease.

The study author Prof Charles Mobbs said theirs is the first to show that a dietary intercession alone is sufficient to reverse this grave complication of diabetes. However, clinical trials need to be done to determine the accuracy.

They believe this finding is significant because it could affect everyone diagnosed with diabetic kidney failure. On the other hand, ketogenic diet is tough to do.
Ketogenic diet is high in fat and protein, with zero carbohydrates to force the body into a state of ketosis whereby ketones are used as a fuel source rather than glucose. This has been used to treat epilepsy and for weight loss. Ketones are a byproduct of fat metabolism or fat burning.

For now, dialysis or kidney transplant is the solution for kidney failure.
A person 50 years old or above who has hypertension, diabetes, is overweight or a smoker faces increased risk of kydney disease, according to Dr. Agnes Mejia, kidney and hypertension specialist and Chair of the Department of Medicine, University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital.

Controlling blood pressure slows the progression of chronic kidney disease and makes it less likely that a patient will require dialysis or suffer a heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases.

Even a mild rise in pressure can quickly worsen kidney disease. Aside from controlling blood pressure, losing weight, eating less salt, avoiding alcohol and tobacco and getting regular exercise are also very important.

(source: Journal Online)

Compound in Red Wine Shown to Mimic Benefits of Exercise

2011-07-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

A compound found in red wine is being touted as “exercise in a bottle” in a new study that looks at the role it plays in animals.

The study, published June 30 in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal, claims that the star ingredient in wine, resveratrol, could slow the negative consequences of a sedentary lifestyle like insulin resistance and loss of bone mineral density.

The new findings seem to confirm the longstanding French paradox: despite a diet high in rich foods like cheese and cream, the French enjoy a low death rate from heart disease.

The researchers were interested in the effects of long-term spaceflight on astronauts, when a zero gravity environment makes it nearly impossible to get adequate exercise. To simulate weightlessness and a sedentary lifestyle in animals, researchers bound their hind legs and tail and fed the rats resveratrol daily.

While the control group showed a decrease in muscle mass and strength, developed insulin resistance and a loss of bone mineral density, the group that received a dose of resveratrol showed none of the complications, the study said.

“There are overwhelming data showing that the human body needs physical activity, but for some of us, getting that activity isn’t easy,” said Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the journal.
“A low gravity environment makes it nearly impossible for astronauts. For the earthbound, barriers to physical activity are equally challenging, whether they be disease, injury, or a desk job. Resveratrol may not be a substitute for exercise, but it could slow deterioration until someone can get moving again.”

Meanwhile, in another lab study out of Germany, researchers found that the same compound, resveratrol, inhibited pre-fat cells in humans from increasing and converting into mature fat cells. It also hindered the storage of fat.

They also found that resveratrol reduced the production of certain cytokines cell-signaling protein molecules — that may be linked to the development of obesity-related disorders like diabetes and clogged coronary arteries.

One glass of red wine contains about 1 mg of resveratrol. Supplements contain 15 to 500 mg per capsule. Currently, there is no consensus on the safe and effective daily dosage of resveratrol. Supplements are to be avoided by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

The Mayo Clinic defines moderate drinking as two glasses of wine a day for men and one glass a day for women.

Simply eating red grapes with the skin on has been suggested as one way to get resveratrol without consuming alcohol. Other foods that contain resveratrol include peanuts, blueberries and cranberries.

Consult your doctor to determine if supplements are right for you.

(source: Yahoo News)

Tamang Pag-Aalaga Ng Paa, Kung May Diabetes Ka!

2011-07-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

Kapag ikaw ay may diabetes, napakahalaga na alagaan ang mga paa dahil baka humantong sa mabigat na problema kapag napabayaan mo ito, maaaring ang paa o hanggang hita mo…kaya kwidaw ka.

Dahil kapag ikaw ay may diabetes, mas mapanganib na magkaroon ng sugat o diperensiya sa paa dahil maaaring makapinsala sa ugat at mabawasan ang maayos na pagdaloy ng dugo sa paa. Sa Estados Unidos, naitala na isa sa bawat 5 na may diabetes ang nagpaospital dahil sa sakit o nagka-diperensiya ang kanilang paa. Kaya’t tandaan ang proper care sa paa sundin ang mga sumusunod:

Linisin At Patuyuin Ang Paa Araw- Araw :

* Gumamit ng mild soap.

* Gumamit ng tubig na maligamgam

* Punasan ng dahan-dahan. Huwag kakaskasin.

* Kapag natuyo gamitan ng foot powder o lotion para maiwasang magbitak-bitak. Huwag maglagay ng lotion sa pagitan ng daliri sa paa.

Eksaminin Ang Paa Araw-Araw:

* Suriing mabuti ang paa, sakong, mga kuko, talampakan araw-araw.

* Tingnan kung may nanunuyo at may lamat sa balat ng paa.

* Tingnan kung may kalmot, namamaga o sugat.

* May namumula bang bahagi ng paa, tingnang mabuti.

* Alamin kung may ingrown sa mga kuko.

Alagaan Ang Inyong Mga Kuko

* Magputol ng kuko kapag kapapaligo dahil malambot ang mga ito.

* Gumamit ng matalim na nail cutter para maputol ang kuko. Gumamit ng pampapino.

* Huwag magtipid kung may pambayad naman sa manikurista.

Mag-Ingat Kapag Nag-Eehersisyo:

* Maglakad at mag-exercise gamit ang kumportableng sapatos.

* Umiwas mag-exercise kapag may sugat o maga ang paa.

Palaging Magsuot Ng Medyas At Sapatos:

* Huwag kailanman magpapaa. Palaging proteksiyunan ang paa ng sapatos o tsinelas.

* Iwasan ang mga matataas ang takong o high heels at matulis ang dulo.

* Iwasan ang mga sapatos o sandals na hindi nakatago ang paa.

* Gumamit ng sandalas o tsinelas na maaaring gamitan ng medyas.

* Iwasan ang mahihigpit na medyas at mahihigpit na sapatos o sandals. Payo nga ay dapat ang size ng sapatos ay may palugit na kalahating pulgada sa pinakamalaking kuko sa paa.

Tips Para Sa “Foot Safety”

Upang palaging ligtas ang paa kung may diabetes:

* Kaagad gamutin ang maliit na sugat sa paa.

* Patingnan ang mga malalang sugat at impeksiyon.

* Suriin ang water temperature sa pamamagitan ng siko hindi ng paa.

* Huwag gagamitin ng heating pad sa paa.

* Huag pinagsasalubong ang inyong mga hita.

* Magsadya sa inyong health care provider o podiatrist kung may athlete’s foot; namamanhid ang paa; bunion; ingrown; impeksiyon at iba pang matinding sakit sa paa.

(source: Abante Online)

5 Surprising Signs of an Unhealthy Heart

2011-07-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

We've all read the signs of a heart attack listed on posters in the hospital waiting room. But what if there were other, earlier signs that could alert you ahead of time that your heart was in trouble?

It turns out there are. Researchers have done a lot of work in recent years looking at the signs and symptoms patients experienced in the months or even years leading up to a heart attack. "The heart, together with the arteries that feed it, is one big muscle, and when it starts to fail the symptoms can show up in many parts of the body," says cardiologist Jonathan Goldstein of St. Michael's Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Here are five surprising clues that your heart needs checking out. Any of these signs -- and particularly two or more together -- is reason to call your doctor for a workup, says Goldstein.

1. Neck pain

Feel like you pulled a muscle in the side of your neck? Think again, especially if it doesn't go away. Post-heart attack, some patients remember noticing that their neck hurt and felt tight, a symptom they attributed at the time to muscle strain. People commonly miss this symptom because they expect the more dramatic acute pain and numbness in the chest, shoulder, and arm. Women in particular are less likely to experience heart pain that way, and more likely to feel twinges of pain and a sensation of tightness running along the shoulder and down the neck, says Margie Latrella, an advanced practice nurse in the Women's Cardiology Center in New Jersey and coauthor of Take Charge: A Woman's Guide to a Healthier Heart (Dog Ear, 2009). The pain might also extend down the left side of the body, into the left shoulder and arm.

Why it happens:
Nerves from damaged heart tissue send pain signals up and down the spinal cord to junctures with nerves that extend out into the neck and shoulder.

What distinguishes it:
The pain feels like it's radiating out in a line, rather than located in one very specific spot. And it doesn't go away with ice, heat, or muscle massage.

2. Sexual problems

Having trouble achieving or keeping erections is common in men with coronary artery disease, but they may not make the connection. One survey of European men being treated for cardiovascular disease found that two out of three had suffered from erectile dysfunction for months or years before they were diagnosed with heart trouble. Recent studies on the connection between ED and cardiovascular disease have been so convincing that doctors now consider it the standard of care to do a full cardiovascular workup when a man comes in complaining of ED, according to cardiologist Goldstein says. "In recent years there's been pretty clear evidence that there's a substantially increased risk of heart attack and death in patients with erectile dysfunction," Goldstein says.

Why it happens:
Just as arteries around the heart can narrow and harden, so can those that supply the penis. And because those arteries are smaller, they tend to show damage much sooner -- as much as three to four years before the disease would otherwise be detected.

What distinguishes it:
In this case, the cause isn't going to be immediately distinguishable. If you or your partner has problems getting or maintaining an erection, that's reason enough to visit your doctor to investigate cardiovascular disease as an underlying cause. "Today, any patient who comes in with ED is considered a cardiovascular patient until proven otherwise," says Goldstein.

3. Dizziness, faintness, or shortness of breath

More than 40 percent of women in one study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, reported having experienced shortness of breath in the days before a heart attack. You might feel like you can't breathe, or you might feel dizzy or faint, as you would at high altitude. If you can't catch your breath while walking upstairs, vacuuming, weeding the garden, or doing other activities that previously caused you no trouble, this is a reason to be on the alert.

Why it happens:
Not enough blood is getting through the arteries to carry sufficient oxygen to the heart. The heart muscle pain of angina may also make it hurt to draw a deep breath. Coronary artery disease (CAD), in which plaque builds up and blocks the arteries that feed the heart, prevents the heart from getting enough oxygen. The sudden sensation of not being able to take a deep breath is often the first sign of angina, a type of heart muscle pain.

