Food Materia Medica

Raw Food Materia Medica and Food

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts (Brassica oleracea, of the Gemmifera group) originated in Brussels, Belgium in the sixteenth century and like their relative broccoli, were developed from wild cabbage. Brussels sprouts are formed of twenty to eighty baby cabbages growing in spiral formation, close together. This member of the Brassicaceae (Mustard) Family is related to cauliflower and radish. The Latin name Brassica comes from the Celtic bresic and the species name oleracea means "a garden vegetable used in cooking." Gemmifera means, "diamond maker" as this vegetable was once reputed to enhance mental abilities. Brussels sprouts are alkalinizing, antioxidant and liver stimulating. They have a special affinity for the pancreas. They have been used to remedy acidosis, arteriosclerosis, catarrh, constipation, bleeding gums, and high cholesterol. Their high sulfur content makes them warming. They are a good source of beta-carotene, vitamin B6, folic acid, C, flavonoids calcium, iron, and phosphorus. They also contain indoles that are believed to prevent breast cancer by blocking the activity of estrogens that contribute to tumor growth. They are also considered preventative to colon cancer and promoting to good bowel health, due to their high fiber content. They also contain sulforaphanes, which blacks carcinogens from damaging healthy cells.
Select firm, compact bright green Brussels sprouts, as puffy ones tend to taste bland. Smaller ones, less than one and a half inches in diameter tend to have a better flavor. Their flavor improves after a frost, so they are popular as a fall and winter vegetable. Young tender sprouts can be enjoyed raw, sliced into salads or used as crudités.
Some may find them to be gas and bloating inducing, especially if one suffers from constipation, however this is due to their cleansing activity.

 Cabbage

Cabbage, (Brassica oleracea), a member of the Brassicaceae (Mustard) Family, is derived from wild cabbages brought from Asia by roving Celts around 600 BC. The word cabbage is from the Latin caput, meaning "head", due to cabbage's head like shape. Cabbage is esteemed as alterative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, circulatory stimulant, muscle builder, and diuretic. It has been used to strengthen eyes, gums, teeth, bones, hair, liver and nails. Cabbage is believed to lower the risk of heart disease, strokes and cataracts. It has been used to treat asthma, high cholesterol, colds, colic, constipation, cough, depression, diabetes, eye infections, fibrocystic breast disease, gout, headaches, hearing loss, insomnia, irritability, kidney and bladder disorders, lumbago, lung congestion, exposure to radiation, skin ailments, tuberculosis, ulcers, yeast infections, and to drive out intestinal worms.
Cabbage contains fiber, protein, histamine, beta carotene, folic acid, vitamins B1, B6, C, K, U (after its ability to heal ulcers), bioflavonoids, calcium, fluorine, iodine, iron, potassium, and sulfur. Cabbage contains indoles, which may help prevent breast cancer by inhibiting estrogens from stimulating tumor growth. It also contains monoterpenes, which are antioxidants that give protection against heart disease and cancer. Other anti-cancer properties in cabbage include dithiolthiones, glucosinolates, indoles, isothiocyanates, coumarins and phenols. Cabbage helps reduce the risks of colon, esophageal, lung, skin, and stomach cancers.
Savoy, of most likely Italian origin cabbage is the crinkly variety. Bok choy, or Napa is the Chinese cabbage and is considered sweet and cooling. Cabbage also comes in red and white, which is called "green cabbage." Cabbage is neutral to warming in temperature and sweet and pungent in flavor and alkaline.
Look for firm, crisp cabbages with no evidence of decay or worm infestation. It is an inexpensive vegetable and stores well over the winter. Cabbage is used stuffed, in cole slaws, salads, soups or juiced. Fermenting cabbage, often with the addition of salt, makes sauerkraut. It can be rinsed before serving to lower the sodium content. Unpasteurized sauerkraut contains microorganisms that promote healthy intestinal flora.
Cabbage contains goitergens, which can interfere with normal thyroid function when iodine levels are low. Some people complain that cabbage causes them gas, though many health authorities feel this is due to the cleansing nature of cabbage that helps loosen old bowel pockets.
Chopped cabbage leaves are used as a topical poultice to treat painful joints, bug bites and stings, burns, eczema, rashes, varicose vein, and wounds, including gangrene. Cabbage: Can be used as a poultice on almost anything. Try it for hemorrhoids!   

Breast Cancers

Why tamoxifen does not work for some breast cancers

UK scientists say they have discovered why some women fail respond to breast cancer treatment, and it is a gene error they believe they can fix.

Tamoxifen is given to most women diagnosed with breast cancer to prevent the cancer returning.

But not all women respond to the drug – experts estimate a third get no benefit.

The work in the journal Cancer Research suggests the problem is too much of a gene called FGFR1.

This discovery could lead to new treatments for these women as scientists “switch off” the action of FGFR1, enabling Tamoxifen to work.

The team of scientists in the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research have already shown this is possible in the lab.

They introduced a drug which “switched off” the action of FGFR1.

Once FGFR1 was stopped, hormone-based treatments like Tamoxifen could get back to work in destroying cancer cells, they found.

The researchers believe this could ultimately help thousands of women each year.

They say one in 10 breast cancer patients has too much of the FGFR1 gene.

Dr Nick Turner, who led the research, said: “Understanding how this gene can cause Tamoxifen resistance reveals a new drug target for treating breast cancers in patients who would otherwise have a poor outcome.

“There are a number of drugs in development that stop FGFR1 working, and clinical studies are investigating whether these drugs work against cancers with too many copies of this gene.

“The next step is to set up a clinical trial to see whether a drug that blocks the action of this gene can counteract hormone therapy resistance in breast cancer patients.

“If these trials confirm our lab work we could be on the verge of a potentially exciting new treatment for breast cancer.”

Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK, the charity which helped fund the work, said: “Cracking the problem of resistance to treatments such as Tamoxifen would be a major advance in treating breast cancer.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK affecting more than 45,500 women each year.

Tamoxifen blocks the female sex hormone oestrogen that fuels the growth of some breast tumours.

 

Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer Survival Rates,

Colon

When faced with the dubiety of constellation, it’s hominian nature to instruct as overmuch as we can almost it and try to amount out how it’s all deed to witticism out. Of instruction we can’t real couple, but that’s not the inform. We rightful requisite something to snatch on to. Something that gives us many overall tune of where this bus is headed. So, here you are.

The role of the port crab aliveness rates presented here is to work settle your obey, to elasticity you a number. It’s useful to recall that the city mansion animation rates presented here are generalizations and your someone chances of survival may be quite antithetic.

According to an article publicised in the Inhabitant Ledger of Human, malignancy position impacts metropolis mansion life valuate. In the Collective States for lesson, the five-year life judge for tumors in the ascending aspinwall (closest to the petite intestine) is roughly 63%. In the thwartwise metropolis, the living charge is most 59%, and in the drizzling city, it’s near 66%. (The five-year action grade represents the percent of patients existent team life after their initial diagnosis.)

Colon

According to the corresponding take, colon somebody living rates also depart by state. Piece the gross five-year animation for colon mortal in U.s. is 62%, it’s 43% in Collection. Wellborn of fear may be one reasonableness, but added could be punctuation crab screening programs. In imprecise, the originally city crab is sensed, the easier it is to address.

colon cancer

Coach at diagnosing also greatly impacts metropolis person animation rates. Investigate publicised in the ANZ Writing of

Surgery initiate that In Australia, the five-year animation for pioneer 1 port sign is 93%, but it drops to 59% for pioneer 3 punctuation cancer. For many entropy most punctuation house stages in indiscriminate, gratify have Metropolis Individual Stages.

