Wonder Why a Pill costs $10 Bucks? AstraZeneca spent $770,000 lobbying in 1Q

WASHINGTON -

Drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC spent $770,000 in the first quarter lobbying the U.S. federal government on pharmaceutical issues.

The London-based company lobbied on bills that would allow generic drug companies to sell cheaper copies of biotech drugs. Unlike traditional chemical-based drugs, biotech drugs have never faced generic competition because the Food and Drug Administration lacks authority to approve the cheaper copies. An effort to give FDA that power stalled last year when lawmakers couldn't agree on how many years of patent protection to give biotech firms.More

Organic Milk is Healthier

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard Article Font Size

Organic milk is healthier than normal milk, says a new study from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. Scientists found that milk from organically farmed cows contained 67 percent more antioxidants than milk from conventionally farmed cows. The study, which analyzed milk from twenty-five farms, found other nutritional differences between organic and non-organic milk. The organic milk contained 39 percent more heart-healthy omega-3 oils and 32 percent less of the less-healthy omega-6 oils. It also had 60 percent more conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, which studies have shown can reduce tumors, and also about 60 percent more of vaccenic acid, which may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The researchers found that levels of antioxidants and healthy fatty acids were higher in summer, when cows ate fresh grass. Organically farmed cows get about 80 percent of their diet from grass while cows raised on conventional farms get under 40 percent of their diet from grazing. Although organic milk is more expensive than regular, experts say that since organic milk is so high in nutrients, customers wouldn’t have to buy as much to get the health benefits. “This research confirms what organic farmers and consumers have long believed to be true,” said Peter Melchett, from the Soil Association, which advocates using organic farming methods. “This latest research demonstrates that it is the cows’ organic diet that makes their milk healthier.”

 

 

Editors Note: For an even better view of organic RAW milk, www.realmilk.com.  It is worth the read!

Cold Air Boosts Inflammation in Body

Cold air temperature boosts inflammation in the body, a finding that may help explain why cardiovascular-related deaths increase in the winter months, researchers report.

In a study of adults with a history of heart attack, researchers observed that 5 consecutive days of colder weather lead to increased blood levels of two markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, or CRP, and interleukin-6). Levels of the inflammatory marker fibrinogen rise after only 3 days of cold temperatures, they report. More

Red Yeast Rice Extract Reduces Heart, Cancer Deaths

A clinical study on patients who have suffered a heart attack found that a partially purified extract of Chinese red yeast rice, Xuezhikang (XZK), reduced the risk of repeat heart attacks by 45%, revascularization (bypass surgery/angioplasty), cardiovascular mortality and total mortality by one-third and cancer mortality by two-thirds. The multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, was conducted on almost 5,000 patients, ranging in age from 18-70 over a five-year period at over 60 hospitals in the People’s Republic of China. Corresponding author David M. Capuzzi, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program at Jefferson’s Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and Zonliang Lu, M.D., Ph.D, from the Fuwai Hospital at the Chinese Academy of Medical Science report their findings in the June 15th edition of the American Journal of Cardiology.

“It’s very exciting because this is a natural product and had very few adverse side effects including no abnormal blood changes,” said Capuzzi. “People in the Far East have been taking Chinese red yeast rice as food for thousands of years, but no one has ever studied it clinically in a double-blind manner with a purified product against a placebo group until now and we are pleased with the results. However, people in the United States should know that the commercially available over-the-counter supplement found in your average health food store is not what was studied here. Those over-the-counter supplements are not regulated, so exact amounts of active ingredient are unknown and their efficacy has not been studied yet.”

The study looked at patients who had suffered a heart attack in the previous year. Study participants were given two-300-milligram XZK capsules or a placebo and tracked over a five-year period. The XZK capsules contained a combination of lovastatin, lovastatin hydroxyl acid, ergosterol and other components.

“I think it is surprising that a natural product like XZK would have this great an effect,” said Capuzzi. “If further testing and study prove true, my hope is that XZK becomes an important therapeutic agent to treat cardiovascular disorders and in the prevention of disease whether someone has had a heart attack or not. But it is important to recognize the fact we do not know exactly how Chinese red yeast rice works. The exact ingredients from the XZK capsules have not been isolated and studied yet. Still the results were so profound, even out performing statins prescribed in numerous western populations, that further study should certainly be investigated

 

source NewsMax

Low Vitamin D Levels May Boost Men's Heart Attack Risk

 MONDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of heart attack in men, says a U.S. study.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, analyzed medical records and blood samples from 454 men, aged 40 to 75, who had a nonfatal heart attack or fatal heart disease, and compared them to 900 men who had no history of cardiovascular disease.

Men with a vitamin D deficiency (15 nanograms or less per milliliter of blood) had a higher risk of heart attack than those with a sufficient amount of vitamin D (30 nanograms per milliliter of blood or more).

Read More...

BIG BUSINESS--Prescription Drugs

Our Daily Meds: How the Pharmaceutical Companies
Transformed Themselves Into Slick Marketing Machines
and Hooked the Nation on Prescription Drugs
By Melody Petersen
In mid-January, Merck and Schering-Plough announced that their cholesterol-lowering drugs Zetia and Vytorin, taken by 5 million people, may in fact increase the risk of heart attacks by encouraging the buildup of arterial plaque. Outraged critics accused the companies of delaying the release of a key study, a charge made compelling by the fact that sales of the two drugs were $5 billion in 2007, a full year after the study was completed.

After the news hit, Merck and Schering-Plough stock prices spiraled down. The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations planned an inquiry. But Merck chief executive Richard Clark stood firm, saying he stood by the safety and efficacy of the "products," both of which remain on the market. MORE

Harvard medics 'concealed drug firm cash'

Harvard University is at the centre of an academic and political scandal after three prominent members of its psychiatry department were accused of breaking conflict-of-interest rules by failing to declare millions of dollars in consulting fees from drugs manufacturers. MORE

Artificial Sweeteners Confound the Brain; May Lead to Diet Disaster

Splenda is not satisfying—at least according to the brain. A new study found that even when the palate cannot distinguish between the artificial sweetener and sugar, our brain knows the difference.

