Allergy shots can reduce symptoms of asthma

Allergy shots can reduce symptoms of asthma, use of inhaled medications and allergy-related asthma attacks, confirms an updated review of studies. Yet, the treatment can also cause systemic side effects that range from a stuffy nose to fatal anaphylactic shock.

About 30 percent of asthma patients experience improved breathing after receiving a series of injections that desensitize their immune systems to specific irritants, according to the review. The medical term for this treatment protocol is allergen immunotherapy.

The Fat Track II

The Fat Track II Digital Caliper – A high tech improvement on the
economical Accu Measure or more trouble than it's worth?
Okay, so here's the deal: A few years after the original Accu measure plastic
caliper came out, the Accu Fitness company decided to go high tech and create
another model of caliper for personal self testing, only this time it was a little
palm-sized electronic pincher gizmo with a microprocessor that sets you back
about $49 bucks. It was called the Fat Track (and most recently, the Fat Track II
or Fat Track Gold which comes with a tape measure called a "Myotape").
This electronic caliper has some neat benefits. You pinch yourself at three sites
instead of one, which you would presume, increases accuracy. You also get an
instant digital readout, so you don't need to look up your body fat percentage on
those cumbersome interpretation charts.
It all sounds great in theory, but in my opinion, it's not quite as easy in the real
world. In the majority of the users I've surveyed, I found that the Fat Track is
MORE difficult to use than the $20 plastic Accu Measure caliper. I have a theory
about why this is true: First, if you haven't mastered the technique, then three
skinfold sites can increase your margin for error, not decrease it. Second, the Fat
Track uses a totally different spring mechanism and caliper jaws than ANY of the
standard calipers which have been research tested for accuracy. Third, the Fat
Track requires a thigh skinfold. You'd think using a body fat formula that measures
lower body would increase accuracy, and it might if the measurement were
perfect. What most people don't realize is that the thigh skinfold can be very tricky
to pinch on many people. The skin just doesn't pull away from the thigh muscle in
a clean U-shaped fold all the time, and sometimes it clings to the muscle so tightly
you can hardly grab it at all. The abdominal and chest skinfolds sometimes present
similar problems. On the other hand, the iliac crest skinfold used with the plastic
Accu measure, is a no-brainer – it's the easiest place to pinch.
I own a Fat Track, but I don't use it. I gave up after I kept getting inconsistent
measurements. I know the same thing happened to many of my clients who tried
it. However, if you own a Fat Track II (or were thinking about getting one), I'm not
telling you not to use it, just advising you about the pros and cons. I believe it
could be accurate (and convenient for home self-testing) if you master the
pinching technique and have no problem with the required skinfold sites. There's a
learning curve associated with ANY skinfold testing device. It's possible I may have
thrown in the towel before I learned how to use the darn thing properly (never was
any good with electronic gadgets anyway... but whaddya expect, I'm just a "muscle
head" from New Jersey!)

VitoSlim Best Herbal pill to increase metabolism VitoSlim ™ is an all-natural diet supplement including 100% pure thermogenic extracts. This slimming pill helps in maximum weight loss in the shortest space of time possible.

How Bad Is Smoking to Human Health, and Is It Associated with Cancer?

How Bad Is Smoking to Human Health, and Is It Associated
with Cancer?
Smoking is the most preventable cause of premature death for people.
In fact, one of five deaths of Americans can be directly attributed to
tobacco smoking. Almost 90 percent of all lung cancers in American men
(80 percent in women) are due to smoking, and smoking is also highly
associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pan-
creas, uterus, cervix, kidney, and bladder. When tobacco is burned and
inhaled the smoke contains thousands of chemicals with dozens of them
known cancer-causing agents or carcinogens. Clearly, the best thing a
smoker can do for himself or herself is to stop smoking as soon as
possible.
Casodex is used in the treatment of prostate cancer and hirsutism.
Nolvadex is used in the treatment of breast cancer following surgery and/or radiation. It is also effective for the prevention of breast cancer in women at high risk of developing the disease.

