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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Unbelievable Medical Procedures..



Unbelievable Medical Procedures.. The Haitian girl who had a 16-pound tumor removed and a entire face reconstruction



Marlie Casseus is a girl from Haiti, whose life was normal until the age of 14, when her face went completely unrecognizable and frighteningly disfigured because of a strange disease. As a result, not only she suffered physical pain but emotional anguish for being rejected by her friends and neighbors. The reason is a rare form of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, a genetic disease that causes the sufferer's bones to become swollen and as soft as jelly. Not only she suffered the deformation of her face but she was about to go blind due to the pressure of the tumor on her eye sockets.

Fortunately, the Haitian nonprofit Good Samaritan organization helped bring Marlie to the United States. And doctors at Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami could evaluate her condition. The hospital's International Kids Fund, began collecting money for her operation. Donations came from all over the world and even doctors donated their time to perform the surgery on the girl.


It took 17 hours to remove the growth of both parts of her face. Afterwards she was breathing on her own in stable condition at Holtz Children's Hospital. The surgery involved first, removing the mass of bone and jelly; then inserting metal plates to reconstruct Marlie's lower eye sockets; and finally reconstructing the interior of her nose. The photographs above show the miraculous result.



The boy who got his elbow amputated and transformed into a new shoulder



In 2008, 15-year-old Tom Lemm had his arm and shoulder amputated due to a tumor. Surgeons then used bone and tissue from his lost elbow to construct a new shoulder. At the same time, a metal support plate was inserted in Tom's collar bone by Professor Simon Kay's team. This will make the boy able to wear a false arm. Tom, who lives in Pontefract, West Yorks, has battled cancer for three years, and is the first person in Britain to undergo the seven-hour procedure, and just the second ever. "I was very upset at losing my arm but then the prof told me what he planned to do. I hope the fact it has worked for me gives others hope”, he said.



The kid who had his broken spine rejoined



A 10-year-old boy, from Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, India, fell while playing in a field and the moving blades of a tractor's harrow went over his back cutting his vertebral column into two. After five hospitals said they could not treat him, the boy was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre and operated right away.Doctors at the hospital managed to rejoin his broken spinal cord after performing a rare surgery lasting over eight hours. Nine months later, he is back on his feet and walking without help.

AIIMS Trauma Centre chief M.C.. Mishra said: 'I have done extensive research and can conclude that it is a first-of-its- kind case in medical history. Such a case with sharp penetrating injury to the spine in a child causing complete breakage of the lumbar spine in two parts presenting with complete loss of power and sensations is extremely unusual and has not been reported in literature either.'



The 'Tree man' who got six kilograms of warts removed



This Indonesian man named Dede, first noticed the warts on his body after cutting his knee when he was a teenager. Over time, as the horn-like extensions grew to cover most of his body, he was sacked from his job, deserted by his wife and shunned by neighbors. After dealing with this problem for over two decades, the 37-year-old man, dubbed ‘The Tree Man', went under surgery and 95 percent of the warts have been removed after nine operations. ‘He cannot be 100 percent cured, but his life quality has improved. If once he depended on others to do his activities, now he can eat by himself, use his hand to write, use the cell phone', said Rachmad Dinata, one of hisdoctors. The warts on Dede's body were a result of severe Human Papilloma Virus infection, according to an American doctor. And they might re-grow, but at least the disease is not life-threatening anymore.



The surgeon who performed a self-appendectomy



In 1921 Dr. Evan O'Neill Kane carried out his own appendectomy. He is believed to have been the first surgeon to have done so. A few years before, in 1919 he self-amputated one of his own fingers that had become infected. But it was theoperation of removing his own appendix under local anaesthetic, at the age of 60, which brought him to wider media attention. Dr. Kane did this, in part, in order to experience this from the patient's perspective. He had in mind using local anaesthesia in future on patients with medical conditions that prevented a general anaesthetic being administered, and wanted to ensure that the procedure could be tolerated by the patient. Kane believed ether (the usual general anaesthetic of the time) was used too often and was more dangerous than local anaesthetics. Kane performed theoperation with the aid of mirrors to enable him to see the work area. Since then the operation was rather more major than today, the incision to remove an appendix was much larger than modern keyhole surgery techniques. However, Kane was well enough to be taken home the following day.

On another occasion, in 1932 at the age of 70, Kane repaired his own inguinal hernia under local anaesthetic. The hernia had been caused by a horse riding accident six years earlier. Theoperation was carried out at the Kane Summit Hospital with the press, including a photographer, in attendance. This operation was rather more dangerous than the earlier appendectomy because of the risk of puncturing the femoral artery. The operation lasted 1 hour and 55 minutes.