At the University of California, San Diego, 12 women underwent functional MRI while sipping water sweetened with either real sugar (sucrose) or Splenda (sucralose). Sweeteners, real or artificial, bind to and stimulate receptors on the taste buds, which then signal the brain via the cranial nerve. Although both sugar and Splenda initiate the same taste and pleasure pathways in the brain—and the subjects could not tell the solutions apart—the sugar activated pleasure-related brain regions more extensively than the Splenda did. In particular, “the real thing, the sugar, elicits a much greater response in the insula,” says the study’s lead author, psych­ia­trist Guido Frank, now at the Univer­sity of Colorado at Denver. The insula, involved with taste, also plays a role in enjoyment by connecting regions in the reward system that encode the sens­a­tion of pleasantness.MORE

Israeli rabbi says giraffe meat, milk are kosher

View larger image Raw Video: Roman Zoo Debuts Baby Giraffe

An Israeli rabbi has declared giraffe meat and milk to be kosher, although his pronouncement is unlikely to have observant Jews clamouring to consume the exotic products, a daily reported on Friday. "The giraffe has all the signs of a ritually pure animal, and the milk forms curds, which strengthened that view," the mass-circulation Yediot Aharonot quoted Rabbi Shlomo Mahfoud as saying. The rabbi based his ruling on a recent finding by researchers from Bar Ilan University who took a milk sample while treating a giraffe at Ramat Gan safari park near Tel Aviv. They found that the milk forms curds as required under Jewish religious law, a finding confirmed by another research institute, the daily said. MORE

Boy Drowns Hours After Leaving Pool

(CBS/AP) A 10-year-old South Carolina boy died several hours after he swallowed water in a swimming pool at his apartment complex.

Jon Jon Jackson's stunned and grieving mother is still trying to comprehend how her son could have drowned, according to The Post and Courier of Charleston.

"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this," Cassandra Jackson told the newspaper. "It's really bizarre."

Jon Jon was autistic, but this played no role in his death.

Goose Creek police said Jackson swallowed some water while swimming around noon Sunday. Police said he later complained he was tired and took a nap. When someone checked on him, water was coming out of his nose and he was having trouble breathing.

Read More...

Alcohol cuts risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis

People who drink alcohol are less prone to the sometimes crippling disease called rheumatoid arthritis compared with non-drinkers, according to a Scandinavian study published on Wednesday.

People who had a moderatealcohol consumption were 40 and 45 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis compared with people who did not drink or drank only occasionally, it found.

Among those who had a high consumption, the risk was reduced by 50 and 55 percent respectively.

Most surprising was that the biggest benefits were seen among smokers with a genetic profile known to make them vulnerable to the disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects between 0.5 and one percent of people, according to figures for the industrialised world.

It happens when the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and damage to the cartilage and bone.

A mixture of environmental factors, especially smoking, and genetic heritage are the deemed causes of the disease.

Read More...

Is Ted Kennedy’s Cancer Linked to Cell Phone Use?

Is Ted Kennedy’s Cancer Linked to Cell Phone Use?

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard

Senator Ted Kennedy’s diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor is, once again, stirring debate over the safety of cell phones. Kennedy’s brain tumor, called a glioma, is the type critics have associated for years with the use of cell phones. MORE

New hints seen that red wine may slow aging

Red wine may be much more potent than was thought in extending human lifespan, researchers say in a new report that is likely to give impetus to the rapidly growing search for longevity drugs.

The study is based on dosing mice with resveratrol, an ingredient of some red wines. Some scientists are already taking resveratrol in capsule form, but others believe it is far too early to take the drug, especially using wine as its source, until there is better data on its safety and effectiveness. More

 

Paul knew this fact:

1Ti 5:23

Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

Five Home Remedies That Really Work

Mom always had her favorite home remedies – did anyone’s mom not believe in the power of chicken soup over a cold? – and scientists have actually proven that some of mom’s favorite home remedies are as helpful as she believed. These traditional remedies, passed from mom to mom for generations, have held up to scientific scrutiny:

• Honey for coughs. Not only has honey been proven a good cough suppressant, a 2007 study indicated that honey worked better than over-the-counter cough medicines at relieving the coughs of children with upper respiratory infections.

• Cranberries for urinary problems. American Indians first discovered the ability of cranberries to fight infections and passed the remedy along to early settlers. Modern scientists have found that cranberries are unique in their ability to keep bacteria from sticking to bladder walls. A daily glass of cranberry juice or cranberry capsules reduces bladder infections, especially in women who have them often.

• Saltwater for the nose. Nasal saline irrigation, in which salt water is used to rinse the nasal passages, has long been a remedy to relieve the misery of a stuffy nose. Twenty-first century medicine has scientifically proven it to be a cheap, safe and effective remedy for clogged noses caused by sinusitis, allergies and other maladies.

• Staying warm to ward off colds. Mom always told us to bundle up in winter, but scientists always chuckled. They’ve stopped laughing since a 2005 study indicated that being cold might actually lead to developing a cold. Researchers believe that when a person’s extremities are chilled, the blood vessels in the nose narrow, limiting the amount of disease-fighting white blood cells in the nose, the body’s first defense against viruses.

• Chicken soup for colds. Mom was right on target; chicken soup really does fight the common cold. Studies show that mom’s favorite home remedy may be slightly anti-inflammatory, helping fight the worst of a cold’s symptoms. Steam from the hot soup also helps drain sinuses, prevent dehydration and calm sore throats.

source www.Newsmax.com

Chlorine in Tap Water Doubles Birth Defects

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard

Pregnant moms who live in areas where the drinking water has high levels of chlorine almost double their risk of having babies with birth defects, including heart problems, major brain defects or a cleft palate.