How Do Atoms Combine with Each Other?

How Do Atoms Combine with Each Other?
A couple of millennia ago, the Greeks believed that water was one of the
four elements of nature, along with fire, air, and earth, and that all things
were made from combinations of these elements. Today, we of course
know that there are more than a hundred elements. And, in fact, water is
not a single element but a combination of atoms of two elements, namely
hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O). When two or more atoms of the same or
different elements combine together, molecules are formed. Therefore,
water is a molecule. The chemical formula for a water molecule (H2O) is
probably the most widely quoted of all chemical formulas. A chemical
formula is merely a molecule's atomic recipe. Thus, for each molecule of
water, two hydrogen atoms (subscript 2 behind H) are bound to one
oxygen atom (no subscript, so 1 is implied).
  From our previous description of the size of atoms you can imagine
then that an ordinary glass of water must contain millions of water mol-
ecules. In fact, we can use water to tidy up our understanding of elements,
atoms, and molecules. If we have an 8 ounce (oz) glass of pure water, we
can say that the container is accommodating millions of molecules of
water, and thus millions of atoms; however, only two elements are pres-
ent, oxygen and hydrogen.

Can Certain Atoms Have a Charge?

Can Certain Atoms Have a Charge?
Atoms of certain elements naturally exist in a charged state, which means
that they have either lost or gained electrons. It really is a matter of simple
algebra. If an atom exists without an electron, it will have a single positive
charge (1+) and if it exists without two electrons it will develop a double
positive charge (2+). On the contrary, if an atom has an extra electron, it
                                                The Very Basics of Humans         5
Figure 1.1 This is a carbon atom. Protons (white) have a positive charge (+) and
            neutrons (shaded) are electrically neutral (n) are found in the nucleus.
            Electrons (black) have a negative charge (−) and orbit the nucleus at
            the speed of light!
will have a single negative charge (1−) and if an atom has two additional
electrons it will have a double negative charge (2−). It is important to keep
in mind that this isn’t random; some atoms are simply more stable in a
charged state. Charged atoms are often called electrolytes because their
charge gives them electrical properties as discussed further below.
   The processes of losing and gaining electrons are interrelated, as dis-
played in Figure 1.2. So, if one atom gains an electron, it is actually
removing the electron from another atom which wants to give it up to
become more stable. This activity is referred to as oxidation and reduc-
tion, whereby oxidation refers to the loss of an electron while reduction
refers to the gain of an electron. You might be thinking that this may have
 omething to do with antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins C and E and
a whole host of others such as β-carotene and lycopene. If you were, then
you are right and have the mind of a scientist. Furthermore, you may have
heard the term oxidation used in reference to energy operations in our
body (for example, oxidation of fat). Again, you would be on the right
track—but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
   Oxidation refers to when an atom or molecule loses an electron.
   Many elements important to nutrition and the proper functioning of
our body exist naturally in a charged state. These elements include
sodium, chlorine, potassium, iodine, magnesium, and calcium. The
charge associated with an atom is often displayed in superscript next to
the element’s symbol from the Periodic Table of Elements. For instance,
sodium is written as Na+, potassium as K+ (both of which have given
up an electron, while calcium is written as Ca2+ and magnesium as Mg2+
as they have given up two electrons. On the contrary, chlorine is
written as Cl−, fluorine as F− and iodine as I− as they have gained an
electron and thus a negative charge. Actually, we tend to refer to chlorine,
fluorine, and iodine as chloride, fluoride, and iodide with respect to this
electrical state.

methodological handbook

I have aimed to do the following:

1. To remove the mystique from some of our more entrenched ideas, and convince the reader that they deserve to be abandoned.

2. To set out the basic scientific information needed to understand how nutrition works.

3. To formulate some simple rules and explain briefly their technical and scientific basis.

4. To give detailed guidance on actually using the Method.

5. To make the site as far as possible a methodological handsite that the reader can use as a practical reference source.

