Find Me A Cure

Many refer to it as ‘nature’s curse on women’. It’s commonly thought of as unclean. In some cultures, women are not even allowed to cook during those days of month. But, path-breaking new research could change the way people view the menstrual cycle. And it’s here in India, for the first time ever. The blood that uselessly leaks away from a woman’s body every month until she hits menopause is a good source of stem cells, which are still at an early stage of development and retain the potential to turn into many different types of cell.

Stem cell research classifies them as a super “repair kit†for the body because they can be used to grow new fat, cartilage, bone, skin, heart and brain cells. Japan and American researchers say menstrual blood could actually be banked and used to save lives. It is supposed to contain adult stem cells that can develop into any of nine different types of cells, including heart, lung, nerve and muscle.

Ajit Kumar is chief scientific officer of LifeCell International, India’s biggest stem cell banking facility and the first in the country to launch a menstrual stem cell banking facility. He says, “The menstrual stem cell comes from the uterine lining (endometrium) that is shed as part of a woman’s menstrual period.â€

Research is ongoing but if established as a success, it would be a huge advance for stem cell research. Stem cell therapy has become controversial in some parts of the world beca-use scientists believe the most useful ones come from embryos. Adult stem cells are rare in mature tissue. But if they are sourced from hitherto-useless, “unclean†menstrual blood, it would redefine the woman’s role as life-giver.

The master stem cell is the zygote and all of human life really begins here. A zygote is created when an egg is fertilised. Thereafter, this master stem cell multiplies as the embryo develops into millions of cells, including a large number of other stem cells. Less specialised stem cells become ever more so with the process continuing throughout pregnancy to create different cells — skin, muscle, nerve or bone. Throughout the life, the body continues to produce stem cells. Kumar says menstrual stem cells are similar to those from bone marrow and embryos, with the added bonus of even faster replication and higher compatibility.

It is an amazing bit of news for stem cell therapy, which is gaining ground across the world as a wonder cure for Parkinson’s, Alz-heimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord damage and much more. Till now, umbilical cord stem cells have been used in 8,000 transplant operations worldwide, says Cryo-Cell a leading global stem cell banking company.

During lab tests, scientists created different types of cells from menstrual stem cells or endometrial regenerative cells (ERCs) as they are known. Within five days, fledgling heart cells had been generated. Kumar says this showed ERCs may be a source of patient-specific stem cells.

It is not hard to bank menstrual blood. The procedure is almost the same as giving a urine sample. Kumar says it may be easier to harvest stem cells from menstrual blood than bone marrow or skin because it is a painless and non-invasive procedure. “Unlike cord blood stem cells, where the cells are frozen directly after extraction, here the blood is expanded before being stored,” he explains.

Preliminary research suggests that menst-rual stem cells could be used to cure a woman’s genetic family, such as parents, sibling or child.

Sources: The Times Of India

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Ibuprofen is better at alleviating childhood fever than paracetamol and should be the drug of first choice, say UK researchers.

The Bristol-based trial involving 156 children aged between six months and six years showed ibuprofen reduced temperature faster than paracetamol.

The British Medical Journal work also says alternating the two drugs could help, which some GPs already recommend.

But experts advised against this, in line with official guidance.

The concern is the relative ease with which children could receive an overdose.

Fever is very common in young children, affecting seven in every 10 preschool children each year. “Parents wanting to use medicines to treat young, unwell children with fever should be advised to use ibuprofen first”..Says Lead researcher, Dr Alastair Hay

It can be miserable for the child and cause anxiety for parents. Most fevers will settle by themselves but a few are caused by serious infections such as pneumonia.

Guidelines published last year by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) say either ibuprofen or paracetamol can be used for children unwell or distressed with fever.

But they say that, due to the lack of evidence, the two drugs should not be given together or alternated.

The researchers from the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, recruited children who had a temperature between 37.8 and 41 degrees centigrade, due to an illness that could be managed at home.

Alternating drugs:

Children were randomised to receive either paracetamol plus ibuprofen, just paracetamol, or just ibuprofen.

The medicines were given over a 48-hour period, with the group of children on both paracetamol and ibuprofen receiving them as separate doses.

This group received one dose of paracetamol every four to six hours (maximum of four doses in 24 hours) and then one dose of ibuprofen every six to eight hours (maximum of three doses in 24 hours).

The children’s condition was followed up at 24 hours, 48 hours and at day five.

The researchers found that in the first four hours children given both medicines spent 55 minutes less time with fever compared to those given paracetamol alone.

But giving two medicines was not markedly better than just giving ibuprofen.

However, over a 24 hour period, children given both medicines experienced 4.4 hours less time with fever than those given just paracetamol, and 2.5 hours less time with fever than those just given ibuprofen.

Safety issues:

Childhood fever :-

*A normal temperature is between 36-36.8C (96.8-98.24F)

*In children, any temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above is considered high and is called a fever

*To find out if your child has a fever, place a thermometer under your child’s armpit or use a special ear thermometer

Dr Alastair Hay, consultant senior lecturer in primary health care at the University of Bristol, who led the study, said: “Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and parents wanting to use medicines to treat young, unwell children with fever should be advised to use ibuprofen first.

“If more sustained symptom control over a 24-hour period is wanted, giving both medicines alternately is better than giving one on its own.

“However, parents should keep a careful record of when doses are given to avoid accidentally giving too much.”

He said he thought it would be appropriate for NICE to review its guidance in light of the new study, saying the current guidance was too cautious.

In an accompanying editorial in the BMJ, Dr Anthony Harnden from the University of Oxford, warned of the relative ease with which children could receive an overdose.

He said that a “more complicated alternating regimen of paracetamol and ibuprofen may be less safe than using either drug alone”.

A spokeswoman for NICE said the 2007 guidance recommended that more research should be conducted on the effectiveness and safety of alternating doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen in reducing fever in children who remain febrile after the first fever-reducing medicine.

She said: “Any newly published research will need to be thoroughly assessed by independent experts as part of the process of updating clinical guidelines.

“This is essential to ensure that any new evidence is of the highest standards before any potential updates can be made to existing guidance.”

Professor Steve Fields, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, advised parents and carers of children with fever to follow the NICE guidance.

“We believe parents should keep it simple. We do not see at this moment any need to change the advice.

“However, this paper does demonstrate that using ibuprofen initially is more effective at reducing temperature and may demonstrate that using both ibuprofen and paracetamol together could have a positive effect.”

