Having a curry could help ward off dementia

Tests on fruit flies found that those given curcumin, the key chemical in turmeric, lived 75 per cent longer.

The findings, published in the journal PLoS One, could help explain why rates of dementia are lower among the elderly in India than in their Western peers.

Alzheimer’s is linked to the build-up of protein in the brain called amyloid plaques damaging the wiring.

Curcumin did not dissolve the plaque, but accelerated the formation of nerve fibres by reducing the amount of their precursor forms, known as oligomers, from which they were formed.

Prof Per Hammarstrom, of Linkoping University in Sweden, said: “The results confirm our belief that it is the oligomers that are most harmful to the nerve cells.”

MORE>>>>>>>>

Calm down dear, with a sip of water: Dehydration can alter mood and ability to think

People who feel like losing their temper might find a glass of water calms them down, researchers claim.

Mild dehydration can alter a person’s mood, energy level and ability to think clearly, according to studies at America’s University of Connecticut.

‘Even mild dehydration – 1.5 per cent loss in normal water volume in the body – that can occur in the course of our ordinary daily activities can degrade how we are feeling, especially for women, who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of low levels of dehydration,’ said Harris Lieberman, one of the studies’ co-authors.

Drink up: Mild dehydration can have an adverse effect on the mood especially in women

Tests showed that it didn’t matter if a person had just walked for 40 minutes on a treadmill or was sitting at rest, the adverse effects were the same.

More...

How eating too much could double risk of memory loss

Lawrence Armstrong, one of the studies’ lead scientists, added: 'Our thirst sensation doesn’t really appear until we are one per cent or two per cent dehydrated.

By then dehydration is already setting in and starting to impact how our mind and body perform.

'Dehydration affects all people, and staying properly hydrated is just as important for those who work all day at a computer as it is for marathon runners, who can lose up to 8 percent of their body weight as water when they compete.'

Research: Test subjects who were dehydrated experienced more difficulty when performing mental tasks

Subjects were put through a series of tests measuring vigilance, concentration, reaction time, learning, memory, and reasoning.

Their results were then compared against those of individuals who were not dehydrated.

In young women, mild dehydration was found to cause headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

Female subjects found tasks more difficult although they suffered no substantive reduction in cognitive ability.

Young men experienced some difficulty with mental tasks, particularly in the areas of vigilance and working memory and also experienced fatigue, tension, and anxiety.

Changes in mood and symptoms were 'substantially greater in females than in males, both at rest and during exercise'.

Experts recommend drinking two litres of water a day.

A List of Vegetables High in Nitrates

Forward from The Plain Truth: This week we are going to be doing some stories on Sodium Nitrate and Nitrites, the ingredients in many of our foods that have come under fire from the health conscious and many people. We have a drive underway to stop consuming Nitrates and Nitrites in our diet. Are we really informed? Do you really know what Sodium Nitrate is? Is it a man made products, only a part of processed foods and cured meats? Have they been wrongfully accused of causing everything from headaches to high blood pressure. Just what are sodium Nitrates.

A List of Vegetables High in Nitrates
By Kent Ninomiya

Nitrates are created in vegetables when micro-organisms break down fertilizers and other nutrients in the soil. Nitrates occur naturally in vegetables in small amounts. Adding fertilizer to vegetables increases their nitrate levels. Michigan State University says the average American consumes 75 to 100mg of nitrates per day. About 80 to 90 percent of it comes from vegetables. According to Colorado State University, a diet too high in nitrates can lead to gastric problems. Selecting the right vegetables can help reduce your nitrate levels.

Radishes

According to the University of Missouri, radishes contain more nitrates than any other vegetable. Typical radishes that you buy at the grocery store contain approximately 0.4 to 1.5 percent nitrates. That is 1.8 to 6.8g of nitrates per pound of radishes. This is significantly more than the 0.1g of nitrates the typical American consumes each day.

Find about more about this. How about BEETS, LETTUCE and TURNIPS!

Read the rest of the list

The “No Nitrites Added” Hoax

Facts About Sodium Nitrate

Nitrates and nitrites are chemical compounds commonly used in making cured meat products like bacon and hot dogs. A lot of ink has been spilled discussing the idea that nitrates and nitrites are bad for you, and food manufacturers have introduced all kinds of supposedly "nitrate-free" products to meet the resulting consumer demand.

But what you may not know is that not only are the fears over nitrates completely overblown, but these "nitrate-free" products can actually contain many times more nitrates than conventional products.

Not only that, but a truly nitrate-free hot dog would be much more likely to you sick than a conventional one.

Nitrates and Nitrites

One of the things that happens when sodium nitrate is used as a curing agent is that the sodium nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite. It's sodium nitrite that actually possesses the antimicrobial properties that make it a good preservative. Interestingly, the sodium nitrate that we consume through fruits, vegetables and grains is also converted to sodium nitrite by our digestive process. In other words, when we eat fruits, vegetables or grains, our bodies produce sodium nitrite.

As we have seen here in YOUR HEALTH TODAY, tobacco and smoking dangers have been way overblown over the years as an excuse to raise tax money, nothing more. It is a proven fact that those who smoke a cigar a day, or pipe smokers actually live longer than the average non-smoker. Diseases attributed to cigarettes have more to do with the paper rappers, the glues and the "fillers" than the tobacco itself. Smoking 4 packs a cigarettes a day will probably kill you. Smoking 3 cigarettes a day will probably ad 5 years to your life! And this comes from a non-smoker!

The “No Nitrites Added” Hoax

By Michael Ruhlman | Published: May 10, 2011

Trader Joe's "uncured" bacon/Photo by Donna Turner Ruhlman

During a recent phone call with the excellent Elise of simplyrecipes, Elise wished aloud that I would address the nitrite issue directly. “Trader Joe’s carries it! Go look. Is there one near you?”

Indeed there is, and indeed they sell at least two products pitching themselves as a “healthier” bacon because they don’t add sodium nitrite. This is as odious as those sugar laden granola bars trumpeting “No Fat!” on their label—food marketers preying on a confused consumer who has been taught to fear food because of harmful additives (such as the recent, apparently genuine, Red Dye 40 warnings).