The threat to unborn babies is caused by chemical by-products called trihalomethanes, or THMs, which are formed when chlorine is added to water. THMs can be absorbed through the skin and then pass into the womb. Moms can expose their babies to the dangers of chlorine by drinking tap water, bathing, or simply standing close to boiling water.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham analyzed the birth records of almost 400,000 babies. They found that anencephalus (partial or complete absence of brain and spinal cord), hole-in-the-heart, and cleft palate increased between 50 and 100 percent in areas where the drinking water was heavily chlorinated to disinfect it. The risk of urinary tract defects and Down’s syndrome was also raised.

Earlier studies have linked chlorinated water to other problems, including stillbirth, miscarriage and bladder cancer.

God and..

The Palm Tree

by Wayne Blank

The date palm is a tall (the crown may reach 100 feet / 30 meters above the ground) heavy-bearing tree that has been harvested for thousands of years for its fruit, as well as for its leaves which had various uses, including for weaving into mats. References to the date palm are found throughout Bible History:

• "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water." (Exodus 15:27) (see also Moses and Wilderness Journey)

• "So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month [see Bible Months and Bible Calendar], after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to The Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before The Lord your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to The Lord for seven days each year [see The Feast Of Tabernacles]. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am The Lord your God." So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed feasts of The Lord." (Leviticus 23:39-44)

• "Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There The Lord showed him the whole land - from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea [i.e. The Mediterranean Sea], The Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms [see The Fall Of Jericho and The Jordan Valley], as far as Zoar. Then The Lord [see Rock Of Ages and The Logos] said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it." (see Heartbreak Mountain) (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)

• "On the walls all around the Temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved Cherubim, palm trees and open flowers." (1 Kings 6:29) (see Solomon and Layout Of Solomon's Temple and Temples)

• "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a Cedar Of Lebanon." (Psalm 92:12) (see Christian Living, The Ten Commandments - Your Keys To Life, and What Is Sin?)

• "The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of The Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel! Jesus found a young Donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." (John 12:12-15)

Fact Finder: Were dates pressed into large cakes?
2 Samuel 6:19

 

source: http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20000222.htm

ALL ABOUT:

Figs

by Wayne Blank

Fig trees are native to The Mediterranean area, although they may be found more extensively from Asiatic Turkey to northern India. Today, they are also found growing on a commercial basis in numerous other countries around the world. They are also often grown as large decorative potted trees in greenhouses or "sun rooms" in cold climates.

The fig plant is cultivated as a bush from 1 meter (3 feet) tall, to large trees over 10 meters (33 feet) tall. Their wide, coarse deciduous leaves are easily identified. The sweet fruit develops above the points of shed leaves, or in the axil of leaves of the current year, with one or two figs set together. Depending upon local temperature and rainfall, there may be one or two crops harvested per year.

Figs have been a major food for people of the Mediterranean and Middle East for thousands of years. Their ability to store easily by drying made them, along with various grains and raisins, a dependable long-term food source. The same can just as truly be said about them today.

Figs are mentioned from beginning to end throughout The Bible, all the way from the Seven Days Of Creation in Genesis, to Revelation. They were in the Garden of Eden at the time of The Creation Of Adam And Eve, and the birth of Cain And Abel, and they are used as a symbol in end-time Prophecy. Virtually everyone in the Bible ate, or at least was familiar with, figs.

• Figs were used as a sign of peace and prosperity, "each man under his own vine and fig tree" (1 Kings 4:25).

• King Hezekiah's life-threatening infection was cured by "a poultice of figs" (2 Kings 20:7).

• Figs were stored in "pressed cakes" (1 Samuel 30:12).

• Jesus Christ put a curse on a fig tree that was in full leaf but had no fruit, as a good productive tree should have had by that time of the season (Matthew 21:18-22).

• James used figs to describe appropriate Christian Living - "can a fig tree bear olives?" (James 3:12).

• Figs are used to symbolize a great end-time meteor storm that will occur as part of the prophesied Signs In The Heavens - "The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars (i.e. meteorites] in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind." (Revelation 6:12-13)

Fact Finder: Of what material was the first clothing made?
Genesis 3:7

source: http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20001206.htm

Chemo May Limit Fertility in Breast Cancer Survivors

SATURDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Chemotherapy may reduce fertility in breast cancer survivors, according to a study led by researchers at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

They found that premenopausal breast cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy following surgery were more likely than women who'd never had breast cancer to have diminished ovarian reserve -- the capacity of the ovaries to produce eggs capable of being fertilized.

The study included 20 breast cancer survivors who were one or more years out from their diagnosis and had no evidence of cancer recurrence. They were compared to 20 age-matched women who'd never had breast cancer.

Read More...

Celebrex May Reduce Levels of Lung Cancer Biomarker

SUNDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- A widely prescribed pain reliever may one day have value in helping to prevent lung cancer.

Researchers report that Celebrex (celecoxib), the last remaining cox-2 inhibitor on the U.S. market, may reduce levels of a biomarker indicating risk for this deadly disease. The team presented its findings Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.

They stressed that this doesn't mean people should start taking the drug for this reason, as Celebrex has noted cardiovascular side effects, albeit effects that were not seen in this short-term study.

"This is a very early study," said Dr. Shakun Malik, director of the lung cancer program at Georgetown's Lombardi Cancer Center, in Washington, D.C. "It hasn't shown any effect on actual lung cancer. All it is showing is that it affects biomarkers. The hypothesis is that if biomarkers are affected, it will help, but we haven't shown that as of yet."

Read More...

Exercise Cuts Cancer Deaths in Men

Men who exercise often are less likely to die from cancer than those who don’t exercise, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. In the study, the researchers looked at the effect of physical activity and cancer risk in 40,708 men aged between 45 and 79.