“We believe parents should keep it simple. We do not see at this moment any need to change the advice ” … Says Professor Steve Fields, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners

Sources: BBC NEWS: 2nd. Sept.’08

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Botanical Name: Bixa orillana
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Bixaceae
Genus: Bixa
Species: B. orellana
Other Name:Achiote,Annato
Habitat : Tropical region of the American continent.It is cultivated there and in Southeast Asia, where it was introduced by the Spanish in the 17th century.

You may click to see:-> Annatto

Description: Achiote (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree 20 to 30 feet high, leaves broad, heartshape, pointed, flowers in bunches, rosecoloured fruit, heart-shaped, 1 1/4 inches long, reddish brown, covered with stiff prickles. Annatto is obtained by pulping the seeds, allowing the pulp to dry spontaneously and pressing it into cakes, or the seeds are soaked in water, allowed to ferment, and when the colouring matter subsides are collected and formed into cakes. There are two forms of Annatto used in commerce, the Spanish made in Brazil, which is hard, brittle, odourless, and is usually sent over in rolls; and the French, or flag, Annatto which comes from Cayenne, and is bright yellow in colour, firm, sort, and evil-smelling, owing to the fermentive process used in which urine is utilized. The French is superior as a dye. Annatto has a dull fracture, a sweetish odour and a very disagreeable saline bitterish taste. It is inflammable, but does not melt with heat; insoluble in water, though it colours it yellow.

......

Characteristics
The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds, which contain annatto, also called bixin. It can be extracted by stirring the seeds in water. It is used to color food products, such as cheeses, fish, and salad oil. Sold as a paste or powder for culinary use, mainly as a color, it is known as “achiote,” “annatto” or “pimentão doce.” It is a main ingredient in the Mexican spice mixture recado rojo, or “achiote paste.” The seeds are ground and used as a subtly flavored and colorful additive in Latin American, Jamaican and Filipino cuisine. Annatto is growing in popularity as a natural alternative to synthetic food coloring compounds. It is an important ingredient of cochinita pibil, the spicy pork dish made famous in the film Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

Constituents: The chief constituent is a red resinous substance named Bixin.It is best known as the source of the natural pigment annatto, produced from the fruit. The plant bears pink flowers and bright red spiny fruits which contain red seeds. The fruits dry and harden to brown capsules.

Medicinal Action and Uses: In the past it was used internally as medicine, but is now only employed as a colouring agent for ointments and plasters, and sometimes as a substitute for saffron. In South America it is largely used by the Caribs and other Indian tribes to paint their bodies. South American Indians are said to produce directly from the seeds, without fermentation, a brilliant carmine-like colour.

*The achiote has long been used by American Indians to make body paint, especially for the lips, which is the origin of the plant’s nickname, lipstick tree. The use of the dye in the hair by men of the Tsáchila of Ecuador is the origin of their usual Spanish name, the Colorados.

*Parts of the plant can be used to make medicinal remedies for such conditions as sunstroke, tonsilitis, burns, leprosy, pleurisy, apnoea, rectal discomfort, and headaches.

*The sap from fruits is also used to treat type 2 diabetes, and fungal infections.

In this country it is used for colouring cheese, inferior chocolate, etc., and by the Dutch as a butter colouring. It is also used as a dye for fabrics and in the manufacture of varnishes and lacquers.

Adulterants: Annatto is adulterated with ochre, sand gypsum, and a farinaceous matter.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achiote
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/damian06.html

tags: Herbs & Plants author: Mukul comments: No Comments

Just one sleepless night can trigger the key cellular pathway that produces tissue-damaging inflammation, a new study has found.

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During the study, the researchers measured the levels of nuclear factor (NF)-?B, a transcription factor that serves a vital role in the body’s inflammatory signalling, in adults.

These measurements were repeatedly assessed, including in the morning after baseline (or normal) sleep, after partial sleep deprivation (where the volunteers were awake from 11 pm to 3:00 am), and after recovery sleep.

The assessment showed that in the morning after sleep loss, activation of NF-?B signalling was significantly greater than after baseline or recovery sleep, although they found this increase in inflammatory response in only the female subjects.

The researchers said that the new findings suggest a good night’s sleep can ease the risk of both heart disease and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

“The closer that we look at sleep, the more that we learn about the benefits of sleeping. In this case, Irwin and colleagues provide evidence that sleep deprivation is associated with enhancement of pro-inflammatory processes in the body,” said John H. Krystal, M.D., Editor of Biological Psychiatry and affiliated with both Yale University School of Medicine and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

“Our findings suggest even modest sleep loss may play a role in common disorders that affect sweeping segments of the population.” In other words, sleep is vitally important to maintaining a healthy body,” said Dr. Irwin, lead author and director of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at the Semel Institute.

“These findings provide a potential mechanistic avenue through which addressing sleep disturbance might improve health,” Krystal added.

A report appears in the September 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry.

Sources: The Times Of India

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Plastic containers may be deadly for your brain. Canadian researchers have found that Bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical used in making plastic containers, might be responsible for impairing many brain functions such as learning and remembering.

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They also fear that it could be a factor behind Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and depression.

BPA is globally used in making plastic water bottles, baby food bottles, food containers and dental prostheses.

In their study, the researchers at the University of Guelph near here found that BPA might be leaking into the solid or liquid foods kept in the plastic containers.

When these foods and liquids are consumed, they said, the chemical might be getting into the human system, disrupting communication between brain neurons which is vital in understanding and remembering.

According to researcher Neil MacLusky, the slow doses of this chemical badly impair the formation of synapses in the areas of the human brain linked to learning.

As part of their study, the researchers fed African green monkeys at St. Kitts Island with foods containing low levels of BPA for a month.

After that period, they found that the chemical had slowed down the synapses in the monkey brain.

MacLusky said this process was linked to the hormone oestrogen.

“Oestrogen enhances the rate at which some types of synapses are formed and is vital in maintaining normal neuronal structure in regions of the brain that control learning, memory and mood state,” he said in a TV interview.

When monkeys had BPA in their system, he said, it seriously impaired this process, affecting their ability to remember.

Sources: The Times Of India

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Botanical Name :Panax notoginseng, Panax pseudoginseng San qi.
Family: Araliaceae.
Common Name:San Qi,Tan Qi,Teinchi Ginseng
Part Used: Tuberous root.
Collection and habitat: Origin -China, An Asian herb used primarily in Korea, China, and Japan; the root is gathered in the spring or fall. The older the roots, the better.