Full disclosure if you don’t already know: I am a vocal bacon advocate, and one of my books, Charcuterie, relies on sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate for many of its recipes to cure foods such as bacon, ham and salami, so take all this with, um … no, I’m too pissed off to pun.

Please, if someone can tell me what is wrong with nitrates (in green vegetables) and nitrites (in curing salts and in our bodies, a powerful antimicrobial agent in our saliva, for instance), I invite them to do so here. In the 70’s there were studies finding that at high temps, they could form nitrosamines, cancer causing compounds. I don’t disagree, but burnt things containing nitrite are bitter and unpleasant so we’re not likely to crave them in harmful quatities.

Aspirin is not bad for you, right? Helps with a morning head and achy joints. It’s even taken for its heart benefits. But eat enough of it and it’s toxic.

Read the rest here>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Aluminum and Vaccines — A Brain-Destroying Duo, Says Top Doc

Aluminum has been added to vaccines for about 90 years in the belief it spurs the body to produce disease-fighting antibodies. But aluminum is toxic, and many common vaccines, including pneumonia, tetanus, and HPV, contain large doses. The result is children are getting amounts that are much higher than those considered safe by regulatory agencies, and adults are adding to the lifetime cumulative amounts of aluminum in their bodies. These megadoses can have a devastating effect on the brain, says Newsmax Health expert Dr. Russell Blaylock, causing everything from brain damage in children to Alzheimer's in adults.

"Aluminum is toxic," Dr. Blaylock tells Newsmax Health. "Compelling research has demonstrated that aluminum is an accumulative neurotoxin, even in small concentrations. It has a tendency to concentrate in the hippocampus, an area of the brain vital to crucial functions including learning, memory, and behavior.

"Recent articles on aluminum have shown that aluminum in vaccines is producing severe problems in the brains of developing children," he says. "The evidence is overwhelming, but many officials and doctors ignore it. They refuse to look at the evidence because it scares them — it's powerful evidence.

"Of the 36 vaccines children get, 18 of them contain aluminum," says Dr. Blaylock. "One article showed that children get doses 46 times higher than those considered safe by government agencies."

Mainstream medicine promotes vaccines to protect children from being crippled or dying from childhood diseases, says Dr. Blaylock. "But that's very rare," he says. "And you're talking about giving perfectly healthy children a vaccine that will cause their brains to develop abnormally, and they will essentially be neurologically ruined for the rest of their lives.

"How can you justify destroying perfectly normal children when the diseases you are fighting are far less common than the complications from the vaccine itself?" he asks.

"It doesn't make sense," he says. "You don't go out and damage the brains of millions of children because 200 children might die from a particular infection." In addition to neurological damage, vaccines suppress the immune system, says Blaylock.

Adults, who are being encouraged to have a number of vaccines that contain aluminum,

Read more: Aluminum and Vaccines — A Brain-Destroying Duo, Says Top Doc
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Hot new tip... eating a curry once (or twice) a week could stave off dementia, say scientists

Few of us need too much encouragement when it comes to heading off to the curry house.

But scientists have come up with one of the best excuses ever: a spicy ingredient in curry could be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

Tests on fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to the neurodegenerative illness found those given curcumin - the key chemical in turmeric used in everything from mild Kormas to the hottest Vindaloos - lived 75 per cent longer.

Brain food: Curcumin, an active ingredient found in turmeric, has been linked with a range of potential health benefits. Now scientists say it can combat dementia

Alzheimer's is linked to the build up of knots of protein in the brain called amyloid plaques, damaging the wiring in brain cells.

The findings, published in the journal PLoS One, could help explain why rates of dementia are much lower among the elderly in India than in their Western peers.

Previous research has found Alzheimer's affects just one per cent of people over the age of 65 living in some Indian villages.

Drugs with similar properties to curcumin could potentially be used as preventative treatments.

Facts About Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite

Facts About Sodium Nitrate

Nitrates and Preserving Foods

Nitrates are used in curing, which is a broad category of techniques for preserving foods, mainly meat and fish, that involves the use of salt, sugar, or some form of dehydration. In each case, the goal is to make the food unattractive to the bacteria that cause food spoilage. This works because bacteria are tiny organisms that require, among other things, moisture, oxygen and food. Take away one of these things and they die.

There's an exception to this rule, and it involves a type of bacteria that can only live in an oxygen-free environment. We'll talk about that in a moment.

Salt as a Food Preservative

One of the earliest methods for curing food involved the use of salt. Salt prevents food spoilage through a process known as osmosis, whereby it basically sucks the moisture out of the bacteria's bodies, killing them by dehydration.

Sodium nitrate is a type of salt that happens to be a particularly effective food preservative. A naturally occurring mineral, sodium nitrate is present in all kinds of vegetables (root veggies like carrots as well as leafy greens like celery and spinach) along with all sorts of fruits and grains. Basically, anything that grows from the ground draws sodium nitrate out of the soil.

If this seems strange, remember that the word nitrate refers to a compound made of nitrogen, which is the single biggest component of our atmosphere. Every time you take a breath, you're breathing 78 percent nitrogen. The soil itself is loaded with the stuff.

Nitrates and Nitrites

Nitrites and Cancer

Several decades ago, some researchers raised the possibility that nitrites could be linked to cancer in laboratory rats. This suggestion received a lot of media attention. What received less media attention, however, was when it turned out that they were wrong. Indeed, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Cancer Society and the National Research Council all agree that there's no cancer risk from consuming sodium nitrite.

Nitrate-Free Products

So what about all those supposedly "nitrate-free" hot dogs, bacon and other so-called "uncured" products? Since completely uncured hot dogs are not palatable to consumers, it's very rare indeed to find a product that is totally nitrate-free. Instead, manufacturers make claims such as "no nitrates added."

The reality is that companies that make nitrate-free hot dogs have to use something to substitute for the sodium nitrate. Celery juice is a popular choice. And guess what celery juice contains lots of? Sodium nitrate. And guess what that sodium nitrate turns into when you eat it? Sodium nitrite!

As we said earlier, celery is a natural source of sodium nitrate. (Notice that no one is currently claiming that celery causes cancer or that people should reduce their intake of celery.) But by adding celery juice to their hot dogs, manufacturers can make products loaded with sodium nitrate while legally being able to claim "no added nitrates." Because all the nitrates are in the celery juice. As a matter of fact, these supposedly "natural" or "organic" products sometimes contain twice as much sodium nitrate, even up to a whopping ten times as much sodium nitrate, as conventional products.

