New Hope in the treatment of Hunter Syndrome
Posted by Admin on Nov 4, 2007
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developing a new stem cell-based drug delivery therapy using adult neural stem cells,that may ultimately help treat a variety of inherited genetic disorders like Hunter syndrome.
Hunter syndrome is a hereditary disease in which the breakdown of a mucopolysaccharide (a chemical that is widely distributed in the body outside of cells) is defective. This chemical builds up and causes a characteristic facial appearance, abnormal function of multiple organs, and in severe cases, early death.
Zappe, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Carnegie Mellon, and his graduate student Sasha Bakhru, are creating genetically engineered adult neural stem cells for delivery to patients’ brains, where they will be programmed to produce an essential missing protein. In Hunter syndrome, for example, patients are lacking the enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase that helps cells break down certain waste products. One in every 130,000 boys is born with the rare but deadly genetic disorder.
Zappe, who is working with Dr. Raymond Sekula, a neurosurgeon at Allegheny General Hospital, said he selected adult neural stem cells for his work because they can be harvested from a patient’s brain, have the potential to be multiplied outside of the body, can be genetically engineered, can disperse within the brain once re-implanted and can replace all major cell types of the brain.
To support their therapeutic goals, Zappe and his team have developed cell-instructive microcapsules that contain neural stem cells. These microcapsules efficiently control whether stem cells proliferate (multiply), differentiate into more specialized cell types like neurons and to what extent implanted stem cells will be allowed to migrate to the host tissue.
The Details About the Research can be found at medisyne.com
Are Parabens Really Safe?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
You’ve probably heard the news stories about parabens and the controversy surrounding their use in personal care products. Here’s a brief, but fair, look at this complicated issue:
No cosmetic can ever be truly “natural”-no matter what the manufacturer claims-but some ingredients are closer than others. Parabens have long been considered an ideal compromise and until quite recently were considered one of the safest preservative methods available. But an article published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology has cast doubt on the safety of parabens and, especially, their potential role in the development of some types breast cancers.
Scientists have known for some time that parabens can mimic the effect of estrogen when used on lab animals but in early 2004, British researchers from the University of Reading announced that they had found parabens in in the cancerous tumors of human breast cancer patients. Equally concerning is the fact that researchers believe that the form of parabens found in those tumors indicate that the parabens were absorbed topically and not taken orally. But most frightening is the fact that parabens were found in EVERY sample.
It’s important to note that this was a very, very small study–only 20 women–and there’s absolutely no way to tell what, if any, skin care products are implicated. Although the lead researcher has cautioned that there’s no definitive proof that parabens actually cause breast cancers, he has already called for more study.
Should YOU Be Concerned? Manufacturers are. Many of the leaders in the natural products industry have already announced plans to discontinue the use of parabens and more are expected to follow suit.
How do you know if your skin care products contain parabens? Read the labels. All cosmetics are required by law to carry full ingredient lists. If your skin care products don’t have ingredients listed, or you can’t find the preservative in the list, be suspicious. Be equally suspicious of manufacturers who claim to use only natural essential oils or grapefruit seed extract. In day-to-day usage, they just don’t work as promised.
One of the most exciting new preservatives being used today is Hydroxymethylglycinate, a derivative of the naturally occurring amino acid Glycine. It’s considered extremely safe and seems to be less apt to cause allergic reactions than other preservatives.
Are Pain Killers Causing Your Headaches?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
Do you take analgesics (pain pills) for your chronic headaches? If you do you are not alone, but you may be surprised to learn that the pain-killers you’re taking may actually be promoting your chronic tension or migraine headaches.
What should you do when you have a tension or a migraine headache? What should you do when you are experiencing chronic pain? Take a pain pill, right? WRONG! Most people don’t have a second thought when it comes to taking analgesics for their chronic headaches or other assorted aches and pains, but research from the St. Louis University School of Medicine demonstrates that “analgesic use seems to be the primary factor in promoting the development of chronic pain.” It was found that painkillers, instead of helping relieve the chronic pain, can actually be the cause of it.