Over the seven year period of the study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, 3,714 men developed cancer and 1,153 died from the disease. Men who walked or cycled for at least 30 minutes a day had an increased survival from cancer with 33 per cent, than the men who exercised less or did nothing at all. The researchers also found that a more extensive programme of walking and cycling for between 60 and 90 minutes and a day, led to a l6 per cent lower incidence of cancer. But these activities only led to a five per cent reduction in cancer rates among the men who walked or cycled for 30 minutes day, a finding which could be due to chance.

The researchers surveyed men from two counties in central Sweden about their lifestyle and the amount of physical activity they did. They then scored these responses and compared the results with data officially recorded in a central cancer registry over a seven year period.

“These results show for the first time, the affect that daily exercise has in reducing cancer death risk in men aged between 45 and 79”, says Professor Alicja Wolk, who led the study. “We looked at more moderate exercise such as housework, undertaken over a longer period of time and found that this also reduced men’s chances of dying from the disease.”

 

source NewsMax.com

A Tiny Fruit That Tricks the Tongue

 

 

RADISH, WHERE IS THY STING? At flavor-tripping parties, guests find that miracle fruit makes everything sweet.

 

 

“You pop it in your mouth and scrape the pulp off the seed, swirl it around and hold it in your mouth for about a minute,” he said. “Then you’re ready to go.” He ushered his guests to a table piled with citrus wedges, cheeses, Brussels sprouts, mustard, vinegars, pickles, dark beers, strawberries and cheap tequila, which Mr. Aliquo promised would now taste like top-shelf Patrón.

MORE

Raw Milk Miracle Cure? You decide

Tags: raw milk

Great tasting Yogurt That's Great for you!

 

 

 

Tags: Raw Milk, Realmilk.org

Make Your Own HEALTHY Raw Milk Yogurt!

Tags: realmilk.org, raw milk

Is Grandma drugged up?

Do you know an older person who's forgetting things, slurring his or her speech, falling down, or becoming depressed? Maybe he or she is just aging. But maybe medications are causing the problem. How do you know which it is? In this week's Empowered Patient, CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explains. full story

Cocoa May Be Heart Healthy for Diabetics

For people with diabetes, sipping a mug of steaming, flavorful cocoa may seem a guilty pleasure. But new research suggests that indulging a craving for cocoa can actually help blood vessels to function better and might soon be considered part of a healthy diet for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Flavanols, natural plant compounds also found in tea, red wine, and certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for cocoa’s healthful benefits. In fact, according to new research published in the June 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), after diabetic patients drank specially formulated high-flavanol cocoa for one month, blood vessel function went from severely impaired to normal. MORE

FDA Proposes New Drug Labels for Pregnant Women

FDA Proposes New Drug Labels for Pregnant Women

WEDNESDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials proposed Wednesday changes to the labels on prescription drugs that would detail potential health effects for pregnant and breast-feeding women, their fetuses or their newborns.

If enacted, the new system, proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, would provide doctors and pharmacists with more comprehensive information to guide them in their prescribing practices.

"The most important tool the FDA has to carry out its mission to protect and promote the health of every single American is the legal authority we've been given to determine the content and the format of labeling," FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach said during a teleconference.

Read More...

Energy Drinks Emerge as Predictor of Risky Behavior by Teens

 

Previously linked to health problems such as nausea and abnormal heart rhythms, caffeinated energy drinks like Red Bull and Amp may also be a predictor of high-risk behavior by teens, The New York Times reports.

About a third of 12- to 24-year-olds are regular users of energy drinks. Excessive use of the beverages has sent children to emergency rooms in Florida and Colorado and prompted teachers in Oregon earlier this month to warn parents of students showing up to school “drunk” on caffeine buzzes and “falling off” caffeine crashes, according to the report.

Although most of the drinks do not contain any more caffeine than a cup of coffee, the concern, say health experts, is that they are served cold, which makes it easy to consume large amounts quickly, according to the report.

The Journal of American College Health published a report in March on the link between energy drinks, athletics and risky behavior.

The study’s author, Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo, told The Times that the study suggests that high consumption of energy drinks is associated with risky and aggressive behavior including unprotected sex, substance abuse and violence.

Vitamin D: Good for More than Bones

We know that vitamin D helps the bones by preventing osteoporosis and fractures, but did you know that vitamin D also plays an important role in the prevention of many other diseases, including cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases like MS and Type 1 diabetes, arthritis, infections, chronic pain and muscle weakness? Here is the latest research on this versatile vitamin:

Vitamin D helps control pain. A fascinating study from the Mayo clinic published last month online in the journal Pain Medicine looked at vitamin D levels in people with chronic pain. They found that patients who had low vitamin D levels required almost twice as much narcotic pain medication as those with normal levels. The vitamin D-deficient folks also perceived their health as poor. Another study from the Mayo Clinic in 2003 looked at the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in people ages 10-65 with chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue – 93 percent of them were found to be vitamin D-deficient.

Vitamin D helps the heart. A study published last month in the journal Circulation looked at the impact of vitamin D blood levels on heart health in people with high blood pressure. Participants in the study with low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to have angina, a heart attack, heart failure or a stroke as those with normal vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D reduces the risk of falls. Another study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, published in March, looked at the effect of vitamin D supplements on falls in older women. A team of researchers in Australia gave 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day to 300 women ages 70-90, all of whom had low blood levels of vitamin D and had also fallen in the past year. They found that in those women who had fallen once in the past year, vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of falls – but only in the winter months when the sun's rays are weaker and less vitamin D is made in the skin. In women who had fallen multiple times, vitamin D did not seem to help, possibly because these women were more frail and were falling for other reasons.

Who is deficient in vitamin D? Perhaps you are. An adequate blood level is probably at least 40-60 ng/ml. It is estimated that 25 percent to 100 percent of adults are deficient, depending on the population and time of year; many children are deficient as well.