Nitrites and Botulism

So nitrates and nitrites are both harmless and ubiquitous. But is it really possible that eating nitrate-free meats could actually be more dangerous than eating meats that do contain sodium nitrate? The answer is yes.

One special property of sodium nitrite is that it prevents the growth of Clostridium botulinum. One of the most toxic substances known, Clostridium botulinum produces botulism, a paralytic illness that can lead to respiratory failure.

The botulism bacteria is peculiar bug because unlike most microbes, it actually requires an oxygen-free environment to live. Once it hits the air, it dies. So it tends to appear in canned foods, vacuum-packed foods, garlic stored in oil and improperly cured meats. It just so happens that sodium nitrite is especially effective at preventing the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Conclusions About Nitrates and Nitrites

Given that sodium nitrate occurs naturally in foods like spinach, carrots and celery, as well as the fact that nitrite has never been shown to cause cancer, all the fuss about nitrates and nitrites might seem like typical media-driven hysteria. Moreover, the supposedly "natural" or "organic" versions of these products can contain many times more sodium nitrate than their conventional counterparts. But when you consider the increased likelihood of contracting botulism, it's actually the nitrate-free products that present the real health risk.

SOURCE: ABOUT.COM

The Role of Oxalates in Autism and Chronic Disorders

Written by William Shaw, PhD

March 26 2010

spr10-oxal1a A mummy that had been preserved for a couple of thousand years in the high desert of Chile was discovered upon X-ray examination to have a very large oxalate stone in the kidney, about the size of a golf ball. The discovery of this ancient sufferer is testimony to the fact that kidney stones and oxalate toxicity have afflicted humans for a very long time.

Oxalates (the salt form of oxalic acid) are extremely painful when deposited in the body. About eighty percent of kidney stones are caused by oxalates and they are by far the most common factor in kidney stone formation. There is also a large degree of genetic variability in the ability to detoxify the chemicals that produce oxalates. Perhaps twenty percent of the population has a genetic variance that increases their likelihood of producing oxalates, even when not consuming a high-oxalate diet.

STONED

Oxalates can form all throughout the kidney and the urinary tract, and can also form in the ureter as well as in the bladder. These star-shaped crystalline stones cause pain as the pressure in the urinary filtrate builds up, and perhaps also by tearing into the walls of the urinary tract itself.

spr10-oxal1b

Some kidney stones acquire a stag horn shape, while some oxalate crystals resemble pieces of coral. The crystals do have a lot of calcium in them just as coral does. Oxalate crystals appear in different colors. Some are black and almost look the color of Indian arrowheads made of obsidian. On page 41 is shown a picture of a kidney with one of the oxalate crystals imbedded in it. You can see that the crystal is very pointed. Some of these have extremely sharp ends that cause severe pain.

Kidney stones are one of the most common medical ailments—ten to fifteen percent of adults will be diagnosed with a kidney stone in their lifetime. One million Americans develop kidney stones each year and most of these are oxalate related. Seventy-five to ninety percent of kidney stones are made of oxalic acid bound to another compound, usually calcium.

Once you have experienced a kidney stone attack, you have a very high chance of having another unless you change your way. The common symptoms are pain in the side and the back below the ribs. The episodes of pain last between twenty to sixty minutes, and it is common to hear women who have suffered kidney stones claim that they are more painful than childbirth.

The pain radiates from the side and the back to the lower abdomen and groin. There may be bloody, cloudy and foul-smelling urine. If there is infection, there may also be fever and chills. Pain with urination may accompany nausea and vomiting, and the sufferer may have a persistent urge to urinate.

This last symptom is a common factor in autism. It has been noted that many children with autism urinate perhaps fifty times a day, but only release a small amount of urine each time. After I did my research it became clear that the behavior arose because these children were suffering from kidney stones and high oxalate concentrations. The children would urinate only a small amount at a time since when urinating normally the pressure of the stream causes pain. Frequently releasing small amounts of urine causes much less pain to the child.

NOT JUST IN THE KIDNEYS..... MORE>>>>>>>>

Are house cat feces making people crazy ?

Are parasites from cat droppings living in your brain and influencing the way you think and behave ?

This is the startling conclusion by Czech scientist Jaroslav Flegr who believes that the Toxoplasma gondii parasite found in cat feces can live inside the brain and influence everything from our responses to frightening situations to our social behaviours. Flegr even believes that these parasites are responsible for some car accidents. "Toxoplasma might even kill as many people as malaria, or at least a million people a year," he says.

The parasite, which is excreted by cats in their feces, is called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii or Toxo for short) and is the microbe that causes toxoplasmosis—the reason pregnant women are told to avoid cats’ litter boxes.

View: Full article |

Source: The Atlantic

Toxic Artificial Sweetener ‘Neotame’ May Be Lurking in Your Organic Food

Mike Barrett
Activist Post

Often marketed as Equal and Nutrasweet, aspartame is a well-known neurotoxic sweetener used in many food products.

This cancer-causing artificial sweetener is threatening the health of populations worldwide, and has even been found to be created using genetically modified bacteria.

While most individuals know about aspartame and its dangers, there is another, lesser known sweetener in the food supply that many people don’t know about – Neotame.

Sex helps 'keep you young' in old age

Staying sexually active in old age keeps your brain ticking, according to a recent study in which 70 percent of those Germans over 75 said they were happy with their antics between the sheets.

But communication problems, illness and social taboo can all hinder a happy sex life for the elderly, according to the “Use it or Lose it” study by the University of Rostock.

Behind the report are scientists at the university hospital who are hoping to end to the stigma surrounding pensioner sex and promote the message that "sex in old age is not only possible, but helps keep you young."

Professor of medical psychology Peter Kropp and medical sociologist Dr Britta Müller interviewed 170 people between the ages of 63 and 75 in 2011. They say their findings make a strong case for the positive role sex can play in the lives of older people.

Read More>>>>>>

Aspirin 'not to blame' for stomach bleeding - that's due to a bug, say scientists

Thousands of patients are unable to take daily aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke, because of the risk of stomach bleeding.

Instead, they have to be given more expensive and sometimes less effective treatments.