“The best thing a person with chronic headaches can do is get off the painkillers,” says Paul Duckro, associate professor of psychiatry at St. Louis University. “In our studies, two-thirds of the chronic headache sufferers benefited from the withdrawal of medication.” Two-thirds of the chronic headache sufferers not only did not get rid of their headaches with the medications they were taking, but increased their severity through the use of analgesics.
“Evidently, at a certain point in a chronic sufferer’s intake of analgesics (including aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and the stronger narcotic painkillers), the headache becomes drug-induced. In an irony of biology, a substance intended to reduce pain becomes a factor in producing it.” Ibuprofen is the “pain-relieving” ingredient in Advil, Motrin IB, Nuprin and many other headache medications. Acetaminophen is the active “painkilling” ingredient in Tylenol. You should be aware that these popular medications may be hindering your recovery from your chronic headaches. And even worse, the medications that are supposed to be relieving your pain may actually be the cause of it.
According to Duckro: “The person takes some aspirin, but the pain increases. So the person takes some more aspirin. Then the person begins to take aspirin in anticipation of the pain, thinking, ‘If it’s this bad when I’m taking medicine, it’s going to be unbearable without.’ Gradually, the person - and it’s more often a woman - gets a headache whenever the medicine is not being taken.” (Duckro is director of St. Louis University’s Biobehavioral Treatment Center, which has its own headache management program).
Dr. William Bennett, head of nephrology at Oregon Health Sciences University, estimates that over-the-counter painkillers are responsible for as many as 20% of the 125,000 cases of end-stage kidney disease in the United States. All drugs have side effects. These can include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, liver damage, kidney damage, internal bleeding and many other symptoms including death. We have always known and recognized these possible negative consequences from ingesting drugs (unless we don’t read the labels), but we continue to take these analgesics by the mega millions with the hope of relieving our pain and discomfort.
There is no guarantee that if we take a pain pill for our chronic migraine headaches, stomach aches or other types of pain it will actually eliminate the pain. There is also no guarantee that we won’t experience unwanted reactions to the drug itself. But when the pain gets so bad we often decide that the possible relief outweighs the risk associated with the analgesic.
But what most of us do not realize is that there may be one more consequence from taking medication for chronic headaches. We may find that the analgesics are actually the cause of the symptoms, that without them we wouldn’t be having so many headaches. If you suffer with chronic headaches you may find that the pills you are taking are actually inducing your discomfort. And you may also discover that when you stop taking the medication you begin to experience fewer chronic migraines. After all, according to the director of St. Louis University’s Biobehavioral Treatment Center two-thirds of the chronic headache sufferers benefited from the withdrawal of medication.
Are My Arms Shrinking Or Do I Need Reading Glasses?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
With age comes many things, one of which is the need to wear reading glasses. People over 40 will often realize that they are holding reading materials out at arms length just so they can read them. The cause is an age-related condition called presbyopia. It may not be preventable, but it doesn’t need to be the end of the world.
Presbyopia is what causes people to need reading glasses. People without other vision problems will be more likely to notice the development of presbyopia. This condition is caused by hardening of the lens in the eye that causes it to lose flexibility. This loss of flexibility results in difficulty seeing up close, also known as nearsightedness. The condition generally worsens over time and should be diagnosed by a doctor. The symptoms of presbyopia are blurred vision when reading or working closely, headaches, eye strain and dizziness. A doctor can diagnose the condition and give you your prescription. Presbyopia is a normal condition that will strike almost everyone over the age of forty.
When you begin asking yourself “do I need reading glasses?” the answer is probably yes. If you already wear glasses you will remedy the problem by adding a bifocal lens to your regular glasses. For those who do not normally wear glasses a pair of reading glasses will work to correct the condition. Reading glasses can be bought through your doctor, at a retail store or online. If you are buying them somewhere other than your doctor’s office you will need to know your prescription or “reading power”. This will allow you to buy the correct pair of reading glasses.
The need for reading glasses will be encountered by everyone once they reach their forties. It is a natural and normal condition that shouldn’t cause any worry. A visit to the doctor and the purchase of reading glasses should help fix the problem. So, if you find yourself saying “do I need reading glasses” make an appointment to get your eyes checked, don’t panic, and remember that Presbyopia is a normal part of the aging process.