Most of the factors I’ve mentioned are out of your contain. You unfilmed where you untaped and you didn’t opt to bang city individual, so you didn’t get to pay which variety to get or where to get it. So, what can you do to ameliorate your chances of animation now that you know it? Researchers at the Dana-Farber Mansion Create in Beantown conducted two studies, both of which revealed that average read can signficantly amount the survival charge of city house patients. Added read, publicised in the leger Gut, moult whatever floaty on why apply

 

Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer Research is Underfunded

Less cash is spent on lung cancer research every year than on other cancers.Three years ago, the National Cancer Institute figured that it spent only it spent only $1,500 per lung cancer death compared to $14,000 for each breast cancer death, $11,000 for each prostate cancer death, and $5,000 for each colon or rectal cancer. Lung cancer may not be as high profile in terms of funding, but it is extremely dangerous, and should be treated as such.

Signs and Symptoms: An individual experiencing lung cancer, will experience shortness of breath, chronic coughing up blood, wheezing similar to asthma or bronchitis, pain in the chest, severe tiredness, losing weight, hoarse throat, or swallowing impediments.

Causes: The main causes of lung cancer are carcinogens, radiation, and viruses.

Smoking – Cigarettes contain at least fifty carcinogens,released whenever an individual inhales. Obviously not everyone who smokes will get lung cancer. However the risk becomes much higher. The scariest discovery is that people can acquire lung cancer from overexposure to cigarettes. Currently, over 10% of people with lung cancer haven’t even smoked a cigarette.

Radon Gas – The US Environmental Protection Agency, estimates that one in 15 homes have radon levels above the recommended levels. This invisible gas cannot be smelled and is created through the breakdown of radioactive radium or uranium.

Asbestos – This is a carcinogen that can cause many types of cancers. Only 3% of deaths from lung cancer are caused by asbestos, yet it is a very dangerous material.

Treatments: Patients having lung cancer have many treatment options. If the cancer is found earlier, surgery can be tried to remove the tumor. However, if the cancer has metastasized, the patient can get chemotherapy. With these two types of treatment, scientists and doctors have developed adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, interventional radiology, and targeted therapy.

2009 Uniting Against Lung Cancer Video

Lung cancer aliveness charge can be influenced in several slipway. Lung disease or lung cancer stages it is at during diagnosed at lung house prediction, the overall status of the unnatural cause aggregate up instrument sum up a formula in determines the lung cancer animation value. Statistically, lung individual diligent aliveness could last up to a quintuplet period, which is the proportionality of deliberate enduring with varied lung human stages who charged at the least fivesome geezerhood after their cancer is tried or diagnosed at different lung cancer stages. Lung mansion living judge betterment has caused many people payment way too some money to turn lung cancer endurance evaluate.

Too many people trustworthy 100% in their doctors especially at varied cancer stages, and most of them are happening up moribund as a outcome. You requisite to learn to submit trustworthiness for your own upbeat, and not blindly countenance and travel the medical community to strength you effort along with their money-making schemes.

Your chronicle is valued and treasured justified you are at initiate 4 lung cancer stages or varied lung cancer stages, and cannot be sacrificed so others can earn blindly. I am not saying not to be aerated by doc but you individual your paw to good your rubicund unsusceptible system as good. Lung cancer animation range can be attuned fair by action pink cum which has the non poisonous and came from intelligent B17 (laetrile), different minerals, super enzymes and vitamins that can amend and cure cancer? B17 is lung cancer patient’s friend and leave operation the cancer room at some lung constellation stages or submit in your embody.

Lung Cancer

Also, I would urge intend this flourishing foods intake accumulation to place Cancer development and modify action valuate at different stages. E’er, any of the people spending more than $500k of expensive scrutiny treatments but plant had not ameliorate cancer symptom? At different constellation stages and with any lung cancer prognostication, more speech active chemo therapy was reported to be 90-95% productive in the initial period of diagnosis gift serve to meliorate cancer unhurried procedure, nonetheless the impaired of your body insusceptible system including burst cells an defamatory and not hale carcinogens noneffervescent not yet been told accurately when you still at lung cancer prognostication stratum. Many worldwide honourable scientists avow that when consumed, the B17 would modify it 100% unsufferable to create cancer by your embody. Sometimes believe roughly it, it is such punter than doing lung mansion prospect uncomparable at different prospect stages. Straight travelling 4 lung cancer patient has to undergo some this in rule to amend lung cancer selection grade.

 

 

Cancer

Cancer: The best alternative therapies

If conventional treatments fail so badly, where do you turn? According to Lothar Hirneise of Menschen Geben Krebs and Frank Wiewel of People Against Cancer, cancer survivors: * Find and change the psychological/emotional cause. Germanic New Medicine (Ryke-Geerd Hamer), and Synergetik (Bernd Joschko), nexus (Lothar Hirneise) and adrenaline (Waltraut Fryda) theories fight the cause of cancer, not the symptoms. All four work to eliminate stress and to resolve the trauma or unresolved conflicts leading to cancer.
* Change their diet. The most success has been achieved with:
The metabolic typing diet, developed by William Wollcott, who discovered that each of us is individual in the percentage of carbohydrate or protein we need in our diets
The Stockholm protocol, an anti-cancer regimen based on coenzyme Q10, very high levels of which (400-600 mg) can result in tumour regression (Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1994; 199: 1504-8). The protocol includes a good multivitamin/mineral plus 1.2 g of gamma-linolenic acid, 3.5 g of omega-3, 58 mg (32,248 IU) of beta-carotene, 2.8 g of vitamin C, 2500 IU of vitamin E, 385 mcg of selenium and 390 mg of CoQ10 taken with a tablespoon of olive oil.
The Gerson diet and other raw-food therapies. These work largely by transmitting food - and the photons, or subatomic light molecules that comprise them - at their strongest.
Dr Johanna Budwig is a proponent of an oil-and-protein diet (including cottage cheese and flaxseed oil) that raises the voltage of cells, drastically too low in cancer patients.
* Detox their bodies. Most cancer patients have highly polluted bodies. A detox programme is central to the success of any therapeutic programme, and should include:
colonic detox using coffee enemas and colonic hydrotherapy
removal of amalgam fillings and root canals (see The WDDTY Dental Handbook for the correct protocol)
baths in baking soda, to remove excess acid from cells, too high in cancer patients
infrared sauna, in cases of high levels of chemical pollution.
* Kill cancer gently. The safer cancer-killers include:
PAPIMI, invented by Professor Panos Pappas in Athens, using electromagnetic rays to increase the voltage in cells of the body
Electro-Galvano, using low-voltage electricity to kill tumour cells (but not healthy cells)
High-dose hormone-blockers, such as busarelin, at 20-40 times the usual dosage for up to 12 weeks 

Broken Bones, Sprains,

Broken Bones, Sprains, and Strains

A broken (fractured) bone requires emergency care. Suspect a possible broken bone if your child heard or felt a bone snap, if your child has difficulty moving the injured part, or if the injured part moves in an unnatural way or is very painful to the touch.