Description:Tien-chi Ginseng (Panax pseudoginseng) is a unique type of ginseng plant that grows in southwestern China; mainly cultivated in Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces. The main part of the tien-chi plant used as a health product is the root, which is valued for regulating blood circulation, as detailed in a 1979 report (cover pictured here). The flower is used somewhat differently, as a “heat clearing and toxin cleansing” herb, given to reduce inflammation, feverish feeling, skin eruptions, and sore throat.

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All parts of the ginseng plants contain the saponins-known as ginsenosides-that have been shown to be responsible for most of ginseng’s beneficial effects. Additionally, the flowers contain flavonoids that contribute to the cooling and detoxifying action. The flowers have a mild, pleasant taste, and subtle aroma. In China, the flower tea is a favorite summer drink, used to compensate for the hot weather of the central and southern regions. The flowers are collected in early summer and then extracted and concentrated onto cane sugar to yield an instant tea granule, manufactured by Shenbao Corporation of Guanxi Province.

WHAT IT DOES: Tien chi root is sweet and slightly bitter in taste, and warming in action. It stops bleeding while simultaneously reducing blood congestion and clotting. It also relaxes, detoxifies and repairs blood vessels, and speeds wound healing. It is a mild tonic.

Medicinal Uses: Immune tonic and stimulant, adaptogenic, hepatoprotective, antiviral, cardiotonic, anti-inflammatory, anticomplement, antihyperglycemic, antiulcer, antioxidant, hemostatic, analgesic; promotes blood circulation.

Functions in liver disease: Antiviral, hepatoprotective, strong stimulant and tonic for the immune system. Directly active against hepatitis viruses.

Properties: Warming, both hemostatic and anticoagulant (depending on the condition), disperses blood stasis, anti-swelling, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, hypolipemic (raw sanqi), hyperlipemic (cured sanqi), anti-atherosclerotic, antioxidant.

Most Common Traditional Uses: Hemorrhages of various kinds (e.g., coughing blood, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, hematochezia, and metrorrhagia), traumatic injuries with bleeding and pain, stabbing pain in chest and abdomen.

By Chinese standards, tienchi is not an ancient herb, being first described only about 400 years ago, in Li Shi-Zhen’s Ben Cao Gang Mu (circa 1590 A.D.). It is cultivated mainly in southern China, in the provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong, at altitudes between 800 and 1,000 m. Tienchi is closely related to Asian ginseng and American ginseng. Like ginseng, it also contains ginsenosides (esp. Rb1 and Rg1) as its major active components. However, unlike ginseng, tienchi’s most well-known traditional use is not as a tonic but as a hemostatic, and is a common ingredient in many hemostatic formulas both for internal and external applications. Perhaps the most famous formula of this kind is Yunnan Baoyao (White Drug of Yunnan Province) which contains tienchi as a major component. This medicine was carried by both Chinese and American airmen (the Flying Tigers) during World War II to stop bleeding due to wounds and injuries.

After modern chemical and pharmacological studies have shown tienchi to contain ginsenosides and to exhibit broad biological activities that are typical of tonics (cardiovascular, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, normalizing blood lipids and blood pressure, etc.), it is now also used in tonic formulas.

Research Highlights:-

• Studies from China show that it speeds recovery from wounds by over 50% (reported in Dharmananda, 1994).

• Studies have shown that this action is strengthened by repeated administration and tends to be dose-dependent (Gong YH et al., 1991).

• In mouse studies, Tien chi root extract has shown significant anti-tumor activity on skin tumors induced by chemical toxins (Konoshima et al., 1999).

• In a study of patients with essential hypertension, tien chi root saponins, were shown to precipitate remarkable improvement in left ventricular diastolic function. The researchers concluded that the herb could improve heart muscle relaxation by enhancing calcium pump activity, inhibiting intracellular calcium overload, and lightening left ventricular muscle mass (Feng et al., 1997). In spite of this positive effect, however, the herb is not a reliable blood pressure-lowering agent by itself, though it may be a useful addition to a treatment protocol (Lei XL et al., 1986).

•The development of cardiac dysfunction and weakness immediately following traumatic burns is a serious problem, and one that is very difficult to treat. In a placebo controlled trial performed on rats at the Institute of Burn Research in Chongqing, China, researchers determined that tien chi root was effective in improving early post-burn cardiac function (Huang et al., 1999).

• The actions of this herb on the cardiovascular system are complex, involving multiple mechanisms. Studies done at the Chinese Academy of Medical Science in Beijing have shown that the saponins in tien chi root act as calcium channel blockers in neurons (Ma et al., 1997).

• The protection the whole root affords against hypoxic damage is attributed to the improvement of energy metabolism, preserving the structural integrity of neurons (Jiang KY et al., 1995).

• Other effects include lipid-lowering activity (Xu et al., 1993), increased outflow of coronary vessels and relaxed constriction of ileum smooth muscles (Hu Y et al., 1992), and anti-arrhythmic activity (Gao BY et al., 1992).

• A study on rabbits suffering from hemorrhagic shock examined the effects of various combinations of salvia root, tien chi root and chuan xiong rhizome (Ligusticum wallichii). Blood tests showed that all three herbs were effective for relieving blood pressure and heart rate reduction, but that the combination of any two herbs was superior to
using a single herb, improving results and lowering the required dosage (Wang et al., 1997)

Resources:
http://eatmoreherbs.com/zine/ginseng_tienchi.html
http://www.globalherbalsupplies.com/herb_information/ginseng_tienchi.htm#top
http://www.health-report.co.uk/phytochi_tienchi_ginseng.html
http://oneearthherbs.squarespace.com/important-herbs/tien-chi-root-panax-notoginseng.html
http://www.itmonline.org/jintu/tienchi.htm

tags: Herbs & Plants author: Mukul comments: No Comments

Definition:
A heart block is a disease in the electrical system of the heart. This is opposed to coronary artery disease, which is disease of the blood vessels of the heart. While coronary artery disease can cause angina (chest pain) or myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart block can cause lightheadedness, syncope (fainting), and palpitations.

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The heart has four chambers. The top two are called the atria. The bottom two are called the ventricles.
The heart’s “natural” pacemaker is called the sinoatrial (SA) node or sinus node. It’s a small mass of specialized cells in the heart’s right atrium. It produces electrical impulses that make your heart beat. For your heart to beat properly, the signal must travel from the SA node down a specific path to reach the ventricles. As the signal goes from the atria to the ventricles, it passes through specialized conducting tissue called the atrioventricular (A’tre-o-ven-TRIK’u-ler) (AV) node.