The baby that was literally born twice



When Chad and Keri McCartney say their baby Macie Hope was born twice, they really mean it. When Keri was on the 23rd week of pregnancy, she and her family went to the obstetrician' s office to discover the sex of the baby she was carrying. Then, they discovered a huge tumor growing out from Macie's tailbone. She had to go on surgery right after that.

Macie's ‘first birth' happened when surgeons at Texas Children's Hospital took the tiny fetus from Keri's womb to remove the tumor that would have killed her before she was born. On May 3rd, ten weeks after that, Macie was ‘born again' and the McCartneys welcomed their surgically repaired — and perfectly healthy — baby girl into the world.



The 6-year-old girl who had half of her brain removed



Jessie Hall is a 6-year-old girl from Aledo, Texas, who underwent surgery at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center to remove the right half of her brain and stop her seizures. She has Rasmussen's encephalitis - a progressive inflammatory disease that was destroying the right side of her brain - and is a patient of Eileen Vining, M.D., Director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Center. Her surgery was successfully performed on June 11th, 2008 by world-renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson, M.D. The radical procedure – called a hemispherectomy – is supposed to make her seizure-free.

Jessie had her first seizure while eating a sandwich aboard a boat on Lake Texana in her home state of Texas. She had her second in kindergarten that September of 2007. Her seizures began to increase in severity and number. Her parents brought her to Hopkins Children's and into the care of its pediatric epilepsy program.



The Indian girl who had four limbs removed



This little girl named Lakshmi, after the four-armed Hindu goddess of wealth, is a 2-year-old that was born with four arms, four legs and extra internal organs. She has been successfully operated in India. The surgery was expected to take 40 hours, but after 27 hours, the procedure was over.Doctors said that Lakshmi would not have much chance of living past adolescence if the surgery had not been done.



The conjoined twin girls who got separated



Formerly conjoined twin sisters Trishna and Krishna were discharged from an Australian hospital five weeks after their separation surgery and just in time to celebrate their third birthday. The Bangladeshi- born girls had made amazing progress since the surgery and were already using walkers to move around the hospital. The girls had been joined at the top of their heads and shared brain tissue and blood vessels before their separation in a 30-houroperation involving 16 specialists. They were given just a 25 percent chance of both recovering completely.

The girls were joined by the top and back of the head, meaning they had never seen each other before.



The baby who had his feet fixed in-utero



Australian surgeons saved the feet of a baby in the womb in 2008 by performing what is believed to be the earliest in-utero surgery of its kind in the world. Constricting bands were cutting off the blood to Leah Bowlen's feet when her mother was 22-weeks pregnant. Amniotic bands were cut by delicate surgery from above the ankles of the unborn baby. Amniotic band syndrome or amniotic disruption complex is a congenital limb abnormality. The condition occurs in between one in 12,000 and one in 15,000 live births. Without the ground-breaking surgery, little Leah would have been born with no feet. Now, there is only an indentation mark around her ankle to indicate the problem that was rectified.








Thursday, December 24, 2009

15 Facts You Didn't Know About Your Body Health

15 Facts You Didn't Know About Your Body
Health

Our body is capable of producing aspirin

Eating fruits and vegetables may help the human body make its own aspirin. Findings from the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry indicate that study participants who received benzoic acid, a natural substance in fruits and vegetables, could make their own salicylic acid, the key component that gives aspirin its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.

Taking a nap at work is good for your boss

A 20-minute nap can improve your overall alertness, boost your mood, and increase productivity. William Anthony, co-author of The Art of Napping at Work (Larson Publications, 1999), says the post-nap boost can last for several hours. In addition, your heart may reap benefits from napping. In a six-year study of Greek adults, researchers found that that men who took naps at least three times a week had a 37 percent lower risk of heart-related death.

Ejaculation may cause men to sneeze

Some men experience pain, headaches, or sneezing as a result of ejaculation. The increased activity in the nervous system during orgasm may be the culprit in triggering headaches. A possible explanation for the sneezing is that in the brain, the center for orgasms is close to the centers for yawning and sneezing.

Every person has a unique tongue print

Just like fingerprints. The tongue is a unique organ in that it can be stuck out of mouth for inspection, and yet it is otherwise well protected in the mouth and is difficult to forge. The tongue also presents both geometric shape information and physiological texture information which are potentially useful in identity verification applications.

White skin has evolved over time

It seems we were all black ones (consistent with evolutionary fact of first humans in Africa). White skin was a result of humans moving away from the equator. Also all skin, without coloring, would appear creamy white. Near-surface blood vessels add a blush of red. A yellow pigment also tints the canvas. Lastly, sepia-toned melanin, created in response to ultraviolet rays, appears black in large amounts. These four hues mix in different proportions to create the skin colors of all the peoples of Earth.

The foot is home to the body's thickest area of skin

The skin on the palms and the soles of the feet is 4 mm thick and the thickest skin in the body, the heel portions of the feet being the thickest portions. It's also got the most sweat glands than in any other area.