VITAMIN E Antioxidant which helps prevent cancer and heart disease.

VITAMIN E Antioxidant which helps prevent cancer and heart disease. Prevents cell damage. Reduces blood pressure and promotes healthy skin and hair.HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, bladder wrack, dandelion, dong quai, flaxseed, nettle, oat straw, raspberry leaf, rose hips.

arthritis herbal remedies

best liver support supplement

chromium supplements and diabetes

American ginseng synonyms

American ginseng synonyms: American ginseng, amerikan ginseng, amerikanischer Ginseng, amerikkalainen ginseng, Anchi ginseng, Aralia quinquefolia Decne. & Planch (botanical synonym), Araliaceae (family), Canadian ginseng, CVT - E 002, five fingers, five leafed ginseng, garantoquen, ginseng, ginseng d'Amerique, ginsenosides poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides, man-root, man's health, North American ginseng, Occidental ginseng, Ontario ginseng, Panax quincefolium, Panax quinquefolium,  Panax quinquefolius , redberry, red berry, sang, shang (TCM), tartar root, TCM, tienchi ginseng, western ginseng, wild American ginseng, Wisconsin ginseng, xi yang shen.

herbal weight loss products   herbal life weight loss pills   vitamins

Tobacco is the most preventable cause of death

Brad Pope, vice president of human resources at Memorial Hospital, told the Chattanooga Times Free Press the decision is an extension of the hospital's commitment to health and is not based on potential health care cost savings.

"I understand the concerns people have, but we are here for the health of our community," Pope said. "Like it or not, what's proven is that tobacco is the most preventable cause of death and disability in the United States. I think the Chattanooga and surrounding communities should expect this from Memorial."

Any form of nicotine will make an applicant ineligible to be hired — even nicotine gum or a patch.

The new hiring rule will not affect current employees of Memorial.

Dr. Carlos Baleeiro, with Battlefield Pulmonology in Fort Oglethorp, Ga., said the refusal by hospitals to hire tobacco users isn't yet widespread, especially in tobacco producing states.

"It's very brave of them," he said. "I'm quite impressed by Memorial."


Memorial is a nonprofit hospital that is operated by the Sisters of Charity order, based in Nazareth, Ky. It opened in 1952. The hospital Web site states Memorial is also part of Catholic Health Initiatives, which serves hospitals in 22 states.

The Memorial system has two acute care hospitals and a number of clinics.

Information posted on the Web site states testing for nicotine will be added to an already-required screening for illegal drugs and will disqualify applicants who test positive.

The posting states applicants who have been offered jobs and who test positive for tobacco won't be hired and may be disqualified for reapplying for six months.

Not everyone sees the move as entirely beneficial.

Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, said he believes a policy barring the hiring of tobacco users is discriminatory.

Siegel said he avidly supports education on the dangers of using tobacco, but questions whether the hiring practice is fair.

"The same rationale that would support not hiring smokers would also support not hiring people who are obese or people who have young children or people who don't eat nutritious food or people who don't exercise," he said. "What it's basically saying is the private behavior of people in their own homes is somehow relevant to their qualifications to work in a workplace."

Finding the root cause of sexual dysfunction

One of the most difficult things about chronic pain is the profound impact that it can have on your sex life. But if you think you are the only chronic pain sufferer with intimacy issues, think again. "It's a silent epidemic," says Clifford Gevirtz, MD, medical director of Somnia Pain Management in New Rochelle, N.Y. "People are embarrassed to talk about it, but they are suffering."

But experts say that many are suffering needlessly: "There is a lot of help available," he says. "They just have to have the courage to ask."

The last thing a chronic pain sufferer needs is more discomfort. But when sex increases pain and patients avoid sex, a vicious cycle can start. "If avoidance continues, a major fear becomes associated with a sexual activity," says Todd Sitzman, MD, a past president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. "That lack of intimacy can have detrimental effects on relationships."

