The Plain Truth's: Your Health Today ONLINE

Are pills containing frozen POO the key to beating hospital superbug?

A deadly hospital superbug could be treated using capsules of frozen faeces from healthy people, a new study has found.

The gut infection Clostridium difficule (C. difficile) can be life-threatening, especially in the elderly.

But scientists in the US found introducing 'normal' gut bacteria from a healthy donor's excrement, rebalanced a C. difficile patient's system, curing their illness.

They successfully cured 18 of 20 patients who took part in the study at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston of their diarrhea, improving their condition.

A new study has found capsules of frozen facecal matter from healthy donors can cure C. difficile patients of their severe diarrhoea. Doctors in the US cured 18 of the 20 patients taking part in their research. (File picture)

In healthy people the bacteria C. difficile lies harmlessly in the gut. But the feared infection is caused when antibiotics upset the balance of the intestines. While natural bacteria that protect against infection are decimated by the drugs, C. difficile multiply. The result is severe diarrhoea, which can cause fatal complications, including swelling of the bowel from a build-up of gas.

The new research builds on a UK study published in 2012 where 'stool transplants' were used to restore the balance of the gut in mice suffering C. difficile.

But the methods used were invasive and presented problems for human patients.

The researchers developed a method whereby they could freeze healthy stool samples, enclosing them in capsules for patients to swallow.

Could symptoms of autism be improved by eating broccoli?

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Suforaphane - which gives broccoli its bitter taste - could help treat autism, a study found

Broccoli could hold the key to treating autism, research suggests.The chemical that gives broccoli its distinctive bitter taste made teenagers and young men with autism calmer and more sociable, a study found.

‘Remarkable’ improvements were seen in as little as four weeks and by the end of the study, some of those given a capsule a day felt able to look the researchers in the eye and shake their hand.

The finding suggests it may be possible to create a pill that gets to the root of autism for the first time.Existing drugs simply control symptoms such as aggression, hyperactivity or sleep problems, but do not address the underlying cause of the condition.

Researcher Dr Paul Talalay, a professor of pharmacology in the US who has spent the last 25 years researching nature’s medicine cabinet, said: ‘It was a small study but the effects were very, very large.

‘We believe that this may be preliminary evidence for the first treatment for autism that improves symptoms by apparently correcting some underlying cellular mechanisms.’

British experts described the research as ‘intriguing’ but said it is simply too early to say if broccoli is beneficial in autism.

The research, from the respected MassGen Hospital for Children and Johns Hopkins University, both in Boston, comes amid concern about rising rates of autism.

More than one in 100 British children has autism or a related condition such as Asperger's Syndrome - a 10-fold increase on 30 years ago.

Low-calorie sweeteners found in diet drinks RAISE the risk of obesity and diabetes by affecting how the body processes sugar

Low-calorie artificial sweeteners found in diet drinks actually 'raise the risk of diabetes and obesity'

Millions rely on them to help them stay thin. But low-calorie artificial sweeteners actually raise the risk of obesity, researchers fear.

The popular sugar alternatives found in diet drinks and in sachets in cafes and restaurants may also increase the odds of diabetes.

The sweeteners under the microscope are saccharin, which is found in Sweet’N Low, sucralose, which is found in Splenda, and aspartame, which is found in many diet drinks.

The Israeli researchers that ‘today’s massive, unsupervised consumption’ of artificial sweeteners needs to be reassessed.

The warning at a time when growing concern about the damage done by sugar is likely to mean more people are switching to artificial alternatives.

British experts urged caution, saying that much of the work was done in mice. But they also said that water is the healthiest drink.

The researchers, from the Weizmann Institute of Science, first showed that all three sweeteners made it more difficult for mice to process sugar.

This is known as glucose intolerance and is important because it raises risk of developing diabetes and obesity.

In a study of almost 400 people, the researchers linked artificial sweetener with being fatter and glucose intolerance.

And, worryingly, volunteers who didn’t normally eat or drink artificially-sweetened foods began to become glucose intolerant after just four days of consumption.

The numbers affected were small – just four out of seven men and women in the trial – but the research overall was judged significant enough to be published in Nature one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.

Other experiments suggested the sweeteners do the damage by altering type of bacteria in the gut.

While this might seem odd, some of the bugs that live naturally in our digestive system are very good at breaking down food.

If they thrive on artificial sweeteners, this could lead to more energy being extracted from food and more fat being stored – raising the odds of obesity.

Common diabetes drug metformin could cause thyroid and heart problems, experts warn

A drug widely prescribed to those with diabetes could cause thyroid, heart and a host of other health problems, a study has warned.

Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. It lowers blood sugar levels by reducing glucose production in the liver.

But new research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found the drug is linked to having an underactive thyroid.

The drug metformin - widely prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes - could cause heart disease and a host of other health problems, scientists have warned

An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

Granny Smith apples were found to contain high levels of a compound that promotes good bacteria in the gut, helping people feel fuller for longer

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, goes the saying.

But a new study has found more specifically, that a Granny Smith a day could be the key to preventing obesity.

The bright green, crisp variety helps people feel full, inhibiting the urge to eat.

They were found to promote friendly bacteria, which invokes the feeling of being full.

The study, published in the journal Food Chemistry, revealed that the non digestible compounds in the fruit, which include fibre and polyphenols, do not get broken down by stomach acid.

When they reach the colon they are fermented by bacteria in the colon which helps friendly bacteria in the gut to grow.

Scientists at Washington State University tested several different varieties of apple on mice, to see which caused the most growth of friendly bacteria.

Granny Smiths worked better than Golden Delicious, Gala, Braeburn and other popular varieties, they discovered.

The variety, known for its slightly tart flavour, had a particularly high fibre content and compounds like polyphenols which do not break down when eaten, they reported.

The team analysed mouse droppings after feeding the animals, some of which were obese, different types of fruit.

They discovered the balance of bacteria in the colon of obese people is often 'disturbed' in a way that can disrupt the metabolism and make people feel hungry.

It was revealed that the faeces of overweight mice that had eaten Granny Smith apples had changed and become similar to that of slim mice.

The discovery could lead to future treatments for weight problems.

Think antioxidants will make you live longer? Think again:

We all want to stay as healthy and young-looking as possible, which is why millions of us dutifully take antioxidant supplements such as vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, as well as splashing out on costly antioxidant 'superfoods' such as blueberries.

For years we've swallowed the line from scientists that antioxidants could slow the rate at which our cells - and therefore our bodies - age.

The theory is that antioxidants reduce the 'oxidising' damage caused by free radicals - corrosive molecules produced by our bodies as we process oxygen, and which we also breathe in from polluted air and smoking.

For years we've swallowed the line from scientists that antioxidants could slow the rate at which our cells

It is thought that when these free radicals attack proteins and lipids (fats in the cells), it breaks down the cell membrane and damages the DNA inside. This in turn may cause cancerous mutations, as well as making the cells age more rapidly. Free-radical damage to brain cells is also believed to cause the sort of drops in cognitive functioning associated with ageing.

In Britain, we spend £175 million a year on antioxidant supplements - but a new study suggests we might be wasting our money. Not only do free radicals not cause ageing, say researchers at McGill University in Canada, but taking antioxidant pills may actually make our bodies age faster- making them a short cut to an early grave. So what is going on?

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Is ibuprofen making us sick? Research suggests it may cause gut conditions such as coeliac disease

Taking ibuprofen is linked to the development of coeliac disease, research suggests

A National Institutes of Health study revealed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause intestinal inflammation and can increase the permeability of the intestines.

NIBBLED to death: Researchers find parasitic diarrhea-causing amoeba kills human cells 'like a piranha'

Entamoeba histolytica parasites ingesting bites of intestinal cells in a mouse intestine, captured using live two-photon microscopy. Tissue was from a mouse expressing membrane-targeted green fluorescent protein (green) and amoebae were coloured blue.

Virginia researcher found Entamoeba histolytica,(pictured), which causes a potentially fatal diarrhea common in the developing world, infects by nibbling human cells until they die.

People with sleep apnoea are 340% more likely to die of cancer, study suggests

People with sleep apnoea are 340 per cent more likely to die of cancer, new research suggests

Researchers at the University of Sydney Nursing School found people with the sleep condition are also two and a half times more likely to develop the disease.


Wasabi Fights Highly Lethal Pancreatic Cancer ALERT: It’s Here – CDC Confirms MERS Virus Infection on U.S. Soil

The end of heart disease?

Scientists have discovered a way to block the formation of excess cholesterol that leads to heart disease.

Working with mice and rabbits, Johns Hopkins scientists successfully prevented the development of atherosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks and strokes and the number-one cause of death among humans.

The condition develops when fat builds inside blood vessels over time and renders them stiff, narrowed and hardened, greatly reducing their ability to feed oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle and the brain.

HOW THEY DID IT

Mice used in the experiments were genetically engineered to lack a protein essential in the breakdown of fats and thus were predisposed to atherosclerosis.

The researchers fed the animals a high-fat diet over the course of several months, but also gave a third of the animals a low-dose of D-PDMP.

They gave a double dose of the same inhibitor to another third and placebo to the rest.