What distinguishes it:
If shortness of breath is caused by lung disease, it usually comes on gradually as lung tissue is damaged by smoking or environmental factors. If heart or cardiovascular disease is the cause, the shortness of breath may come on much more suddenly with exertion and will go away when you rest.

4. Indigestion, nausea, or heartburn

Although most of us expect pain from any condition related to the heart to occur in the chest, it may actually occur in the abdomen instead. Some people, particularly women, experience the pain as heartburn or a sensation of over-fullness and choking. A bout of severe indigestion and nausea can be an early sign of heart attack, or myocardial infarction, particularly in women. In one study, women were more than twice as likely as men to experience vomiting, nausea, and indigestion for several months leading up to a heart attack.

Why it happens:
Blockages of fatty deposits in an artery can reduce or cut off the blood supply to the heart, causing what feels like tightness, squeezing, or pain -- most typically in the chest but sometimes in the abdomen instead. Depending on which part of your heart is affected, it sends pain signals lower into the body. Nausea and light-headedness can also be signs that a heart attack is in progress, so call your doctor right away if the feeling persists.

What distinguishes it:
Like all types of angina, the abdominal pain associated with a heart problem is likely to worsen with exertion and get better with rest. Also, you're likely to experience repeated episodes, rather than one prolonged episode as you would with normal indigestion or food poisoning.

5. Jaw and ear pain

Ongoing jaw pain is one of those mysterious and nagging symptoms that can have several causes but can sometimes be a clue to coronary artery disease (CAD) and impending heart attack. The pain may travel along the jaw all the way to the ear, and it can be hard to determine which it's coming from, says cardiovascular nurse Margie Latrella. This is a symptom doctors have only recently begun to focus on, because many patients surveyed post-heart attack report that this is one of the only symptoms they noticed in the days and weeks leading up to the attack.

Why it happens:
Damaged heart tissue sends pain signals up and down the spinal cord to junctures with nerves that radiate from the cervical vertebrae out along the jaw and up to the ear.

What distinguishes it:
Unlike the jaw pain caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), tooth pain, or ear infection, the pain doesn't feel like it's in one isolated spot but rather like it's radiating outward in a line. The pain may extend down to the shoulder and arm -- particularly on the left side, and treatments such as massage, ice, and heat don't affect it.

Source : Yahoo.com

Cancer-Fighting Agents in Broccoli Target Diseased Cells

2011-07-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

Scientists say they’ve found cancer-fighting agents in broccoli and cauliflower that selectively target and kill diseased cells while leaving normal cells healthy.

Researchers from Oregon State University were able to demonstrate that a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables, sulforaphane, is able to selectively target cancer cells in prostate patients and leave healthy cells alone, unlike traditional chemotherapies.

Though sulforaphane has been shown to fight cancer in other studies, lead author Emily Ho says their study was able to confirm that the agent acts as an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, or HDAC, a family of enzymes that play a role in whether certain genes — like tumor suppressor genes — are expressed or not.

HDAC inhibitors help turn on these silenced genes and restore normal cellular function.
Sulforaphane is found at high levels in broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables.
The findings were published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research and released by Oregon State University June 9.

Researchers are currently performing clinical trials in the use of sulforaphane in prostate and breast cancer.

“Just because a phytochemical or nutrient is found in food doesn’t always mean it’s safe, and a lot can also depend on the form or levels consumed,” Ho said in a statement. “But this does appear to be a phytochemical that can selectively kill cancer cells, and that’s always what you look for in cancer therapies.”

Another study out of the University of Michigan last year also found that sulforaphane targeted and killed cancer stem cells in animals and prevented new tumors from growing. The study focused on breast cancer stem cells and was published in the Clinical Cancer Research.

To launch a full-scale assault against prostate cancer, meanwhile, a University of Illinois study from 2007 showed that broccoli and tomatoes work in a tag-team effort: when eaten together, their cancer-fighting abilities are more effective than when eaten separately.

The study recommended that men should consume 1.4 cups (139 g) of raw broccoli, 2.5 cups (248 g) of fresh tomatoes or one cup of tomato sauce (237 ml).

(source: Yahoo News)

Finally, a Diet That Works!

2011-07-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

At the end of my very long list of items that I’ve benefited from and can highly recommend comes an eating program that surpasses any diet or guided eating program I’ve ever been on before.

My best friend told me that she had been researching diet programs because she had a lot of weight to lose and decided it was high time she did something about it. However, she wanted to be sure to invest her time and energy on something that would be worth all her high hopes and expectations.

One of the reasons so many diets fail is because, since our diets have failed so often in the past, we’re now afraid to commit 100 percent. The disappointment of failing a diet is even more of a let down if you put your heart and soul into it, so the tendency is to be wary and maybe not as gung-ho as you should be.

This friend lives abroad so I don’t see her very often and when after a couple of months she came to town, her 30-pound loss was shocking, not only because of her new size but because she didn’t look weak or haggard as you might expect from that kind of rapid weight loss – in fact her skin looked wonderful and she looked like I remember her 10 years or more ago!

She said that the program she went on offered delicious meals and did not recommend exercise, at least in the beginning when they say your body is getting used to the decreased starch and sugars; but since she lives in Hong Kong, she does have to walk at least an hour or two several days a week.

She feels like maybe the reason she followed the program so religiously was because of what it costs – $650 for the complete program, including a different Refeeding program for when you only have the last five pounds to go. Though it isn’t a small amount, it does become very reasonable when you calculate it by the pounds lost, which in her case came down to a measly P860 per pound (she had purchased the program when it was $600).

Now armed with a diet buddy (Skype and texts are good enough for us), inspiration and the email address of Bambina Olivares-Wise, the owner of Fat Loss Labs, I was ready to get started. I couldn’t possibly follow their recommendation to not work out because I have clients on a daily basis and my own cardio and resistance program but I intended to follow everything else.

So that the program can be specifically created for blood profile, you first have to take a blood and urine test and then send the results to Bambina. We asked the clinic to email us the results directly so instead of having to get them fetched and scanned, we just had to forward.

After a week or two, my program arrived, also by email – a sample menu, the Fat Loss Labs recipe book and the exact measured quantities of food I was allowed per meal. Also included in the package are two months’ worth of daily vitamins, a multivitamin and salmon oil capsules to provide you with Omega 3 fatty acids, because on this program you won’t be eating food like nuts, seeds, salmon, etc, and you’ll still need to get your good cholesterol.

After approximately two months on this program, I had lost almost 20 pounds and I actually look forward to the meals, not because I’m desperately hungry but because they taste really good. And even though the types of food you’re allowed is limited, it still allows you tons of great things and because you’re trying to be creative, you probably get to have a lot more “special” meals than you normally would.

In the beginning, while the program is being learned, it may take a bit of time to weigh and prepare the meals but as you get more used to the recipes, it gets easier and takes a lot less time.

You will find favorites that taste better to you, are fun to eat, can easily be packed to take with to work, etc, and eventually you will be even more adept at putting these together. You basically have three choices when it comes to meal preparation – one is to get someone to cook your meals who lives in the same house you do, like a parent, spouse or even your cook.

One woman I heard about pays her cook an attractive amount of money for every pound she helped her lose. People starting on the Fat Loss Lab’s program often have a lot to lose, so this could mean a nifty little incentive for your helper!

Another possibility is to hire a personal chef or friend in need of a part-time job. This person can prepare your food and deliver it to you packaged for separate meals or days. The third and most obvious possibility is to just buckle down and take care of your meal preparation yourself.

After studying this program while I’ve been on it, I believe that there are five main reasons why it works so effectively:

• You have something to answer for. I never really thought about it before but this can be a really powerful motivator. If this was a freebie program being passed around, I don’t think people would be as involved as this way where they have to take the tests, anticipate the results and follow it knowing that the money they invested would go to waste if they didn’t follow the program precisely. Knowing that the program has been specifically tailored to their body’s requirements makes it more important than just any old diet.

• You don’t get hungry. There is a lot of food per meal so you don’t feel weak or sluggish, and your metabolism is maintained or even improved instead of decreased, which is what happens on most diets, when the intake is so little that the body does its best to protect itself and not burn fuel (fat and other calories).

• It is not a low-carb diet. It provides lots of carbohydrates for energy, regularity, brain function (which translates to being alert and not sluggish) etc, but takes away the higher calorie processed starches and sugars which are the elements we really do get too much of to begin with. Which I guess is one of the reasons your skin looks so much better and you feel wonderful – you’re getting nutrients from fruits and vegetables that you may have been lacking before.

• It gives you more low-fat protein per meal. Protein is something which is sadly lacking in the regular local diet and is vital for growth and all the processes within the body, like digestion and metabolism and is required by the body to create the antibodies that fight against infection and diseases. Another reason why the skin and hair improve on this diet is because protein is the main nutrient that keeps hair, nails, skin and bones strong and healthy.

• Motivation is still key. Because the body responds to the diet quickly, and you keep seeing results, you stay motivated. If you’re motivated, you can do ANYTHING.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Top Cardio ExercisesJ

2011-07-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ang cardio exerices ang pinakaimportanteng magagawa mo sa iyong katawan kung nais mong magpapayat, magpa-muscle at i-improve ang iyong kalusugan.Ang maganda rito, maraming pwedeng pagpilian na ehersisyo base sa heart rate zone na tama para sa iyo.

Importante rin na nae-enjoy mo ito at nakakatulong sa pagsunog ng sobrang calories sa katawan.
Running-Magandang choice ito dahil hindi na kailangan ang special equipment maliban sa tamang running shoes. Pwede kang tumakbo kahit anong oras at kahit saan lugar. High impact ito na nakakatulong para tumibay ang buto at mag-burn ng calories lalo na kung susubukang tumakbo sa mataas na lugar (hills), sprint at interval training

Bicycling-Sa loob man o sa labas ng gym o bahay, isang excellent cardio workout ang cycling. Maaari itong gawing bahagi ng araw-araw na buhay. Pwede kang mamisikleta papasok sa trabaho o kaya’y sa pamamasyal sa inyong lugar. Low impact lang ito kung ikukumpara sa running at aerobics.

Swimming-Isang full body exercise ang paglangoy. The more body parts you involve in your workout, the more calories you’ll burn. Mahusay itong ehersiyo para mapalakas ang lungs
Step Aerobics-Step aerobics is another great choice, lalo na sa mga taong gusto ng choreographed workouts. Mabisa itong calorie burner lalo na sa legs, butt at hips.