On an electrocardiogram (e-lek”tro-KAR’de-o-gram) (ECG), a portion of the graph called the P wave shows the impulse passing through the atria. Another portion of the graph, the QRS wave, shows the impulse passing through the ventricles. As long as the impulse is transmitted normally, the heart pumps and beats at a regular pace.

Sometimes the signal from the heart’s upper to lower chambers is impaired or doesn’t transmit. This is “heart block” or “AV block.” This does not mean that the blood flow or blood vessels are blocked.

Heart block is classified according to the level of impairment — first-degree heart block, second-degree heart block or third-degree (complete) heart block.

Types of heart block
A heart block can be a blockage at any level of the electrical conduction system of the heart.

1.Blocks that occur within the sinoatrial node (SA node) are described as SA nodal blocks.
2.Blocks that occur within the atrioventricular node (AV node) are described as AV nodal blocks.
3.Blocks that occur below the AV node are known as infra-Hisian blocks (named after the bundle of His).
4.Blocks that occur within the left or right bundle branches are known as bundle branch blocks.
5.Blocks that occur within the fascicles of the left bundle branch are known as hemiblocks.

Clinically speaking, most of the important heart blocks are AV nodal blocks and infra-Hisian blocks.

Types of SA nodal blocks
The SA nodal blocks rarely give symptoms. This is because if an individual had complete block at this level of the conduction system (which is uncommon), the secondary pacemaker of the heart would be at the AV node, which would fire at 40 to 60 beats a minute, which is enough to retain consciousness in the resting state.

Types of SA nodal blocks include:

SA node Wenckebach (Mobitz I)
SA node Mobitz II
SA node exit block
In addition to the above blocks, the SA node can be suppressed by any other arrhythmia that reaches it. This includes retrograde conduction from the ventricles, ectopic atrial beats, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter.

The difference between SA node block and SA node suppression is that in SA node block an electrical impulse is generated by the SA node that doesn’t make the atria contract. In SA node suppression, on the other hand, the SA node doesn’t generate an electrical impulse because it is reset by the electrical impulse that enters the SA node.

Types of AV nodal blocks
There are four basic types of AV nodal block:

First degree AV block
Second degree AV block
Type 1 second degree AV block (Mobitz I) (also known as Wenckebach phenomenon)
Third degree AV block (Complete heart block)

Types of infra-Hisian block
Infrahisian block describes block of the distal conduction system. Types of infrahisian block include:

Type 2 second degree heart block (Mobitz II)
Left bundle branch block
Left anterior fascicular block
Left posterior fascicular block
Right bundle branch block
Of these types of infrahisian block, Mobitz II heart block is considered most important because of the possible progression to complete heart block.

Symptoms:
The symptoms and severity of heart block depend on which type you have. First-degree heart block rarely causes severe symptoms.

Second-degree heart block may result in the heart skipping a beat or beats. This type of heart block also can make you feel dizzy or faint.

Third-degree heart block limits the heart’s ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. This type of heart block may cause fatigue (tiredness), dizziness, and fainting. Third-degree heart block requires prompt treatment, because it can be fatal.

A medical device called a pacemaker is used to treat third-degree heart block and some cases of second-degree heart block.

This device uses electrical pulses to make the heart beat at a normal rate.

Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms at all.

It is important to note that during a period of heart block, persons may not know how to describe what they are feeling. They may have trouble keeping up with other persons, realize they are having “spells” and want to sit down and rest.

Causes:
Heart block has a variety of causes. It can sometimes be a result of a congenital defect. It can also occur after a heart attack or as a result of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), cardiomyopathy (a disorder of the heart muscle) and other types of heart disease. Although these conditions are more common in older people, young people can also be affected.

Heart block may also occur after heart surgery and in this case may be either temporary or permanent. Wenckebach block may occur as a result of taking too much digoxin, or can occur after a heart attack. Heart block may be caused by coronary artery disease, inflammation of the heart muscle, rheumatic fever, or overdose of certain heart drugs. Treatment depends on the degree of heart block experienced. Some cases need no treatment while others require medication or an artificial pacemakers.

Diagnosis

Heart block may occur spontaneously with unpredictable timing. Therefore, in some cases, the condition may require specialized tests to acquire an accurate diagnosis. If your doctor suspects that a person has heart block, he or she will order one or more of the following diagnostic tests to determine the cause of person’s symptoms.

Electrocardiogram -- An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) records the heart’s electrical activity. Small patches called electrodes are placed on person’s chest, arms and legs, and are connected by wires to the ECG machine. The electrical impulses of your child’s heart are translated into a graph or chart, enabling doctors to determine the pattern of electrical current flow in the heart and to diagnose arrhythmias.

Holter Monitor — A Holter monitor is a small, portable machine that the person wears for 24 hours. It is about the size of a portable tape player and provides a continuous 24-hour recording of your child’s heartbeat onto a tape. You will be asked to keep a diary of your activities and symptoms. This monitor may detect arrhythmias that might not show up on a resting electrocardiogram, which only records a heartbeat for a few seconds at rest.

Event Monitor – This is a small monitor about the size of a pager that the person can have for up to a month. Since the arrhythmia may occur at unpredictable times, this will help to record the abnormal rhythm when he or she is experiencing symptoms. He or she can just push a button on the pager and record the heartbeat. The recording can than be transmitted by phone to the doctor.

Exercise Stress Test -- An exercise stress or treadmill test, records the electrical activity of the person’s heart during exercise, which differs from the heart’s electrical activity at rest.

Electrophysiology Study -- In an electrophysiology (EP) study, doctors insert special electrode catheters — long, flexible wires — into veins and guide them into the heart. These catheters sense electrical impulses and also may be used to stimulate different areas of the heart. Doctors can then locate the sites that are causing arrhythmias. The EP study allows doctors to examine an arrhythmia under controlled conditions and acquire more accurate, detailed information than with any other diagnostic test.

Treatment
Heart block is a rhythm disturbance that can be treated with the implantation of a permanent pacemaker. The pacemaker helps your heart beat consistently. A pacemaker is a medical device that regulates the heart beat. It consists of two parts — the generator and the lead. The generator is a small metal container with a battery and tiny computer. The lead is an insulated wire that carries electrical impulses to the heart to ensure a stable heartbeat.