A sprain occurs when the ligaments, which hold bones together, are overstretched and partially torn. Simply overstretching any part of the musculature is called a strain. Sprains and strains generally cause swelling and pain, and there may be bruises around the injured area. Most sprains, after proper medical evaluation, can be treated at home.

What to Do:

For a Suspected Broken Bone:

• If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not move him unless the child is in imminent danger. Movement can cause serious nerve damage. Phone for emergency medical help. If your child must be moved, the neck and back must be completely immobilized first. Keeping your child's head, neck, and back in alignment, move the child as a unit.
• If your child has an open break (bone protrudes through the skin) and there is severe bleeding, apply pressure on the bleeding area with a gauze pad or a clean piece of clothing or other material. Do not wash the wound or try to push back any part of the bone that may be sticking out.
• If your child must be moved, apply splints around the injured limb to prevent further injury. Leave the limb in the position you find it. The splints should be applied in that position. Splints can be made by using boards, brooms, a stack of newspapers, cardboard, or anything firm, and can be padded with pillows, shirts, towels, or anything soft. Splints must be long enough to extend beyond the joints above and below the fracture.
• Place cold packs or a bag of ice wrapped in cloth on the injured area.
• Keep your child lying down until medical help arrives.

For a Suspected Sprain or Strain:

• If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not move him unless the child is in imminent danger. Movement can cause serious nerve damage. Phone for emergency medical help. If your child must be moved, the neck and back must be completely immobilized first. Keeping the head, neck, and back in alignment, move your child as a unit.
• It may be difficult to tell the difference between a sprain and a break. If there is any doubt whatsoever, phone your doctor or take your child to the nearest hospital emergency department. An X-ray can determine whether a bone is broken.
• First aid for sprains and strains includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation (known as RICE).
  • Rest the injured part of the body.
  • Apply ice packs or cold compresses for up to 10 or 15 minutes at a time every few hours for the first 2 days to prevent swelling.
  • Wearing an elastic compression bandage (such as an ACE bandage) for at least 2 days will reduce swelling.
  • Keep the injured part elevated above the level of the heart as much as possible to reduce swelling.
• Do not apply heat in any form for at least 24 hours. Heat increases swelling and pain.
• Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Bites and Scratches

Bites and Scratches

Animal bites and scratches, even minor ones, can lead to complications. In kids, the majority of animal bites are caused by dogs.

Some bites can become infected, especially those inflicted by cats, due to the type of bacteria in the animal’s mouth. Whether the animal is a family pet or a creature from the wild, scratches and bites can carry disease. For example, cat scratch disease, a bacterial infection, can be transmitted by a cat scratch (usually from a kitten) even if the site of the scratch doesn't look infected.

A child whose tetanus shots are not up to date will need a tetanus injection after an animal bite to prevent tetanus infection. Certain animals — such as bats, raccoons, and foxes — can transmit rabies.

What to Do:

• If the bite or scratch wound is bleeding, apply pressure to the area with a clean bandage or towel until the bleeding stops. If available, use clean latex or rubber gloves to protect yourself and to prevent the wound from getting infected.
• If the wound is not bleeding heavily, clean the wound with soap and water, and hold it under running water for several minutes. Do not apply an antiseptic or anything else to the wound.
• Dry the wound and cover it with sterile gauze or a clean cloth.
• Phone your doctor if the bite or scratch broke or punctured the skin. A child who is bitten by an animal may need antibiotics, a tetanus booster, or rarely, a series of rabies shots. A bite or scratch on a child's hand or foot is particularly prone to infection and should be evaluated by your doctor as soon as possible.
• If your child was bitten or scratched by an unfamiliar or wild animal, note the location of the animal. Some animals may have to be captured, confined, and observed for rabies. But do not try to capture the animal yourself. Look in your phone book for the number of an animal control office or animal warden in your area.
• Seek immediate medical care if:
  • the wound won't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure
  • the wound appears to be deep, or is associated with severe injuries
  • the attacking animal was stray or wild or behaving strangely
  • the bite or scratch becomes red, hot, swollen, or increasingly painful

Abdominal Adhesions

What are abdominal adhesions?

Abdominal adhesions are bands of tissue that form between abdominal tissues and organs. Normally, internal tissues and organs have slippery surfaces, which allow them to shift easily as the body moves. Adhesions cause tissues and organs to stick together.

The intestines are part of the digestive system. Abdominal adhesions can cause an intestinal obstruction.
Although most adhesions cause no symptoms or problems, others cause chronic abdominal or pelvic pain. Adhesions are also a major cause of intestinal obstruction and female infertility.

What causes abdominal adhesions?

Abdominal surgery is the most frequent cause of abdominal adhesions. Almost everyone who undergoes abdominal surgery develops adhesions; however, the risk is greater after operations on the lower abdomen and pelvis, including bowel and gynecological surgeries. Adhesions can become larger and tighter as time passes, causing problems years after surgery.
Surgery-induced causes of abdominal adhesions include

• tissue incisions, especially those involving internal organs
• the handling of internal organs
• the drying out of internal organs and tissues
• contact of internal tissues with foreign materials, such as gauze, surgical gloves, and stitches
• blood or blood clots that were not rinsed out during surgery

A less common cause of abdominal adhesions is inflammation from sources not related to surgery, including

• appendicitis—in particular, appendix rupture
• radiation treatment for cancer
• gynecological infections
• abdominal infections

Rarely, abdominal adhesions form without apparent cause.

How can abdominal adhesions cause intestinal obstruction?

Abdominal adhesions can kink, twist, or pull the intestines out of place, causing an intestinal obstruction. An intestinal obstruction partially or completely restricts the movement of food or stool through the intestines. A complete intestinal obstruction is life threatening and requires immediate medical attention and often surgery.

How can abdominal adhesions cause female infertility?

Abdominal adhesions cause female infertility by preventing fertilized eggs from reaching the uterus, where fetal development takes place. Adhesions can kink, twist, or pull out of place the fallopian tubes, which carry eggs from the ovaries—where eggs are stored and released—to the uterus.

What are the symptoms of abdominal adhesions?

Although most abdominal adhesions go unnoticed, the most common symptom is chronic abdominal or pelvic pain. The pain often mimics that of other conditions, including appendicitis, endometriosis, and diverticulitis.

What are the symptoms of an intestinal obstruction?

Symptoms of an intestinal obstruction include

• severe abdominal pain or cramping
• vomiting
• bloating
• loud bowel sounds
• swelling of the abdomen
• inability to pass gas
• constipation

A person with these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.

How are abdominal adhesions and intestinal obstructions diagnosed?

No tests are available to diagnose adhesions, and adhesions cannot be seen through imaging techniques such as x rays or ultrasound. Most adhesions are found during exploratory surgery. An intestinal obstruction, however, can be seen through abdominal x rays, barium contrast studies—also called a lower GI series—and computerized tomography.

How are abdominal adhesions and intestinal obstructions treated?

Treatment for abdominal adhesions is usually not necessary, as most do not cause problems. Surgery is currently the only way to break adhesions that cause pain, intestinal obstruction, or fertility problems. More surgery, however, carries the risk of additional adhesions and is avoided when possible.
A complete intestinal obstruction usually requires immediate surgery. A partial obstruction can sometimes be relieved with a liquid or low-residue diet. A low-residue diet is high in dairy products, low in fiber, and more easily broken down into smaller particles by the digestive system.