Kickboxing-Isa pang choreographed workout na may kombinasyon ng suntok at sipa. Execellent overall workout para sa upper at lower body. Pwedeng gumamit ng punching bag para sa mas epektibong ehersisyo.

Walking-Katulad ng running, best choice din ang paglalakad na cardio exercise. Bagamat low impact, pwede mong palakasin ang intensity kung bibilisan (speedwalking) habang i-swing ang mga kamay sa paglalakad.

Jumping Rope- Mabisa ring pampapayat ang jumbing rope. Madali lang itong dalhin dahil handy. You can add variety by trying different foot patterns (jumping on one foot, scissor jumps, etc.).

(source: Abante Online)

Cured Meats Not Linked to Pancreatic Cancer

2011-07-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

There are no clear signs that eating cured meats like ham, bacon or hot dogs could increase the odds of getting pancreatic cancer, according to a new study.

Some research has hinted that might be the case, because the preservatives used for curing, nitrate and nitrite, cause tumors in lab animals.

Because pancreatic cancer is highly lethal, scientists have been on a quest to identify factors that might trigger it. Every year, some 43,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease, and 95 percent die within five years.

“Prevention is really the best way to save a life,” said Dr. Daniel Chang, a cancer specialist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, who was not involved in the new work.

To probe the role of curing chemicals, researchers from the National Cancer Institute used a 124-item food questionnaire to test how much nitrate and nitrite people got from their diet.
Of the more than 300,000 people who filled out the questionnaire, just over 1,000 — about a third of one percent — developed pancreatic cancer over the next 10 years.

Men who ate the most of the preservatives did appear to have a slightly higher chance of getting the disease, but that increase was so small it might as well have been due to chance, according to the study.

There was no hint of a higher risk among women.

The new work adds to a growing body of evidence that has failed to link pancreatic cancer to certain foods or nutrients, such as dietary fiber and vitamin D.

“We don’t have a consistent trend of studies showing that eating more of this or less of that is clearly contributing to the risk of pancreatic cancer,” said Dr. Andrew Ko, a cancer researcher at the University of California, San Francisco.

The authors, whose report is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, could not be reached for comment.

Regardless of whether cured meats are linked to pancreatic cancer, experts say the study doesn’t mean people shouldn’t strive to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and low in fatty foods such as cured meats.

“There are a number of good reasons to practice improved dietary habits — not just for cancer prevention,” said Dr. Al Benson, a cancer specialist at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “We routinely recommend people limit their intake of fatty foods, and many of these animal products also contain nitrite and nitrate salts.”

Lighting up, eating lots of sugar, and being obese have all been tied to a higher risk of pancreatic cancer in earlier work.

“By and large, the best we can do to prevent pancreatic and other cancers,” said Benson, “is to encourage people to avoid smoking, to avoid obesity, and to practice improved dietary habits.”

SOURCE: bit.ly/ijofP8 American Journal of Epidemiology, online June 17, 2011.

(source:
British doctors recruited 5,800 smokers and randomly assigned them either to a group that received specially-tailored SMSes or to a control group.

The first group received five messages a day for the first five weeks and then three per week for the next six months.

The messages — developed with the help of smokers themselves — gave advice for keeping weight off while quitting and encouraged participants to persevere.

“This is it! – QUIT DAY, throw away all your fags [cigarettes],” was an example of what they received on the day they started cessation. “TODAY is the start of being QUIT forever, you can do it!”

Volunteers in this group also had a personalised system in which, at times of need, they got help by texting the word “crave” or “lapse”.

They would receive this kind of reply: “Cravings last less than 5 minutes on average. To help distract yourself, try sipping a drink slowly until the craving is over.”

In response to the “lapse” text, they would get this response: “Don’t feel bad or guilty if you’ve slipped. You’ve achieved a lot by stopping for a while. Slip-ups can be a normal part of the quitting process. Keep going, you can do it!”

In contrast, smokers in the control group received bland SMSes every fortnight thanking them for taking part or requesting confirmation of contact details or other messages that were unrelated to smoking.

Throughout the trial, volunteers in both groups sent off samples of their saliva by post.
These were tested for cotinine, a chemical found in tobacco, to see if they were still smoking or had given up.

After six months, 10.7 percent in the SMS support group had been continuously abstinent, but this was only 4.9 percent in the control group. Success was similar across all ages and social groups.

The researchers say the “txt2stop” trial demonstrated a powerful, low-cost tool for combatting smoking addiction — and one that could be adapted around the world.

In 2009, more than two-thirds of the world’s population owned a mobile phone and 4.2 trillion text messages were sent.

“Text messages are a very convenient way for smokers to receive support to quit,” said Caroline Free of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the experiment.

“People described txt2stop as like having a ‘friend’ encouraging them or an ‘angel on their shoulder’. It helped people resist the temptation to smoke.”

Txt2stop is the latest investigation of mobile-phone messages as medical tools.

In a study published last November, HIV-infected patients in Kenya who received text reminders about taking daily AIDS drugs were 12 percent likelier to achieve full adherence to their drug regimen than counterparts in the non-text group.

Smoking kills more than five million people each year, and two out of three British smokers have said at some point they would like to quit, according to figures quoted in the study.

Previous research has found that SMSes encourage smoking abstinence, but these experiments only lasted six weeks, as opposed to six months, and the results were self-reported by the volunteers, rather than checked in lab tests.

(source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Diabetics Get Blood Vessels Made From Donor Cells

2011-07-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

Three dialysis patients have received the world’s first blood vessels grown in a lab from donated skin cells. It’s a key step toward creating a supply of ready-to-use arteries and veins that could be used to treat diabetics, soldiers with damaged limbs, people having heart bypass surgery and others.

The goal is to one day have a refrigerated inventory of these in various sizes and shapes that surgeons could order up as needed like bandages and other medical supplies.

The work so far is still early-stage. Three patients in Poland have received the new vessels, which are working well two to eight months later. But doctors are excited because this builds on earlier success in about a dozen patients given blood vessels grown in the lab from their own skin — a process too long and expensive to be practical.

“This version, built from a master donor, is available off the shelf and at a dramatically reduced cost,” estimated at $6,000 to $10,000, said Todd McAllister, chief of Cytograft Tissue Engineering Inc., the San Francisco-area company leading the work.

The American Heart Association considers it so promising that the group featured it on Monday in the first of a new series of webcasts about cutting-edge science.

“This is tremendously exciting,” because the failure of blood vessels used in dialysis is “a huge public health problem,” said Duke University’s Dr. Robert Harrington, a heart expert who had no role in the work.

If a larger study getting under way now in Europe and South America shows success, “this is big news,” Harrington said.

Kidney failure, which is common in diabetics, requires dialysis to filter wastes from the blood through a connection between an artery and a vein called a shunt. It gets punctured several times a week to hook patients up to the dialysis machine, and complications include blood clots, clogging and infection.

What’s more, patients often run out of suitable sites for these shunts as problems develop. Plastic versions have high rates of failure and complications, too. Doctors have long wished for a natural substitute.

The lab-grown vessels are free of artificial materials. They don’t involve stem cells, so they’re not controversial.

Researchers start with a snip of skin from the back of a hand, remove cells and grow them into sheets of tissue that are rolled up like straws to form blood vessels.

So far, these lab-grown vessels have been tolerated by the recipients’ immune systems; no anti-rejection medicine or tissue matching is needed. That’s not surprising because lab-grown skin is already used to treat many burn victims.

“There are literally hundreds of thousands of patients that could use this technology,” McAllister said.

Each year, nearly 400,000 Americans undergo dialysis and half of them use plastic shunts. More than 160,000 people lose limbs because of poor circulation that might be improved with lab-grown vessels.

About 300,000 people have heart bypass operations using blood vessels taken from other parts of the body to create detours around clogged heart arteries. Some heart patients say the leg wound from removing the long vein to create heart bypasses hurts more than the chest wound for the open-heart surgery.

In 2005, Cytograft reported success with its first attempt at dialysis shunts using patients’ own skin. Some of the early work was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
The new work, using donor cells, makes this advance more practical for wide use, said Dr. Timothy Gardner, a heart surgeon at Christiana Care Health Services in Newark, Delaware, and former American Heart Association president.

“It provides the option or the opportunity for off-the-shelf graft availability as opposed to something that has to be built from the individual’s own cells,” he said.

Cytograft plans a study in Europe and South America comparing 40 patients getting the lab-grown vessels to 20 getting plastic shunts. Studies also are planned on a mesh version for people with poor leg circulation.

(source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Glow With Fruits

2011-07-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

THE benefits of fruit go beyond improving your health.
Fruit is so versatile. It’s good for both health and beauty. You can treat your skin with fresh fruit. Fruit is the secret ingredient behind sensuous skin.

Stop spending a lot on costly beauty products or on expensive spa treatments. Anything you can do at a spa, you can do in the comfort of your own home.

Here’s how:

* Remove skin debris with pumpkin filling and nutmeg. Get a can of pumpkin and keep it in the refrigerator. Take a scoop and mix it with a sugar honey exfoliant.

* Apply cranberry juice as a cleanser. It’s slightly acidic and has antibacterial properties, so it tones while cleansing at the same time.

* Crush a peeled tomato, and spread it over your face. Tomatoes contain acids that balance the skin’s pH levels and tighten pores.

* Mash half a banana and rub it into clean, dry skin. Leave it on for five minutes. Then rinse well. This mask will leave your skin baby soft, plus the potassium in the bananas will help erase any circles under your eyes.

* Mash half a ripe peach, and rub it into your face in a circular motion to bring out the glow.

(source: Journal Online)

Remedies for Eye Wrinkles

2011-07-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

LACK of sleep, too much stress and sun exposure and poor diet can lead to unsightly eye wrinkles.

There are other natural methods to fight eye wrinkles.

Cucumber. Eating cucumber plays a role, however certain nutrients, including foods high in sulfur, silicon and zinc, are important for collagen production. Collagen decreases as one age. Collagen maintains the strength and elasticity of connective tissue. It can help rebuild damaged skin, and help protect it from further damage. Omega 3-rich foods are also a nutrient for skin. Eat lean meats, plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes and low-fat dairy products. Limit processed foods, saturated fats and junk foods. Drink sufficient amounts of water to prevent dehydration, a big culprit in wrinkle formation.