The computer in the pacemaker is constantly monitoring your heartbeat. This is called sensing. When the pacemaker senses your heartbeat, it continues to “watch” or monitor your heart and does not send a signal to stimulate the heart to beat. If no electrical impulse is sensed by the pacemaker, it sends out a signal to stimulate your childs heart to beat.

Proper Yoga exercise specially Deep Breathing and Pranayama are very helpful for all types of heart block.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4611
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_block
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hb/hb_whatis.html
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/medical_services/heart_center/arrhythmia/conditions/block/diagnosis.html
http://heart-disease.health-cares.net/heart-block-causes.php

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tags: Ailmemts & Remedies, Fruits & Vegetables author: Mukul comments: No Comments

Men with elevated levels of calcium in their blood may have a much higher risk of getting fatal prostate cancer, US researchers said .

The findings indicate that a simple blood test may identify men at high risk for the most dangerous prostate tumors, and there already are drugs available that cut calcium levels in the bloodstream, the researchers said.

They tracked 2,814 men in a US government health survey in which they gave blood samples that revealed calcium levels. The men in the top third of blood calcium levels had 2.68 times the risk of developing fatal prostate cancer later in life compared to those in the bottom third, the study found.

“If serum calcium really does increase your risk for fatal prostate cancer, that’s wonderfully exciting because serum calcium levels can be changed,” Gary Schwartz of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, who helped lead the study, said in a telephone interview.

“One way to think of it is to think of the tremendous advances in the control of cardiovascular disease that occur from understanding that things like serum cholesterol predict heart attack,” Schwartz added.

Doctors have struggled to find ways to predict if a man who gets prostate cancer will have a tumor that poses little danger, as is often the case, or one that is a killer.

Blood calcium was not very predictive of whether a man would get nonlethal prostate cancer, but was highly predictive of whether a man would get a fatal case, the researchers wrote in the American Association for Cancer Research’s journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The blood samples on average were given a decade before the cancer appeared, the researchers said.

A COMMON CANCER

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in men worldwide, with about 780,000 men diagnosed per year, and the sixth mostly deadly form in men, with about 250,000 deaths per year, the American Cancer Society said.

Schwartz said it is unclear whether it is the actual calcium or blood levels of parathyroid hormone, which is supposed to keep calcium levels at normal levels in the bloodstream, that is raising the risk. Either way, he said there are drugs that can lower them, including Fontus Pharmaceuticals Inc’s Rocaltrol, also called calcitriol; Genzyme Corp’s Hectorol (doxercalciferol); Abbott Laboratories‘ Zemplar (paricalcitol); and Amgen Inc’s Sensipar (cinacalcet).

People treated for high blood calcium usually have chronic kidney disease, which is associated with low vitamin D levels. Low vitamin D levels elevate parathyroid hormone levels, Schwartz said.

Halcyon Skinner of the University of Wisconsin, who also worked on the study, said there is little relationship between calcium in the diet and blood calcium levels, so these men would not benefit from eating less food rich in calcium.

Previous research had suggested a role for calcium in prostate cancer. In laboratory studies, parathyroid hormone and calcium promote the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Sources: The Times Of India

tags: News on Health/Science author: Mukul comments: No Comments

Botanical Name: Dorema ammoniacum (D. DON.)

Family: N.O. Umbelliferae/Apiaceae (ay-pee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Dorema
Species: ammoniacum
Synonyms: Gum Ammoniac.
Part Used: The gum resin exuding from the flowering and fruiting stem of Dorema ammoniacum and probably other species.
Habitat: Persia, extending into Southern Siberia.

Description: The plant grows to height of about 7 feet and in spring and early summer contains a milky juice. It is visited by numbers of beetles which puncture the stem and thus cause an exudation, part of which dries on the stem, the rest falling to the ground where it becomes mixed with stones and other impurities found in the gum collected by the natives.Its whole stem is pervaded with a milky juice, which oozes out on an incision being made at any part.
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The gum resin is found in special cavities in the tissues of the stem, root and petioles of the leaves. The name of the drug is said to be derived from the Temple of Jupiter Ammon in the Libyan Desert where it was collected by the ancients. The gum resin occurs in commerce in two forms, tear ammoniacum and lump or block ammoniacum. The former alone is official in England and consists of pale yellow nodular masses varying in size from a pea to a walnut, brittle when cold but softens on warming, fractured surface, milky white or pale brown in colour. The lump ammoniacum, which is that collected from the ground, is used sometimes but is not official in medicine. The odour of the drug is slight, taste acrid and persistent.

The milky juice quickly hardens into round tears, forming the “tear ammoniacum” of commerce. “Lump ammoniacum,” the other form in which the substance is met with, consists of aggregations of tears, frequently incorporating fragments of the plant itself, as well as other foreign bodies. Ammoniacum has a faintly fetid, unpleasant odor, which becomes more distinct on heating; externally it possesses a reddish-yellow appearance, and when the tears or lumps are freshly fractured they exhibit a waxy luster. It is chiefly collected in central Persia, and comes to the European market by way of Bombay. Ammoniacum is closely related to asafoetida and galbanum (from which, however, it differs in yielding no umbelliferone) both in regard to the plant which yields it and its therapeutical effects. Internally it is used in conjunction with squills in bronchial affections; and in asthma and chronic colds it is found useful, but it has no advantages over a number of other substances of more constant and active properties (Sir Thomas Fraser).

Constituents: The drug contains volatile oil resin and gum. The resin consists of an indifferent resene associated with ammoresinotannol combined with salicylic acid.

Medicinal Action and Uses: Taken internally, it acts by facilitating expectoration and is of value in chronic bronchitis, especially in the aged when the secretion is tough and viscid. The resin has a mild diuretic action. It is antispasmodic and stimulant and is given sometimes as a diaphoretic and emmenagogue, used as a plaster for white swellings of the joints and for indolent tumours. Its use is of great antiquity and is mentioned by Hippocrates.

Preparations and Dosages: Ammoniacum mixture, B.P. 4 to 8 drachms. Ammoniacum in powder, 1 part; syrup of balsam of tolu, 2 parts; distilled water, 30 parts. Dose, 1/2 to 1 fluid ounce. Dose of the powdered gum, 5 to 15 grains, B.P.C. Dose of the powdered gum, 10 to 30 grains, U.S.P.

Ammoniacum Gummi - Homeopathic Remedies

Other Species: African Ammoniacum or ‘feshook,’ from Ferula Communis is not a commercial article. The Mahommedans use if for incense; this variety grows well in the author’s garden at Chalfont St. Peter.