How emotions play a role
The alchemy of pain, sex, and relationships is complex. "Typically what I see is a combination of factors," says Geralyn Datz, PhD, a pain psychologist and behavioral medicine specialist in Hattiesburg, Miss. "The person has chronic pain, and intercourse may be physically uncomfortable." But she says often a person can feel emotionally unwilling or just feel bad about themselves.

Self-esteem can also plummet, says Datz: "You can imagine how someone who used to be the head of the household and is now relegated to the couch isn't feeling interested in intercourse or intimacy—their self esteem is dramatically affected."

Anticipation or fear of pain is another common problem: For Smyres, orgasms can sometimes trigger migraines, which "doesn't give me a whole lot of incentive," she says.

Finding the root cause of sexual dysfunction
Chronic pain affects sexuality on several levels. At the most basic level, pain itself can inhibit sexual activity. Kerrie Smyres, a 31-year-old writer in Seattle who blogs about her daily headaches, says that the pain in her head often hurts too much for sex. Despite the cliché, it's true that headaches can be a major obstacle to intimacy. In a small 2007 survey by the National Headache Foundation, 69% of respondents said they had avoided sex because of a headache.

Study.Detect breast cancer

U.S. researchers are working on an experimental DNA test that could pave the way for a simple blood test to detect breast cancer.

A team at Chronix Biomedical, a privately-owned U.S. company that works on cancer diagnosis techniques, reports they've had good success with a DNA breast cancer test.

They report, in a research paper published this week, that their test was able to detect 70 per cent of breast cancer cases, and clear 100 per cent of women who did not have breast cancer.

But, because of the huge expenses involved in conducting each test, it could still be a long time before the test is widely available.

Still, the company says this latest research gives them hope they are on the right track.

The test works by detecting the specific DNA biomarkers that are emitted from dead and dying breast cells.

While millions of the body's cells die each day, the Chronix team believes it has found the unique "DNA fingerprint" that dying breast cells emit. They were able to do that after they sequenced the entire genomes of 26 breast cancer patients and 67 healthy women.

To test their DNA fingerprint discovery, they sequenced the blood of 38 women with ductal carcinoma and compared the information with 87 healthy patients and those with other medical conditions.

Their results are published in the journal Molecular Cancer Research.

The company says the results are encouraging.

"This study supports the potential of an entirely new approach to identifying cancer at its earliest stages when therapies may be most effective," said Dr. William M. Mitchell, a professor of pathology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a co-author of the study.

"The promising diagnostic sensitivity and specificity achieved in this study further confirm the value of circulating DNA for disease detection and suggest that laboratory tests using this approach may have the potential both to screen large populations for cancer before symptoms appear and to monitor patients for the recurrence of cancer once treated."

The company says the test could have other uses. Not only could it help screen healthy women for breast cancer, but it could help tailor treatments for those who are diagnosed.

The DNA test could, for example, help identify the genetic differences that would make a patient more likely to respond to certain medications. The blood test could also help determine whether a treatment is working.

But there is still at least one major hurdle to cross before such a test becomes available: cost.

Using the DNA sequencers currently available to researchers costs thousands of dollars per test.

Though companies are working to get those costs down, they will have to come down significantly before a blood test would be practical, Chronix Biomedical's CEO, Howard Urnovitz, told Reuters.

Urnovitz says the company is now also working on tests for other cancers, including multiple myeloma, and other life-threatening conditions.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100310/blood_test_100310/20100310?hub=Health

Children are uniquely vulnerable to pollutant exposures

From the time of implantation, through gestation, birth, and early childhood, humans are exposed to chemicals and chemical combinations, which place their health in jeopardy. Numerous toxic agents have been detected in umbilical cord blood samples, a finding potentially significant because tissues, organs, and genetic material of the unborn and young are particularly susceptible to biologic insult. The National Research Council reported in 1993 that children are uniquely vulnerable to pollutant exposures because growing and developing organ systems may suffer permanent impairment.