These effects were observed in animals on a daily D-PDMP treatment even though they ate a diet made up of 20 percent triglycerides - the human equivalent of eating a greasy burger for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Researchers identified and halted the action of a single molecular culprit responsible for a range of biological glitches that affect the body’s ability to properly use, transport and purge itself of cholesterol — the fatty substance that accumulates inside vessels and fuels heart disease.

The offender, the researchers say, is a fat-and-sugar molecule called glycosphingolipid, or GSL, which resides in the membranes of all cells, and is mostly known for regulating cell growth.

Results of the experiments, the scientists say, reveal that this very same molecule also regulates the way the body handles cholesterol.

The Johns Hopkins team used an existing man-made compound called D-PDMP to block the synthesis of the GSL molecule, and by doing so, prevented the development of heart disease in mice and rabbits fed a high-fat, cholesterol-laden diet.

The findings, in the journal Circulation, reveal that D-PDMP appears to work by interfering with genetic pathways that regulate fat metabolism on several fronts - from the way cells derive and absorb cholesterol from food, to the way cholesterol is transported to tissues and organs and is then broken down by the liver and excreted from the body.

Scientists invent portable fertility test enabling men to test the quality of their sperm from their own homes

A portable fertility test enabling men to test the quality of their sperm from the privacy of their own homes has been invented by scientists.

Researchers in the US say their easy-to-use kit could be available to consumers as early as next year, meaning men focussed on their fertility issues would no longer have to endure frequent trips to the doctor to test their sperm.

Greg Sommer and Ulrich Schaff, who founded a startup company to develop their device, say the tests can give a result within minutes.

More women dying in childbirth in the U.S. than almost anywhere else

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are endless controversies in the U.S. about contraception, rape and abortion, with politicians and activists of every stripe chiming in endlessly. But there's not much discussion of women dying in childbirth.

Maybe there should be.

A new study released by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and published in the latest issue of The Lancet finds that there are only eight countries in the world where maternal mortality rates have risen since 2003, including Afghanistan, countries in Africa and Central America – and the United States.

In 2013, 18.5 mothers in the U.S. died for every 100,000 live births, compared to 7 deaths per 100,000 in Saudi Arabia, 8.2 in Canada and 6.1 in the United Kingdom.

Read the rest

New laser to make stretch marks vanish with minimal pain and downtime

A new laser therapy that bores microscopic holes in the skin is being touted as a way to erase stretch marks on the stomach, thighs and breasts, with minimal pain and downtime.

The Icon system is the first treatment for the common form of scarring to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

All scars are notoriously difficult to treat, yet exceedingly common; most people have at least one.

The laser treatment bores microscopic holes in the skin and being touted as a way to erase stretch marks on stomach, thighs and breasts

And stretch marks are estimated to affect up to 90 per cent of women during pregnancy.

Icon has a fractional laser that uses heat to create microscopic channels deep within the skin, while leaving the surface almost untouched.

A Better Prostate Cancer Test Is Here

Until recently, the PSA test for prostate cancer had been a routine part of every middle age man’s physical. But it has fallen out of favor as doctors realized the PSA was leading many men to have needless and painful prostate biopsies and unnecessary cancer treatments.

In fact, major medical groups have stopped recommending routine PSA testing for most men.

But now a better prostate cancer test has become available to help address the problem.

It’s called the 4Kscore Test.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Headline/4Kscore-opko-prostate-cancer/2014/03/31/id/562676#ixzz2yo4j8ZXm
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

How aspirin could boost fertility:

National Institutes of Health logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Taking aspirin could increase a woman’s fertility, new research suggests.

U.S. scientists found low doses of the drug could improve the chances of conception and of having a live birth.

But, contrary to popular belief, they discovered taking the drug does not prevent miscarriage.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health say many doctors prescribe low doses of aspirin to women who have had a miscarriage or stillbirth and who want to conceive again.

However, they say the effectiveness of this treatment had not been proven.

So, they randomly assigned more than 1,000 women with a history of pregnancy loss either a low dose of aspirin daily or a placebo.

They then followed them for six months while they tried to conceive.

The researchers found there was no difference in the pregnancy loss rates between the two groups.

But, they did find that women who had experience a single, recent pregnancy loss had an increased rate of pregnancy and live birth while taking a daily aspirin tablet.

These women were classed as those who had lost a baby before four and a half months gestation within the past year.

Heavier Seniors Live Longer: Study

BMI - The Game (Photo credit: Kecko)

A new study suggests that current body mass index (BMI) recommendations may be unsuitable for older adults.