The appendix isn't as useless as you think

Long denigrated as vestigial or useless, the appendix actually has a reason to be – as a “safe house” for the beneficial bacteria living in the human gut. The beneficial bacteria in the appendix that aid digestion can ride out a bout of diarrhea that completely evacuates the intestines and emerge afterwards to repopulate the gut.

The body is taller in the morning than in the evening

The body is taller in the morning than in the evening. You might want to schedule that basketball game for first thing in the morning. That's because our bodies are on average about half an inch taller in the morning, thanks to excess fluid between our discs, which is replenished while we sleep. As the day goes on, and our bodies undergo the strain of standing, the discs get compressed and the fluid seeps out, so the body loses that small bit of extra height.

Humans glow in the dark

It was revealed by ultra-sensitive cameras that our bodies emit tiny amounts of light that are too weak for the human eye to detect. Amazing pictures of "glittering" human bodies were released by Japanese scientists who have captured the first ever images of human "bioluminescence" . Although it has been known for many years that all living creatures produce a small amount of light as a result of chemical reactions within their cells, this is the first time light produced by humans has been captured on camera. Strangely, the areas that produced the brightest light did not correspond with the brightest areas on thermal images of the volunteers' bodies.

The stomach produces a new lining every 3 days to avoid digesting itself with its own acids

There's one dangerous liquid no airport security can confiscate from you: It's in your gut. Your stomach cells secrete hydrochloric acid, a corrosive compound used to treat metals in the industrial world. It can pickle steel, but mucous lining the stomach wall keeps this poisonous liquid safely in the digestive system, breaking down your lunch but not your own stomach.

Body position affects your memory

Can't remember your anniversary, hubby? Try getting down on one knee. Memories are highly embodied in our senses. A scent or sound may evoke a distant episode from one's childhood. The connections can be obvious (a bicycle bell makes you remember your old paper route) or inscrutable. A recent study helps decipher some of this embodiment. An article in the January 2007 issue of Cognition reports that episodes from your past are remembered faster and better while in a body position similar to the pose struck during the event.

Big brains cause cramped mouths

Evolution isn't perfect. If it were, we might have wings instead of wisdom teeth. Sometimes useless features stick around in a species simply because they're not doing much harm. But wisdom teeth weren't always a cash crop for oral surgeons. Long ago, they served as a useful third set of meat-mashing molars. But as our brains grew our jawbone structure changed, leaving us with expensively overcrowded mouths.

Blondes have more hair

They're said to have more fun, and they definitely have more hair. Hair color determines how dense the hair on your head is. The average human has 100,000 hair follicles, each of which is capable of producing 20 individual hairs during a person's lifetime. Blondes average 146,000 follicles while people with black hair tend to have about 110,000 follicles. Those with brown hair fit the average with 100,000 follicles and redheads have the least dense hair, with about 86,000 follicles.

The average person expels flatulence 14 times each day

Even if you'd like to think you're too dignified to pass gas, the reality is that almost everyone will at least a few times a day.. Digestion causes the body to release gases which can be painful if trapped in the abdomen and not released.

Having orgasms prevent men from prostate cancer

Two large studies, reported in 2003 and 2004, found that middle-aged men who had (or at least remember having) at least four orgasms a week throughout their 20s, 30s and 40s had a reduced risk of prostate cancer by as much as one-third.. Some researchers speculate that ejaculations may clear the prostate of carcinogens.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

few cool facts I heard

few cool facts I heard...