But, now, scientists have identified what they think is the real cause of stomach bleeding linked to aspirin — a common stomach bug.

Low-dose daily aspirin is a lifesaver, helping to prevent blood clots in the arteries supplying the heart and brain

This new theory could transform the way many people with cardiovascular disease are treated.

It also opens up the possibility that otherwise healthy people, who are currently advised not to take a daily aspirin, because of the risk of bleeding, might be able to take it safely for its cancer-preventing benefits.

Low-dose daily aspirin is a lifesaver, helping to prevent blood clots in the arteries supplying the heart and brain.

It is also prescribed for problems such as atrial fibrillation, a common condition that causes an irregular heartbeat, as this can also lead to the formation of blood clots.

Common Food Items Could Contain 180 Times More Fluoride Than Tap Water

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

Fluoridated tap water and toothpaste are oftentimes considered the main sources of fluoride exposure, but it turns out that common food items could also be largely contributing to your fluoride intake.

According to fluoride expert, Jeff Green, who has been actively protesting and studying the effects of fluoride on the body for other 15 years, one common food product contains up to 180 times more fluoride than your fluoridated tap water!

According to Green, the culprit is non-organic food, but not just one kind.

Benefit of red-wine chemical gets 2nd look

Resveratrol, a chemical found in red wine and dark chocolate, may work differently in the body than first thought, a new study suggests.

“Resveratrol has potential as a therapy for diverse diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease,” said lead study author Dr. Jay Chung, chief of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s laboratory of obesity and aging research in Bethseda, Md.

“However, before researchers can transform resveratrol into a safe and effective medicine, they need to know exactly what it targets in cells,” he added in a release.

Read the full story ›

Have we been looking at Multiple Sclerosis all wrong?

Multiple sclerosis is a confusing disease. Widely regarded as an autoimmune problem, it affects millions of sufferers, and we still don't have a complete grasp of what causes it. Part of this problem is due to the fact that every time we find something that seems to be a factor in how it works, that factor doesn't seem universal.

But now there's a new theory of MS that could lead to a radically different treatment for the disease.

Top image: Random 42 Medical Animation.

A new meta-analysis by Dr. Angélique Corthals proposes that much of the difficulty we have with understanding the causes of MS may be because we're wrong about its basic mechanism. In a publication in The Quarterly Review of Biology, she proposes that rather than an autoimmune disease like previously supposed, MS might in fact be a metabolic one with an immune component.

It's a bold assertion to be sure, and one without original data to back it up (at this point, anyway). With MS, the myelin which protects and insulated the nerve tissue on your brain and spinal cord swells, and then scars, leading to neuronal damage. Corthals' theory gives another framework to approach this damage, and one with links to a disease we do understand — atherosclerosis.

This is where things get a bit dense, so bear with me.

Grape seed extract kills head and neck cancer cells, leaves healthy cells unharmed

A study published this week in the journal Carcinogenesis shows that in both cell lines and mouse models, grape seed extract (GSE) kills head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

"It's a rather dramatic effect," says Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

It depends in large part, says Agarwal, on a healthy cell's ability to wait out damage.

"Cancer cells are fast-growing cells," Agarwal says. "Not only that, but they are necessarily fast growing. When conditions exist in which they can't grow, they die."

Grape seed extract creates these conditions that are unfavorable to growth. Specifically, the paper shows that grape seed extract both damages cancer cells' DNA (via increased reactive oxygen species) and stops the pathways that allow repair (as seen by decreased levels of the DNA repair molecules Brca1 and Rad51 and DNA repair foci).

"Yet we saw absolutely no toxicity to the mice, themselves," Agarwal says.

Again, the grape seed extract killed the cancer cells but not the healthy cells.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-grape-seed-neck-cancer-cells.html

McDonald’s Forced to Stop Using Ammonia-Tainted ‘Pink Slime’ in Meat

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

McDonald’s has recently caved to consumer demands to cease the utilization of ‘pink slime’ scrap meat covered with ammonium hydroxide in their hamburgers and chicken sandwiches.

The announcement highlights the fact that there are many health-crushing additives within the McDonald’s menu, and the reason that their hamburgers absolutely wreak havoc on your body actually has little to do with their high calorie and fat content. In fact, McDonald’s absolutely loves when health professionals neglect to mention the toxic ingredients hidden in their food.

The change was mostly made possible by Jamie Oliver, a celebrity chef who has recently gone on a campaign against the fast food giant.

Sayer Ji, Contributing Writer
Activist Post

The scientific literature indicates that there are at least two dozen adverse health effects linked to exposure to mineral oil, a crude oil derivative. New research indicates these fat-soluble hydrocarbons are accumulating to disturbing levels in our bodies, and affecting newborns by contaminating breast milk.

How did they get there? Mineral oil is legally allowed to be added to our foods, drugs and cosmetics, where they accumulate in our bodies over time, with the highest concentrations found in our fat deposits. One autopsy study performed in 1985, revealed that 48% of the livers and 46% of the spleens of the 465 autopsies analyzed showed signs of mineral-oil induced lipogranuloma (a nodule of necrotic, fatty tissue associated with granulomatous inflammation or a foreign-body reaction around a deposit of an oily substance), indicating just how widespread pathological tissue changes associated with exposure really are.

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

Will hundreds of more websites soon be popping up telling the tragic tales of young men whose lives were riddled with adverse effects after receiving the Gardasil vaccine? Based on the devastating history of the HPV shot Gardasil, the answer is most likely an unfortunate ‘yes’.

Following the advice of an advisory panel who failed to examine the high number of adverse reactions and deaths associated with Gardasil use, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now recommending that all boys between the ages of 11 and 12-years-old receive the Gardasil shot.

The advisory panel and the CDC both fail to mention that Gardasil was linked to 3,589 harmful reactions and 16 deaths between May 2009 and September 2010 alone, which could be of major concern to parents considering injecting their children with the shot. Permanent disability was the result of 213 cases; 25 resulted in the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome; and there were 789 other “serious” reports according to FDA documents.

Suzanne Somers: Birth Control Pills May Have Caused My Breast Cancer Read more: Suzanne Somers: Birth Control Pills May Have Caused My Breast Cancer

When Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer a decade ago, she underwent a lumpectomy to remove the tumor, but refused to have the conventional reconstruction surgery most women undergo to rebuild the breast.