Can abdominal adhesions be prevented?

Abdominal adhesions are difficult to prevent; however, surgical technique can minimize adhesions.
Laparoscopic surgery avoids opening up the abdomen with a large incision. Instead, the abdomen is inflated with gas while special surgical tools and a video camera are threaded through a few, small abdominal incisions. Inflating the abdomen gives the surgeon room to operate.
If a large abdominal incision is required, a special filmlike material (Seprafilm) can be inserted between organs or between the organs and the abdominal incision at the end of surgery. The filmlike material, which looks similar to wax paper, is absorbed by the body in about a week.
Other steps during surgery to reduce adhesion formation include using starch- and latex-free gloves, handling tissues and organs gently, shortening surgery time, and not allowing tissues to dry out.

Points to Remember

• Abdominal adhesions are bands of tissue that form between abdominal tissues and organs, causing tissues and organs to stick together.
• Although most adhesions cause no symptoms or problems, others cause chronic abdominal or pelvic pain, bowel obstruction, or female infertility.
• Abdominal surgery is the most frequent cause of abdominal adhesions.
• Abdominal adhesions can kink, twist, or pull the intestines out of place, causing an intestinal obstruction.
• A complete intestinal obstruction is life threatening and requires immediate medical attention and often surgery.
• Abdominal adhesions cause female infertility by preventing fertilized eggs from reaching the uterus, where fetal development takes place.
• No tests are available to diagnose adhesions, and adhesions cannot be seen through imaging techniques such as x rays or ultrasound.
• An intestinal obstruction can be seen through abdominal x rays, barium contrast studies—also called a lower GI series—and computerized tomography.
• Surgery is currently the only way to break adhesions that cause pain, intestinal obstruction, or fertility problems.

 

Appendicitis

What is appendicitis?

Appendicitis is a painful swelling and infection of the appendix.

What is the appendix?

The appendix is a fingerlike pouch attached to the large intestine and located in the lower right area of the abdomen. Scientists are not sure what the appendix does, if anything, but removing it does not appear to affect a person’s health. The inside of the appendix is called the appendiceal lumen. Mucus created by the appendix travels through the appendiceal lumen and empties into the large intestine.

The appendix is a fingerlike pouch attached to the large intestine in the lower right area of the abdomen.

What causes appendicitis?

Obstruction of the appendiceal lumen causes appendicitis. Mucus backs up in the appendiceal lumen, causing bacteria that normally live inside the appendix to multiply. As a result, the appendix swells and becomes infected. Sources of obstruction include

• feces, parasites, or growths that clog the appendiceal lumen
• enlarged lymph tissue in the wall of the appendix, caused by infection in the gastrointestinal tract or elsewhere in the body
• inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• trauma to the abdomen

An inflamed appendix will likely burst if not removed. Bursting spreads infection throughout the abdomen—a potentially dangerous condition called peritonitis.

Who gets appendicitis?

Anyone can get appendicitis, but it is more common among people 10 to 30 years old. Appendicitis leads to more emergency abdominal surgeries than any other cause.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

Most people with appendicitis have classic symptoms that a doctor can easily identify. The main symptom of appendicitis is abdominal pain.

The abdominal pain usually

• occurs suddenly, often causing a person to wake up at night
• occurs before other symptoms
• begins near the belly button and then moves lower and to the right
• is new and unlike any pain felt before
• gets worse in a matter of hours
• gets worse when moving around, taking deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing

Other symptoms of appendicitis may include

• loss of appetite
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation or diarrhea
• inability to pass gas
• a low-grade fever that follows other symptoms
• abdominal swelling
• the feeling that passing stool will relieve discomfort

Symptoms vary and can mimic other sources of abdominal pain, including

• intestinal obstruction
• inflammatory bowel disease
• pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynecological disorders
• intestinal adhesions
• constipation

How is appendicitis diagnosed?

A doctor or other health care provider can diagnose most cases of appendicitis by taking a person’s medical history and performing a physical examination. If a person shows classic symptoms, a doctor may suggest surgery right away to remove the appendix before it bursts. Doctors may use laboratory and imaging tests to confirm appendicitis if a person does not have classic symptoms. Tests may also help diagnose appendicitis in people who cannot adequately describe their symptoms, such as children or the mentally impaired.

Medical History

The doctor will ask specific questions about symptoms and health history. Answers to these questions will help rule out other conditions. The doctor will want to know when the pain began and its exact location and severity. Knowing when other symptoms appeared relative to the pain is also helpful. The doctor will ask questions about other medical conditions, previous illnesses and surgeries, and use of medications, alcohol, or illegal drugs.

Physical Examination

Details about the abdominal pain are key to diagnosing appendicitis. The doctor will assess pain by touching or applying pressure to specific areas of the abdomen.

Responses that may indicate appendicitis include

• Guarding. Guarding occurs when a person subconsciously tenses the abdominal muscles during an examination. Voluntary guarding occurs the moment the doctor’s hand touches the abdomen. Involuntary guarding occurs before the doctor actually makes contact.
• Rebound tenderness. A doctor tests for rebound tenderness by applying hand pressure to a patient’s abdomen and then letting go. Pain felt upon the release of the pressure indicates rebound tenderness. A person may also experience rebound tenderness as pain when the abdomen is jarred—for example, when a person bumps into something or goes over a bump in a car.
• Rovsing’s sign. A doctor tests for Rovsing’s sign by applying hand pressure to the lower left side of the abdomen. Pain felt on the lower right side of the abdomen upon the release of pressure on the left side indicates the presence of Rovsing’s sign.
• Psoas sign. The right psoas muscle runs over the pelvis near the appendix. Flexing this muscle will cause abdominal pain if the appendix is inflamed. A doctor can check for the psoas sign by applying resistance to the right knee as the patient tries to lift the right thigh while lying down.
• Obturator sign. The right obturator muscle also runs near the appendix. A doctor tests for the obturator sign by asking the patient to lie down with the right leg bent at the knee. Moving the bent knee left and right requires flexing the obturator muscle and will cause abdominal pain if the appendix is inflamed.

Women of childbearing age may be asked to undergo a pelvic exam to rule out gynecological conditions, which sometimes cause abdominal pain similar to appendicitis.

The doctor may also examine the rectum, which can be tender from appendicitis.

Laboratory Tests

Blood tests are used to check for signs of infection, such as a high white blood cell count. Blood tests may also show dehydration or fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Urinalysis is used to rule out a urinary tract infection. Doctors may also order a pregnancy test for women.

Imaging Tests

Computerized tomography (CT) scans, which create cross-sectional images of the body, can help diagnose appendicitis and other sources of abdominal pain. Ultrasound is sometimes used to look for signs of appendicitis, especially in people who are thin or young. An abdominal x ray is rarely helpful in diagnosing appendicitis but can be used to look for other sources of abdominal pain. Women of childbearing age should have a pregnancy test before undergoing x rays or CT scanning. Both use radiation and can be harmful to a developing fetus. Ultrasound does not use radiation and is not harmful to a fetus.

How is appendicitis treated?

Surgery

Typically, appendicitis is treated by removing the appendix. If appendicitis is suspected, a doctor will often suggest surgery without conducting extensive diagnostic testing. Prompt surgery decreases the likelihood the appendix will burst.