1.
2. By law, every child in Belgium must take harmonica lessons at primary school
When you disturb an ant, it secrets a gas into the air so that ants in a certain radius gets the signal to "Attack!" But outside that radius, it means "Flee!"
3.
When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, including your heart
4.
It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circulate through your whole body
5.
If you heat a diamond to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, it will vanish leaving nothing behind, even ashes.
6.
Nutmeg is extremely dangerous it injected intravenously
7.
All clams start out as males, but some turn into females
8.
Mammals have red blood, insects have yellow blood, and lobsters have clear blood that turns blue when it's exposed to oxygen
9.
It is physically impossible to lick your elbow
10.
Almost everyone who reads all these facts will try to lick their elbow
11.
When bats fly out of a cave, they always turn left
12.
A snail can live three years without food
13.
The fastest speed recorded for a garden snail was .0313 mph
14.
A frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi
15.
Every Labrador retriever dreams about bananas
16.
You can't kill yourself by holding your breath
17.
In every episode of Seinfeld, there is a Superman somewhere
18.
23% of all photocopier faults are caused by people sitting on a photocopier and copying their buttocks
19.
Mosquito repellents don't repell. Instead thay hide you so that the mosquitos' sensor's don't "see" you
20.
Turtles can breathe through their butts
21.
Elephants are the only animals that can't jump
22.
When a possom "plays possom", it really passed out in terror
23.
Real diamonds can be made from peanut butter
24.
You can start a fire with ice
25.
In 2003, the U.S. Government spent about $2,000,000.000 on potato research
26.
Apple seeds are poisonous
27.
In India, people are legally allowed to marry a dog
28.
In France, it's legal to marry a dead person
29.
A recent study by Harvard proved that eating chocolate can make you live longer
30.
In a year, the average person will walk 4 miles to make their bed
31.
All polar bears are left-handed
32.
Smelling green apples and/or bananas can help you lose weight
33.
The phrase "The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog" uses every letter in the alphabet
34.
Due to gravitational effects, you weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead
35.
There's a city in Texas called Ding Dong
36.
In 1976, a Los Angeles secretary named Jannene Swift officially married a fifty pound rock. More than twenty people witnessed the ceremony
37.
A goldfish has a memory span of about three second.
38.
A snail can sleep for three years.
39.
Almonds are a member of the peach family
40.
If the population of China walked past you, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction
41.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite
42.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words
43.
Bibliophobia- Fear of books
44. Men’s shirts have the buttons on the right, but women’s shirts have the buttons on the left.
45. The color blue has a calming effect. It causes the brain to release calming hormones.
46. Every time you sneeze some of your brain cells die
47. When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red
48. Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros
49. Most soccer players run 7 miles in a game
50. Colgate faced big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking countries. Colgate translates into the command “go hang yourself.”
51. Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair
52. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
53. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
54. A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.
55. A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.
56. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. The only thing they remember for 48 hours at the most is where they are.
57. A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
58. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
59. A snail can sleep for three years.
60. Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
61. All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
62. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
63. Butterflies taste with their feet.
64. Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds Dogs only have about 10.
65. "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
66. February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full
moon.
67. In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
68. If the population of China walked past you, in single file, the line
would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
69. If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an
average of 6 months waiting at red lights.
70. It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open
71. Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
72. Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
73. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or
purple.
74. On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament
building is an American flag.
75. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears
never stop growing.
76. Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.
77. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
78. "Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and
"lollipop" with your right.
79. The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.
80. The cruise liner, QE2, moves only twenty-six feet for each gallon of diesel
that it burns.
81. The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and
a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
82. The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every
letter of the alphabet.
83. The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are
read left to right or right to left (palindromes).
84. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
85. There are more chickens than people in the world.






86. There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous":
tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous
87. There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in
order: "abstemious" and "facetious."
88. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
89. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only
on one row of the keyboard.
90. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
91. A rat can last longer without water than a camel
92. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
93. Celery has negative calories. It takes more calories to digest a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
94. Sherlock Holmes NEVER said, "Elementary, my dear Watson."

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

tips for good night sleep

T for good night sleep









1) Stick to a schedule. Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to align to the proper circadian rhythms. Mum was right when she set a time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next morning, you’d wake later and feel overly tired.
2) Sleep only at night. Avoid daytime sleep if possible. Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-minute, power naps.

Exercise. It’s actually known to help you sleep better. Your body uses the sleep period to recover its muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.

Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating just before bed. Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods before bedtime. Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to when you sleep. This allows for digestion to happen (or at least start) well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during the night, rather than churning away your food.

Avoid caffeine. It keeps you awake and that’s now what you want for a good nights sleep. We all know that.

Read a fiction book. It takes you to a whole new world if you really get into it. And then take some time to ponder over the book as you fall asleep. I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book, I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep. Different for others?

Have the room slightly cooler. I prefer this to a hot room. I prefer to turn off the heat and allow the coolness to circulate in and out of the windows. If I get cold, I wear warmer clothes. It also saves on the bills as you’re not going to require the heat all night long.

Sleep in silence. I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy and restful. I guess others are different, but sleep with no distractions is best for a clearer mind.






Avoid alcohol before bedtime. It’s a depressant; although it may make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for some people.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Health Mistakes

Health Mistakes



Crossing our legs:- Do you cross your legs at your knees when sitting? Although we may believe that this is the lady-like elegant way to sit, sitting this way cuts down circulation to your legs. If you don"t want varicose veins to mar the beauty of your legs and compromise your health, uncross your legs every time you realise you have one knee on top of the other. The best way to sit is to simply place both legs together on the floor, balancing your weight equally. If you feel like changing position, instead of crossing your legs, simply move both legs together to one side. As an alternative, you could also consider crossing your legs loosely at the ankles. This is a classically elegant way to sit, and is far better for your legs and your health than sitting with your legs crossed at your knees.