The reason: She believed medical research would lead to a better way to restore her body and was willing to wait for it. Last summer, the wait ended when she became the first woman in the United States to undergo a pioneering new procedure: stem cell breast reconstruction. Today, she is spreading the word on the option so other women may be able to make a similar choice.

When speaking to Newsmax Health, Suzanne revealed for the first time what she believes was the cause of her cancer.

Read more: Suzanne Somers: Birth Control Pills May Have Caused My Breast Cancer
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Fish Oil Prevents Heart Arrhythmia

In a new study of some 3,000 older adults, those with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were 30 percent less likely to develop an irregular heartbeat over the next 14 years than peers with the lowest blood levels of omega-3s.

"A 30 percent lower risk of the most common chronic arrhythmia in the United States population is a pretty big effect," said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author of the new report and a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.

According to some estimates, up to 9 percent of Americans will develop atrial fibrillation, a heart-rhythm abnormality that can lead to stroke and heart failure, by the time they reach their 80s.

There are few treatments for the condition and they largely center on preventing strokes with blood-thinning drugs.

Read more: Study: Fish Oil Prevents Heart Arrhythmia
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Facts on Smoking You are Not Told, or Why George Burns Lived to 100!

by Robert R. Barney

We are running a series of articles in our YOUR HEALTH TODAY section which I think will absolutely blow most of our readers today! Over the past 40 years, we have been overwhelmed with the evils of smoking. The message has basically been, SMOKE ONE CIGARETTE and YOU WILL DIE A DAY YOUNGER! Have you ever thought of any benefits of smoking? Honestly, could there be any benefits? Well I did my own investigation and guess what? Smoking in moderation may actually be GOOD for you! I know that smacks in the face of everything science and government has been telling us, but sometimes governments LIE! Here are just a few examples of FACTS I bet you don't know:

-- Q10 is made from Tobacco
-- Smoking Reduces both Parkinson Disease AND Alzheimers!
-- Smoking increases certain hormones and can act similar to Viagra!
-- A Reduced risk in women who smoke to Colon Cancer
-- Moderate Cigar or Non-Filtered Cigarettes may actually help you live Longer

I realize that this sounds like I have gone bonkers, but friends, every statement I have made has proven science behind it and I document it below! Drinking wine can kill you. If you drink two to thee bottles of wine a day, you will probably be at a much greater risk of developing a host of diseases related to alcoholism, yet we know that those who drink a glass a day statistically live longer than tea-tottlers. The same seems to apply to smoking. Very low doses of smoking (a Cigar or two once a week or two or three NON-FILTERED cigarettes a day) actually helps our bodies. It has been documented for years that Japanese men out smoke American men yet have lower incidences of lung cancer! ( http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/10/11/1193 )

One looks at people like George Burns who lived to be 100, smoking a cigar his entire life. Would he have lived to 150 if he didn't smoke? Well, the evidence I am presenting suggests that he lived that long BECAUSE he smoked.

If you notice,whenever I mentioned cigarette smoking, I always wrote of NON-FILTERED cigarettes. Again, big businees like the tobacco companies and our government know that the filters on these cigarettes are much more harmful than the tobacco smoke! More than 90% of the cigarettes sold worldwide have a filter. Nearly all filters consist of a rod of numerous ( > 12 000) plastic-like cellulose acetate fibres. During high speed cigarette manufacturing procedures, fragments of cellulose acetate that form the mouthpiece of a filter rod become separated from the filter at the end face. The cut surface of the filter of nearly all cigarettes has these fragments. In smoking a cigarette in the usual manner, some of these fragments are released during puffing. In addition to the cellulose acetate fragments, carbon particles are released also from some cigarette brands that have a charcoal filter. Cigarettes with filters that release cellulose acetate or carbon particles during normal smoking conditions are defective. Philip Morris, Inc has known of this filter defect for more than 40 years.
results of investigations substantiating defective filters have been concealed from the smoker and the health community. The tobacco industry has been negligent in not performing toxicological examinations and other studies to assess the human health risks associated with regularly ingesting and inhaling non-degradable, toxin coated cellulose acetate fragments and carbon microparticles and possibly other components that are released from conventional cigarette filters during normal smoking. The rationale for harm assessment is supported by the results of consumer surveys that have shown that the ingestion or inhalation of cigarette filter fibres are a health concern to nearly all smokers. (From “Cigarettes with defective filters marketed for 40 years: what Philip Morris never told smokers” (Tobacco Control 2002;11:i51-i61):)

Check out a host of stories we have on this subject on http://journals.aol.com/plaintruthtoday/your-health-today

Notes and References

1) The miracle supplement (for skin, heart, brain rejuvenation) Coenzyme Q10 is extracted from tobacco leaf! http://www.ritecare.com/prodsheets/and-503000.html
Dr. Ricjard A. Kunin extols the benefits of Coenzyme Q10. He also says: The energy of oxidation in cells depends on CoQ in partnership with niacinamide (vitamin B3), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and minerals such as iron and copper to effect the movement of electrons and hydrogen protons in the power plant of cell, the mitochondrion. Incidentally, tobacco leaf is the champion source, containing 184 mg in a quarter pound. Note that the doctor follows with the disclaimer, "In fact, the Japanese companies make their CoQ from tobacco, however it is only released by means of bacterial fermentation not by smoking." The fact remains that CoQ 10 is a natural miracle for the human body and it's chief source is tobacco!

2) Smoking Reduces Parkinson's Disease: Studies world-wide has notice that smokers have a significally lower incidence of getting the disease, yet this is never mentioned in any of the anti-smoking campaigns.

Neurology. 1999 Sep 22;53(5):1158. Smoking and Parkinson's disease: a dose-response relationship Gorell JM, Rybicki BA, Johnson CC, Peterson EL
Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center in Molecular and Cellular Toxicology with Human Applications, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.

Also see Smoking lowers Parkinson's disease risk from Reuters (Mar 20, 2007).

