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Severe Flu Cases on the Rise in U.S.

English: >1500 cases 1001–1500 cases 501–1001 cases 101–500 cases 51–100 cases 11–50 cases 1–10 cases 0 cases Influenza A (H1N1) numbers for confirmed and probable cases by state as reported to the CDC(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This year’s influenza season started earlier than expected and is sending more patients to the hospital, raising concerns this could be a more severe outbreak than in recent years.

Thirty-six states are now experiencing high levels of flu activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, as this year’s flu vaccine may not fully protect against a strain known as influenza A H3N2 that is currently circulating and tends to be more severe.

Fifteen children age 18 and under have died from the flu as of Dec. 20, compared with four such deaths around the same time last year, according to the CDC. A number of hospitals are outpacing previous years, with some restricting visitors to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Our medical director said that in his eight years at the hospital, he had never seen double digits” in the number of patients hospitalized, said Jill Chadwick, a spokeswoman at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan. It had a record 25 flu cases admitted as of Monday and two deaths.

Tamiflu (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that the flu vaccine isn't a good match for this year's strain. So, even more people than ever can expect the fever, chills, aches, nausea, and other symptoms associated with influenaza. What can you do? The CDC recommends taking an antiviral such as Tamiflu or Relenza to reduce the flu's duration.

Not so fast, says holistic physician Dr. David Brownstein. "Forget it," he tells Newsmax Health. "It doesn't work, it's expensive, and it has side effects.

"Tamiflu is the most commonly prescribed antiviral medication for treating the symptoms of the flu," he says.

"You would think that Tamiflu must work well since it's widely prescribed by conventional doctors. However, a Cochrane report stated, 'Treating previously healthy patients with Tamiflu reduces the duration of influenza symptoms by approximately 21 hours.'

"Less than a day?" he asks in amazement. "And that's only when it's given within 48 hours of contracting the flu. Honestly, I can't make this stuff up."

"Tamiflu costs approximately $120 for a full course of treatment," says Dr. Brownstein. "It's a waste of your hard-earned money.

"Not only does Tamiflu fail to treat the flu, it is also associated with a host of adverse effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and abdominal pain.

"Wait a minute," he says. "I thought those were the symptoms of the flu! Tamiflu has also been associated with more severe side effects such as hepatitis, anaphylaxis, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, and dangerous neuropsychiatric side effects such as hallucinations and suicide.

"Honestly, do you think all those side effects are worth it to reduce the severity of the flu by 21 hours?"

Dr. Brownstein also sees little benefit of taking....................

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.NewsmaxHealth.com/Headline/flu-antivirals-symptoms-Tamiflu/2014/12/28/id/615267/#ixzz3NLdMzYkw
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

Ibuprofen adds 12 years to life!

Coated 200 mg ibuprofen tablets, CareOne brand, distributed by American Sales Company of Lancaster, New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Regular doses of ibuprofen could allow people to live up to 12 years longer.

In tests, the drug appears to hold back the ageing process as well as helping fight disease.

Ibuprofen, which is used every day at home by people to treat inflammation, pain and fever, may be the key to developing a long sought after anti-ageing drug.

Dr Brian Kennedy, president and chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing in California, said: “There is a lot to be excited about.

"The research shows that ibuprofen impacts a process not yet implicated in ageing, giving us a new way to study and understand the ageing process.

“Ibuprofen is a relatively safe drug, found in most people’s medicine cabinets.

"There is every reason to believe there are other existing treatments that can impact healthspan and we need to be studying them.”

Lead researcher Professor Michael Polymenis of Texas A&M University agreed.

He said: “It should be possible to find other drugs like ibuprofen with even better ability to extend lifespan, with the aim of adding healthy years of life in people.”

In laboratory tests, ibuprofen was found to extend the lives of worms and flies by the equivalent of about 12 years in human terms. MORE

Scientists invent 'feel full' chemical

The new chemical could make it easier for people to reduce how much they eat. Image Credit: sxc.hu

The new additive could help people lose weight by making them feel fuller more quickly at meal times.

Developed by researchers in the UK, the new chemical, which uses proprionate to make someone feel fuller, must be eaten on a regular basis in order to have the desired effect.