Primitive people relied on sun exposure for all their vitamin D; now, however, most of us work inside, and when we do go out, we slather on the sun screen, which impairs our ability to make vitamin D. Older folks, people of color and people who live at higher latitudes are also at higher risk of deficiency. Most vitamin D in food, such as dairy products, does not occur naturally; it is added as a supplement and is not considered a reliable form of intake, since amounts may vary from product to product. Most of us need at least 800 units per day.

Bottom line? It may help you to take supplemental vitamin D.

Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden are medical directors of Sutter Downtown Integrative Medicine program in Sacramento, Calif.

source: The Sacramento Bee

Tags: Vitamins, D Vitamin

100+ Nutrition Facts About 25 Well-Known Foods

 

Some foods naturally contain disease-fighting, health promoting properties, while others contain elements that may hinder your health goals. Find out information that may surprise you with these helpful food facts.

Asparagus Avocado Bananas Beet Greens/Root Broccol Celery Cilantro Chicory Chinese Cabbage Dandelion Greens Fennel Green Beans Jicama

Kale Kohlrabi Mustard Greens Onions Parsley Peanut Butter Peanuts  Pumpkin Seeds Radishes Sweet Potato Tomatoes Zucchini

Miracle Leaves May Protect Against Liver Damage

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in anti-oxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research due to be published in the Society of Chemical Industry’s (SCI) Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Indigineous to the mountainous regions of China and Russia, sea buckthorn has been shown to be rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids and essential fatty acids. The leaves are also used to make a tea.

In a clinically controlled study, scientists looked at whether the leaves had any protective effects by testing a group of rats, some of whom were given the leaf extract before being administered with a liver damage agent, carbon tetrachloride (CCI4).

Six groups were looked at in all – group 1 was given a daily dose of saline for 5 days; group 2 received saline for 4 days and on the 5th day was given CCI4; group 3 was given a daily dose of silymarin for 5 days followed by a single dose of CCI4; groups 4, 5 and 6 were given 50, 100 and 200mg of sea buckthorn leaf extract respectively for five days followed by a single dose of CCI4 on the 5th day.

The results showed that the leaf extract appeared to confer a protective mechanism on the liver – the rats given CCI4 minus the leaf extract had sustained significant liver damage compared to the control group that did not receive CCI4. In comparison, liver damage was severely restricted in the rats given leaf extract at 100mg and 200mg and CCI4.

Tags: Sea buckthorn, cholesterol, liver damage

Diet and Exercise Can Delay Diabetes

Drinking less alcohol, eating more vegetables and exercising can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, researchers said on Friday in a study showing that lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Diet and exercise reduced the incidence of diabetes by about 43 percent over 20 years among 577 high-risk Chinese adults, the researchers reported in the journal Lancet. More....

Tags: diabetes

Drinking water can hurt babies under 6 months

Sucking reflexes can put them at risk for water intoxication, say doctors

Babies younger than six months old should never be given water to drink, physicians at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore remind parents. Consuming too much water can put babies at risk of a potentially life-threatening condition known as water intoxication.

"Even when they're very tiny, they have an intact thirst reflex or a drive to drink," Dr. Jennifer Anders, a pediatric emergency physician at the center, told Reuters Health. "When they have that thirst and they want to drink, the fluid they need to drink more of is their breast milk or formula." More....

Taking the Upper Hand: Is There Really a Connection Between Type 1 Diabetes and Left-Handedness?

 For decades, scientists have postulated that left-handedness is associated with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. This theory was recently brought to the attention of Diabetes Health by Joan Hoover, our patient advocate adviser, who found that many of the children with diabetes she came across in her work were left-handed. Studies, however, have yielded conflicting results, rendering the validity of this theory controversial. More....

When Fat Makes You Healthy:

Scientists were surprised to discover that some kinds of fat might actually be beneficial. They knew that belly fat was exerting negative effects, but were amazed to find that fat under the skin was producing a good effect.

Subcutaneous Fat May Produce Beneficial Hormones

22 May 2008

It has long been known that type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity, particularly fat inside the belly. Now, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have found that fat from other areas of the body can actually reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity.

In a study published in the May issue of Cell Metabolism, a team lead by C. Ronald Kahn, M.D., found that subcutaneous fat—fat  below the skin (usually in the hips and thighs)—is associated with reduced insulin levels and improved insulin sensitivity.

Kahn says that fat in the belly increases the risk of diabetes and mortality and it has been suggested that obesity in subcutaneous areas, often the hips and thighs, might decrease such risks.

His study concludes that fat under the skin is intrinsically different from visceral fat (belly fat or fat packed in between organs) and may produce substances that can improve glucose metabolism.

“The surprising thing was that it wasn’t where the fat was located,” Kahn said. “It was the kind of fat that was the most important variable. Even more surprising, it wasn’t that belly fat was exerting negative effects, but that fat under the skin was producing a good effect. Animals with more of this kind of fat didn’t gain as much weight as they aged, had better insulin sensitivity, lower insulin levels, and were improved all around.”

In addition, Kahn noted that a class of diabetes drugs called thiazolidines (ACTOS, Avandia) may cause patients to gain weight in the subcutaneous area, yet also improve insulin sensitivity.

Kahn said it is possible that fat underneath the skin may be producing certain hormones, known as adipokines, that produce beneficial effects on metabolism. These effects may offset the negative effects produced by belly fat.

Source: Joslin Diabetes Center

Hot Tub Therapy May Have Benefits

Lowers BGs, But Is It Safe?

Hot Tub Therapy For People With Diabetes

Daniel Trecroci
22 May 2008

 

This article was originally published in Diabetes Health in November, 1999.

Is it possible that a dip in the hot tub can cause a dip in the blood sugars? According to a pilot study that appeared in the September 16 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "hot tub therapy" helped a group of type 2s reduce their blood sugars, lose weight and improve sleep patterns.