Not changing our toothbrush:- How often do you change your toothbrush? Most of us wait until most of the bristles have either fallen off, or are in such bad shape that we"d be embarrassed to pull out our brush in public. However, since not many of us need to pull out our brush in public, we carry on with our frayed one until we lose it. Replace your toothbrush often. Damaged bristles can harm the enamel, and don"t massage your gums well. If you find brushing your teeth a pain like I do, but know you must do it, you might as well be doing it right. Imagine going through the annoyance of brushing your teeth twice a day only to find out that you"re damaging your enamel every time you clean your teeth. Also, use a brush with soft bristles unless your dentist has advised otherwise.

Eating out often :-There are oils that are high in cholesterol, and oils that cause little harm and are better for your heart. However, no matter how light the oil is, it is never a good idea to eat too much of it. Avoid fried foods.Remember that in all probability your favourite Indian food restaurant throws a huge, HUGE chunk of butter in a tiny bowl of dal. Rita, who worked in the kitchen of a 5 star hotel, was shocked when she saw the cook chop a 500gm butter slab in half, and throw half into a Paneer Makhani dish. No wonder the customers left licking their fingers. And no wonder they felt so stuffed and heavy afterwards. Limit outdoor eating unless you know that you"re getting served light and healthy food.

Skipping breakfast :- Never, ever skip breakfast. Remember, when you wake up in the morning it"s been around 10-12 hours since your last meal. Your body needs food now, more than at any other time. Eat a heavy breakfast. You will then be busy through the day, and the calories will get expended quickly. If you are trying to diet, eat a light dinner. Here are some more common health mistakes we make. Being informed and making a few changes can help make us feel a whole lot better.


High heels:-High heels sure look great, but they're murder for your back. This however doesn't mean you should steer clear of stilettos. Wear them, but not when you know you will be walking around a lot. Wear them when going out for lunch or dinner - when the only walking you will be doing is to your car, to the table, and back. Avoid high heels when you are going somewhere on foot. If you are constantly tempted to wear your heels, take a good look at your flats. Is there something about them you dislike? Invest in a new pair of beautiful flats or shoes with a low heel. Buy something you love, that you will enjoy wearing. If possible, get a matching bag. You will then enjoy your flats as much as you do your heels.


Sleeping on a soft bed :-You don't have to sleep on the floor be kind to your back, but do make sure you have a firm mattress. Although a mattress on springs is soft and lovely to sink into, it's bad for your back. If you already have an old bed with springs, you don't need to invest in a new one - simply get a thick wooden plank put over the springs, and place the mattress on the plank. Similarly, if your mattress is old and lumpy, throw it out and get a new one. Your neck and your back will thank you. The same rule applies to sofas. If you will be spending hours on a sofa, get a firm yet comfortable one. Sofas you completely sink into are not the best idea.

Pillows:- No matter how comfortable sleeping with ten cushions is, have pity on your neck and resist. Sleep with one pillow, and make sure it is not too thick. If your pillow gets lumpy, discard it and go for a new one. Get a thin pillow if you sleep on your stomach, and something a little thicker if you sleep on your back, to give your neck adequate support


Not exercising :- So all of us know we should exercise more, but many of us don't. This is a health mistake we consciously make! And why is that? Simply because we refuse to admit the damage we are causing to our bodies by not working out. A number of people only start working out once they've experienced a warning signal. Don't wait for a heart attack to strike before you decide to opt for a lifestyle change. Make the change now. You don't need to train for the marathon to be in top shape. Half an hour of brisk walking three to four times a week will make a world of difference to your health. You could then increase this to forty minutes, four times a week - and you're all set. If you haven't exercised for a week, you're making a mistake.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Alternative Treatments for Sleep Disorders

Alternative Treatments for Sleep Disorders

Learn more about alternative ways to help sleep through the night.

By the Editors of Prevention

Sleep helps our concentration, ability to heal, memory, and many other things, but today Americans sleep on average one hour less per night than they did 20 or 30 years ago. Lack of sleep can lead to many health problems.

Learn more about common alternative and complementary methods, vitamins, minerals, herbs and foods used to treat sleep disorders, including insomnia. Most of the treatments help your body make serotonin (an important substance for normal nerve and brain function), relax, reduce anxiety and become calm or sedated.

5-HTP

5-HTP is used by the human body to make serotonin, which appears to play significant roles in sleep, emotional moods, pain control, inflammation, intestinal peristalsis, and other body functions.

Avena sativa (oats)

Oat alkaloids are believed to account for the relaxing action of oats, but it should be noted this continues to be debated in Europe.

Catnip

The volatile oil in catnip contains the monoterpene, nepetalactone, which is similar to the valepotriates found in valerian, a more commonly used herbal sedative. Human trials are lacking to prove the effectiveness of catnip for treating insomnia.

Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb commonly drunk as tea, and it is often used to treat sleeping problems because of its relaxing effects.

Hops (Humulus Lupulus)

Hops have been shown to have mild sedative properties, although the mechanism is unclear. Some herbal preparations for insomnia combine hops with more potent sedative herbs, such as valerian.