Surgery to remove the appendix is called appendectomy and can be done two ways. The older method, called laparotomy, removes the appendix through a single incision in the lower right area of the abdomen. The newer method, called laparoscopic surgery, uses several smaller incisions and special surgical tools fed through the incisions to remove the appendix. Laparoscopic surgery leads to fewer complications, such as hospital-related infections, and has a shorter recovery time.

Surgery occasionally reveals a normal appendix. In such cases, many surgeons will remove the healthy appendix to eliminate the future possibility of appendicitis. Occasionally, surgery reveals a different problem, which may also be corrected during surgery.

Sometimes an abscess forms around a burst appendix—called an appendiceal abscess. An abscess is a pus-filled mass that results from the body’s attempt to keep an infection from spreading. An abscess may be addressed during surgery or, more commonly, drained before surgery. To drain an abscess, a tube is placed in the abscess through the abdominal wall. CT is used to help find the abscess. The drainage tube is left in place for about 2 weeks while antibiotics are given to treat infection. Six to 8 weeks later, when infection and inflammation are under control, surgery is performed to remove what remains of the burst appendix.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Nonsurgical treatment may be used if surgery is not available, if a person is not well enough to undergo surgery, or if the diagnosis is unclear. Some research suggests that appendicitis can get better without surgery. Nonsurgical treatment includes antibiotics to treat infection and a liquid or soft diet until the infection subsides. A soft diet is low in fiber and easily breaks down in the gastrointestinal tract.

Recovery

With adequate care, most people recover from appendicitis and do not need to make changes to diet, exercise, or lifestyle. Full recovery from surgery takes about 4 to 6 weeks. Limiting physical activity during this time allows tissues to heal.

What should people do if they think they have appendicitis?

Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. People who think they have appendicitis should see a doctor or go to the emergency room right away. Swift diagnosis and treatment reduce the chances the appendix will burst and improve recovery time.

Points to Remember

• Appendicitis is a painful swelling and infection of the appendix.
• The appendix is a fingerlike pouch attached to the large intestine and located in the lower right area of the abdomen.
• Symptoms of appendicitis may include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, inability to pass gas, low-grade fever, and abdominal swelling.
• A doctor can diagnose most cases of appendicitis by taking a person’s medical history and performing a physical examination. Sometimes laboratory and imaging tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
• Appendicitis is typically treated by removing the appendix.
• Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate care.

Coccyx Pain

 Coccyx Pain

Coccyx pain is a big problem for many suffering patients. Pain in the tailbone is a limiting condition which can drastically reduce mobility, comfort and functionality. The medical term for this general symptom is Coccydynia, but most patients simply call this troublesome condition a “real pain in their butt... literally”.

Coccyx Pain Effects

Tailbone pain is commonly a chronic concern which can last for months or even years. Due to the sensitive nature of the coccyx region, patients develop prohibited behaviors due to their painful symptoms. Patients often have trouble sitting or lying down and might even develop insomnia in response to the inability to find a comfortable sleeping position. A painful coccyx is especially serious for people who must sit for long periods of time. Hours of seated activity with a painful tailbone can seem like an eternity in Hell on Earth…

Causes of Coccyx Pain

There are three common scenarios that cause the vast majority of all tailbone pain syndromes:

* Back Injury. Falls are the most common cause of tailbone injury. Falling while going down stairs, getting in or out of the bathtub, or sitting down are the most likely to generate the proper angle to fracture or bruise the coccyx. A bruise can be very painful but will usually resolve without any treatment in a matter of weeks. A fracture might take months to fully heal and can cause pain for an extended time period. Any suspected fracture should be examined by a qualified doctor.

* Pregnancy Back Pain is another cause of coccyx injury, but in this case the occurence is less obvious. When giving birth, the woman’s coccyx can sometimes be injured by the baby’s head, as the child travels through the birth canal. Due to the pain of childbirth, this additional pain is rarely noticed until several days after the birth. Any unexplained postpartum tailbone pain should be reported to your doctor at once.

* Psychosomatic Back Pain is THE MOST COMMON form of common back ache, regardless of where symptoms are experienced. The coccyx is a typical region for a patient to develop a chronic psychosomatic pain syndrome. Patients who have suffered a previous injury to their coccyx are especially susceptible to this phenomenon. It is important to recognize that physical pains will heal with time and/or treatment. Long term treatment resistant back pain is rarely caused by an anatomical condition and is almost always the result of a symptomatic psychogenic syndrome.

Recommendation on Coccyx Pain

Coccydynia is a condition which is on the rise among patients. The back pain industry loves tailbone pain, since the treatments can be so incredibly profitable. Most patients with chronic coccyx symptoms spend many months enduring conservative back pain treatments until they acquiesce to surgery which removes the entire coccyx. This procedure is expensive and quite easy for the surgeon to perform. All told, every patient with long term tailbone pain is a cash cow for doctors who specialize in treating coccyx related pain syndromes.

Before undergoing ANY drastic medical treatment for unexplained coccyx discomfort, make sure that you are not suffering from a psychosomatic expression of pain. Knowledge therapy will separate the psychological causes from the physical conditions with relative ease. Research the topic of coccyx ache thoroughly and I am sure you will discover that this is one of the most common forms of idiopathic back pain. Some day, doctors will realize that most these idiopathic conditions are actually due to the complex interaction between the mind and the body. Until then, you must be vigilant and play an active role in your own coccyx symptom treatment or else you too might find yourself misdiagnosed and undergoing unnecessary surgery for a condition which can be cured completely by the patient.

Back Muscle Pain

Chronic Back Muscle Pain 

Patients with lasting muscular back pain are quite lucky compared to patients who are diagnosed with some underlying structural source of spinal pain. Chronic muscle aches and pains confound back doctors and are typically grossly mismanaged by the medical professions. Muscle imbalances are sometimes theorized, although this “in vogue” diagnosis often amounts to little more than smoke and mirrors. Fibromyalgia is sometimes pronounced, but the medical treatment of this condition remains among the worst and most ineffectual in the entire healthcare field. Thoracic outlet syndrome is a common diagnosis in the upper back and shoulders, although the exact definition of this condition remains somewhat vague and treatment is poorly conceived, at best. Sometimes, the doctor just does not know what is wrong and this can be a real blessing in disguise…

Chronic Back Muscle Pain Causes

While injury can create lasting muscle pain, it is very rare. Muscle imbalances and the like can also occur, but are grossly over diagnosed and are seldom the real reason for lasting severe symptoms. The most prevalent source of chronic muscular pain, which defies accurate diagnosis, is definitely ischemia. This oxygen deprivation syndrome is truly sinister, enacting symptoms without warning and leaving virtually no evidence of the true source of pain.

Ischemia is rarely identified by the medical industry as being a major contributor to the current back pain epidemic swamping the healthcare community with both the diversity of complaints and the shear number of affected souls. This is surely no coincidence, since the root cause of most oxygen deprivation is a psychosomatic process which flies in the face of convention Cartesian medical thought. Also not coincidentally is the lack of profit to be had treating ischemia within the medical sector…

Chronic Back Muscle Pain Advice

If you have endured the continual wrong diagnoses or the simple “Sorry, but we really do not know why you still have pain” excuses, there is still hope. Explore the possibility that your pain, like mine and millions of others, is actually the result of ischemia. Luckily, treatment is easy and effective and best of all… FREE. That’s right. You do not have to pay anyone to heal… I bet this is a refreshing change from your past experiences!