Philip L. Hooper, MD, of the McKee Medical Center in Loveland, Colorado, studied five type 2 men and three type 2 women, ages 43 to 68. The patients had been suffering from diabetes from three to 14 years. More....

Bible Trivia:

Quiz: Foods of the Bible
As the recipes from "The Church Supper Cookbook" reveal, Christian eating has come a long way since Jesus's time. Early Christians didn't munch on church potluck standards like cheese strata and scripture cake, but food is still an important part of the Bible. Test your knowledge of foods in the Bible with this quiz. Plus: Share your favorite recipes.

Q1. Which New Testament figure was said to eat locusts and honey? 1. Peter 2. John the Baptist 3. Elizabeth, Mary's kinswoman 4. Paul

Q2. Which of these fruits is not mentioned in the Bible? 1. Fig 2. Pomegranate 3. Apple 4. Guava

Q3. What did Jesus distribute at the feeding of the five thousand? 1. Bread and wine 2. Wine and fishes 3. Loaves and fishes 4. Pop-tarts and fishes

Q4. In Luke's gospel, what did Jesus eat after his resurrection? 1. Broiled fish 2. Lamb 3. Bread 4. Figs

Q5. Which nutis mentioned in Genesis? 1. Pistachio 2. Cashew 3. Macadamia 4. Hazelnut

Q6. At Cana, the wine Jesus created from water was: 1. Sold to wine merchants 2. Better than the 'choice wine' that was originally available 3. Non-alcoholic 4. Bad-tasting, according to Mary

Q7. Why did Jesus' disciples get in trouble for picking and eating grain one day? 1. It wasn't kosher 2. It was the Sabbath 3. It wasn't ripe yet 4. The grainfields belonged to a Roman centurion

Q8. Who was the first farmer mentioned in the Bible? 1. Adam 2. Abel 3. Enoch 4. Cain

Answers: John the Baptist Guava Loaves and fishes Broiled fish Pistachio Better than the 'choice wine' that was originally available (and yes it had alcohol in it!) It was the Sabbath Cain

Disease and Sanitation rules found in the Bible:

DISEASES

III JOHN 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

EXODUS 15:26 "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statues, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee."

This promise was given to the Israelites when Moses led them out of Egypt. God proceeded to give Moses a number of commandments, which form part of our Bible today. Because these divinely given medical directions were altogether different from those in the Papyrus Ebers (Egyptian royal court remedies). From the record we discover that Moses had so much faith in God's regulations that he did not incorporate a single current medical misconception into the inspired instructions.

Some rules of Sanitation found in the Bible:

LEVITICUS 13:46 "All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be."

Early in the Middle Ages the dreaded disease leprosy had killed countless millions of people; and later the Black Death took another sixty million. Not until the physicians of the day gave up leadership to the church was the plague brought under control. The church took as its guiding principle the concept of contagion as embodied in the Old Testament, Leviticus.

DEUTERONOMY 23:12,13 "You shall set off a place outside the camp and, when you go out; and you shall have an implement among your equipment, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your refuse."

Up to the close of the eighteenth century, hygienic provisions, even in the great capitals, were quite primitive. It was the rule for excrement to be dumped into the streets which were unpaved and filthy. Powerful stenches gripped villages and cities. It was a heyday for flies as they bred in the filth and spread intestinal diseases that killed millions. Diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever could have easily been controlled by following God's provision in Deuteronomy. A medical historian writes that this directive is "certainly a primitive measure, but an effective one, which indicates advanced ideas of sanitation."

NUMBERS 19:11-22 "He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days. ... Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him. ... The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean..."

If physicians would have only followed the above instructions early in history many lives would have been saved. It was not until 1847, when Dr. Semmelweis wrote a book about handwashing and changing clothes after doing autopsies and surgeries before going to the next patient. When his rules were followed mortality dropped by 80 percent.

Many centuries before Semmelweis, however, God gave to Moses detailed instructions on the safest method for cleansing the hands after handling the infected living. Proper modern method for washing hands is "The hands should be vigorously lathered and rubbed together for at least 15 seconds under a moderate-sized stream of water..

The scriptural method specified not merely washing in a basin, but repeated washing in running water with time intervals allowed for drying and exposure to sun to kill bacteria not washed off. The soap used is even more remarkable. It was made by burning together in a fire the following: a young cow, cedar wood, hyssop branches, and scarlet wool. The washing solution contained an irritant, cedar-wood oil, that would encourage scrubbing; an antiseptic, hyssop oil, that would kill bacteria and fungi; and a scrubbing element, wool fibers, that would dislodge the bacteria. Even today, hospitals often use a similar granular soap because it is difficult to remove granular soap from the hands in less than 15 seconds.

How can circumcision of the male prevent cancer in women?

A number of studies have borne out the fact that freedom from cancer of the cervix was not due to factors such as race or food or environment, but wholly to circumcision.

If the tight, unretractable foreskin is not removed, proper cleansing can not be readily performed. As a result many virulent bacteria, including the cancer-producing Smegma bacillus, can grow profusely. During sexual intercourse these bacteria are deposited on the cervix of theuterus, but if the mucous membrane of the cervix is intact, little harm results. However, if lacerations exist, as they frequently do after childbirth, these bacteria can cause considerable irritation. Since any part of the body which is subjected to irritation is susceptible to cancer, it is perfectly understandable why cervical cancer is likely to develop in women whose mates are not circumcised. These bacteria not only produce cancer in women, but also irritate the male organ and may cause cancer of the penis. The extreme rarity of penile cancer in circumcised men is shown by the fact that in 1955 only the fourth case in medical history was reported. Thus we can say that circumcision is an almost perfect prophylaxis against this deadly cancer.

And to add to this protection from cervical injury, the Lord also commanded the people of Israel to not have sexual intercourse during a woman's monthly menses and right after childbirth. Both are times when the cervix is soft, open, and susceptible to injury and infections.