From “Temporal relationship between cigarette smoking and risk of Parkinson disease” (NEUROLOGY 2007;68:764-768):

3) The by-product of smoking (Nitric Oxide) helps in opening our arteries! Nitric oxide stimulates peripheral circulation (this is the mechanism behind Viagra effect).Low concentration carbon monoxide (as found in tobacco smoke) protects cells in harsh conditions, such as low oxygen and general cell death

4) Smoking actually increases GROWTH Hormones! Like testosterone and DHEA.
source: Geriatrics & Gerontology International (Volume 6 Issue 1 Page 49-52, March 2006)Relation of age and smoking to serum levels of total testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in aged men in , which found these results, "Serum T did not decrease with age, and was significantly higher in smokers than for non-smokers. Serum DHEA decreased with age more sharply in non-smokers than for smokers."

5) Smoking reduces IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1)--at least in males for sure. In animal experiments, lowered insuline growth factor IGF-1 change extends lifespan.

6) Reduced Incidence of Colorectal Cancer--especially in women.

Cigarette Smoking and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Women (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 80, No. 16, 1329-1333, October 19, 1988) states, "Colorectal cancer incidence rates for smokers, nonsmokers living with smokers (i.e., passive smokers), and non-smokers in smoke-free households were compared in a 12-year prospective study of 25, 369 women who participated in a private census conducted in Washington County, MD, in 1963. Women who smoked had a decreased relative risk of colorectal cancer compared with the risk for nonsmokers (age-adjusted relative risk, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.52–1.10). The risk for passive smokers was similar to that for smokers. The relative risks were significantly reduced for older women; relative risks were 0.42 for smokers and 0.66 for passive smokers over age 65. The data suggest that older women who smoke have a lower risk of colorectal cancer than non-smokers. The effect may be mediated by an antiestrogenic effect of smoking."

7) People who smoke fare better than nonsmokers when exposed to occupational hazards.
From Lack of combined effects of exposure and smoking on respiratory health in aluminium potroom workersBritish Medical Journal, Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Vol 56, 468-472, 1999):

8) Cigarette smoking may be an independent protective factor for developing schizophrenia. These results are consistent with animal models showing both neuroprotective effects of nicotine and differential release of prefrontal dopamine in response to nicotine.
From Cancer in schizophrenia: is the risk higher or lower? in Schizophrenia Research (Volume 73, Issue 2, Pages 333-341) at http://www.schres-journal.com/article/PIIS0920996404002130/abstract :
The incidence of cancer in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia was compared with the incidence in the general population. The results showed that the cancer standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for all sites were significantly lower among men and women with schizophrenia, 0.86 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–0.93] and 0.91 (95% CI 0.85–0.97), respectively. This reduced overall risk was clearest for those born in Europe–America, both men (SIR 0.85, 95% CI 0.74–0.97) and women (SIR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77–0.94).
Appetite Suppressant -- no citations. Common sense. Most stimulants are appetite suppressants, and nicotine does seem to be a stimulant.

9) Tobacco: the definitive link in healthy aging by Daniel John Richard Date.
Reduces incidence of Alzheimer's, among other degenerative diseases.

"A statistically significant inverse association between smoking and Alzheimer's disease was observed at all levels of analysis, with a trend towards decreasing risk with increasing consumption" (International Journal of Epidemiology, 1991)

"The risk of Alzheimer's disease decreased with increasing daily number of cigarettes smoked before onset of disease. . . . In six families in which the disease was apparently inherited . . . the mean age of onset was 4.17 years later in smoking patients than in non-smoking patients from the same family" (British Medical Journal, June 22, 1991)

"Although more data are needed . . . [an analysis of 19 studies suggests] nicotine protects against AD" (Neuroepidemiology, 1994)

Nicotine injections significantly improved certain types of mental functioning in Alzheimer's patients (Psychopharmacology, 1992).

One theory: nicotine improves the responsiveness of Alzheimer's patients to acetylcholine, an important brain chemical.

“When chronically taken, nicotine may result in: (1) positive reinforcement [it makes you feel good], (2) negative reinforcement [it may keep you from feeling bad], (3) reduction of body weight [by reducing appetite and increasing metabolic rate], (4) enhancement of performance, and protection against: (5) Parkinson's disease, (6) Tourette's disease [tics], (7) Alzheimer's disease, (8) ulcerative colitis and (9) sleep apnea. The reliability of these effects varies greatly but justifies the search for more therapeutic applications for this interesting compound." ("Beneficial Effects of Nicotine," Jarvik, British Journal of Addiction, 1991)

See more on smoking and reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. In this compilation of 19 studies, 15 found a reduce risk in smokers, and none found an increased risk. Also noted is the fact that acute administration of nicotine improves attention and information processing in AD patients, which adds further plausibility to the hypothesis.
Smoking is Good for You: Absence, Presence, and the Ecumenical Appeal of Indian Islamic Healing Centers
In Shop owner says smoking 'doesn't cause disease' a shop owner "tells his customers that smoking calms the nerves and soothes the mind." This is in sync with what Albert Einstein stated upon becoming a lifetime member of the Montreal Pipe Smokers Club at the age of 71, "I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgment in all human affairs."

Facts on Smoking

Smoking Does Not Cause Lung Cancer! (According to WHO/CDC Data)*

By: James P. Siepmann, MD

Yes, it is true, smoking does not cause lung cancer. It is only one of many risk factors for lung cancer. I initially was going to write an article on how the professional literature and publications misuse the language by saying "smoking causes lung cancer"1,2, but the more that I looked into how biased the literature, professional organizations, and the media are, I modified this article to one on trying to put the relationship between smoking and cancer into perspective. (No, I did not get paid off by the tobacco companies, or anything else like that.)

When the tobacco executives testified to Congress that they did not believe that smoking caused cancer, their answers were probably truthful and I agree with that statement. Now, if they were asked if smoking increases the risk of getting lung cancer, then their answer based upon current evidence should have be "yes." But even so, the risk of a smoker getting lung cancer is much less than anyone would suspect. Based upon what the media and anti-tobacco organizations say, one would think that if you smoke, you get lung cancer (a 100% correlation) or at least expect a 50+% occurrence before someone uses the word "cause."

http://www.journaloftheoretics.com/Editorials/Vol-1/e1-4.htm

Benefits of Smoking???

Nicotine's protective effect against neurodegenerative disorders

While the health risks of tobacco are well known, several studies have shown that people with a history of cigarette smoking have lower rates of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. However, the explanations for nicotine's neuroprotective effects continue to be debated.