Investigate knowledge therapy as a possible answer to all your prayers and you might just be as thankful and elated as I am… After all, being pain free can breathe new life into your body and soul and its value can not be underestimated…

 

Fruit & Vegetables

Fruit & Vegetables 

Introduction

Most people know that they should be eating more fruit and vegetables.  But most of us aren't eating enough.  Did you know that you should be eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day?  You can choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced.  Remember potatoes don't count as they're classed as a starchy food.

4 good reasons to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables everyday:

1. They taste good and add colour, texture and flavours to your meals and snacks.
2. They're packed full of vitamins and minerals and are the main source of anti-oxidants which help protect your body from diseases like cancer and heart disease.
3. They are a good source of fibre.  This means that if you eat enough you will feel full and this helps keep your weight in check.  The fibre also helps prevent constipation and can help lower your cholesterol levels.
4. They are low in fat and calories.

What's a portion?

ONE portion = 80g - any of these

• 1 apple, banana, pear, orange or other similar sized fruit
  
• 2 plums or similar sized fruit
  
• 1/2 a grapefruit or avocado
  
• 1 slice of large fruit, such as melon or pineapple
  
• 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)
  
• 3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad (fresh or tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit
  
• 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (such as raisins and apricots)
  
• 1 handful of grapes, cherries or berries
  
• A dessert bowl of salad
  
• A glass (150ml) of fruit juice (however much you drink, fruit juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day)

Getting your 5 a day

If you eat one or two portions with each meal and have the occasional fruit snack you might be surprised at how easy it is to eat five-a-day.

At breakfast you could:

• add a handful of dried fruit to your cereal
  
• eat half a grapefruit or an apple
  
• drink a glass of fruit juice

At lunch you could:

• eat a bowl of salad
  
• have a banana sandwich
  
• have some fruit salad

 

Radishes

Wonderful Winter Food

Radishes

Nutrients: 1 cup of sliced radishes has 19 calories, 2 g fiber, 8% DV potassium, 29% DV vitamin C, 7% DV folate
Health benefits: With very few calories per cup and a nice dose of fiber, radishes are a dieter’s dream. They can help fill you up without filling you out.
In addition, radishes contain similar sulfur compounds to cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), which protect against certain cancers. One study done in India found that those who ate radishes were 60% less likely to develop gallbladder cancer as compared to those who ate no radishes.
Quick-prep ideas: Slice radishes and toss them with green salad. Or roast them with other root vegetables, such as potatoes, parsnips, onions, and garlic, with a small amount of olive oil, then sprinkle with thyme.
What to look for: Should be firm with a smooth, unblemished surface. If attached, leaves should be crisp and green with no soft spots.
Where primarily grown: California, Florida

 

 

Winter Food

Feel-Good Foods: Wonderful Winter Food

Oranges

Nutrients: 1 medium orange has 62 calories, 3 g fiber, 116% DV vitamin C, 10% DV folate
Health benefits: Thanks to an abundance of phytonutrients (plant compounds that promote good health), such as flavonoids, oranges are potent protectors against cancer, inflammation, and many other health conditions. A comprehensive scientific review found that consuming citrus had positive effects on conditions ranging from arthritis and asthma to diabetes and gum disease. The abundance of vitamin C in oranges also helps to boost immune function.
Quick-prep ideas: For a refreshing smoothie, blend one peeled orange with one banana, a carton of low-fat vanilla yogurt, and a dash of cinnamon.
Or try this: Bake cubed, sweet potatoes and orange wedges in orange juice for 45 minutes.
What to look for: Smooth, thin skin, the orange should be heavy for its size; small oranges are the juiciest
Where primarily grown: Florida, California

 

Prolactin Hormone

Prolactin Hormone Disorder In Lactating Mothers

Drugs like Metoclopromide, Chlorpromazine, anti-depressants like Amitriptyline & Fluoxetine

2. Underactive thyroid gland

3. Prolactinomas - Prolactin-producing tumour of the pituitary gland. Prolactinomas occur most commonly in those under 40 years old. They are rare in children.

These prolactin tumors are about fives times as common in women as men. Lactating mothers face this problem usually. These tumors account for at least 30 % of all pituitary tumours.

What are the symptoms of Prolactin hormone disorder ?

In Men


1.Decreased sexual interest Infertility Impotence Headache/ visual changes
2.Infertility
3.Impotence
4.Headache/visual changes

In Women

1.Abnormal milk flow for lactating mothers from the breast not related to nursing or childbirth (galactorrhea)
2.Cessation of menses not related to menopause
3. Infertility
4.Decreased sexual interest
5. Headache/visual changes


What is the treatment of Prolactin hormone disorder?

Most patients with Prolactin tumours are treated with:

1. Bromocriptine (two or three times a day).
2.Cabergoline long acting and requires one or two doses per week

Prolactin levels often fall to normal within a few weeks of starting the treatment. In women, once prolactin has fallen to normal, menstrual cycles usually resume and fertility is restored in most cases. In men, testosterone levels may rise to normal, which brings an improvement in sex life.
 

Noodles with Shiitake

Weekday Vegetarian: Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms and Baby Greens

Photo: Kelly Rossiter

My husband may have been shocked that I had some not-so-green avocados the minute he left home for a business trip, but I know what will really make him jealous is when he finds out I had Chinese food without him.

After my big blow out post for Chinese New Year's I pulled out my copy of Fuchsia Dunlop's wonderful book Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook to assuage my craving for Asian food.

I used fresh button mushrooms rather than dried shiitakes, so I had to cook them a bit longer than you would the reconstituted dried mushrooms. This is one of those lovely home-style recipes that is simple to make and is very satisfying to eat. If you want something closer to a soup, you could add a half cup or so of vegetable broth.

This recipe is from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook by Fuchsia Dunlop.

Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms with Baby Greens

20 small dried shiitake mushrooms, or 8 large ones
10 baby bok choy
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
Light soy sauce
Salt and White Pepper
1/2 tsp potato flour mixed with 2 tsp cold water
1 tsp sesame oil
3-4 tbsp peanut oil for cooking
Cooked noodles for 2

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water from the kettle for 30 minutes or so until soft.

2. Trim the bok choy, and if their stems are thick, make a cross-shaped cut into them to help them cook more quickly.

3. Heat the wok over a high flame until smoke rises, then add 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil and swirl around. Add the bok choy and stir-fry briskly until barely cooked; set aside.

4. Strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Squeeze the mushrooms dry, and if they are large slice each into 3 or 4 bite-size pieces, discarding the stems.

5. Return the wok to the high flame with a little extra oil. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Tip in the mushrooms and continue to stir-fry until they smell wonderful. Then add about 1/2 cup of the soaking water, bring to a boil and season with soy sauce and salt to taste. Add the bok choy and a good pinch of pepper, mix well, and then stir in just enough of the potato flour mixture to give the sauce a glossy thickness.

6. Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and then divide between 2 prepared bowls of soup noodles.

 

petrochemicals

So sweet -plastic without petrochemicals”

A Tel Aviv University researcher is a new plastic made from corn starch and sugar. This plastic would be sustainable, biodegradable and are even tougher than those made from petrochemicals.

Now all that is needed is the catalyst to jump start the chemical reactions. Prof. Moshe Kol of Tel Aviv University’s School of Chemistry and his team are working with the University of Aachen in Germany and the University of Bath in England are working to make these “green” plastics stronger and more heat-resistant, allowing them to be used in a variety of ways, from the automotive industry to Starbucks coffee cups.