LEVITICUS 12:1-5 "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity

she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days.... But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.'"

Not only does the practice of circumcision, God ordered Abraham to institute four thousand years ago, save lives by preventing cancer; but there is another remarkably unique fact about the matter of circumcision. After many years of research and studies, it was found that newborn babies don't manufacture vitamin K (an important blood-clotting element) in their intestinal tract until the fifth to the seventh day. It is clear that the first safe day to perform circumcision would be the eighth day, the very day that Jehovah commanded Abraham to circumcise Isaac. A second element which is also necessary for the normal clotting of blood is prothrombin. Pediatric textbooks reveal that on the eighth day, prothrombin levels skyrockets to 110 per cent. It then levels off to 100 per cent. It appears that an eight- day-old baby has more available prothrombin than on any other day in its entire life. Thus one observes that from a consideration of vitamin K and prothrombin determinations the perfect day to perform a circumcision is the eighth day. Abraham did not pick the eighth day after many centuries of trial-and-error experiments. Neither he nor any of his company from the ancient city of Ur in the Chaldees had ever been circumcised.It was a day picked by the Creator of vitamin K.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Follow God’s direction for good health, long life, and happiness.

The 10 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating

Want to do your body a world of good? It's as easy as expanding your grocery list

Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.

Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription. More.........

1. Beets....

Daily Glass of Wine Could Aid Liver

Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine are challenging conventional thinking with a study showing that modest wine consumption, defined as one glass a day, may not only be safe for the liver, but may actually decrease the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

The study, which appears in the June 2008 issue of the journal Hepatology, showed that for individuals who reported drinking up to one glass of wine per day, as compared to no alcohol consumption, the risk of liver disease due to NAFLD was cut in half. In contrast, compared with wine drinkers, individuals who reported modest consumption of beer or liquor had over four (4) times the odds of having suspected NAFLD.

NAFLD is the most common liver disease in the United States, affecting over 40 million adults. Previous research has shown that as many as five percent of adults with NAFLD will develop cirrhosis. The major risk factors for NAFLD are similar to many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease—obesity, diabetes, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that modest alcohol consumption may reduce the risk for heart disease. However, recommendations for modest alcohol consumption in individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease have overlooked that these same people are also at an increased risk for NAFLD. Thus, there exists a dilemma as to whether modest alcohol consumption for the heart is safe in regards to the liver. The UC San Diego investigators sought to clarify this important question.

“The results of this study present a paradigm shift, suggesting that modest wine consumption may not only be safe for the liver but may actually decrease the prevalence of NAFLD. The odds of having suspected NAFLD based upon abnormal liver blood tests was reduced by 50 percent in individuals who drank one glass of wine a day,” said Jeffrey Schwimmer, M.D., associate professor of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego School of Medicine and Director, Fatty Liver Clinic at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. The result remained constant, even after adjusting for age, sex, race, education, income, diet, physical activity, body mass index, and other markers of health status.

Research did not provide any support for drinking larger amounts. “We want to emphasize that people at risk for alcohol abuse should not consider consuming wine or any other alcoholic beverage,” said Schwimmer, who also pointed out that, although this is the first study to address this important dilemma, the findings do not address those who already have liver disease and should not be drinking alcohol at all.

“Because this effect was only seen with wine, not in beer or liquor, further studies will be needed to determine whether the benefits seen were due to the alcohol or non-alcohol components of wine,” added Schwimmer.

source: newsmax.com

 

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Instead of reducing the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, low-salt diets are Bad For you

Instead of reducing the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, low-salt diets may not be heart-healthy at all and may actually significantly increase the risk of death.

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University examined data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) which included the medical records of 8,700 adults who were representative of the national population. All were over the age of 30, and none were on a low-salt diet. More....

Herbal Medicine Kills Pancreatic Cells

An herb used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern countries may help in the fight against pancreatic cancer, one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed the cells by enhancing the process of programmed cell death. More....

HORSE PEE or Natural Human Hormones? Which Should You Use?

Don't Laugh! If the drug companies and Uncle Sam get their way, it will be HORSE PEE!

Natural Hormones Versus Synthetic

The controversy between Natural hormones and Synthetic hormones is everywhere these days  in the media, magazines, even in your doctor’s office.

But what is all the fuss about?

What is the real difference between natural and synthetic?

The first thing to realize is that when we say ‘natural’ hormone, we mean that the hormone is chemically identical to the hormone we produce in our body.  It is the chemical structure of the hormone, and not its actual source, that determines it to be natural or synthetic.

For instance, natural progesterone made in a lab is identical to the progesterone made in your body  therefore it can be considered natural.

 The natural estrogens extracted from wild yams and soybeans are also identical to those made by your body. Although plants do not actually make ‘human’ hormones, there are some plants that make compounds that have very similar hormonal effect. These are generally known as phyto-hormones (or ‘plant-based’ hormones) and are easily purchased over the counter.

On the other hand, a ‘synthetic’ hormone is one with a slightly different chemical makeup from the ones found in the body, not necessarily meaning ‘created in a lab.’

Basically, it comes down to this if a hormone is found in nature or created in a lab and it is chemically identical to the hormone in your body, it is legally and technically considered natural. If it started out natural but then the structure changed (such as a lab using natural progesterone as a basis to create Provera™), then that makes it a synthetic hormone.

And here’s a news flash the closest to ‘natural’ hormone on the market is Premarin™, which is made from PREGNANT MARE URINE!!!!! 

But here’s the shocker by the time the horse’s urine is altered in the lab, it isn’t even natural to the horse!

Why even create something this revolting? Well, that’s actually pretty easy to answer drug companies have to make their synthetic hormones if they want to patent it and make massive amounts of money! A natural substance can’t be patented.

No patent  no ‘cash cow.’

Some women ask, “why all the fuss about synthetic?