Now a team of neuroscientists at the University of South Florida College of Medicine presents new evidence of an anti-inflammatory mechanism in the brain by which nicotine may protect against nerve cell death. Their study was published today in the Journal of Neurochemistry.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/6544.php

Antibiotics Prove Powerless as Super-Germs Spread

Resistant Bacteria

Antibiotics Prove Powerless as Super-Germs Spread

Photo Gallery: Growing Worries about Killer Bugs

CDC / Matthew J. Arduino / DRPH

Antibiotics were once the wonder drug. Now, however, an increasing number of highly resistant -- and deadly -- bacteria are spreading around the world. The killer bugs often originate in factory farms, where animals are treated whether they are sick or not. By SPIEGEL Staff

The pathogens thrive in warm, moist environments. They feel comfortable in people's armpits, in the genital area and in the nasal mucous membranes. Their hunting grounds are in the locker rooms of schools and universities, as well as in the communal showers of prisons and health clubs.

The bacteria are transmitted via the skin, through towels, clothing or direct body contact. All it takes is a small abrasion to provide them with access to a victim's bloodstream. Festering pustules develop at the infection site, at which point the pathogens are also capable of corroding the lungs. If doctors wait too long, patients can die very quickly.

This is precisely what happened to Ashton Bonds, a 17-year-old student at Staunton River High School in Bedford County, in the US state of Virginia. Ashton spent a week fighting for his life -- and lost. This is probably what also happened to Omar Rivera, a 12-year-old in New York, who doctors sent home because they thought he was exhibiting allergy symptoms. He died that same night.

The same thing almost happened at a high school in the town of Belen, New Mexico. Less than two weeks ago, a cheerleader at the school was hospitalized after complaining about an abscess. Twelve other female students had been afflicted with suspicious rashes. All the students tested positive for a bacterium that the US media has dubbed the "superbug."

The school administration in Belen believes that the bacterium was spread on mats in the school's fitness and wrestling rooms. The facility was thoroughly disinfected 40 times, and yet the fear remains.

Fears of a Pandemic

Pill that makes you fit without even having to leave the sofa

It is a couch potato’s dream, a pill that will make you fit without having to move a muscle.

Scientists say they have created a drug that provides all the benefits of exercise without actually having to do any.

They have discovered that the hormone irisin, found naturally in the body, is responsible for some of the health benefits of sweating it out at the gym.

Benefits: The Irisin pills could help build levels of 'good fat' in those who take them

When given to mice, the researchers found that irisin was key in the development of ‘good fat’, which burns off calories.

Top Health Benefits Found in the Bedroom

The road to good health may not always lead to the health food store, doctors office or pharmacy. It may go straight to the bedroom, say experts.
The fountain of youth can be found between the sheets, says Dr. Walter Gaman, co-author of Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health.
Frequent sex causes the brain to release human growth hormone, which helps maintain youth.
Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor at Yale University and a renowned gynecologist, adds that menopausal women have fewer symptoms when they have a good sex life.
Frequent sex increases blood flow to the pelvic area so women need less medication for vaginal dryness, Dr. Minkin reveals. And of course most relationships benefit from a healthy sex life. Maybe this is not a strict gynecological fact, but its true!

ere are more ways that being active in the bedroom benefits your health:

Improves Memory.

Increases Immunity.

Improves Heart Health. Reduces Pain.

Helps You Live Longer. Makes You Happier. Makes You Stronger.

Read more: Top Health Benefits Found in the Bedroom
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Your Office Can Make You Sick

A new study suggests that your indoor office air particularly in newly renovated offices could be making you sick by exposing you to harmful PFCs, or polyfluorinated compounds.

''Workers who spend their day in a typical office environment are likely to have exposure to PFCs through the air, and that seems to lead to PFC levels in their blood," said researcher Michael McClean, associate professor of environmental health at the Boston University School of Public Health in the U.S.

PFCs are often released by furniture, carpet stain repellents, paint, and food packaging, and are linked to a host of health problems including thyroid hormone imbalance, certain cancers, and infertility.

Read more: Your Office Can Make You Sick
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

High Levels Of MRSA Bacteria Found In Meat Products

MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that sometimes infects hospital patients, can also be found in our food. And a new study says MRSA is a lot more common in retail pork products than previously believed.

The new study was conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa College of Public Health and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

MRSA can occur in the environment and in raw meat products, and is estimated to cause around 185,000 cases of food poisoning each year. The bacteria can also cause serious, life-threatening infections of the bloodstream, skin, lungs, and other organs. MRSA is resistant to a number of antibiotics.

Eating chocolate can stave off bowel cancer, say scientists

Eating chocolate could stave off bowel cancer, say scientists.

A study found having daily doses of cocoa reduced the risk of developing the disease.

It is the latest piece of research to highlight the health benefits of the cocoa bean, most of which is harvested in West Africa.

According to a study eating chocolate may help stave off bowel cancer

Previous studies have found the seed is rich in particularly powerful natural antioxidants that destroy harmful molecules known as free radicals.

And it has been suggested that eating chocolate with a high cocoa content could help to control diabetes, blood pressure and heart disease.

Blast of gas that could replace dentist's drill and make fillings stronger

A new ‘gas-firing’ device may offer a pain-free alternative to the dentist’s drill — and could make fillings even more hard-wearing.

The device, which resembles an electric toothbrush, cleans out cavities in rotten teeth in only 30 seconds, according to new research.

It works by generating high-energy gas and liquid particles to kill bacteria and blast out the decayed pulp of the tooth.

Estimates suggest that around one-in-four of us fear going to the dentist, leading to many people not visiting at all

The researchers at the University of Missouri who developed the device say it means less discomfort for patients, as it does not affect the highly sensitive nerves in the teeth.

Conventional drills cause pain because the vibrations from the drill trigger signals in these nerves.

Tooth decay is the second most common health problem after the common cold.

More...

Councils handed £2bn public health fund and will be held to account over smoking, drinking and obesity, says Lansley

It is caused by bacteria in the mouth — one of the bacteria’s main food sources is sugar, which is why sweet treats accelerate tooth damage.

Most cavities are discovered by dentists in the early stages during routine check-ups.

The surface of the tooth may be soft when probed with a sharp instrument, but there is often no pain until the advanced stages of tooth decay.