The type of plastic the partners are working on, polylactic acid or PLA, is a kind of biodegradable plastic made from renewable plant sources such as corn, wheat or sugarcane. It’s already used in bottles, bags, and film, and like polyester can even be woven into clothes.

He aims to make sustainable corn-based plastics complement or replace the petroleum-based plastics which can take a millenium to degrade, leaving harmful pollutants in the soil and in water. Corn-based plastic wouldn’t cause any adverse health effects and would be expected to biodegrade in a compost bin in a matter of months.

 

chocolate genes”

Scientists unlock chocolate genes”

Researchers have found the genes that code for the production of the cocoa butter in Theobroma cacao, needed to make sweets, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Studying the genes of Mother Nature’s finest crop cacao, researchers are finding ways to make the best chocolate in the world “better”. Better means, increased disease resistance and increased profitability to the grower.

Researchers have found genes that code for the production of cocoa butter, a substance highly prized in chocolate making, confectionery, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Most cocoa beans are already about 50 percent fat, but these 84 genes control not only the amounts fat produced, but quality of the cocoa butter.  Altering these genes might produce chocolate with better flavors, aromas and even “healthier” chocolate by influencing the production of flavonoids, natural antioxidants and terpenoids, hormones and pigments.
The team sequenced the DNA of a variety of Theobroma cacao, considered to produce the world’s finest chocolate. The Maya domesticated this variety of Theobroma cacao, Criollo, about 3,000 years ago in Central America, and it is one of the oldest domesticated tree crops. Today, many growers prefer to grow hybrid cacao trees that produce chocolate of lower quality but are more resistant to disease.
“Fine cocoa production is estimated to be less than 5 percent of the world cocoa production because of low productivity and disease susceptibility,” said Guiltinan, professor of plant molecular biology.
The researchers report in the current issue of Nature Genetics “consumers have shown an increased interest for high-quality chocolate made with cocoa of good quality and for dark chocolate, containing a higher percentage of cocoa, while also taking into account environmental and ethical criteria for cocoa production.”

 

Breast-feeding

Study: Breast-feeding won't deter obesity

ATLANTA - While breast-feeding has many benefits, it won't prevent a child from becoming fat as an adult, says a new study that challenges dogma from U.S. health officials.

The research is the largest study to date on breast-feeding and its effect on adult obesity.

"I'm the first to say breast-feeding is good. But I don't think it's the solution to reducing childhood or adult obesity," said the study's lead author, Karin Michels of Harvard Medical School.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promotes breast-feeding as a way to reduce children's excess weight, and the guidelines for federal chronic disease prevention grants to states call for breast-feeding promotion. Some health officials say 15 to 20 percent of obesity could be prevented through breast-feeding.

A CDC official said he couldn't comment on the new research because he hadn't fully reviewed it. But many previous studies have linked breast-feeding and lower rates of childhood obesity, he noted.

Perhaps the obesity-preventing benefits of breast-feeding are strong for children but wane by adulthood, said the official, Larry Grummer-Strawn.

"It would be remarkable to find a behavior that you engage in for one year of life and see detectable effects from it 40 years later," said Grummer-Strawn, chief of the CDC's maternal and child nutrition branch.

Good or bad eating and exercise habits, developed later in life, may sustain or erase initial weight-related benefits from breast-feeding, he and other experts said. Of course, that doesn't take away the other benefits of breast-feeding, such as building a child's immunity to disease.

The Harvard study, published online this week in the International Journal of Obesity, involved nearly 14,500 women who were breast-fed as infants and more than 21,000 who were not.

In 1989, the women were asked their height and weight and what those measurements were when they were children and at age 18. Then every two years, through 2001, they were asked to update their weight information. The surveyed women were all between 25 and 42 at the time of the 1989 questionnaires, Michels said.

In 2001, the mothers of these women were sent a questionnaire asking if their daughters had been breast-fed and for how long.

When possible, researchers checked medical records to confirm what the mothers and daughters recalled, but breast-feeding is not routinely documented. Still, the researchers believe the women's recollections of breast-feeding are reliable.

"A mother knows whether she breast-fed her child," said Michels, an associate professor of epidemiology.

Women who were breast-fed for at least a week had a risk of being overweight or obese that was nearly identical to that of women who were bottle-fed, the study found. And duration of breast-feeding didn't seem to make a difference. The women who had been breast-fed for more than nine months had a risk of becoming overweight or obese similar to that of women breast-fed less than one week.

The study involved only women, but the researchers believe the results are equally true for men, Michels said.

Michels believes that one reason previous studies might have been misleading about breast-feeding's effects on weight gain is that many of those studies failed to properly account for socioeconomic factors that also may have had an influence.

An Emory University pediatrics expert said he is not surprised by the study's findings about adults. But he said breast-feeding is beneficial for children, and the government's health message should not change.

"The first step is preventing childhood obesity. We know obese children have to work harder to not become obese adults," said Dr. Robert Geller, an associate professor who also is chief of pediatrics for Atlanta's Grady Health System. 

You and the Planet

Organic Food: Healthier for You and the Planet

Though known colloquially as food that is grown to be more healthy (and is more expensive), in order for organic food to be certified as such, it must be produced under specific, legally-regulated standards and be subject to testing in order to retain certification.

Organic food: the definition
In agriculture, this means that crops were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without food additives (like chemical preservatives). When it comes to animals, they must be reared without the routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones and fed a diet of organic foods. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.

Organic food "stores": a history
Historically, organic produce was almost exclusively available directly from small family-run farms or at community farmer's markets. Lately, though, organic foods are becoming much more widely available; organic food sales in the United States have grown by 17 to 20 percent a year for the past few years, while sales of conventional food have grown more slowly, at about 2 to 3 percent a year. This explosion in popularity has led the way for bigger companies, like Wal-Mart, to get into the organic food business and change the way that organics are perceived and, to a certain extent, the way they're produced.

 

Vitamin D Prevents

Vitamin D Prevents Bone Fractures

More than 90% of people who’ve had a hip fracture are due to a serious vitamin D deficiency, accroding to a research done in Glasgow, Scotland.
Stephen Gallacher, a consultant physician who is head of South Glasgow’s fracture liaison service comment that “Vitamin D seems to play a key role in many systems in the body, not just bones, but diseases like diabetes and certain cancers.”
Vitamin D deficiency was linked to poor bone density and osteoporosis, and could occur in younger patients.
Dr Gallacher believe  that  bone density can increase by 20 per cent in a few months with enough vitamin D by taking a supplement.

 

 

Foods for Healthy Skin

Top Five Foods for Healthy Skin

Before you start thinking about wolfing down your next pizzas, hamburgers and friend chickens, let me tell you something.

Fair and Healthy Skin

Healthy diet always reflects as healthy skin on the outside and the food that you consume has a major effect on your skin. You need to provide the right food for healthy skin that glows and radiates. This is because the input that you give to your body always has effects on it. Excess of fat content in the body will lead to skin problems that appear as marks and blemishes on the skin.

Consume more healthy and natural foods that offer potent healing and preventative powers to remedy a wide range of skin troubles. The following foods listed here can dramatically improve skin for a fraction of the price of costly cosmetic or dermatologist visits:

1. Green Tea
Green tea is rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and protect cell membranes.  Green tea is also high in polyphenols — compounds that eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.