Are Liquid Vitamins Enough?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
In our fast paced world, the population is eating a diet that accommodates the fast paced lifestyle. Fast food is easy and allows the working class to eat a meal in the convenient allotted hour.
Health professionals and advocates constantly preach the risks of this lifestyle. The repeated calorie and trans fat content warnings are on the minds of many even while these fried foods are consumed. Is the taste and convenience worth the health risk?
Acrylamide is a carcinogenic substance most are not familiar with. This carcinogenic substance unfortunately is present in the most popular fried foods. Acrylamide is present in foods prepared at high temperatures using methods such as frying, grilling, baking and broiling. A safe level of acrylamide was set by the Food Standards Agency at 10 ppb. French fries and potato chips can have up to 100 times this amount.
Using cooking oil alternatives isn’t a remedy for high acrylamide levels either. Ironically, frying foods in polyunsaturated oils can add unhealthy trans fats to a diet. The polyunsaturated oils oxidize rapidly during the high temperature frying process becoming the harmful trans fats most are trying to avoid. If frying is the desired cooking method, the use of monounsaturated oils such as olive oil may be a better alternative.
Although antioxidants are not a combatant for high levels of acrylamide, antioxidants are still very important in the protections against free radical damage. The only real defense we have against acrylamide is to abstain from foods prepared at high temperatures. This is not easy and can become a complete lifestyle change. An alternative is to be much more careful when preparing foods of any kind. Burnt foods do not contain the nutrient content once abundant prior to preparation. Unfortunately, it contains high levels of the carcinogen, acrylamide.
Health professionals recommend the consumption of more raw foods as well. Raw foods are rich on nutrients and contain low levels of harmful toxins like acrylamide. When raw foods are referred to, some foods that are normally prepared using high temperature processes need to be pasteurized before eating. The digestive system is very effective at killing bacteria and harmful pathogens but can’t combat all harmful bacteria in large quantities such as e-coli.
A reasonable diet change can limit your acrylamide intake. All delights in an average diet do not have to be discarded. Frying is definitely a cooking method to avoid if possible. If frying is without an alternative, the use of a monounsaturated oil is recommended. Cooking methods such as grilling, steaming, boiling, or baking at lower temperature can greatly reduce the levels of acrylamide in your diet as well as reduce the nutrient loss during the preparation of a meal. A meal needs to be completely prepared to prevent pathogen and bacteria from entering your digestive system. Just keep in mind, burning during preparation is the number one mistake to avoid. Raw food snacks can be added to your diet to take the place of foods high in acrylamide content like potato chips.
Free radicals and antioxidant protection are important and represent a completely different disease causing battle. Proper preparation of foods is the key to reducing acrylamide in a diet. The next time eating high calorie, fried foods seems like the only options; concerns of Trans fats and calories should not be the only thing in mind. The carcinogen levels can be just as harmful to your health.
Are Home Diagnostic Kits Reliable As A Substitute For Professional Medical Opinions?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
Let’s face it. A trip to the drugstore is a whole lot easier than a costly and time-consuming trip to the doctor’s office. No time wasted waiting for the physician; no embarrassing questions to answer; and no sticker shock when the bill comes. Just head for the section of your pharmacy with all of the gadgets and home test kits and you are ready to “play doctor.”
With skyrocketing medical costs and increased concerns about privacy, more and more Americans are taking advantage of products designed to help monitor existing conditions or to help diagnose new ones. Blood glucose monitors help diabetics manage their condition, blood pressure kits help monitor hypertension while those with cardiovascular concerns can track cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Of course, home pregnancy kits have been available for years. But now it is possible to go well beyond health management with these off-the-shelf products and individuals can now perform diagnostic tests in the comfort and “safety” of their homes.
But is this trend really safe?
Health care professionals have expressed concerns that the use of home test kits may cause users to delay or avoid proper medical care. Misinterpreting the results of self-administered tests can lead to decisions that are based on false assumptions. For example, there have been reports of people changing their medication dosage based on results of blood pressure readings at home. Decisions about any treatment based on self-administered tests should be deferred until a physician confirms them.