Kava

The kava-lactones, sometimes referred to as kava-pyrones, are the most important active constituents in kava extracts. High-quality kava rhizome contains 5.5 to 8.3 percent kava-lactones. Medicinal extracts used in Europe contain 30 to 70 percent kava-lactones. Kava-lactones are thought to have anti-anxiety, mild analgesic (pain-relieving) , muscle-relaxing, and anti-convulsant effects. *Beware of potential liver toxicity.

Lavender

The essential oil of lavender contains many constituents, including perillyl alcohol and linalool. The oil is thought to be calming and thus can be helpful in some cases of insomnia. One study of elderly people with sleeping troubles found that inhaling lavender oil was as effective as some commonly prescribed sleep medications. Similar results were seen in another trial that included young and middle-aged people with insomnia.

Lemon balm

The terpenes, part of the pleasant smelling volatile oil from lemon balm, are thought to produce this herb's relaxing and gas-relieving effects. One small preliminary trial studying sleep quality compared the effect of a combination product containing an extract of lemon balm and an extract of valerian root with that of the sleeping drug triazolam (Halcion). The effectiveness of the herbal combination was similar to that of Halcion, as determined by the ability to fall asleep and the quality of sleep. Another trial also found that the same combination of valerian and lemon balm, taken over a two-week period, is effective in improving quality of sleep.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates the human biological clock. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, located within the brain. Levels of melatonin in the body fluctuate with the cycles of night and day. The highest melatonin levels are found at night. Melatonin is present in foods only in trace amounts.

Scullcap (American)

Few studies have been completed on the constituents of American scullcap. One of its constituents, scutellarian, has been reportedly shown to have mild sedative and antispasmodic actions in animal studies. Human trials have not yet been conducted to confirm the use of scullcap for anxiety or insomnia.

Valerian

Valerian root contains many different constituents, including essential oilsthat appear to contribute to the sedating properties of the herb. Central nervous system sedation is regulated by receptors in the brain known as GABA-A receptors. According to test tube studies, valerian may weakly bind to these receptors to exert a sedating action. This might explain why valerian may help some people deal with stress more effectively. Double-blind trials have found that valerian is an effective treatment for people with mild to moderately severe insomnia. Generally, valerian makes sleep more restful as well as making the transition to sleep easier, but does not tend to increase total time slept, according to these studies. Two trials have also found that a combination with lemon balm is effective in improving quality of sleep and in treating insomnia.

Web Brings Love & Happiness For HIV Positive Patients

Web Brings Love & Happiness For HIV Positive Patients

Technically, a HIV positive person can lead normal life with very few exceptions. However, with our society ripped apart with discrimination against them - life of an HIV patient isn’t easy.

Good to see web and internet helping and facilitating HIV positives find love and happiness in real life. An Indian website positivesaathi.com is helping HIV patients world-over to connect and form lifetime bond.
“… Tope lost her husband to AIDS. Six months ago, desperation drove her to post her profile on www.positivesaathi.com, and she has since been in regular contact with an HIV positive Indian man living in Canada, and they plan on getting married next month.”
Tope was frustrated of getting HIV transmitted from husband and even though of suicide. But now with a HIV positive fiance - they are one same ground with better understand and healthy relationship.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-35667920080926?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true
This could be drop in ocean - still a worthy outlet for HIV positives to search for life partners who can understand them BETTER. Top matrimony portals like Shaadi, BharatMatrimony and so on can learn from positivesaathi.com and launch similar positive options for HIV positives.