While little more than a foul-tasting powder on its own, scientists have been experimenting with ways to incorporate the chemical in to other foods such as bread loaves and fruit smoothies in order to make it more palatable for consumers.

The most difficult part of the research was to find a way to deliver the proprionate to the colon, a problem that they solved by binding it to a natural carbohydrate called inulin.

Experiments have shown that volunteers eating food containing the new chemical ate 14% less on average than those who dined on foods that didn't contain it.

"We know that adults gain between 0.3kg and 0.8kg a year on average, and there's a real need for new strategies that can prevent this," said study leader Prof Gary Frost.

Source: BBC News

Dunking your bread in olive oil could cut your heart attack risk in just six WEEKS

Dunking your bread in olive oil could cut your heart attack risk in just six weeks, say scientists.

Sophisticated new tests found regular consumption of olive oil dramatically improved chemical signals in the body linked to coronary artery disease.

A study led by Glasgow University confirms the health benefits of a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, especially for those who don’t normally eat olive oil.

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Sophisticated new tests found regular consumption of olive oil dramatically improved chemical signals in the body linked to coronary artery disease

The study added just 20mls a day – about four teaspoons - to the diet of healthy adults, which is the amount used in a salad dressing or mopped up by bread during a meal. But a range of signals for heart disease measured in the urine improved in only six weeks, says a report published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2843469/Dunking-bread-olive-oil-cut-heart-attack-risk-six-weeks.html#ixzz3JjbtCdB7

Brazil nuts can boost a woman's fertility:

Natural antioxidant found in nuts, red meat and seafood improves chances of conceiving

An element found in nuts, red meat and seafood could increase a woman's chance of conceiving.

Scientists found that selenium, a natural antioxidant, plays a crucial role in the early stages of conception - and of all foods, Brazil nuts have the highest level.

Selenium is crucial in the development of healthy ovarian follicles, which are responsible for the production of eggs in women.

Selenium - found in nuts, red meat and seafood - could be crucial in the development of healthy ovarian follicles, which are responsible for the production of eggs in women, research found

Melanie Ceko, from the University of Adelaide, who carried out the research, said: 'Selenium is an essential trace element found in protein-rich foods like red meat, seafood and nuts.'

'It is important for many biological functions, such as immune response, thyroid hormone production, and acts as an antioxidant, helping to detoxify damaging chemicals in the body.

'We've known for some time that selenium is important to men's fertility, but until now no one has researched how this element could be involved in healthy reproduction in women.'

Vision problems. Joint pain. Dementia... Is there anything fish oils can't beat?

They've already been shown to ease arthritic joints and be beneficial to the developing brains of children.

Now research has shown that fish oils can also help smokers kick the habit. Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Current medical advice is to eat two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish such as tuna or mackerel. Omega-3s are also found in leafy vegetables, wholewheat bread and walnuts. So what can they do for you – and is a supplement sometimes better? EVE McGOWAN spoke to the experts to find out…

Current medical advice is to eat two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish such as tuna or mackerel

A boost for brain power

THE CLAIM

Omega-3 supplements for children – the modern-day alternative to cod liver oil – help their developing brains.

THE PROOF

Numerous trials have shown that they can improve the behaviour and learning of children with ADHD and learning disabilities. More recently, Dr Alex Richardson, at Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, studied underperforming children aged seven to nine. After taking daily supplements for 16 weeks, their behaviour and reading improved.

SUPPLEMENT OR DIET?

Dr Richardson says: ‘Almost all the children failed to eat enough fish so supplements are a reasonable option.’

Preventing a heart attack

THE CLAIM

The rise of the 'Botox boob job': New treatment promises to boost your bust by a cup size...but it will cost you

Bust-boosting surgery has never been more popular, with more than 11,000 boob job operations taking place in the UK alone each year.

But not everyone wants to go under the knife, including some of the A-list clients who visit Harley Street medic Dr Neetu Nirdosh.

Instead of scalpels and implants, they are opting for a new treatment which has been dubbed 'the Botox boob job' and uses injectables to plump up the cleavage.

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New look: The 'Botox boob job' is said to boost the breasts by up to a cup size but only lasts for six months

'The Breastox- Botox is fast becoming the must have pre-red carpet procedure for my celebrity clients,' explains Dr Nirdosh.