The list of conditions for which home diagnostic products are available is expanding rapidly. It is now possible to test for drug use, alcohol use, HIV, prostate cancer, hormone levels, diabetes, blood type, anemia, allergies, hepatitis, cholesterol levels, fertility and even certain strains of flu.
The opportunity is always present for a user to improperly administer a test or to misunderstand the results. Delaying treatment based on these results could have serious consequences. Now that the number of tests available is so large, and the conditions so potentially serious, it is absolutely critical that these test results be validated by a doctor.
Given this diverse menu of tests, users are sure to get results for which they may be unprepared. A positive reading for HIV could be devastating. Health care professionals are trained to address the concerns and possible psychological issues faced by a patient receiving bad news from a test. Individuals trying to cope with a similar result at home may find themselves alone and unable to cope.
Home health tests should be used with great care and should never be considered as a replacement for proper medical care. If you are seriously concerned about your health and well-being, it is fine to practice a bit of do-it-yourself medicine… as long as you get a second opinion.
Are Herbal Remedies The Answer?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
It seems that almost every day we come across a story in a newspaper or magazine which raises concerns about the use, misuse, or overuse of a particular pharmaceutical remedy in the treatment of minor ailments, or serious medical conditions. Often these stories are quickly discredited as being ill-informed or based on insufficient evidence, perhaps medical opinion is divided, or particular experts in the field prefer to wait for an extended period of time, maybe years, in order to ascertain the safety, or otherwise of these commonly used remedies. This is not to criticise medical science, or its practitioners, who must rely on objective and statistically valid evidence before giving an expert opinion. However, it is little wonder that many of us turn to herbal remedies, either as a supplement, or as an alternative to manufactured pharmaceutical products. There is a reassurance in that simple word “herbal”, taking us back to simpler times, when there was little choice in how to treat our day to day bodily malfunctions, aches and pains and we made use of what was available to us, perhaps in our own back gardens!
Are herbal remedies the answer? Surely if they have been in use since men and women first walked on the Earth they must be both effective and safe? The answer to this, as to many questions, is “Yes” and “No”, or even “Well it’s not as simple as that.” In the past, herbal remedies were often administered or recommended by one particular person in the neighbourhood, frequently a woman, (probably regarded as a witch), who was an expert in her field. This person would have studied and learned, by trial and error, about the efficacy and safety (or otherwise) of the product she was supplying. Herbal remedies may be natural, but that does not make them safe and we need to be well informed about the optimum dosage as well as about possible side effects and what are called “contra-indications” in the medical profession. After all, before a doctor prescribes a drug to you, s/he will refer to your medical history and question you about your lifestyle. We need to be equally cautious in self-prescribing, and take advantage of information and advice that is available to us from reliable sources.
Should herbal remedies be regarded as an alternative, or a complementary supplement to conventional medicine? We need to use our common sense in this matter. If a herbal product appears to be effective in treating a minor condition, then by all means use it instead of resorting to a manufactured product, with possibly dubious side effects. As regards more serious and even life threatening conditions, it seems unwise to reject the offerings of modern science, which for the most part have a proven record in alleviating suffering and prolonging life, whether or not they also cause undesirable side-effects. Herbal remedies may in these cases be used in a complementary way, if this is appropriate. Let us also not forget that many widely used conventional medications are based on a herbal product, (aspirin and digitalis to name just two), so we may be using a herbal based product without being aware of it. Herbal and conventional pharmaceutical remedies are not always mutually exclusive.
Are Herbal Remedies Safe?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
“Natural” does not necessarily mean “Pure”. “Herbal based” does not necessarily mean it is 100 percent herbal in makeup. “Organic” does not necessarily mean it is truly, purely, organic. And something that is certified “98% Natural and Organic” is actually”2% corrupted material”. Let me ask this: If you take a 10 ounce glass of filtered water, guaranteed pure, pristine, non-harmful, and add 1/8th of an ounce of rat poison, how safe is that water to drink? Likewise, if you are using a product that is “98 percent pure”, just how pure is that 100 percent product – what is the other 2 percent of it contributing to the overall product?