A Cup of Green Tea

 Green tea is also high in vitamins C, D and K, as well as riboflavin, zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron.

2. Salmon
Salmon is high rich in Omega-3s.  Omega-3s help keep cell membranes healthy by keeping out harmful substances as well as allowing nutrients to enter cells and exit with waste products.

Salmon Dish

 Salmon is also rich in protein, potassium, selenium and vitamin B12.

3. Carrots
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is a required nutrient for healthy skin. Vitamin A is required for developing and maintaining skin cells, and a deficiency of the vitamin can cause dry skin.

Carrots

 4. Blueberries

Blueberries

Many experts agree that blueberries, the highest food source of antioxidants, help to fight off target free radicals that can wreak havoc on skin cells.

Blueberries are also an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin E and riboflavin.

5. Water

A Glass of Water

Not the kind of food that you can taste, bite or chew, but drinking lots of water does help revitalising your skins. Water both hydrates cells and helps them move toxins out and nutrients in.

Water intake must be from pure, clean water, so don’t count on your carbonated sodas, caffeinated drinks and alcoholic drinks.

The skin is considered the outside indicator of inside health, and putting expensive creams, lotions and treatments on the outside of the skin can’t alleviate problems that stem from inner nutritional deficiencies.

Healthy Eating

Remember: You are what you eat, from your head to your feet.

Consuming the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can reveal beautiful, youthful-looking skin without expensive cosmetics.

 

Diabetes

Diabetes: this page contains the following information about Diabetes:

• What is Diabetes? 
• What types of Diabetes exist?
• Diabetes and foot and leg ulcers
• How can The Circulation Booster help with Diabetes

Diabetes in the UK today affects over 1.6 million people. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition which is the direct result of too much glucose (sugar) in your blood stream. If your body does not make enough of the hormone insulin, your blood sugar level can be too high. The pancreas (which is a gland located behind the stomach) produces the hormone insulin, which removes glucose from the blood stream into cells. Here it is broken down and energy is released; if you suffer from diabetes then this process will be hampered to a lesser or greater extent.

Diabetes can be a debilitating disease if it not properly treated. The long term health problems associated with diabetes is high glucose levels in the blood stream, which damages and perforates the blood vessels.

Diabetes can cause the following problems with your feet and legs if you suffer from poor circulation:

>Diabetes - can cause the nerve endings in your feet to become damaged

>Diabetes - can cause sores and foot ulcers.  If these foot and leg ulcers are left untreated they can become infected and cause numerous health complications

>Diabetes - can cause nerve damaged which may lead you to not feeling cuts or sores on your feet.  These can become infected

>Diabetes - good fitting foot are is essential.  Your feet may rub inside your shoes and cause ulcers, cuts and sores

>Diabetes - calluses occur more often and build up faster on the feet of people with diabetes. Calluses, if not trimmed, get very thick, break down, and turn into ulcers (open sores)

>Diabetes - diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy) also can lessen your ability to feel pain, heat, and cold. Loss of feeling may mean that you might not feel a foot injury.  

Poor circulation (blood flow) can make your foot less able to fight infection and to heal. Use The Circulation Booster to keep your feet and circulation in good health.

Diabetes: there are two types of diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes)

The body produces very little or in some cases no insulin. An individual living with this type of diabetes will require medical treatment all their life. They will have to check their glucose levels in their blood stream at regular intervals and look out for complications. Type 1 diabetes, which is commonly known as juvenile diabetes or possibly early onset diabetes, because it usually develops in teenage years or before you reach the age of 40.

Type 2 Diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes)

The body can’t either make a sufficient amount of insulin or use the hormone correctly. This is commonly known as insulin resistance. Being overweight can induce this condition and it usually occurs in adults over the age of 40.

Diabetic foot disorders - diabetes today! 

Neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease are the main pathological conditions associated with diabetic foot disorders. It is crucial people with diabetes ensure that good healthcare is directed towards the feet to reduce the symptoms associated with diabetic foot disorders. Diabetes can cause foot and leg ulcers, which need to be looked after and cared for. This device will ensure good circulation in the foot and lower limbs, which will remove cell waste and increase oxygen and cell nutrients to help heal leg sores.

Pheripheral vascular disease is usually associated with reduced blood circulation and ischaemia. Peripheral neuropathy of the feet can lead in some cases to motor dysfunction and loss of sensation. These pathological conditions may cause infection and ulceration.

Diabetic foot disease can be divided into five stages:

1. Normal - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
2. At risk - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
3. Ulcerated - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
4. Infected - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
5. Necrotic - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 

Foot disorders associated with Diabetes are very common, approximately 5% of individuals with diabetes will develop an ulcer in the foot region in any one year (NICE 2004). Edmonds (2006) stated that 15% with diabetes will go onto develop ulcers in the foot region during their lifetime.

The symptoms of foot ulcers caused by diabetes may include:

• Pain, usually in the feet and ankles
• Burning or shooting pain sensations
• Itching, numbness, tingling

What can I do to relieve my symptoms of diabetes?

The Circulation Booster® is registered as a medical device in the UK and thousands of customers have already benefited from either the home or mobile devices. It is specifically designed to increase the blood circulation, which targets the lower leg region.

The Circulation Booster® sends out electrical impulses, which induces muscle stimulation in the feet and lower legs. Muscles contract and release to pump the blood and improve circulation. This in turn, helps to maintain healthy feet. Our customers who have diabetes find that their blood circulation is improved and their fluid retention is decreased which ensures that leg ulcers and pain swelling is kept at a minimum.

Poor leg circulation, which is associated with diabetes, can provide much discomfort including swelling, pain and numbness. By improving the blood circulation in the legs, the risks of these problems are significantly reduced and symptoms of diabetes, such as sores and ulcers on the foot and leg, may be reduced.

What results can you expect if you suffer from diabetes?

Clinical studies support this method of application. It has been shown that the use of muscle stimulation of the feet, as well as the calf, can:

• Improve circulation and reduce pain and swelling - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
• Improve muscle strength and reduce wastage - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
• Aid fast recovery from muscular injury - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
• Increase energy levels and reduce stress - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 
• Improve wellbeing and mobility - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today!   
• Alleviate tired and aching legs - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today!   
• Reduce foot and leg ulcers associated with Diabetes - Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 

Circulation Booster® Mobile – use it while on the move!

There will be times when you’re out of your house, travelling or generally on the move. High Tech Health has specially designed a device that it totally portable and allows the person to gain all the benefits from the home device while out and about. Scientifically designed electrical impulses are transmitted from the handheld controller through to the unique silver-woven socks. This device comes with a 9V battery and will last up to approximately 50-100 uses.

Target specific areas of pain and swelling! Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 

Do you have areas that are hard to relieve such as knees, backache and shoulder pain? The Circulation Booster® HOME also includes six electrode pads. You can target points of pain such as sore knees or aching backs, or apply the pads to acupressure points. You can also use them to strengthen specific muscle groups.

No quibble money-back guarantee! Reduce the symptoms of Diabetes today! 

Ensure good foot care which is essential for people with diabetes. All our Circulation Booster® products come with a no-quibble 30-days money back guarantee. Although it may take longer to fully alleviate your symptoms, within this time we are hopeful that you will see considerable improvement.