If you wish to put cucumbers on eyes, try mixing one teaspoon of powdered milk with two teaspoons of grated cucumber, apply the mixture, leave on for 15 minutes and rinse off with cold water.

Olive oil. Before going to bed, rub a small amount below each eye. Jojoba oil can be used instead of olive oil. To enhance the benefits, mix one to two drops of essential oil (such as sandalwood, frankincense, neroli, clary sage or geranium) with one teaspoon of olive or jojoba oil.

Aloe vera. It stimulates collagen and elastin production. If you have a plant, cut a piece off from the lowest leaf and apply the gel to your skin. If you don’t have a plant, you can buy it but avoid products that have been processed.

Egg whites. Simply beat one egg white, apply, let it dry and wash off with tepid water.
Honey. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of honey with one tablespoon of heavy whipping cream. Gently massage a small amount over the area under the eyes, leave on for 30 minutes and rinse off with tepid water.

Beeswax. Over low heat, melt one tablespoon of beeswax. Once melted, remove from heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice, one tablespoon of almond oil and two tablespoons of apricot extract and mix. Before applying, refrigerate the mixture for at least two hours.

Do not smoke or squint. Wear sunglasses with UV protection when in the sun and get adequate sleep. Do not also over wash your face.

(source: Journal Online)

Health Group: Medical Professionals Can Help Stop Torture

2011-07-02T06:12:00.000-07:00

As it marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (IDSVT) on Sunday, a group of medical professionals said people in the health profession can help deter acts of torture through effective investigation and documentation of such cases.

In observance of the IDSVT which falls every 26th of June, the Medical Action Group (MAG) said “effective medical documentation of torture can lessen impunity and help obtain redress for victims of such inhuman act.”

Also it said health professionals can battle torture more effectively by using the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment commonly known as the Istanbul Protocol.

“Even though torture is a crime, “it has become a deep-rooted practice in the Philippines. Majority of the perpetrators go unpunished and most victims, usually from marginalized sectors, lack resources to get the services of lawyers and doctors,” said MAG executive director Edeliza P. Hernandez, Executive Director of MAG that treat torture victims.

For this year’s observance of IDSVT, the MAG, together with like-minded medical doctors and health professionals, renewed its vow to support victims of torture and all forms of inhuman acts.

On June 26, 1987, the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Punishment came into force. The Philippines acceded to this Convention on June 18, 1986.

Meanwhile, MAG urges the government to institutionalize the use of the Istanbul Protocol because the Supreme Court has affirmed the value of the Protocol in proving claims of torture.

MAG said the government’s obligation to provide redress for human rights violations, such as torture cases, entails the duty to ensure full reparation and to provide rehabilitation for victims and their relatives.

“Through a combination of effective implementation of the Anti-Torture Act and heightened sense of political will, government officials can play a key role in preventing torture in the country,” MAG said.

(source: Yahoo News)

Heart Risks Lower in Men Who Get Enough Vitamin D

2011-07-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

Men who consume the recommended amount of vitamin D are somewhat less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those who get little of the vitamin in their diets, a large U.S. study suggests.

Following nearly 119,000 adults for two decades, researchers found that men who got at least 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day — the current recommended amount — were 16 percent less likely to develop heart problems or a stroke, versus men who got less than 100 IU per day.

There was no such pattern among women, however, the researchers report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The authors say the findings do not prove that vitamin D, itself, deserves the credit for the lower risks seen in men. So they should not start downing supplements for the sake of their hearts.

“The evidence is not strong enough yet to make solid recommendations,” said lead researcher Dr. Qi Sun, a research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health.

On the other hand, the apparent benefits were linked to vitamin D intakes near what’s already recommended: Last year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a scientific advisory panel to the U.S. government, bumped up the recommended dose to 600 IU for most people. Adults older than 70 were told to get 800 IU.

So these latest findings may encourage more people to meet those guidelines, Sun said.
But as far as whether vitamin D cuts heart disease and stroke risk, the jury is still out.

Sun said that more answers should come from an ongoing clinical trial that is looking at whether a high dose of vitamin D (2,000 IU per day) can cut the risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases.

Clinical trials, wherein people are randomly assigned to a treatment or a placebo, are considered the “gold standard” of medical evidence.

So far, there have been few such randomized clinical trials testing vitamin D’s health effects.
A flurry of studies in recent years has linked higher vitamin D intake to lower risks of everything from diabetes, to severe asthma, heart disease, certain cancers and depression.

The problem with those studies is that were “observational” — researchers looked at people’s vitamin D intake, or their blood levels of the vitamin, and whether they developed a given health condition. Those kinds of studies cannot prove cause-and-effect.

The current study was also observational, based on data from two long-term projects that have followed two large groups of U.S. health professionals since the 1980s.

Out of 45,000 men, there were about 5,000 new cases of cardiovascular disease over the study period. These were defined by an incident of heart attack, stroke, or death attributed to cardiovascular disease.

After accounting for a range of factors — like age, weight, exercise levels and other diet habits, such as fat intake – Sun’s team found that men who got at least 600 IU of vitamin D from food and supplements had a 16 percent lower risk of heart attack and stroke compared to men who got less than 100 IU of vitamin D per day.

For women, though, there was no correlation between vitamin D intake and cardiovascular health.
It’s not clear why that is, Sun said. One possibility is that women may have less active vitamin D circulating in the blood; vitamin D is stored in fat, and women typically have a higher percentage of body fat than men do.

But more research is needed, Sun said, to know whether real biological differences underlie the current findings.

In theory, vitamin D could help ward off heart disease and stroke; lab research suggests that it may help maintain healthy blood vessel function and blood pressure levels, reduce inflammation in the blood vessels, and aid blood sugar control.

But until clinical trials help show whether vitamin D works, Sun advised people to stick with the tried-and-true ways of protecting their hearts: maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, eating a well-balanced diet and not smoking.

“There are many established ways to lower your cardiovascular disease risk,” Sun said. “People can focus on those measures.”

As for vitamin D, the sun is the major natural source, since sunlight triggers vitamin D synthesis in the body. Food sources are relatively few and include fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, and fortified dairy products and cereals.

(source: Yahoo Online)

Low-Sodium Diet: Foods To Eat

2011-07-02T06:04:00.000-07:00

With processed foods, convenience snacks and restaurant meals growing in popularity, many of us are consuming more sodium than ever.

And health authorities are cautioning the public to cut back on the salt.
The bad news about having too much sodium in your diet is that it’s a risk factor for high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to stroke and heart disease. So learn how to keep your salt intake in check with the following low-sodium tips.

When you buy your veggies, go all natural. Fresh is best, but frozen vegetables are equally wholesome and can be kept longer. Refrain from buying canned variety, which have added salty brine. Serve up your greens with a low-fat dip for a tasty and nutritious snack.

(source: Health and Wellness)

Food that Promotes Healthy Skin

2011-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you want to know what to eat to have beautiful skin? Noted physician Dr. Willie Ong has these suggestions:

1. Avocadoes — Avocadoes are packed with the B vitamins, which help nourish your skin. vitamin B3 (called niacin) acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and may help smoothen reddish and patchy skin. One avocado contains 3.8 mg. of niacin, which fullfills 27 percent of your daily needs.

2. Green tea – Green tea contains polyenols that may prevent sunlight damage and improve the elasticity of the skin’s outer layer (the epidermis). Studies show that green tea may prevent various cancers, including skin cancer, because of the high concentration of catechins. Drink one to two glasses a day.

3. Green veggies — Green leafy vegetables contain many vitamins, minerals, and plant chemicals known to provide health benefits. Green veggies such as cabbage, pechay, kangkong talbos and spinach also help flush out toxins from the body. An international study shows that people who eat more vegetables and fish have less wrinkles, compared to those who eat less.

4. Tomatoes – Tomato paste with olive oil have been known to prevent sunburn within 10 weeks of taking it. Tomatoes are extremely high in antioxidants, especially carotenoids like beta-carotene and lycopene. Studies show that lycopene may help slow down cellular damage from free radicals.

Lycopene is readily released by cooking tomatoes and better absorbed with a little oil added. Therefore, eating spaghetti sauce, around 10 tablespoons per week, is considered very healthy.

5. Watermelon – Watermelon’s beneficial effect comes from its component citrulline, which is converted to arginine in the body. Arginine helps flush out ammonia and other toxins from the body. The deep-red watermelon variety also contains the pigment lycopene, which helps counter the bad effects of free radicals circulating in the body. Once we reduce these free radicals, we can theoretically slow down aging and gain healthier-looking skin.

6. Soybeans — Soybeans contain protein which breaks down into smaller amino acids upon digestion. These amino acids, in turn, help repair the skin cells and collagen beneath the skin. In addition, soybeans contain essential fatty acids that help moisturize your skin naturally. Soybeans are also rich in calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber. Hence, they’re good for your heart, bones, and digestion. You can add soybeans to your diet by drinking soya milk or adding tofu to your soups, stews, and salads.

7. Oily fish — Oily fish, such as sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon, are filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids — a type of fat that makes your blood less likely to form clots. Salmon, in particular, contains astaxanthin, which is a carotenoid that improves skin elasticity.

(source: Abante Online)

Disease Alert for Philippine Children After Floods

2011-07-02T05:49:00.000-07:00

Nearly half a million children displaced by heavy flooding in the southern Philippines could face an outbreak of diarrhoea and pneumonia, the UN said Sunday.

Vanessa Tobin, country representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said about 450,000 children were among the tens of thousands affected when floods swamped over two dozen towns on Mindanao island the past two weeks.

The floods were caused by the overflowing of the Rio Grande, the country’s second-longest river, after water hyacinths clogged a huge section of the system and prevented it from emptying into the sea.

Authorities had said that some low lying communities remained flooded, and Tobin said this raised concerns over the possibility of children contracting diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.

“We are working to prevent death and illnesses with government and partner agencies,” she said.
Hundreds of troops have been helping to clear the Rio Grande of the plants, which had covered up to 25 hectares (62 acres) of water.

President Benigno Aquino personally inspected the clearing operation last week, and ordered a massive relief effort.