People who are suspicious of traditional medicines often prefer to selfmedicate with herbal remedies in the belief that “natural” equals ’safe.” Although popularly considered innocuous, herbal remedies may contain powerful chemicals such as quinine from cinchona bark, digitalis (a heart drug) from foxgloves or Taxol (an anti-cancer remedy) from yew bark and some contain contaminants such as arsenic, lead and other metals. A herbal remedy taken for medicinal purposes is not an “over the-counter drug”, but it does deserve caution and respect.
Probably the major difference between “drugs” from one of the major drug manufacturers and the herbs you grow in your herb garden or collect growing wild in nature is that the “manufactured drug” is usually a specific extract from the whole and as such is more concentrated and eliminates all the other associated components found in the complete herb. Further, their possible dangers are often spelled out on the package insert. By contrast, the safety profile of most herbal products is not listed. And there is a general “unawareness” of the lack of regulations governing their use by the public as a whole. Most herbal concoctions are not legally permitted to be sold as medications in Canada or the USA but are classified as foods. Since they’re regarded as foods, warning labels are not required. Only a few herbal products bear federal Drug Identification Numbers (DIN) approving their sale as drugs.
After centuries of experience, the most highly toxic plants have been eliminated from the herbalist’s stock-in-trade. Lily-of-the-valley, daffodil, deadly nightshade, jimsonweed and hemlock are among substances banned by Health and Welfare Canada for sale as foods or in food. Reports about the adverse effects of some herbal remedies are surfacing, ranging from minor to serious, from lethal poisonings to allergic reactions. Many of the adverse effects reported from herbs are from mis-identification but include: severe allergic shock from camomile tea, heart problems from liquorice tonics, liver toxicity from comfrey and dizziness from oleander tea. In one recent case, a woman who mistook oleander for eucalyptus died after drinking the tea. In another an elderly couple died within 24 hours of overdosing on digitalis, mistaking poisonous foxgloves for comfrey. Plants containing pyrrolizidine (e.g., Golden senecio or ragwort) are of increasing concern owing to reports of liver d!
isease from consuming this substance. especially for long periods. Gordolobos tea containing this ingredient - widely consumed in the Southern U.S. - is no longer considered safe.
Harmful overdoses from herbals are most likely when they’re made into strong teas, steeped for 10-20 minutes or more. For example. liquorice contains chemicals that, taken in large quantities, can cause sodium and water retention, high blood pressure and even cardiac arrest. In addition, herbal remedies can interact with OTC drugs. Some plants such as tonka beans, melilot and woodruff, which increase bleeding, should not be consumed by those regularly taking Aspirin. Several herbs - such as hellebore and hawthorn - can exacerbate the effects of the heart medication digitalis. Others such as bayberry, juniper and St. John’s Wort, even coffee, are powerful diuretics that should not be taken if you are already taking prescription diuretics. In the final analysis, shopping for herbal products is a matter of “know your product” - or stay away!
Are Hemorrhoids Treatable?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
Hemorrhoids are described as a condition in which an itching or painful mass of dilated veins in swollen anal tissue occurs. Hemorrhoids or piles are the medical terms used for the condition of varicosity or swelling and inflammation of veins in the rectum and anus.
External hemorrhoids and internal hemorrhoids are the two most common types of hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids Treatment
Hemorrhoids are very much treatable. They can be treated by natural ways and medical treatment. Severe hemorrhoids can only be treated by surgery.
The following are some tips to get temporary or instant hemorrhoid relief.
• A warm sitz bath using a bidet, extendable showerhead, cold compress, or topical analgesic like Preparation H, can provide temporary hemorrhoid relief.
• A sufferer should keep the area clean and dry using hemorrhoids creams or suppositories.
Hemorrhoids Treatment through Natural Ways
The following are some natural ways of hemorrhoids treatment:
• Controlling constipation and diarrhea.
• Drinking large amounts of water and eating fiber-rich bulking agents such as plantain and psyllium to help create a soft stool that is easy to pass to lessen the irritation of existing hemorrhoids.