A growing body of literature suggests there is an association between maternal inhalation of common ambient air pollutants and adverse birth outcomes, including an increased risk for preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), low birth weight, small head circumference, and increased rate of malformations. Potentially more worrisome are recent studies, which report a relationship between exposure to airborne particulate matter and heritable mutations in laboratory animals. The contaminants noted in these studies are ubiquitous to many urban environments.

Outdoor air pollution is not the only potential source of non-employment-related airborne contamination. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that people in developed countries spend 90% of their time indoors, where the air pollutant concentration is 3 to 5 times higher than outdoors. Although research examining the effect of indoor air pollutants on pregnancy outcomes is sparse, data gleaned from environmental tobacco smoke studies suggest reason for concern. Nonsmoking pregnant women exposed to environmental tobacco smoke have an increased risk of delivering a low birth weight infant.

After birth, children continue to be vulnerable, particularly for exposure to air pollutants. The EPA found that children under the age of 1 have inhalation rates 3.4 times higher per kilogram of body weight than their adult counterparts; for children aged 3 to 5 years, the ratio is 2.8 times higher.Children very likely internalize greater doses of contamination from pollutants suspended in the air column as a function of their inhalation rates and body weight, and endure greater risk of excessive tissue damage because of their underdeveloped immune systems.

Children suffer disproportionately from exposure to environmental hazards in general and indoor air pollutants in particular. Globally, 40% of disease burden attributable to environmental factors impacts children under the age of 5, although this cohort accounts for only 10% of the world's population. An egregious environmental risk factor is exposure to indoor cooksmoke (i.e., the combustion contaminants generated from fuels during the cooking of foods and other indoor activities requiring fire).

An estimated 90% of rural households in developing countries and up to one half of homes worldwide use biomass fuels as their primary source of energy (biomass homes). These fuels are plant based in origin; examples include animal dung, crop residues, wood, and charcoal. Unfortunately, the products of incomplete combustion emanating from these burning fuels include a catalog of pollutants known to present risk to human health. A partial list includes airborne particulate matter, polynuclear aromatics, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and oxides of nitrogen and sulfur.

The indoor combustion of biomass fuels has been linked to acute lower respiratory infections, the single most important cause of mortality in children under the age of 5, accounting for some 2 million deaths annually. Acute lower respiratory infection is also the cause of mortality for many children reported to have measles, pertussis, and HIV/AIDS.

Poverty is a strong predictor of indoor air contamination in developing countries. Modest income earners rely on accessible, low-quality/low-cost fuels, and frequently reside in homes that tend to exacerbate poor air quality. Cooking fires are customarily contained in 3-stone stoves, open pits, or inefficient cooking appliances, all of which have a propensity to produce copious quantities of air pollutants. The dwellings often do not possess chimneys to capture and expel smoke and combustion by-products, and in many cases, are not designed to maximize dilution ventilation from doors and windows, exacerbating an already risk-prone environment. Although few empirical studies have been conducted to assess risk to mothers, women of reproductive age, and children, the few data that exist suggest substantial exposures to indoor air pollutants occur.

One representative contaminant, airborne particulate, can be relatively easily measured in the indoor environment. Small airborne particles possess an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns or less, and are hazardous because they can be inhaled deeply into the lung and serve as a vehicle for toxins that may be adsorbed onto their surface. Particle concentrations in the range of 300 to 3000 mcg per cubic meter of air are present during cooking in biomass homes, with peak concentrations upward to 30,0000 mcg/m3. As a point of reference, the EPA has traditionally maintained 2 standards to protect human health against exposure to small airborne particulates. The first standard is a 24-hour average exposure of 150 mcg/m3, which is not to be exceeded more than once per year. The second standard is 50 mcg/m3, which represents an average annual exposure that should not be exceeded, on average, over the course of a calendar year.

Few studies have quantified the combustion contaminant exposure to women while they cook using biomass fuels. To gain insight into this issue and to bolster the public health inventory of published works on this subject, the authors conducted a preliminary study in Gimbie, Ethiopia, to assess various factors associated with exposure to cooksmoke in that environment.


http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/507502_2