Thousands of people remained in evacuation centres on the main island of Luzon, disaster relief officials said Sunday, after Tropical Storm Meari dumped heavy rains that caused flash floods in Manila and surrounding provinces.

Meari left one person dead, and rescuers were still looking for 17 people who went missing, including a group of fishermen who set sail despite the bad weather.

(source: Yahoo News)

Global Diabetes Epidemic Balloons to 350 Million

2011-07-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

The number of adults with diabetes worldwide has more than doubled since 1980 to 347 million, a far larger number than previously thought and one that suggests costs of treating the disease will also balloon.

In a study published in the The Lancet journal, an international team of researchers working with The World Health Organization found that rates of diabetes have either risen or at best remained the same in virtually all parts of the world in the past 30 years.

The estimated number of diabetics is markedly higher than a previous projections that put the number at 285 million worldwide. This study found that of the 347 million people with diabetes, 138 million live in China and India and another 36 million in the United States and Russia.
The most common type of diabetes, Type 2, is strongly associated with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

“Diabetes is becoming more common almost everywhere in the world,” said Majid Ezzati, from Britain’s Imperial College London, who led the study along with Goodarz Danaei from the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States.

“Unless we develop better programs for detecting people with elevated blood sugar and helping them to improve their diet and physical activity and control their weight, diabetes will inevitably continue to impose a major burden on health systems around the world,” Danaei added in a joint statement.

People with diabetes have inadequate blood sugar control, which can lead to serious complications like heart disease and stroke, damage to the kidneys or nerves, and to blindness.
Experts say high blood glucose and diabetes cause around 3 million deaths globally each year, a number that will continue to rise as the number of people affected increases.

As a result, diabetes is a booming market for drugmakers like Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, Merck and Takeda.

Treatments available
Dozens of diabetes treatments, both pills and injections, are on the market. Global sales of the medicines totaled $35 billion last year and could rise to as much as $48 billion by 2015, according to drug research firm IMS Health.

New research being presented this weekend at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego will focus on experimental drugs and ways to combine classes of medicines to better control blood sugar.

“This is a chronic, progressive condition,” said Dennis Urbaniak, vice president of Sanofi’s diabetes division. “What we are most worried about is the number of people out there with diabetes that is not optimally controlled.”

For the Lancet study, the largest of its kind for diabetes, researchers analyzed fasting plasma glucose (FPG) data from 2.7 million participants aged 25 and over across the world, and then used advanced statistical methods to estimate prevalence.

They found that between 1980 and 2008, the number of adults with the disease rose from 153 million to 347 million. Seventy percent of the rise was due to population growth and aging, with the other 30 percent due to higher prevalence, they said.

The proportion of adults with diabetes rose to 9.8 percent of men and 9.2 percent of women in 2008, compared with 8.3 percent of men and 7.5 percent of women in 1980.

Diabetes has taken off most dramatically in Pacific Island nations, which now have the highest diabetes levels in the world, the study found. In the Marshall Islands, a third of all women and a quarter of all men have diabetes.

Among wealthy countries, the rise in diabetes was highest in North America and relatively small in Western Europe. Diabetes and glucose levels were highest in United States, Greenland, Malta, New Zealand and Spain, and lowest in the Netherlands, Austria and France.

The region with the lowest glucose levels was sub-Saharan Africa, followed by East Asia and Southeast Asia.

(source: ABS-CBN News)

REVEALED: What Sugar Actually Does to Your Brain and Body

2011-06-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

Sugar is a sweet, funny thing. For some of us, it’s a love-hate affair that borders around obsession, caution and indulgence. To others, it’s merely just glucose and/or fructose; have too much of it and you get diabetes.

Regardless of which group you belong to, you probably can’t avoid having sugar in your diet, so it’s always a good idea to understand better what you eating. Perhaps after reading this entry, you’ll find that sugar isn’t as bad as you had imagined – or possibly much worse than you believe.

Firstly, we should understand that sugar is a very broad term describing different forms of saccharides, of which glucose and fructose are of most direct concern to us. Glucose is what you should consider the natural “fuel” of your body, and that most bodily processes, such as thinking about an exam question or doing push-ups, require glucose in one way or another. Despite so, glucose has its own problems, namely leading to the release of VLDL which in higher amounts, could be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. And then there is the all-too familiar diabetes of course.

Fructose on the other hand, is really just very bad. The body doesn’t require fructose for energy consumption, but will actively do so when its freely flowing in your bloodstream after a fructose-heavy meal.

The main difference between this and glucose is that fructose affects your metabolism in more than one negative way, encompassing the release of more VLDL in addition to uric acid production and a whole bunch of other nasty stuff. Bottom is clear: glucose can be bad, whereas fructose can very bad when both are taken in copious amounts.

How does knowledge of fructose, glucose and the scientific stuff affect us? A majority of processed food rely on fructose to get you that tasty flavour, which means that you take in a lot of fructose when you indulge in junk food often. We’re not just talking about hamburgers, potato chips and the like, but also elusive softdrinks that can creep in your life quite sinisterly. Working in the office OT and feeling a little tired? Not a big deal.
Simply reach out to the pantry fridge and grab yourself a 7-up. You know how the story goes, so watch out for these moments.

Aside from processed foods, fresh fruits are actually another easy to acquire fructose. Sounds bad? Not exactly. Although fruits contain high fructose, an inherently high fibre content in most of them (like bananas and papayas) informs your brain that satiety is met.

Since hunger is disposed of, there isn’t a need for eating anymore, so any further fructose intake is thereby controlled. Besides, fruits are a primary source of vitamins so there is absolutely no reason to cut down on it. Cut away the soda drinks and desserts if you must.

Now that you have a better idea of the magical workings of sugar and especially fructose, how do you deal with it on a day to day basis? To save you from cracking your brains, we have some advice for you:

Sugar isn’t necessarily bad when taken in higher amounts, as glucose and fructose can boost sporting performances and even give your brain an energy lift (the brain favors glucose as an energy fuel) when you’re falling asleep in class. Just remember that like all things, sugar should taken in moderation.

Follow these simple tips and you’ll be on track to a healthy sugar life. It’s inevitable that you’ll eat sugar all the time so don’t be paranoid consuming sugar regularly in your diet. Instead, focus on how you can reduce sugar intake and watch out for those that are rich in fructose.

(source: Yahoo News)

Chronic Constipation Tied to Women’s Heart Risks

2011-06-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

Older women bothered by severe, chronic constipation may have a higher risk of heart disease than those who aren’t, according to a U.S. study of older women.

While the findings, based on more than 70,000 postmenopausal women, do not mean that constipation itself explains the extra risk, women with chronic constipation may tend to have more risk factors for heart disease such as a low-fiber diet, too little exercise, and higher rates of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

“We cannot make definitive recommendations based on this study,” said lead researcher Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher, a cardiologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.

“We can only suggest that constipation may be a helpful tool to identify women who may have several risk factors for cardiovascular disease and consequently be at increased cardiovascular risk,” she told Reuters Health in an email.

The study, which appeared in the American Journal of Medicine, followed 73,000 women over six to 10 years.

At the start, the women reported on their health and lifestyle habits, including whether they’d had constipation problems over the past month.

Overall, 35 percent had constipation. Over the following years, they were more likely than other women to develop clogged arteries, have a heart attack or stroke, or die of heart disease.

Among women with severe constipation, meaning it disrupted their normal daily routine, just under 2 percent suffered a cardiovascular event each year of the follow-up.

That compared with just under 1 percent of women who had regular bowel movements at the outset. Meanwhile, women with mild to moderate constipation problems fell somewhere in between.

But the link largely disappeared once the researchers accounted for a range of other factors including age, weight, diet, exercise and traditional heart risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

In the end, only severe constipation remained linked to heart trouble.

Salmoirago-Blotcher said it was hard to draw conclusions from that since it wasn’t possible to account for all the factors that might explain a link between constipation and cardiovascular disease. In addition, only a small number of women in the study — 1.6 percent of the entire group — reported severe constipation.

More studies are needed to confirm the findings, as well as to see whether they hold true for men and younger adults too.

“Because constipation is easily assessed, it may be a helpful tool to identify women with increased cardiovascular risk,” she and her colleagues wrote.

She suggested that perhaps women consider lifestyle changes to manage the problem, rather than relying on laxatives.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Women Can’t Keep Breast Implants for Life

2011-06-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

Women who get silicone breast implants are likely to need additional surgery within 10 years to address complications such as rupturing of the device, U.S. health regulators said on Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration will work to revise safety labels for silicone breast implants after reviewing data from several long-term studies, which also showed that the products had a small link to a rare form of cancer.

The agency said the studies overall confirmed its decision that implants can be used safely, but noted the conclusions could be limited because some women dropped out.

“The key point is that breast implants are not lifetime devices,” said Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The longer you have the implant, the more likely you are to have complications.”

There were almost 400,000 breast enlargement or reconstruction procedures in the United States in 2010, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That includes silicone and saline implants.

Up to 70 percent of all women who received surgery due to disease or trauma, and up to 40 percent of those getting an enlargement procedure using silicone, needed another operation within 10 years, post-approval studies showed.

The FDA approved silicone gel-filled breast implants sold by Allergan and Johnson & Johnson’s Mentor unit in 2006. It had banned silicone implants for most U.S. women in 1992 after some complained that the devices leaked and made them chronically ill.

As a condition of taking the devices to market, both companies were required to conduct post-approval studies of 40,000 women for 10 years, as well as extend smaller pre-approval studies. The FDA considered the companies’ results, as well as reports of negative events and scientific literature.

Localized complications
Based on the data, the FDA said most common complications were localized, such as the hardening of the breast area around the implant, rupture or deflation of it, and the need for additional surgeries.
Other local complications include implant wrinkling, asymmetry, scarring, pain, and infection at the incision site.

The report also found a small correlation between implants and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects about 3,000 Americans a year.

From 1997 to 2010, there were about 60 cases of ALCL reported for women worldwide out of about 5 million to 10 million women who had breast implants, Shuren said.

“If there’s a true association between that cancer and implants, it’s very, very rare,” he said.
The FDA said most long-term studies confirmed initial results, and that most risks of implants were well known.