FOOD & MEDICINE

FOOD      AS      MEDICINE
HEADACHE?   EAT   FISH!   
Eat   plenty of fish -- fish oil helps prevent  headaches.
So  does ginger, which  reduces inflammation and pain.   
HAY   FEVER?   EAT   YOGURT!
Eat   lots of yogurt before pollen season. 
Also-eat honey from  your area (local  region) daily.
TO   PREVENT STROKE   DRINK   TEA! 
Prevent   build-up of fatty deposits on artery walls  with regular  doses of tea.  (actually,   tea suppresses appetite and keeps the  pounds from  invading....Green tea is great  for our immune  system)!
INSOMNIA   (CAN'T SLEEP?)  HONEY! 
Use honey as a tranquilizer and  sedative. 
ASTHMA?   EAT   ONIONS!!!!   
Eating   onions helps ease constriction of  bronchial tubes.  (onion   packs place   on chest   helped   the respiratory ailments and actually made   breathing  better).
ARTHRITIS?   EAT   FISH, TOO!!   
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines  actually  prevent arthritis.  (fish   has omega oils, good for our immune   system)
UPSET   STOMACH?    BANANAS   - GINGER!!!!!   
Bananas   will settle an upset stomach.
Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea. 
BLADDER INFECTION?   DRINK CRANBERRY  JUICE!!!!   
High-acid   cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.   
BONE   PROBLEMS?   EAT   PINEAPPLE!!!   
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple. 
MEMORY   PROBLEMS?   EAT   OYSTERS! 
Oysters   help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc. 
COLDS?   EAT   GARLIC!   
Clear   up that stuffy head with garlic.  (remember,   garlic lowers cholesterol,  too.)
COUGHING?   USE   RED PEPPERS!!   
A substance similar to that found in  the cough syrups is  found in hot red  pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper  with  caution-it can irritate your tummy.   
BREAST   CANCER?    EAT   Wheat, bran and  cabbage 
Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy  levels. 
LUNG   CANCER?   EAT   DARK GREEN AND ORANGE AND  VEGGIES!!! 
A   good antidote is beta carotene, a form of  Vitamin A found in  dark green and orange  vegetables.. 
ULCERS?   EAT   CABBAGE ALSO!!!   
Cabbage contains chemicals that help  heal both gastric  and duodenal ulcers.. 
DIARRHEA?   EAT   APPLES!
Grate   an apple with its skin, let it turn brown  and eat it to cure  this condition.  (Bananas   are good for this  ailment)
CLOGGED   ARTERIES?   EAT   AVOCADO! 
Mono   unsaturated fat in avocados lowers  cholesterol.   
HIGH   BLOOD PRESSURE?   EAT   CELERY AND OLIVE  OIL!!!   
Olive oil has been shown to lower  blood pressure. 
Celery contains a  chemical that lowers pressure too.   
BLOOD   SUGAR IMBALANCE?   EAT   BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!! 
The   chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps  regulate insulin and  blood sugar. 
Kiwi:   Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of  potassium,  magnesium, Vitamin E &  fibre. It's Vitamin C content is  twice  that of an orange. 
Apple:   An apple a day keeps the doctor away?  Although an apple has  a low Vitamin C  content, it has antioxidants &   flavonoids which enhances the activity of  Vitamin C thereby  helping to lower the  risks of colon cancer, heart  attack &  stroke..
Strawberry:   Protective fruit. Strawberries have the  highest total  antioxidant power among  major fruits & protects the body  from  cancer causing, blood vessels clogging   free radicals. (Actually,   any berry is good for you..they're high in  anti-oxidants and  they actually keep us  young..........blueberries are the best  and  very versatile in the health field........they  get rid  of all the free-radicals that  invade our  bodies)
Orange :   Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a  day may help  keep colds away, lower  cholesterol, prevent  & dissolve kidney  stones as well as lessen the risk  of colon  cancer.
Watermelon:   Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92%  water, it is also  packed with a giant dose  of glutathione which helps boost  our  immune system..  They are also a key source  of  lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant.   Other  nutrients   
Found in watermelon are Vitamin  C  & Potassium. (watermelon   also has natural substances [natural SPF  sources] that keep  our skin healthy,  protecting our skin from those darn UV   rays)
Guava   & Papaya:   Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the  clear winners for  their high Vitamin C  content. Guava is also rich in fibre  which  helps prevent constipation. 
Papaya   is rich in carotene, this is good for your  eyes.  (also   good for gas and  indigestion)
Tomatoes   are   very good as a preventative measure for  men, keeps those  prostrate problems from  invading their  bodies......GOOD   AS MEDICINE.

DRINKING WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

DRINKING WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH
DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH
It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven  its value.. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for thefollowing diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.
METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2.. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1.     High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2.     Gastric (10 days)
3.     Diabetes (30 days)
4.     Constipation (10 days)
5.     Cancer (180 days)
6.     TB (90 days)
7.     Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment o nly for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd  week onwards – daily.
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal.
However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.
Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food.. It will line the intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks:
·        Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
·        Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
·        You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
·        Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
·        60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
·        Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep.. Let's be careful and be aware.. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

Eat oily fish to keep brain healthy

 

LONDON: Eating oily fish, rich in vitamin D, may be vital in keeping your brain healthy as you age, according to a new study. 
University of Manchester scientists and other researchers have found that higher levels of vitamin D, synthesised in the skin following sun exposure, is also found in oily fish. The study assessed the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men aged 40 to 79 years at eight test centres in Europe.
It was found that men with higher levels of vitamin D performed consistently better in a simple and sensitive neuro-psychological test that assesses an individual's attention and speed of information processing.
"Previous studies exploring the relationship between vitamin D and cognitive performance in adults have produced inconsistent findings. But we observed a significant, independent association between a slower information processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D," said study author David Lee of Manchester's School of Translational Medicine.
"The main strengths of our study are that it is based on a large population sample and took into account potential interfering factors, such as depression, season and levels of physical activity," Lee said.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Your Most Precious Parts

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Your Most Precious Parts

These five organs aren't the sexiest, but they deserve your full attention. Let's just say your life depends on it.