Caryl Nowson, a professor of nutrition and aging at Deakin University, led a research team that examined the relationship between BMI and risk of death in people 65 and older. The findings indicated the lowest risk was among those with a BMI of about 27.5, which is considered overweight by the World Health Organization. Mortality was said to increase "significantly" among those with a BMI between 22 and 23, the normal weight range.

"It is time to reassess the healthy weight guidelines for older people," Professor Nowson said. "Our results showed that those over the age of 65 with a BMI of between 23 and 33 lived longer, indicating that the ideal body weight for older people is significantly higher than the recommended 18.5-25 'normal' healthy weight range."

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/seniors-weight-BMI-death/2014/03/26/id/561762#ixzz2x4Z7j8jC
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

9 Not So Obvious but Potentially Deadly Symptoms

Mayo Clinic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyone knows the “Call 911!” symptoms — abdominal pain, chest pain, etc. But there are other warning signs that, while they may not warrant a speedy trip to the emergency room, should quickly send you to your doctor. These signs and symptoms, according to experts, should always receive medical attention — pronto.

1. Shortness of Breath. If you’re short of breath or wheezing, and you haven’t been exercising, you may be in trouble. Anything from asthma, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to a blood clot in the lung can bring this on, and it needs to be evaluated quickly. Shortness of breath can also be caused by panic attacks brought on by intense anxiety, says the Mayo Clinic.

2. Flashes of light. Flashing lights may signal imminent retinal detachment, says allaboutvision.com. The sensation of flashing lights usually occurs in one eye, but it can be in both eyes at the same time. A shadow over a part of your vision, blurred vision, or the sudden appearance of many “floaters” may also signal an impending detachment. Immediate care may save your sight since a detached retina almost always causes blindness if not treated quickly. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 1 in 7 people who experience flashes will have a retinal tear or detachment.

3. Unexplained Weight Loss. Almost all of us would love to lose a lot of weight quickly and easily, but if you’re not really trying and all of a sudden you lose 5 percent of your weight in one month or 10 percent over a period of six months, call your doctor. It could mean anything from cancer or diabetes to liver disease, says the Mayo Clinic.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Headline/warning-signs-dangerous-symptoms-medical-care-doctor-visit/2014/03/20/id/560815#ixzz2wngbT4Dn
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

Can Heartburn Drugs Give You a Heart Attack?

English: Zantac (Australian packaging) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Popular heartburn drugs may cause heart disease, according to an alarming new study from Houston Methodist Hospital. The drugs in question are proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs for short, such as Prevacid, Prilosec, and Nexium. These are some of the pharmaceutical industry's biggest-selling medications.

Earlier research found that among people who already have heart disease, PPIs may increase the odds of a second heart attack. But the new study found a side effect that seems to affect even healthy people. When PPIs block production of stomach acid, they also constrict blood vessels, which can lead to high blood pressure and a weakened heart.

John Cooke, M.D., the study's principal investigator, recommends that anyone who takes PPIs discuss with their physician if they need to be on these drugs.

"If something is needed for the stomach, a good alternative would be the H2 antagonists like ranitidine," he tells Newsmax Health. (Ranitidine is the generic form of Zantac and Tritec. Tagamet and Pepcid are other H2 antagonists.)

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/heartburn-drugs-heart-attack/2014/03/14/id/559567#ixzz2w8WrN69s
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

Are pills containing frozen POO the key to beating hospital superbug?

Could symptoms of autism be improved by eating broccoli?

Low-calorie sweeteners found in diet drinks RAISE the risk of obesity and diabetes by affecting how the body processes sugar

Common diabetes drug metformin could cause thyroid and heart problems, experts warn

An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

Think antioxidants will make you live longer? Think again:

Latest Health Links

Is ibuprofen making us sick? Research suggests it may cause gut conditions such as coeliac disease

NIBBLED to death: Researchers find parasitic diarrhea-causing amoeba kills human cells 'like a piranha'

People with sleep apnoea are 340% more likely to die of cancer, study suggests

Wasabi Fights Highly Lethal Pancreatic Cancer

ALERT: It’s Here – CDC Confirms MERS Virus Infection on U.S. Soil

The end of heart disease?

HOW THEY DID IT

Scientists invent portable fertility test enabling men to test the quality of their sperm from their own homes

More women dying in childbirth in the U.S. than almost anywhere else

New laser to make stretch marks vanish with minimal pain and downtime

A Better Prostate Cancer Test Is Here

How aspirin could boost fertility:

Heavier Seniors Live Longer: Study

9 Not So Obvious but Potentially Deadly Symptoms

Can Heartburn Drugs Give You a Heart Attack?

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An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

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