The “tear ammoniacum” is officinal. African ammoniacum is the product of a plant said to be Ferula tingitana, which grows in North Africa; it is a dark colored gum-resin, possessed of a very weak odor and a persistent acrid taste.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/ammon032.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammoniacum

tags: Herbs & Plants author: Mukul comments: No Comments

Other names: dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate

Synonyms and brand names:
Synonyms for Dehydroepiandrosterone are: Dehydroisoandrosterone; 3?-Hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one; 3?-Hydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one; Dehydroisoandrosterone; Hydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one; Prasterone; trans-Dehydroandrosterone.

Brand names for DHEA include Prastera, Fidelin and Fluasterone; supplement versions are manufactured from wild Mexican yam.

Definition: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a natural steroid prohormone produced from cholesterol by the adrenal glands, the gonads, adipose tissue, brain and in the skin (by an autocrine mechanism).The body converts DHEA to male and female sex hormones. DHEA is the precursor of androstenedione, which can undergo further conversion to produce the androgen testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol. DHEA is also a potent sigma-1 agonist.

DHEA levels typically peak by the time people are in their 20s and decline with age, which is why there has been considerable interest in DHEA and its role in aging. In fact, DHEA supplements have been touted as an anti-aging hormone because lower levels of DHEA have been reported in some people with type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, AIDS, adrenal insufficiency, kidney disease and anorexia. Certain medications may also deplete DHEA, such as corticosteroids, insulin, opiates and danazol.

DHEA is manufactured naturally in the body, but DHEA supplements can also be made in a laboratory from a substance called diosgenin, found in soybeans and wild yam. Wild yam cream and supplements are often promoted as being a natural source of DHEA, but the body can’t convert wild yam to DHEA on its own — the conversion must be done in a laboratory.

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Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is the sulfated version of DHEA. This conversion is reversibly catalyzed by sulfotransferase (SULT2A1) primarily in the adrenals, the liver, and small intestine. In the blood, most DHEA is found as DHEAS with levels that are about 300 times higher than those of free DHEA. Orally-ingested DHEA is converted to its sulfate when passing through intestines and liver. Whereas DHEA levels naturally reach their peak in the early morning hours, DHEAS levels show no diurnal variation. From a practical point of view, measurement of DHEAS is preferable to DHEA, as levels are more stable.

Production:DHEA is produced from cholesterol through two cytochrome P450 enzymes. Cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone by the enzyme P450 scc (side chain cleavage); then another enzyme, CYP17A1, converts pregnenolone to 17?-Hydroxypregnenolone and then to DHEA. In humans, DHEA is the dominant steroid hormone and precursor of all sex steroids.

Note : DHEA can be synthesized in a laboratory using wild yam extract. However, it is believed that wild yam cannot be converted into DHEA by the body. Therefore, information that markets wild yam as a “natural DHEA” may be inaccurate.

Role
DHEA can be understood as a prohormone for the sex steroids. DHEAS may be viewed as buffer and reservoir. As most DHEA is produced by the zona reticularis of the adrenal, it is argued that there is a role in the immune and stress response.[who?]

As almost all DHEA is derived from the adrenal glands, blood measurements of DHEAS/DHEA are useful to detect excess adrenal activity as seen in adrenal cancer or hyperplasia, including certain forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome tend to have elevated levels of DHEAS.

Evidence
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.

Uses based on scientific evidence Grade:-
Adrenal insufficiency
Several studies suggest that DHEA may improve well-being, quality of life, exercise capacity, sex drive, and hormone levels in people with insufficient adrenal function (Addison’s disease). Though promising, additional study is needed to make a strong recommendation. Adrenal insufficiency is a serious medical condition and should be treated under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist.

Depression
The majority of clinical trials investigating the effect of DHEA on depression support its use for this purpose under the guidance of a specialist. Further research is needed to confirm these results.

Obesity
The majority of clinical trials investigating the effect of DHEA on weight or fat loss support its use for this purpose. Further research is needed to confirm these results.

Systemic lupus erythematosus
The majority of clinical trials investigating the effect of DHEA for systemic lupus erythematosus support its use as an adjunct treatment. Additional study is needed to confirm these results.

Aging
DHEA may offer some benefit to individuals in terms of aging. Small increases in bone mineral density have been seen, but more study is needed to confirm these findings.

Alzheimer’s disease
Initial research reports that DHEA does not significantly improve cognitive performance or change symptom severity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, but some experts disagree. Additional study is warranted in this area.

Bone density
The ability of DHEA to increase bone density is under investigation. Effects are not clear at this time.

Cardiovascular disease
Initial studies report possible benefits of DHEA supplementation in patients with cholesterol plaques (”hardening”) in their arteries. There is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of DHEA supplements in patients with heart failure or diminished ejection fraction. Other therapies are more proven in this area, and patients with heart failure or other types of heart disease should discuss treatment options with a cardiologist.

Cervical cancer
Initial research reports that the use of intravaginal DHEA may be safe and may promote regression of low-grade cervical lesions. However, further study is necessary in this area before a firm conclusion can be drawn. Patients should not substitute the use of DHEA for more established therapies, and they should discuss management options and follow-up with a primary healthcare professional or gynecologist.

Chronic fatigue syndrome
The scientific evidence remains unclear regarding the effects of DHEA supplementation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Better research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.

Cocaine withdrawal
Preliminary study shows that DHEA is not beneficial in treating cocaine dependence, but further study is needed before a firm conclusion can be drawn.

Critical illness
Unclear scientific evidence exists surrounding the safety or effectiveness of DHEA supplementation in critically ill patients. At this time, it is recommended that severe illness in the intensive care unit be treated with more proven therapies.

Crohn’s disease
Initial research reports that DHEA supplements are safe for short-term use in patients with Crohn’s disease. Preliminary research suggests possible beneficial effects, although further research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.

Dementia
Early evidence gives conflicting results as to whether DHEA offers benefit to individuals with dementia.

Heart failure
There is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of DHEA supplements in patients with heart failure. Other therapies are proven in this area, and patients with heart failure or other types of heart disease should discuss treatment options with a cardiologist.

HIV/AIDS
Although some studies suggest that DHEA supplementation may be beneficial in patents with HIV, results from different studies do not agree with each other. There is currently not enough scientific evidence to recommend DHEA for this condition, and other therapies are more proven in this area.

Induction of labor
Preliminary evidence suggests that DHEA may help to induce labor. Further research is needed and people who are pregnant should not self-treat.