“Most women reported high levels of satisfaction with their body image and the shape, feel and size of their implants,” the FDA report said, adding that they should monitor their breasts for the rest of their lives.

The agency also cautioned that post-approval study data could be limited because of the low response rates.
In the large 10-year studies of 80,000 women, Allergan has collected preliminary two-year data for 60 percent of participants, while Mentor has collected three-year data for only 21 percent.

Diane Zuckerman, president of the advocacy group National Research Center for Women & Families, said the high dropout rates meant the study was not accurate.

“So many of the women dropped out before the research was completed that it is impossible to say what percentage of women need additional surgery or have health problems five or 10 years after getting breast implants,” she said.

“This raises questions about FDA’s reliance on studies required after a product is approved,” she added.
Allergan shares were down 0.9 percent at $82.04 on the New York Stock Exchange, while Johnson & Johnson dipped 0.2 percent to $66.36.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Scarlet Fever Kills 2nd Kid in HK

2011-06-30T22:08:00.000-07:00

IF you have a child below eight years old who develops sudden fever, immediately check his tongue. If it has turned neon pink, rush him to the nearest hospital. Although there have been no reported cases in the Philippines, it could be scarlet fever. The epidemic now spreading in Hong Kong yesterday killed its second young victim.

The second fatality was a five-year-old boy who had consulted a doctor for chicken pox. He had body rashes and a tongue which was bright pink.

The Centre for Health Protection spokeswoman said the boy’s brothers, aged seven and 13, had also been tested for scarlet fever and results were still pending.

Classes have been suspended at the boy’s school, the Salvation Army Tin Ka Ping Kindergarten in Sha Tin, which has 400 children, for a week, a first for Hong Kong following a scarlet fever death, according to The Standard.

The second fatality comes after the illness, which mainly affects children aged between two and eight, claimed the life of a seven-year-old girl at St Stephen’s College in Stanley last May 29.

The Standard quoted center controller Thomas Tsang Ho-fai as saying, “We are facing an epidemic because the bacteria-causing scarlet fever is widely circulating in this region — not only in Hong Kong but neighboring places such as the mainland and Macau.”

Ho-fai was referring to Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacterium that causes scarlet fever. Symptoms include fever, body rashes and a strawberry-colored tongue and the disease usually affects children between two and eight years of age.

The number of infections in the territory has soared to nearly 500, said health authorities, adding more than 9,000 had been infected in the Chinese mainland — doubling the average figure in recent years.

(source: Journal Online)

Foods that Increase Blood Platelets

2011-06-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

LOW platelet count is one of the major battles of people suffering from dengue and in other serious medical state. A healthy person should have a platelet count anywhere between 150,000 and 450,000. Some hospitals peg the levels to up to 350,000.

The average lifespan of each platelet is only around 10 days so the body needs tao keep up production of new platelets which are produced in the bone marrow. Children and teens who have dengue will experience low (and dropping) of blood platelets.

The platelets are one of the most important components of human blood, along with the red blood cells and plasma. So any number that is lower than the normal level, medication, therapy, surgery or even blood transfusion may be required.

There are several ways to naturally increase blood platelets except in severe cases where platelets drop rapidly. Regular screening and blood test is important to determine the numbers of platelets.

If the levels of platelets in the blood are slightly on the lower side, there are natural foods to help them increase. It is also advisable to consult a doctor to check the condition.

The platelet count in the blood should always be within the normal range. If it is too high, it could lead to severe blood clots, which could result in a stroke. In cases of thrombocytopenia which are accounted on dengue cases, patients with low platelet could suffer from prolonged bleeding problems, blood in the urine or stools, bleeding gums and nose (epistaxis).

To avert further decrease of platelet, a person should avoid refined foods, foods that contain sugar, soft drinks and other processed foods. Better switch to berries, oranges, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, papaya leaf juice, kiwi fruit, flax seed and sweet lime juice.

Other natural ways to increase blood platelets is get adequate sleep and rest. Also increase the consumption of beetroots, apples, potato skins and bitter gourd. Consume at least one serving of green leafy vegetables in a day. Make it a point to consume all of them on a daily basis. Once your blood count starts going up, complex foods can be added to your diet. No junk foods along the process.

Take a lot of vitamin C supplements. You can obtain vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. Because vitamin C is water soluble, it can be easily absorbed by the body and will immediately help in restoring the body’s platelet count.

The most common home remedy is to drink the bitter extract from a papaya leaf. Two leaves without the stalk can yield approximately two tablespoons of the extract.

On the other hand, a group of pharmacy students from the University of Sto. Tomas have studied the efficacy of herbal plant Tawa-tawa extract that said increase platelet properties.

The researchers, Jeriz Anne Natividad, Hazel Lopez, Toni Ann Marie Luna, Rachelle Manalo, Jeriz Natividad and Clarisse Ngo subjected tawa-tawa’s leaves to boiling. Tawa-tawa’s platelet-increasing activity was tested on laboratory rats – Sprague-Dawley.

Results of the study showed that the tawa-tawa extract was effective in increasing the platelet count of rats without notable effects in red blood cell and white blood cell counts.

Omega 3 fatty acids are also considered for battling low platelet counts. And this includes cod liver oil, flax seed oil, tuna, wild salmon, and free range eggs that human body alone cannot biologically produced. It also boosts and strengthens the body’s immune system.

Vegetables like broccoli, dark leafy greens, malungay, kangkong, kale and spinach help raise the platelet count and stimulate the body’s internal mechanism.

Increasing platelet count is very important, especially if the problem is internal bleeding. Serious medical conditions related to platelet count drop should be reported to your doctor immediately and given medical intervention.

In minor cases, you can help your body get back to its normal state of equilibrium by ingesting healthy foods to increase platelet count and keeping your body functioning at its peak efficiency.

(source: Journal Online)

Olive Oil Lovers Show Lower Stroke Risk

2011-06-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

Older people who use olive oil in their cooking and on their salads may have a lower risk of suffering a stroke, researchers recently reported.

In a study that followed older French adults for five years, researchers found that those who regularly used olive oil were 41 percent less likely to have a stroke than those who never used the oil.

The findings, reported in the journal Neurology, hint that the well-known connection between olive oil and heart disease might extend to stroke as well. Olive oil is a key ingredient in the so-called Mediterranean diet. And some clinical trials have suggested that the diet helps control risk factors for heart disease, like high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and elevated levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol.

High olive oil intake is also linked to a lower risk of heart attack, and a longer lifespan among heart attack survivors. These latest findings support the general advice that people replace dubious dietary fats — namely, saturated fats and “trans” fats — with olive oil and other unsaturated fats, according to an expert not involved in the study. But he also stressed that the study does not prove that olive oil, per se, helps prevent strokes.

“We need to remember that this is an observational study,” said Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York who wrote an editorial published with the study.

The study found a correlation between people’s olive oil use and their stroke risk, he told Reuters Health — but that doesn’t necessarily translate into cause-and-effect.

“People who use a lot of olive oil may be very different from people who don’t,” Scarmeas said.
Olive oil users may, for example, have higher incomes, eat better overall or exercise more often than people who never use the oil. The researchers on the new study, led by Cécilia Samieri of the French national research institute INSERM, tried to account for those differences. And after they did, olive oil was still linked to a lower stroke risk.

But it’s impossible to fully account for all those variables, Scarmeas noted. What’s needed, he said, are clinical trials where people are randomly assigned to use olive oil or not, then followed over time to see who suffers a stroke. Such clinical trials are considered the “gold standard” of medical evidence.

The current study included 7,625 French adults age 65 and older who reported on their diets and other lifestyle factors. People who said they used olive oil for both cooking and as a dressing were considered “intensive users.”

Over the next five to six years, those intensive users suffered strokes at a rate of 0.3 percent per year. That compared with just over 0.5 percent among non-users, and 0.4 percent among moderate users.

When the researchers factored in other diet habits, exercise levels and major risk factors for stroke — like high blood pressure and diabetes — heavy olive oil use was tied to 41 percent reduction in the odds of stroke.

Samieri’s team also took blood samples from another 1,245 older adults, measuring their levels of oleic acid — a monounsaturated fat that accounts for most of the fatty acids in olive oil. The one-third of participants with the highest oleic acid levels were 73 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than the one-third with the lowest levels.

The findings, according to Scarmeas, argue for more research into olive oil’s potential benefits against not only heart disease, but stroke and other neurological diseases as well.

For now, he suggested that people choose olive oil and other unsaturated fats over saturated fats (found largely in meat and dairy) and trans fats (found in some processed foods, like crackers, cookies and chips).

“It’s better to rely on this type of fat for your overall health,” Scarmeas said.

That said, no single food is consumed in isolation, he points out in his editorial.

Olive oil is one part of the Mediterranean diet that has been tied to heart benefits. The diet also boasts plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and moderate amounts of red wine.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

Pagsisimula ng Programa ng Ehersisyo

2011-06-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ang regular na pag-ehersisyo ay bahagi ng malusog na pamumuhay. Kausapin ang inyong doktor tungkol sa kung anong klase at kung gaano karami ang ehersisyo na gagawin kapag kayo ay:

Hindi kailanman naging aktibo
May mga problema sa kalusugan
Buntis
Lampas sa edad na 60

Ang layunin ay ang mag-ehersisyo 4 hanggang 6 na araw bawat linggo. Mag-ehersisyo sa loob ng 30 hanggang 60 minuto bawat beses. Upang mapigilan ang aksidente, dahan-dahang pataasin ang bilang ng mga araw at ang haba ng oras na ginugugol ninyo sa pag-ehersisyo.

Tumutulong ang madalas na pag-ehersisyo upang:

Mapahusay ang pagtrabaho ng inyong puso at mga baga
Panatilihing malusog ang timbang o tulungan kayong magbawas ng timbang
Mapahusay ang balanse, lagay ng mga kalamnan at pagkamasunurin (flexibility) ng mga pinaghuhugpungan
Pagaanin ang stress at tensiyon at mapabuti ang inyong disposisyon
Bawasan ang panganib ng sakit sa puso, mataas na presyon ng dugo, osteoporosis o panghihina ng mga buto, at diabetes

PAGSISIMULA:

• Piliin ang ehersisyo na gusto ninyong gawin.

Subukang iba-ibahin ang klase ng ehersisyo na inyong ginagawa upang pataasin ang mga benepisyo sa kalusugan at mapigilan ang pagkabagot at aksidente.