I don’t care if it’s horse urine as long as it stops these hot flashes!!!”  Well, if horse urine doesn’t bother you, the side effects should!

There have been increasingly frequent complaints of breast tenderness, weight gain, breakthrough bleeding, insomnia, fluid retention, depression, and even more recently, increase in risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and pulmonary embolism.

Still not convinced?

Well, last year the NIH (National Institute of Health) abruptly stopped their major study of synthetic hormone replacement therapy after results showed an increase in the risks listed above.

Even the FDA sent out a notice (featured in the New York Times on January 9, 2003) ordering warning labels on ALL synthetic estrogens. The warning states that the drugs may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks. It also stated that they believed the risks did not outweigh the minor benefits of the hormones. 

Most of the side effects result from the fact that synthetic hormones are not chemically identical to the natural hormones in your body. Trust me, your body can tell the difference!

The facts are in, trust your body. Trust yourself because it’s your health so take charge and be educated!! 

Click on this Link for unbelievable story on Fight brewing over Horse Pee and your government at work!

Warning: Using a mobile phone while pregnant can seriously damage your baby

Study of 13,000 children exposes link between use of handsets and later behavioural problems

AP

Scientists found that mothers who did use the handsets were 54 per cent more likely to have children with behavioural problems and that the likelihood increased with the amount of potential exposure to the radiation

HMOs block key brand-name medicines to make big bucks, report says

HMOs block key brand-name medicines to make big bucks, report says

HMOs are blocking patients from getting critical single-source drugs - like Lipitor and Celebrex - to boost company profits, a new report charges.

Single-source drugs are brand-name products with a unique chemical form that are sold by one manufacturer and have no less expensive generic equivalent.

BY WILLIAM SHERMAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Sunday, May 18th 2008, 4:00 AM

HMOs are blocking patients from getting critical single-source drugs - like Lipitor and Celebrex - to boost company profits, a new report charges.

Single-source drugs are brand-name products with a unique chemical form that are sold by one manufacturer and have no less expensive generic equivalent. More....

'I've fallen asleep and I can't get up!'

You’re lying in bed, just starting to wake up, when you realize you can’t move. Your chest is heavy — like somebody’s sitting on it — and you’re overwhelmed with a feeling of dread.

Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you see something move. It’s a spider. No, two spiders. No three, four, a dozen or more. They’re big as walnuts and slowly crawling up the bed posts of your bed and onto the blankets, scuttling ever closer towards your paralyzed body.

Sound like a cross between “Fear Factor” and “The Twilight Zone?”

More.....

Common Chemicals Linked to Obesity

 

Exposure in the womb to common chemicals used to make everything from plastic bottles to pizza box liners may program a person to become obese later in life, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Their studies of mice showed animals exposed to even tiny amounts of the chemicals during development were fatter when they grew older compared with mice not exposed to the compounds, they told the 2008 European Congress on Obesity.More....

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Environmental Factors May Trigger Arthritis

 

A number of environmental exposures, including trauma, are associated with the onset of inflammatory arthritis in patients with psoriasis, findings published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases indicate.

"Psoriatic arthritis can be considered as a 'disease within a disease'," Dr. Ian N. Bruce, of the University of Manchester, UK, and colleagues write. Psoriatic arthritis is "inflammatory arthritis on a background of pre-existing or future development of psoriasis."More....

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Chewing Gum Infused with Type 2 Medicine?

 

Glucose-controlling metformin, the generic drug that is the first medication that many newly diagnosed type 2s take, could soon be available in a chewing gum.

Glucose-controlling metformin, the generic drug that is the first medication for many newly diagnosed type 2s, could soon be available in a chewing gum.

That’s the hope held by Massachusetts-based Generex Biotechnology Corporation, which has announced that it is ready to test its proprietary metformin chewing gum product, MetControl™, on 36 volunteer patients. In the study, Generex will compare the speed and efficacy of MetControl to that of immediate-release metformin tablets.

Metformin is the most prescribed drug for type 2 patients. Nevertheless, many people with diabetes avoid using it because of its gastrointestinal side effects, large pill size and bitter taste. These factors are especially off-putting to the increasing number of children being diagnosed with type 2.

Generex believes that the delivery of metformin in a good-tasting chewing gum will make the drug more acceptable to these patients and thereby increase adherence with diabetes therapy.

Because metformin is safe, well known and well established, the company does not anticipate taking as long to come to market with MetControl as it would with a product containing a new active compound. Such products typically must undergo stringent testing that can last years.

Air Pollution Linked to Deep Vein Thrombosis

 

Long-term exposure to air pollution appears to be associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, blood clots in the thigh or legs, according to a report in the May 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Exposure to particulate air pollution—very small particles of solid and liquid chemicals that come from burning fossil fuels and other sources—has been linked to the increased risk of developing or dying from heart disease and stroke, according to background information in the article. Recent studies have suggested this relationship may result at least in part from the effects of particulate air pollution on blood clotting. More...

 

Tags: thrombosis, blood clots, air pollution

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Lignans' prostate cancer protection gets study boost

13-May-2008 - The lignan metabolite enterolactone may prevent the spread of prostate cancer by acting at the genetic level, suggests new research that deepens our understanding of the topic.

An in vitro study, led by Mark McCann from AgResearch Grasslands in New Zealand, reports that enterolactone beneficially regulated several key genes, producing important effects on programmed cell death of prostate cancer cells.

McCann, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Ulster, Belfast City Hospital, Cork Institute of Technology, and the University of Reading, reports the data in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. More...

 

Tags: prostate cancer, health

More Americans are taking prescription medications

 

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - For the first time, it appears that more than half of all insured Americans are taking prescription medicines regularly for chronic health problems, a study shows.

The most widely used drugs are those to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol - problems often linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

The numbers were gathered last year by Medco Health Solutions Inc., which manages prescription benefits for about one in five Americans.More.....

Tags: medicines, drug companies, insurance, health