Infertility
DHEA supplementation may be beneficial in women with ovulation disorders. There is currently not enough scientific evidence to form a clear conclusion about the use of DHEA for this condition.

Menopausal disorders
Many different aspects of menopause have been studied using DHEA as a treatment, such as vaginal pain, osteoporosis, hot flashes, emotional disturbances such as fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, difficulties with concentration and memory, or decreased sex drive (which may occur near the time of menopause). Study results disagree and additional study is needed in this area.

Myotonic dystrophy
There is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of DHEA supplements for myotonic dystrophy. Better research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.

Ovulation disorders
Low-quality studies suggest that DHEA supplements may benefit women with ovulation disorders. However, results of research in this area are conflicting, and safety is not established.

Partial androgen deficiency
Restoring DHEA levels to young adult values seems to benefit the age-related decline in physiological functions. However, additional study is required to confirm these preliminary results.

Psoriasis
Study results suggest that DHEA offers no benefit to individuals with psoriasis, but some disagree. Additional study is needed before a firm recommendation can be made.

Rheumatoid arthritis
Preliminary evidence from a case series suggests that DHEA likely offers no benefit to individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Well-designed clinical trials with appropriate endpoints are required before a strong recommendation can be made.

Schizophrenia
Initial research reports benefits of DHEA supplementation in the management of negative, depressive, and anxiety symptoms of schizophrenia. Some of the side effects from prescription drugs used for schizophrenia may also be relieved. Further study is needed to confirm these results before a firm conclusion can be drawn.

Septicemia (serious bacterial infections in the blood)
Unclear scientific evidence exists surrounding the safety or effectiveness of DHEA supplementation in septic patients. At this time, more proven therapies are recommended.

Sexual function / libido / erectile dysfunction
The results of studies vary on the use of DHEA in erectile dysfunction and sexual function, in both men and women. Better research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.

Sjogren’s syndrome
DHEA showed no evidence of efficacy in Sjogren’s syndrome in preliminary study. Without evidence for efficacy, patients with Sjogren’s syndrome should avoid using unregulated DHEA supplements, since long-term adverse consequences of exposure to this hormone are unknown. Further research is needed in this area.

Skin aging
Preliminary study suggests the possibility of using DHEA topically as an anti-skin aging agent. Further research is needed to confirm these results.

Fibromyalgia (postmenopause)
DHEA does not seem to improve quality of life, pain, fatigue, cognitive function, mood, or functional impairment in fibromyalgia.

Immune system stimulant
It is suggested by some textbooks and review articles that DHEA can stimulate the immune system. However, current scientific evidence does not support this claim.

Memory
Studies of the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on cognition have produced complex and inconsistent results. Additional study is warranted in this area.

Muscle strength
Many study results in this area conflict but overall the current available evidence in this area is negative. Further research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn

Disputed effects
In the United States, DHEA or DHEAS have been advertised with claims that they may be beneficial for a wide variety of ailments. DHEA and DHEAS are readily available in the United States, where they are marketed as over-the-counter dietary supplements. A 2004 review in the American Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that “The marketing of this supplement’s effectiveness far exceeds its science.” Because DHEA is converted to androstenedione and then testosterone, it has two chances to aromatize into estrogen- estrone from androstenedione, and estradiol from testosterone. As such, it is possible for increases in estrogen levels more than testosterone in men.

Increasing endogenous production
Regular exercise is known to increase DHEA production in the body. Caloric restriction has also been shown to increase DHEA in primates. Some theorize that the increase in endogenous DHEA brought about by caloric restriction is partially responsible for the longer life expectancy known to be associated with caloric restriction

Legality
DHEA supplements were taken off the U.S. market in 1985 because of concerns about false claims regarding its benefits. It became available only by prescription but was reintroduced as a nutritional supplement after the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was passed in 1994.

United States
A bill has been introduced, in March 2007, in the U.S. Senate (S. 762) that attempts to classify DHEA as a controlled substance under the category of anabolic steroids. The sponsor is Charles Grassley (R-IA). The cosponsors are Richard Durbin (D-IL), and John McCain (R-AZ).[30] This bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Then in December 2007, Charles Grassley introduced the “S. 2470: Dehydroepiandrosterone Abuse Reduction Act of 2007,” in an attempt to amend the Controlled Substances Act to make “unlawful for any person to knowingly selling, causing another to sell, or conspiring to sell a product containing dehydroepiandrosterone to an individual under the age of 18 years, including any such sale using the Internet,” without a prescription. The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Canada
In Canada, a prescription is required to buy DHEA

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydroepiandrosterone
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/dhea/a/dhea.htm

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tags: Suppliments our body needs author: Mukul comments: No Comments

People who don’t think life is worth living are more likely to die within the next few years, research from Japan shows.

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The increased death risk was mainly due to cardiovascular disease and external causes — most commonly, suicide.

The research is the largest to date to investigate how ‘ikigai’, or “joy and a sense of well-being from being alive”, affects mortality risk, and only the second to examine death from specific causes, according to Toshimasa Sone and colleagues from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Sendai.

The investigators looked at 43,391 men and women 40 to 79 years old living in the Ohsaki region who were followed for seven years, during which time 3,048 died. All were asked, “Do you have ikigai in your life?” Fifty-nine per cent said yes, 36.4% said they weren’t sure, and 4.6% said no.

Those who didn’t have a sense of ikigai were less likely to be married or employed, and were also less educated, in worse health, more mentally stressed, and in more bodily pain. They were also more likely to have limited physical function.

But even after the researchers used statistical techniques to adjust for these factors, people with no sense of ikigai were still at increased risk of dying over the follow-up period compared to people who did have ikigai. The relationship also was independent of history of illness and alcohol use.

Overall, people with no sense of ikigai were 50% more likely to die from any cause during follow-up compared to those who did have a sense that life was worth living. They had a 60% greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease, most commonly stroke, and were 90% more likely to die of “external” causes. Of the 186 deaths due to external causes among study participants, 90 were suicides.

Another study released in August said that happiness could increase a person’s life span by 7.5 to 9 years.

“Happiness does not heal, but happiness protects against falling ill,” reported Ruut Veenhoven of Rotterdam’s Erasmus University. The Dutch professor said the effects of happiness on longevity were “comparable to that of smoking or not”.

Sources: The Times Of India

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“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is a phrase that contains more than a grain of truth. It describes the theory of hormesis — the process whereby organisms exposed to low levels of stress or toxins become more resistant to tougher challenges.