Mga Klase ng Ehersisyo:

Ang aerobic exercise ay nagpapagalaw sa mga malalaking kalamnan at pinapabuti ang kalusugan ng inyong puso at mga baga. Ilan sa mga halimbawa ang paglalakad, pagtakbo ng mabagal (jogging), mga klaseng aerobiko, pagbibisikleta, paglalangoy, paglalaro ng tenis at pagsasayaw.
Ang paglalakad ay maganda para sa mga baguhan. Kailangan lamang ninyo ng isang matibay na pares ng sapatos na pag-atletiks. Ang paglalakad ay maaaring magsunog ng mga bilang ng enerhiya (calories) na singdami ng sinusunog ng pagtakbo ng mabagal (jogging), nang walang matinding epekto sa inyong mga pinaghuhugpungan. Mainam ang paglalakad para sa inyong puso at mga baga at tumutulong na mapigilan ang panghihina ng mga buto (osteoporosis).
Ang mga ehersisyong pagsasanay sa lakas ay nagpapalakas sa mga kalamnan at pinapatibay ang mga buto. Ang paggamit ng mga mabibigat na bagay (weights), mga lastikong pang-ehersisyo, ibang kagamitan sa pagbubuhat ng mabibigat (weight lifting equipment), at paggawa ng mga push-ups at sit-ups ay mga halimbawa ng pagsasanay sa lakas. Kausapin ang inyong doktor bago umpisahan ang pagsasanay sa lakas kung mayroon kayong mataas na presyon ng dugo o iba pang problema sa kalusugan.
Ang mga ehersisyo para gawing madaling banatin ang bahagi ng katawan (flexibility), na tinatawag ding pagbabanat, ay pinapahaba ang mga kalamnan upang mapahusay ang balanse at kalusugan ng mga pinaghuhugpungan. Ang pagbabanat ay mahalaga bago at pagkatapos ng pag-e-ehersisyo at bilang isang ehersisyo rin. Kasama sa mga halimbawa ang yoga at tai chi.

• Umpisahan at tapusin ang sesyon ng pag-ehersisyo ng 5 minutong marahang ehersisyo o pagbabanat.

Halimbawa, maglakad ng 5 minuto bago at pagkatapos ng pagtakbo ng mabagal (jogging). Makakatulong ito upang mapigilan ang aksidente.

•Mag-ehersisyo sa komportableng bilis. Pakinggan ang inyong katawan. Masyadong matindi ang inyong pag-e-ehersisyo kung kayo ay:

Nagkakaroon ng pananakit sa inyong mga pinaghuhugpungan, paa, mga bukungbukong o mga binti
May mga problema sa paghinga
Nanghihina, nalulula o nahihilo habang o pagkatapos mag-ehersisyo

Tumigil sa pag-ehersisyo at tawagan ang inyong doktor o 911 kung kayo ay:

May pananakit o pamimigat ng dibdib, kaliwang leeg, balikat o braso
Biglang pagkahilo
Pinagpapawisan ng malamig
Namumutla
Pakiramdam ng pagkahimatay

Kausapin ang inyong doktor o nars kung kayo ay mayroong mga katanungan o alalahanin.

(source: Health Info Translations)

Natural Na Pagkontrol Sa BP

2011-06-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

May mga simple at hindi magastos na paraan para makontrol mo ang iyong blood pressure o BP. Ang mga paraan na ito ay maituturing na natural. Natural na paraan para sa paghaba ng iyong buhay at pagkakaroon ng magandang kalusugan.

* Mahalaga ang ehersisyo. Ang 30-minute na paglalakad o ang simpleng pag jog sa loob ng isang oras ay sapat na. Ang ehersisyo ay nagpapataas sa produksyon ng material na tinatawag na Nitric Oxide na maaaring mag extend sa blood vessels upang ito’y maging bukas. May mabuting epekto ito upang mabawasan ang load sa iyong puso at mabawasan ang blood pressure.

* Magbawas ng timbang matapos na makalkula ang iyong Body Mass Index. Sukatin ang iyong timbang in pounds at i-multiply ito sa 703; i-divide ito ng dalawang beses with your height in inches. Ang BMI mo ay dapat sa pagitan ng 18.5 at 24.9 para sa good health.

* Iwasan ang maaalat na pagkain. May kahirapan ito ngunit subukan ang simple rule na ito: kung nalalasahan mo ang asin sa iyong kinakain ibig sabihin sobra na ito. Bawasan ang salt intake at pwedeng substitute rito ang herbs tulad ng oregano at thyme na nagpapalasa at nagbabawas sa salt levels.

* Iwasan ang alcohol at paninigarilyo. Makipag-usap sa pamilya at iwan ang anumang stress. Makipaglaro sa mga bata dahil maituturing itong exercise.
* Gawing hobbies ang yoga at meditation. Ang mga ito ay may paraan para mapababa ang high blood pressure.

(source: Abante Online)

Paglalakad Epektibong Pambawas Ng Timbang

2011-06-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

Ipinaliwanag ni Julia Valentour, exercise physiologist at program coordinator para sa American Council on Exercise (ACE), na hindi kailangang mahirap ang pag-eehersisyo para lang maging epektibo. Ang rekomendadong 30 minuto araw-araw ay maaring hatiin sa tig-15 minuto kada sesyton o kaya tig sa sampung minuto pa ng paglalakad.

At hindi lang ang pagbabawas ng timbang ang kapakinabangan, kundi maging ang pagbaba ng kolesterol, risko ng type 2 diabetes, tumitibay pa ang mga buto at gumaganda ang sirkulasyon ng dugo.

Dagdag nga ni Timothy Gardner, MD, dating presidente ng American Heart Association, “ ilang dagdag lang na mga hakbang sa paglalakad araw-araw ay simple at madaling paraan sa pagmamantine ng malusog na pamumuhay”.

Gayunman kailangang makipagkita sa inyong duktor kung sisimulan ang isang exercise program, lalo’t kung di ka aktibo noong mga nakaraan.

Sa Panimula ng Walking Program:
Magtatag na simulain: Ayon kay Courtenay Schurman, may-akda ng “ The Outdoor Athlete.
“Magsimula muna ng tatlong beses isang linggo ng paglalakad ng tig 20 minuto. Itataas hanggang limang beses isang linggo ng mga kalahating oras kada sesyon hanggang abutin ng mga dalawa hanggang tatlong oras kada sesyon, depende sa libreng mga oras.

Mamili kung distansiya o oras: May ilang mga walkers na nakatuon sa distansiya, ang iba ay oras ang tinitingnan. Pero ayon kay Schurman ang dapat maging basehan ay ang bilis. “Kung kaya mo ngang maglakad ng isang kilometro pero inaabot naman ng limang oras, mukhang di epektibo ang paglalakad mo. Kaya nararapat tingnan ang distansiya, oras at pintig ng iyong puso, dagdag nito.

Bantayan ang intensidad: Ang pag-eehersisyo sa partikular na pintig ng puso o heart rate percentage ay magagawang tantyahin ang bigat ng inyong workout.

Maaaring subukan ang “talk test” para malaman ang intensidad ng pag-eehersiyo. Ito ay kung kayang banggitin ang anim hanggang walong salita na dugtong dugtong at walang patlang, ikaw ay nasa iyong “aerobic zone” ani Schurman. Subalit kung tila kinakapos ka ng hangin, bawasan ang intensidad ng ehersisyo. “Kung maraming salita sa isang hingahan, tila kulang iyon sa intensidad” dagdag nito.

5 PAMAMARAAN PARA MANATILING MASIGASIG SA PAGLALAKAD

Magsuot ng pedometer: “Gumamit ng pedometer ng isang linggo para malaman kung anong araw ka may pinakaraming hakbang na nagawa. Ulitin ang aktibidad at magdagdag ng 500 hakbang sa susunod na linggo. Panatilihin ang pagdagdag hanggang makapagtala ka ng 10,000 isang araw.

Gumawa ng walking journal: Magsisilbing tagahikayat ito kapag nakikita ang improvement mo sa nalalakad na distansiya at oras.

Magsama ng walking partner: Iba na yung meron kang kausap pag naglalakad

Magpatala sa mga “race o charity walk”: Lalong itong makapanghihikayat para manatili sa iyong walk program.

Maghanap ng mga online support: May ilang mga samahan na may ganitong klase ng mga pinagkakaabalahan kaya’t baka may mga gawain na malalaman sa Internet na makakatulong sa iyong walk program.

8 Safety Tips Para sa Walkers:

Pangunahin pa rin ang kaligtasan sa gagawin paglalakad kaya’t dapat laging tandaan:

* Kung maaari maglakad na may kasama palagi.

* Kung mag-iisa la-ging maglagay ng name tag, isulat ang tirahan o telephone number sa bahay o kamag-anak at itali sa sintas ng sapatos.

* Kung may diabetes, allergy o ibas pang karamdaman magsuot ng medical bracelet

* Magdala ng cell phone at ipaalam sa kaanak o kaibigan ang ruta ng nilalakaran

* Iwasan ang mga madidilim na lansangan.

* Huwag gumamit ng headset na hindi maririnig ang ingay ng mga dumaraang mga sasakyan at kailangang maglakad ng pasalungat sa trapiko.

* Magsuot ng mga reflective material o kaya magdala ng flashlight kung labis na madilim ang madaraanan.
* Magdala rin ng pito o sulbato o kaya ay pepper spray para sa mga emergency cases.

At pinakamahalaga isaisip na libangan ang paglalakad kaya’t dapat magsaya sa ginagawa.

(source: Abante Online)

Adhikain at Plano sa Pag-eehersisyo

2011-06-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

Malaki ang benepisyong makukuha sa pag-eehersisyo kaya kailangan mayroon tayong tinatawag na habit sa pag-eehersisyo.

1. Magkaroon ng goal. Ano ba ang gusto mong makuha?

mas malaking muscles?
kaunting fat sa katawan?
mas may mala-kas?
mas may mabilis?

Ang pag eehersisyo ay pwedeng gawin ng iilang beses. Bago ka pumunta sa gym dapat may baon kang malinaw na goal o adhikain. Ano ba talaga ang gusto mo?

Huwag mong su-buking kunin ang dalawang bagay sa iisang panahon.