Dentists fill teeth by drilling out the decayed material and replacing it with white or amalgam fillings made from a variety of different metals including tin, silver, copper and mercury.

An estimated eight million cavities are filled each year in the UK.

Estimates suggest that around one-in-four of us fear going to the dentist, leading to many people not visiting at all.

Doctors' Drug Company Perks Becoming Public

Drug companies will be required to reveal the payments they make to doctors for research, consulting, speaking, travel, and entertainment as part of the Obama administration's new health-care law.

The New York Times reported that about a quarter of doctors take cash payments from pharmaceutical and device companies, while nearly two-thirds accept gifts of food, including dinners.

The Times has found that doctors who take money from drug makers often practice medicine differently from those who do not and that they are more willing to prescribe drugs in risky and unapproved ways, such as prescribing powerful antipsychotic medicines for children.

Any payment over $10 must be reported, even if the company delivers a batch of bagels for a morning staff meeting worth $25, according to the paper.

Read more: Doctors' Drug Company Perks Becoming Public
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Flavonoids Prevents Heart Attacks

Older adults who get a moderate amount of certain plant compounds in their diets are less likely to die of heart disease or stroke, a large study finds.

The research, on nearly 100,000 older U.S. adults, found that those getting the most flavonoids in their diets were less likely to die of heart disease or stroke over the next seven years than those who ate the least flavonoids.

The compounds are found in a range of plant foods, including many fruits (like berries, citrus and apples) and vegetables (like kale, spinach and broccoli), nuts, soy, dark chocolate, tea and wine.

Research shows that flavonoids have a number of benefits, including fighting inflammation and acting as antioxidants -- which means they help protect body cells from damage that may lead to chronic diseases and cancer.

In the current study, the researchers divided participants into five groups according to the amount of flavonoids in their diets.

The one-fifth with the highest flavonoid intake were 18 percent less likely to die of heart problems or stroke than the fifth with the lowest intake.

Read more: Flavonoids Prevents Heart Attacks
Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Gold coils are the latest weapon in prostate cancer war

Doctors are arming themselves with a precious new weapon in the fight against prostate cancer – gold.

Gold coils are being used to target radiotherapy more accurately, intensifying the effect of the treatment on the prostate and preventing damage to nearby organs such as the bowel or bladder.

Around six of the coils, which are 1cm to 2cm long and cost £80 to £100 each, are inserted in the prostate prior to treatment.

Gold is used because it shows up on scans and few people are allergic to it. Once fitted, the coils stay in the prostate for life.

Tiny miracle: World's third smallest surviving baby finally goes home

One of the world's smallest surviving babies, Melinda Star Guido was so tiny when she was born at 24 weeks that she could fit in the palm of her mother's hand.

Weighing less just 9 ½ ounces at birth - less then a can of soda - she has spent the first four months of her life in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Now weighing 4½ pounds, doctors have given her 22-year-old mother Haydee Ibarra the all clear to take her 'miracle baby' home for the first time.

Scroll down for video

Homeward bound: Melinda Star Guido is discharged from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center after spending months in the ICU, now weighing four and a half pounds

Tiny miracle: Haydee Ibarra, 22, pictured here holding record0breaking Melinda Star Guido at 14 weeks, can take her baby home for the first time after giving birth in August

Tiny miracle: Haydee Ibarra, 22, pictured here holding record-breaking Melinda Star Guido at 14 weeks, can take her baby home for the first time after giving birth in August

Little fighter: Melinda, pictured here holding her mother's finger at three and a half months, has beaten all the odds by making steady progress since she was born at 24 weeks

Melinda has been growing steadily and gaining weight since she was born in August, almost four months before she was due, at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

She is the world's third smallest baby and the second smallest in the U.S.

It's too early to know how she will fare developmentally and physically, but doctors planned to monitor her for the next six years.

More...

Medical miracle as twin boys weighing just a pound and a half are born from two uteruses

Soon after birth, Melinda was treated for an eye disorder that's common in premature babies and underwent surgery to close an artery. Melinda's mother held her for the first time after the operation in November.

Speaking to the AP, Miss Ibarra said: 'She's been through a lot and she's made it. A lot of people doubted her. They thought that she wasn't going to make it.

'She's a little miracle to me.'

Home-coming: Overjoyed Haydee Ibarra, 22, is preparing to take her tiny baby home today for the time since she gave birth in August

Survivor: Melinda, pictured here at 14 weeks holding her mother's little finger while lying in an incubator, is being released from USC Medical Center in Los Angeles today

Time to go home: Despite the hurdles, doctors said Melinda was fortunate she did not suffer serious complications such as bleeding in the brain

Despite the hurdles, doctors said Melinda was fortunate she did not suffer serious complications such as bleeding in the brain.

Most babies this small don't survive even with advanced medical care.

About 7,500 babies are born each year in the United States weighing less than one pound, and about ten per cent survive.

A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2010 found that many survivors have ongoing health and learning concerns.

Record-breaker: Melinda, pictured here shortly after birth, became the world's third smallest surviving baby when she was born at 24 weeks weighing just 9.5 ounces

Most also remain short and underweight for their age, but there are some rare success stories.

The smallest surviving baby born weighing 9.2 ounces is now a healthy seven year old.

Another who weighed 9.9 ounces at birth is an honors college student studying psychology, according to doctors at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois where both the girls were born.

Watch video of Melinda going home here:

TINY MIRACLES: TWO RECORD-BREAKING BABIES WITH HEALTHY LIVES

The smallest surviving baby born weighing 9.2oz is now a healthy 7-year-old and another who weighed 9.9oz at birth is an honours college student studying psychology.

Rumaisa Rahman, pictured right as a baby, now aged seven, was born at 26 weeks weighing just 9.2oz - the equivalent size of an 18-week old foetus.

The tiniest baby ever to survive premature birth, Rumaisa now goes to school in Chicago and is expected to develop normally.

Twenty-two-year-old Madeline Mann was born in 1989 weighing 9.9oz, then the world record.

She suffered bleeding on the brain shortly after her birth, but suffered no other long-term problems and is now an honours student studying psychology in Rock Island.

Both were born at Loyola University Medical Center and were resuscitated by Dr Jonathan Muraskas.

Their progress was detailed in a study published this week in the journal Pediatrics.