'It is a knifeless instantaneous breast lift. This form of breast augmentation works best for those who are between a cup size A and C and is safer and quicker than regular surgery.'

The £1,000 treatment involves injecting Botox into the pectoral muscles which temporarily relaxes them, leaving the shoulder and surrounding chest muscles to take the strain.

As a result, breasts are lifted and look higher and firmer, although given Botox wears off, the effect lasts for a maximum of six months.

'There's no downtime, no reported side effects, no scars and it is virtually painless,' adds Dr Nirdosh.

'It takes less than 30 minutes and is the ideal treatment for women suffering from post-pregnancy droopy boobs, ageing, sagging breasts or a wrinkly bust line as a result of sun damage.

Popular: Botox is the most popular injectable in use in the UK and accounts for 45,464 treatments a year

Risky: Breast enhancement isn't without its risks as the recent PIP implant scandal demonstrated

'It is also good if you want a bit of extra support so you can go braless as many of my red carpet clients do.'

Traditional breast enhancement involves having a cut made either beneath the breasts or in the armpits and inserting a silicone implant between the breast tissue and the chest muscle.

Operations cost between £3,500 and £5,000 and, according to the NHS, complications can include infection, scarring and loss of sensation in the nipple.

24-HOUR BREAST IMPLANTS USE SALINE INJECTIONS TO TEMPORARILY BOOST YOUR BUST

For the girl who has too much $$$ to spend, and too few brains

Ever wish that you could have bigger boobs just for a day or two, so you can fit into that dress or simply see how big breasted woman are treated differently at a bar? Well the answer to your curiosities is here in the form of temporary breast enlargements.

Plastic surgeons have been injecting saline into women’s breasts to expand their size. The effect of the procedure only lasts around 24 hours, but it is much less risky or invasive than regular breast augmentation or enlargement surgery. The saline injections were originally meant as a way for women considering these types of surgeries to see how they might look with larger breasts. If a patient was unsure of committing to implants, some surgeons would also use the injections as a trial run to see if she liked having larger breasts.

According the New York Times, the saline injection procedure quickly took on a life of its own and is being requested for special events, parties, and vacations. However, these temporary improvements come with a steep price tag of $3,500 a procedure (though some costs are reported to be as low as $2,500), prohibiting many from opting for the quick fix. Read The Rest Here

Poor diet 'causes lifetime damage': Foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work, say scientists

The damage caused by unhealthy eating can last a lifetime – even after going on a diet, according to research.

Scientists suggest that foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work and even swapping them for fish, fruit and vegetables cannot turn back the clock.

Tests on mice found that those fed a junk food diet were still more prone to hardening of the arteries even after treatment because the function of genes, including those vital to the immune system, had been altered in a process known as ‘epigenetics’.

Bad diet: Foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work, scientists say

Researcher Erik van Kampen, of Leiden University, Holland, said: 'I hope this study demonstrates the importance of diet induced changes in the epigenome and encourages further research into the interaction between dietary patterns, DNA methylation and disease.'

Can Broccoli Chemical Cure Autism?

Brussels Sprouts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A chemical found in broccoli may point the way to a cure for autism. Scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts, improved the classic symptoms of autism in teens and young men.

"We believe that this may be preliminary evidence for the first treatment of autism that improves symptoms by apparently correcting some of the underlying cellular problems," said Paul Talalay, M.D., professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.NewsmaxHealth.com/Headline/autism-sulforaphane-broccoli-cruciferous/2014/10/22/id/602465/#ixzz3H425GGx1
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

Severe Flu Cases on the Rise in U.S.

Antiviral Flu Drugs are Dangerous and Don't Work

Ibuprofen adds 12 years to life!

Scientists invent 'feel full' chemical

Dunking your bread in olive oil could cut your heart attack risk in just six WEEKS

Brazil nuts can boost a woman's fertility:

Vision problems. Joint pain. Dementia... Is there anything fish oils can't beat?

The rise of the 'Botox boob job': New treatment promises to boost your bust by a cup size...but it will cost you

24-HOUR BREAST IMPLANTS USE SALINE INJECTIONS TO TEMPORARILY BOOST YOUR BUST

Poor diet 'causes lifetime damage': Foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work, say scientists

Can Broccoli Chemical Cure Autism?

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