By Camille Noe Pagán, Women's Health

You're quite a piece of work. No, we mean it: Among its valuable parts, your body contains more than 200 bones, 600 muscles, 22 feet of intestines, dozens of organs, and nearly 100,000 miles of blood vessels. Heck, just one of your eyes contains more than 15 working parts. But of all your bits and pieces, which ones are the most indispensable? On these pages you'll find your body's five anatomical all-stars—and how to keep each one in tip-top shape.

Brain

There are no brain transplants, so taking care of this organ should be your top priority. "The best thing you can do is get enough sleep," says Rhonna Shatz, D.O., associate professor of neurology at Wayne State University in Detroit. Snoozing less than seven hours a night doesn't just compromise your ability to write witty IMs; it short-circuits your memory. "You don't cycle enough through deep sleep, the stage when your body solidifies and stores memories," Shatz explains.

Breaking in those new Adidas can tone up your gray matter too. "Research shows that aerobic exercise increases the generation of new cells in the memory areas of the brain," says Ausim Azizi, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology at Temple University. Of course, the reason Rafael Nadal hasn't solved the global-warming crisis is that "more is not more," Azizi says. To boost your brain, you only need 15 minutes three times a week.

And be smart about what you eat. "Omega-3 fatty acids help keep the brain healthy and may even ward off age-related damage," Shatz says. She recommends several servings a week of omega-3-rich foods, such as salmon, sardines, walnuts, and grass-fed beef.

Heart

Though it won't turn heads at the beach, your heart is the main muscle you've got to keep in top shape. "Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women," says L. Kristin Newby, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center.

First step: Shrink your muffin top. "Research has linked fat in the belly, more than in any other area, to hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart disease," Newby says. Thin your middle by avoiding processed foods; studies have shown that the trans fats they contain create more belly blubber than other forms of dietary fat.

Newby also recommends getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked at least once during your 20s—more often if you have a family history of heart disease or if your numbers are high (your BP shouldn't top 120/80, and your total cholesterol should be under 200). Left unchecked, high cholesterol and blood pressure can clog your arteries and increase your risk for a heart attack later on.

Liver

This multitasker performs more than 5,000 functions, including storing vitamins and minerals and straining alcohol and other toxins out of your system. The more martinis you filter through your liver, however, the more likely you are to injure the organ's cells. And that increases your chances of developing liver disease and cirrhosis, which can lead to cancer and liver failure.

Downing 10 shots in a row is certainly not healthy, but you also put yourself at risk if you drink just a little too much regularly—for example, two or three glasses of wine most nights. The USDA recommends that women have no more than one drink (a "drink" is a shot of liquor, a glass of wine, or a bottle of beer) per day.

But surprisingly, the largest contributing factor to liver disease is obesity. "Fatty deposits in your liver can cause inflammation and scarring, which can contribute to cirrhosis and cancer," says Melissa A. McNeil, M.D., chief of women's health at the University of Pittsburgh. Pump some iron and include protein in every meal to help add lean muscle to your frame. Finally, use your head in bed: Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted through unprotected sex.

Lungs

Your lungs don't take in just oxygen; they also trap viruses, bacteria, and other airborne particles. So the better shape your airbags are in, the less likely you are to get sick.

To keep them pumping, stub out the butts. Twenty percent of women in their 20s and 30s still puff, and "smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, a disease that kills more people than breast, prostate, and colon cancer combined," says Jennifer McCallister, M.D., a critical care and pulmonary medicine specialist at Ohio State University's Heart and Lung Research Institute.

It's unclear how much specific nutrients influence overall lung health, but one thing scientists know for sure: Trading fried shrimp for less-fatty fare is a smart move. "When you're heavy, your respiratory system has to work harder, in part because excess fat in your torso compresses your chest wall," McCallister says. A recent study found that losing 10 percent of excess body weight (if you're 40 pounds overweight, that's just four pounds) improves lung capacity by 5 percent.

Pancreas

Got that "I'm so hungry I could eat a dozen doughnuts" feeling? That's your pancreas at work. Sandwiched between your stomach and your spleen, this organ creates insulin—the hormone that regulates your blood sugar and makes you feel either sated and energized or ravenous and shaky, depending on how much is in your system.

"The steps you take to care for your other organs—not smoking, hitting a healthy weight, and exercising regularly—will keep your pancreas healthy, too," McNeil says. But it's also a good idea to load up on fiber. It reduces the risk of gallstones—tiny pieces of crystallized cholesterol that can cause pancreatitis, a nasty condition that can lead to pancreatic cancer. (They're also twice as common in women.) A study at the University of California at San Francisco found that people who ate two or more servings of high-fiber whole grains a day (equal to about a cup of high-fiber cereal) had a 40 percent lower risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those who ate one serving or less daily.