The theory of hormesis has been around for decades, but has long been met with skepticism or downright suspicion. In recent years, however, biologists have pieced together a clear molecular explanation of how it works, and hormesis has finally been accepted as a fundamental principle of biology and biomedicine.

As an example, exposing mice to small doses of gamma ray radiation shortly before irradiating them with very high levels of gamma rays actually decreases the likelihood of cancer. A similar effect occurs when dioxin is given to rats.

The biochemical mechanisms by which hormesis works are not well understood. It is thought that a low dose of a toxin can trigger certain repair mechanisms in the body, and these mechanisms, having been initiated, are efficient enough that they not only neutralize the toxin’s effect, but can even repair other defects not caused by the toxin.

One of the areas where the concept of hormesis has been explored extensively is aging. It is thought that exposing cells to mild stress could result in the adaptive or hormetic response that has anti-aging effects. Some of the mild stresses that might work for this include heat shock, irradiation, pro-oxidants, hypergravity, food restriction, and even exercise.

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– Frequent sexual intercourse may cut down on a man’s chances of developing erectile dysfunction, Finnish researchers report.

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“This is the same as any other part of the body. It’s what we in vascular surgery refer to as the ‘use it or lose it’ concept,” said Dr. Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad, an associate professor of urology at UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School Hackensack University Medical Center. “Sexual activity will promote maintenance of normal erectile function down the line.”

The report was published in the July issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

In the study, led by Dr. Juha Koskimaki, from Tampere University Hospital’s Department of Urology, researchers collected data on 989 Finnish men aged 55 to 75 years old.

The researchers found that men who said they had sexual intercourse less than once a week had twice the risk of developing erectile dysfunction, compared with men reporting having sexual intercourse once a week.

Among men who had sexual intercourse less than once a week, there were 79 cases of erectile dysfunction per 1,000 men. That number dropped to 32 cases per 1,000 among men who said they had sexual intercourse once a week, and it dropped even further, to 16 per 1,000, among men who said they had sexual intercourse three or more times a week, the researchers reported.

The frequency of morning erections was not associated with the incidence of moderate erectile dysfunction, the researchers noted.

However, the development of complete erectile dysfunction could be predicted from the frequency of morning erections. Among men with less than one morning erection a week, the risk of developing erectile dysfunction was 2.5-fold greater than among men who had two to three morning erections per week.

“Regular intercourse has an important role in preserving erectile function among elderly men, whereas morning erection does not exert a similar effect,” Koskimaki said in a statement. “Continued sexual activity decreases the incidence of erectile dysfunction in direct proportion to coital frequency.”

Sadeghi-Nejad said there is a scientific basis for this finding, and it also has implications for rehabilitation of patients after prostate cancer treatment.

“What is very hot these days is what we can do to rehabilitate people who develop erection problems after prostate cancer surgery or radiation therapy,” Sadeghi-Nejad said. “Anything you can do to increase oxygenation in the penis will help get patients back to normal.”

If one can naturally engage in behaviors that increase blood flow to the penis, it will have a positive effect in preventing erectile dysfunction, Sadeghi-Nejad said.

Sadeghi-Nejad noted that the study only addressed intercourse, and not masturbation. “This is essentially the same concept,” Sadeghi-Nejad said. “Anything you can do to bring blood to the penis is beneficial,” he added.

More information

For more about sexual dysfunction, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Sources:msn health & fitness

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Every person who takes up running has been confronted by a “helpful†critic who is more than happy to reel off the reasons running will ruin your life. Here’s a look at three questionable claims about running and health:

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1. Running will give you a heart attack or other heart problems. It is true that exercise temporarily raises the odds of a heart attack while you’re mid-workout, but doing it consistently reduces that risk over the long haul, leading to a net benefit. Going for a run most days of the week is doing far more good than bad for your heart.

2. Running will ruin your bones and joints. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found no evidence of accelerated rates of osteoarthritis among long-distance runners. Weight-bearing exercise like running helps stave off osteoporosis by maintaining bone mineral density.

3. Running will kill you before your time. According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, running and other vigorous exercise in middle age is associated with a longer life. Not only that, it will make your later years more pleasant by reducing disability.

Sources:
U.S. News & World Report August 13, 2008
American Journal of Preventive Medicine August 2008; 35(2):133-8
Archives of Internal Medicine August 11, 2008; 168(15):1638-46

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Botanical Name: Erythronium Americanum (KER-GAWL)
Family: N.O. Liliaceae

Synonyms: Serpent’s Tongue. Dog’s Tooth Violet. Yellow Snowdrop.
Other Names: Adder’s tongue, American trout-lily, Dog’s tooth violet, Serpent’s Tongue, Yellow Adder’s-tongue, Yellow fawn-lily, Yellow Snowdrop
Parts Used: Leaves, bulbs.
Habitat: Eastern United States of America, from New Brunswick to Florida, and westwards to Ontario and Arkansas.
The American Dog’s Tooth Violet or Adder’s Tongue, Erythronium Americanum (Ker Gawl), is a very beautiful early spring flower of the Eastern United States of America, belonging to the Lily family. It grows in damp, open woodlands from New Brunswick to Florida and westwards to Ontario and Arkansas.

Description:Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum) are a beautiful spring wildflower that dot the forest landscape with bright yellow blossoms. Their common name comes from the leaf which is covered with brown spots like the speckled body of a trout.

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The plant, which is quite smooth, grows from a small, slender, ovoid, fawn-coloured corm, 1/3 to 1 inch long which is quite deeply buried in the soil and is of solid, firm consistence and white and starchy internally.
The stem is slender, a few inches high, and bears near the ground, on footstalks 2 to 3 inches long, a pair of oblong, dark-green, purplish-blotched leaves, the blades about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide, minutely wrinkled, with parallel, longitudinal veins. The stem terminates in a handsome, large, pendulous, lily-like flower, an inch across, with the perianth divisions strongly recurved, bright yellow in colour, often tinged with purple and finely dotted within at the base, and with six stamens. It flowers in the latter part of April and early in May.

The Trout Lilies blossom has delicate sunny yellow petals that gently curl back exposing the anthers. Each flower has six tepals, comprised of three petals and three sepals. The petals are entirely yellow, while the sepals are yellow on the front and brownish on the back. The flower will close each evening and open up in the warm morning sun. A trout lily may take as many as seven years to become a mature plant from a seed. Only plants with two leaves will flower that year.

What is most fascinating about the Trout Lily is its