• Taking herbs and dietary supplements such as butcher’s broom, horse chestnut, bromelain, and Japanese pagoda tree extracts to strengthen rectal vein walls. Recent studies have supported natural botanicals such as Butchers Broom, Horse Chestnut, and bioflavonoids as an effective hemorrhoid treatment.
• Topical application of natural astringents and soothing agents, such as Witch Hazel (astringent), Cranesbill and Aloe Vera.
• Reducing rectal pressure and improving postures; using the squatting position for bowel movements.
Medical Hemorrhoid Treatments
Chronic or severe cases require medical hemorrhoids treatments. The following are some standard medical hemorrhoids treatments.
• Hemorrhoidolysis/Galvanic Electrotherapy is a painless and highly effective hemorrhoids treatment. It includes the desiccation of the hemorrhoid by electrical current.
• Dilation is the treatment comprising of stretching of the anal sphincter muscle, but has side effects.
• In Rubber band ligation therapy, elastic bands are applied onto an internal hemorrhoid to cut off its blood supply. Within several weeks, the withered hemorrhoid is sloughed off during normal bowel movement.
• In Sclerotherapy or injection therapy, sclerosant or hardening agent is injected into hemorrhoids. It causes the vein walls to collapse and the hemorrhoids to shrivel up.
• In Cryosurgery treatment, a frozen tip of a cryoprobe is used to destroy hemorrhoidal tissues.
• In Laser, infared or BICAP coagulation treatment, laser, infrared beam, or electricity is used to cauterize the affected tissues.
• Hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure to excise and remove hemorrhoids.
Surgery is the only treatment option for very severe cases, like prolapsed, thrombosed, or strangulated hemorrhoids.
Are Hair Loss Treatments Just One Big Scam?
Posted by Admin on Oct 18, 2007
The hair loss industry is not one that inspires great confidence in most people. I have to admit this is perfectly understandable given the damage caused by the many rogues and charlatans who have abused the trust of far too many vulnerable people - people who have received worthless and even dangerous products or advice in exchange for their hard earned cash. The end result is the prevalance of a stigma that the industry is hard pressed to shake off.
But is this perception really justified nowadays? Are there no genuine treatments that sufferers can turn to in a bid to treat the ravages of premature hair loss? The simple answer is YES, there are several safe, affordable, accessible and effective hair loss treatments currently available. Some have even been approved by FDA for the treatment of hair loss conditions while others draw on natural remedies as the basis for commercially available products. Whether or not any of them are suitable for a given individual depends on a number of important factors.
First and foremost, every individual must determine the exact cause or causes of his or her hair loss. This may appear to be an over-simplistic statement but the truth is, most people undergoing a course of treatment for hair loss have proceeded on the basis of self-diagnosis. Given the fact that premature or excessive hair loss is often associated with underlying medical conditions, this is perhaps not the most sensible course of action.
My advice in all cases is to seek the guidance of a qualified medical practitioner because the consequences of not doing so may be serious in a small number of cases. Even where all the evidence points to the onset of hereditary male pattern baldness it would probably be best to seek advice, if only to rule out other factors.
Once the cause of hair loss has been properly diagnosed you will be in a position to choose a suitable form of treatment. This may range from the prescription of drugs aimed at balancing disrupted hormone levels to the topical application of minoxidil to reduce the symptoms of male pattern baldness.
Hair loss may be caused by many factors including changing hormone levels, illness, stress, overuse of strong chemicals, excessive traction, poor grooming practices, side effects of medical treatment, poor nutrition, weak immune system and the effects of aging. The good news is, all of these can be tackled with reasonable hope of success but only if you choose the right treatment.
The next article in this series will look closely at the various causes of excessive hair loss and outline suggested treatments that are both affordable and accessible. If you take only two things from this article, please take these suggestions on board:
1. Always seek the advice of your physician before undergoing a hair loss treatment regime.
2. Don’t despair, there’s often a simple explanation for excessive hair loss and even hereditary loss or male pattern-type baldness can be treated successfully for most people nowadays.