Dapat isang goal muna, at sundan ito ng pangalawang goal.

2. Magkaroon ng deadline. Dapat may date kang tinatarget para masungkit ang goal mo.
Maaaring mag post ka sa salamin sa iyong kuwarto para maging constant reminder mo ito.

3. Magkaroon ng plano. Kapag may goal ka na, dapat back up ito ng iyong plano.

anong exercise ang iyong gagawin?
ilang sets at reps ang gagawin mo?
ilang beses sa isang linggo ka pupunta ng gym?

Mahalaga ang iyong oras. Kapag nasa gym ka dapat naroong nalalapit ka sa adhikain mo. Kaya dapat may solid training program ka.

4. Mag ehersisyo sa umaga. Kapag ma-rami kang ginawa sa opisina, mahirap ang magtungo pa sa gym. Mas maganda sa umaga ka mag ehersisyo.

magising ng ma-aga
kumain ng agahan
ihanda ang mga kakailanganin sa opi-sina
magpunta sa gym

5. Gawin ang plinano. Huwag ta-marin. Kahit pakiram-dam mo na 100% na hindi ka healthy, mag ehersisyo pa rin – ngunit dapat nasa lower intensity ka lamang.

Mas madalas ang pag-eehersisyo, mas madalas na nagkakaroon ka ng magandang habit. Ika nga, stick to your plan.

6. Sumama sa taong may exercise habit. Minsan kung mag quit na ang partner mo, naroon ang chance na mag quit ka na rin. Mas maeenganyo ka kung sasama ka sa taong may positibong pananaw kung bakit kailangang mag ehersisyo.

7. Maging confident. Pwede mong makamit kahit ano, kung naniniwala kang makukuha mo ito. kapag malinaw ang goal mo at plano, ito ang hihila sa iyo sa tamang confidence.

(source: Abante Online)

An end to AIDS?

2011-06-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Photograph by: Courtesy KPIX TV, Reuters

For his doctors, Timothy Ray Brown was a shot in the dark. An HIV-positive American who was cured by a unique type of bone marrow transplant, the man known as "the Berlin patient" has become an icon of what scientists hope could be the next phase of the AIDS pandemic: its end.

Dramatic scientific advances since HIV was first discovered 30 years ago this week mean the virus is no longer a death sentence. Thanks to tests that detect HIV early, new antiretroviral AIDS drugs that can control the virus for decades, and a range of ways to stop it being spread, 33.3 million people around the world are learning to live with HIV.

People like Vuyiseka Dubula, an HIV-positive AIDS activist and mother in Cape Town, South Africa, can expect relatively normal, full lives. "I'm not thinking about death at all," she says. "I'm taking my treatment and I'm living my life."

Nonetheless, on the 30th birthday of HIV, the global scientific community is setting out with renewed vigor to try to kill it. The drive is partly about science, and partly about money. Treating HIV patients with lifelong courses of sophisticated drugs is becoming unaffordable.

Caring for HIV patients in developing countries alone already costs around $13 billion a year and that could treble over the next 20 years.

In tough economic times, the need to find a cure has become even more urgent, says Francoise Barre Sinoussi, who won a Nobel prize for her work in identifying Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). "We have to think about the long term, including a strategy to find a cure," she says. "We have to keep on searching until we find one."

The Berlin patient is proof they could. His case has injected new energy into a field where people for years believed talk of a cure was irresponsible.

THE CURE THAT WORKED

Timothy Ray Brown was living in Berlin when besides being HIV-positive, he had a relapse of leukemia. He was dying. In 2007, his doctor, Gero Huetter, made a radical suggestion: a bone marrow transplant using cells from a donor with a rare genetic mutation, known as CCR5 delta 32. Scientists had known for a few years that people with this gene mutation had proved resistant to HIV.

"We really didn't know when we started this project what would happen," Huetter, an oncologist and haematologist who now works at the University of Heidelberg in southern Germany, told Reuters. The treatment could well have finished Brown off. Instead he remains the only human ever to be cured of AIDS. "He has no replicating virus and he isn't taking any medication. And he will now probably never have any problems with HIV," says Huetter. Brown has since moved to San Francisco.

Most experts say it is inconceivable Brown's treatment could be a way of curing all patients. The procedure was expensive, complex and risky. To do this in others, exact match donors would have to be found in the tiny proportion of people -- most of them of northern European descent -- who have the mutation that makes them resistant to the virus.

Dr Robert Gallo, of the Institute of Virology at the University of Maryland, puts it bluntly. "It's not practical and it can kill people," he said last year.

Sinoussi is more expansive. "It's clearly unrealistic to think that this medically heavy, extremely costly, barely reproducible approach could be replicated and scaled-up ... but from a scientist's point of view, it has shown at least that a cure is possible," she says.

The International AIDS Society will this month formally add the aim of finding a cure to its HIV strategy of prevention, treatment and care.

A group of scientist-activists is also launching a global working group to draw up a scientific plan of attack and persuade governments and research institutions to commit more funds. Money is starting to flow. The U.S. National Institutes of Health is asking for proposals for an $8.5 million collaborative research grant to search for a cure, and the Foundation for AIDS Research, or amfAR, has just announced its first round of four grants to research groups "to develop strategies for eradicating HIV infection."

THE COST OF TREATMENT

Until recently, people in HIV and AIDS circles feared that to direct funds toward the search for a cure risked detracting from the fight to get HIV-positive people treated. Even today, only just over five million of the 12 million or so people who need the drugs actually get them.

HIV first surfaced in 1981, when scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered it was the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). An article in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of that June referred to "five young men, all active homosexuals" from Los Angeles as the first documented cases. "That was the summer of '81. For the world it was the beginning of the era of HIV/AIDS, even though we didn't know it was HIV then," says Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who has made AIDS research his life's work.

In the subsequent three decades, the disease ignorantly branded "the gay plague" has become one of the most vicious pandemics in human history. Transmitted in semen, blood and breast milk, HIV has devastated poorer regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority of HIV-positive people live. As more tests and treatment have become available, the number of new infections has been falling. But for every two with HIV who get a chance to start on AIDS drugs, five more join the "newly infected" list. United Nations data show that despite an array of potential prevention measures -- from male circumcision to sophisticated vaginal or anal microbicide gels -- more than 7,100 new people catch the virus every day.

Treatment costs per patient can range from around $150 a year in poor countries, where drugs are available as cheap generics, to more than $20,000 a year in the United States.

The overall sums are huge. A recent study as part of a non-governmental campaign called AIDS2031 suggests that low and middle-income countries will need $35 billion a year to properly address the pandemic by 2031. That's almost three times the current level of around $13 billion a year. Add in the costs of treatment in rich countries and experts estimate the costs of HIV 20 years from now will reach $50 to $60 billion a year.

"It's clear that we have to look at another possible way of managing of the epidemic beyond just treating everyone forever," says Sharon Lewin, a leading HIV doctor and researcher from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

In some ways, we have been here before. Early AIDS drugs such as AZT came to market in the late 1980s, but within a decade they were overtaken by powerful cocktail treatments known as HAART, or highly active antiretroviral treatment. HAART had a dramatic effect -- rapidly driving the virus out of patients' blood and prompting some to say a cure was just around the corner.

But then scientists discovered HIV could lie low in pools or reservoirs of latent infection that even powerful drugs could not reach. Talk of a cure all but died out.

"Scientifically we had no means to say we were on the way to finding a cure," says Bertrand Audoin, executive director of the Geneva-based International AIDS Society. "Scientists ... don't want to make any more false promises. They didn't want to talk about a cure again because it really wasn't anywhere on the horizon."

GENE THERAPY

The ultimate goal would allow patients to stop taking AIDS drugs, knocking a hole in a $12 billion-a-year market dominated by Californian drugmaker Gilead and the likes of Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck.

It's unlikely to happen anytime soon, but Brown's case has opened the door to new ideas. "What it proved was that if you make someone's cells resistant to HIV...then all the last bits of HIV, that hang around for a long time in patients on treatment, did in fact decay and disappear," says Lewin.

Now scientists working on mimicking the effect of the Berlin patient's transplant have had some success. One experimental technique uses gene therapy to take out certain cells, make them resistant to HIV and then put them back into patients in the hope they will survive and spread.

At an HIV conference in Boston earlier this year, American researchers presented data on six patients who had large numbers of white blood cells known as CD4 cells removed, manipulated to knock out the existing CCR5 gene, and then replaced.

"It works like scissors and cuts a piece of genetic information out of the DNA, and then closes the gap," says Huetter. "Then every cell arising from this mother cell has this same mutation."

Early results showed the mutated cells managed to survive inside the bodies of the patients at low levels, remaining present for more than three months in five. "This was a proof of concept," says Lewin. Another potential avenue is a small group of patients known as "elite controllers", who despite being infected with HIV are able to keep it under control simply with their own immune systems. Researchers hope these patients could one day be the clue to developing a successful HIV/AIDS vaccine or functional cure.

Scientists are also exploring ways to "wake up" HIV cells and kill them. As discovered in the late 1990s, HIV has a way of getting deep into the immune system itself -- into what are known as resting memory T-cells -- and going to sleep there. Hidden away, it effectively avoids drugs and the body's own immune response.

"Once it goes to sleep in a cell it can stay there forever, which is really the main reason why we can't cure HIV with current drugs," says Lewin. Her team in Melbourne and another group in the United States are about to start the first human trials using a drug called SAHA or vorinostat, made by Merck and currently used in cancer treatment, which has shown promise in being able to wake up dormant HIV.

WHAT ABOUT PREVENTION?

As scientists begin to talk up a cure, the old question of whether that's the right goal has re-emerged. Seth Berkley, a medical epidemiologist and head of the U.S.-based International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) is concerned.

"From a science point of view, it's a fabulous thing to do. It's a great target and a lot of science will be learned. But from a public health point of view, the primary thing you need to do is stop the flow of new infections," says Berkley. "We need a prevention revolution. That is absolutely critical."

Vuyiseka Dubula agrees. The South African activist finds talk of a cure for HIV distracting, almost disconcerting. "This research might not yield results soon, and even when it does, access to that cure is still going to be a big issue," she says. "So in the meantime, while we don't have the answer on whether HIV can be cured or not, we need to save lives."

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