IP6- a hope for cancer prevention

IP6 - A Rising Star in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 by: Barbara L. Minton
http://www.naturalnews.com/022731.html


Three recent studies have confirmed the role of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) in cancer prevention and control of experimental tumor growth. IP6 is a naturally occurring carbohydrate first identified in 1855. It can exist on its own or can be bound to various other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron or sodium. It's found in substantial amounts in whole grains, dried beans, nuts, seeds, rice, wheat germ and corn.

In addition to being found in plants, IP6 is contained within almost all mammalian cells, where it is important in regulating vital cellular functions such as signal transduction, cell proliferation, and differentiation. IP6 is also available in supplement form.

Studies and Results

As published in Oncology Research, February 2008, researchers reported that IP6 was shown to have significant inhibitory effects against a variety of primary tumors. They hypothesized that IP6 would inhibit the cell growth rate of Barrett's adenocarcinoma in vitro. Two Barrett's associated adenocarcinoma cell lines were treated with IP6. Reductions in cellular proliferation were observed in both cell lines. Apoptosis (necessary programmed cell death) of the adenocarcinoma cells was increased. Researchers concluded that IP6 decreased cellular growth of these cells by pro-apoptotic mechanisms.

As published in Journal of Surgical Research, June 2006, researchers reported that IP6 had previously been shown to have significant inhibitory effects against pancreatic cancer in vitro. They hypothesized that IP6 would significantly inhibit cell growth of cutaneous melanoma in vitro. Melanoma cell lines were cultured and treated with IP6. The findings were that IP6 significantly decreased cellular growth and increased late apoptosis in melanoma, suggesting its potential therapeutic value.

As published in Journal of Surgical Research, June 2005, researchers reported that IP6 has been found to have significant inhibitory effects against a variety of primary tumors including breast and colon. They hypothesized that IP6 would significantly inhibit cell growth and increase the apoptotic rate of pancreatic cancer in vitro. Two pancreatic cancer cell lines were cultured and treated with IP6. Researchers concluded that treatment of pancreatic cancer with IP6 significantly decreased cellular growth and increased apoptosis.

IP6 Offers Cancer Prevention and Cure, and Much More

In Dr. A.M. Shamsuddin's review of findings in Nutrition and Cancer vol. 55, he states that in addition to its role in cancer prevention and control of experimental tumor growth, progression and metastasis, IP6 possesses other significant benefits, such as the ability to enhance the immune system, function as a natural antioxidant, prevent calcification and kidney stone formation, lower elevated serum cholesterol, and reduce pathological platelet activity.

According to Dr. Shamsuddin, when IP6 is administered it is rapidly taken into the cells and dephosphorylated to lower inositol phosphates, which further affect signal transduction pathways. In addition to the arresting of cell proliferation, this process also induces the differentiation of malignant cells. As previous known, the more differentiated the malignant cells, the less aggressive and dangerous is the cancer. Enhanced immunity and antioxidant properties also contribute to tumor cell destruction.

In their book Too Good to be True?, Drs. Kim Vanderlinden and Ivana Vucenik describe what is presently known about how IP6 works to help normalize the rate of cell division, normalize cell physiology, enhance Natural Killer (NK) cells, increase tumor suppressor P53 gene activity, inhibit inflammation, and inhibit angiogenesis. The book also elaborates on other conditions shown to greatly benefit from IP6 including diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Food Sources or Supplements?

There have been no clinical trials of IP6 as yet. In America, clinical trials are generally the province of drug companies, and little is done with substances which cannot be patented. In spite of this lack, IP6 is considered quite safe by all its investigators. As it is a naturally occurring substance already found in human cells, there are no side effects. So if you want the preventative or therapeutic benefits of IP6, the question becomes whether to try to get sufficient amounts from dietary sources or to supplement.

There are reasons to use IP6 in supplemental form. In food, IP6 is bound to protein. Before it can be absorbed it must first be freed from this protein. An enzyme called phytase that is present in both food and the intestinal tract performs this function. The problem is that the power of the phytase enzyme damages the IP6 itself, rendering much of it inactive and therefore less effective. Pure IP6 from a supplement is absorbed intact providing us with its complete medicinal properties. Research has shown just that: when fiber from All Bran was added to the diet of rats with mammary cancer, it was much less effective than the equivalent amount of IP6 added to their drinking water. This is like the situation of lycopene which must be freed from tomatoes by cooking to achieve its potential.

Supplementing with Inositol+Cal-Mag IP6

When taken alone, IP6 has the potential to bind with minerals, to act as a chelator. This is evidenced by its ability to prevent kidney stones. This leads to the question of high amounts of IP6 contributing to osteoporosis. To prevent this, IP6 is bound to atoms of calcium and magnesium. When supplemented in this form, IP6 will be delivered to the body along with substantial amounts of highly absorbable calcium and magnesium.

Inositol then becomes the first half of the Inositol+Cal Mag IP6. It provides the base structure for the Cal Mag IP6. A number of research studies have shown that when combined in this formula, the effect is complimentary and augmentative. Most IP6 for supplementation comes from rice extract and is formulated as Inositol+Cal Mag IP6.

Inositol+Cal Mag IP6 is available as 'Inocell' from Natural Factors, as 'Cellular Forte' from Phytopharmica, and as 'Cell Forte' from Enzymatic Therapeutics. The formulations of each are identical. The prices are quite different. It is available as capsules which provide a preventative or a maintenance dosage of 2 capsules twice a day. It is also available as powder for therapeutic dosages which range from one scoop daily up to several scoops twice daily.


About the author
Barbara Minton is a school psychologist by trade, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural.

Cupping therapy benefits

Cupping Therapy Beneficial in Treating Numerous Diseases

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 by: Dr S. Tamer
http://www.naturalnews.com/022727.html


Cupping is a method of relieving local congestion by applying a partial vacuum which is created in a cup or cups, either by heat or by suction. Cupping has been used for thousands of years. Although it is often associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine, the entire world once knew this therapy and used it. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese used cupping therapy. The oldest recorded medical textbook, Ebers Papyrus, written in approximately 1550 BCE in Egypt mentions cupping (Curtis, 2005). In the UK the practice of Cupping Therapy also dates back a long way with one of the leading medical journals The Lancet being named after this practice as it means the surgical instrument that can scrape the skin to do cupping.

Types of Cupping

There are various types of cupping such as:

* Light Cupping - Uses a weak suction in the cup to do light cupping, it is suitable for children and elderly people.

* Medium Cupping - A medium strength, general purpose cupping.

* Strong Cupping - Suction will be great and therefore it is not suitable for children and elderly people.

* Moving Cupping or Massage Cupping - This is a great method of massage and is done by applying oil to the skin and moving the cup, by a weak suction, on the area to be treated.

* Needle Cupping - Acupuncture and cupping are done in the same place by applying the needle first; then the cup is applied over it

* Hot Cupping - Dried Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) leaves, sometimes called by its oriental name Moxa, is a great warming herb. A needle is used, warmed by Dried Mugwort; then the cup is applied over it.

* Flash Cupping - This is a term used to describe the practice when several medium cuppings are preformed several times in quick succession along the area being treated to stimulate it.

* Bleeding Cupping - Also called Full Cupping or Wet Cupping, it is the most frequently used, oldest and often the most effective method. A surgical instrument is used to scrape the skin and the cup is then applied to collect blood.

* Herbal Cupping - A suitable herbal tincture is put into the cup and then suction is applied.

* Water Cupping - This is the least practiced method. It involves filling a third of the cup with warm water. Whilst holding the cup close to the client with one hand, it is brought to the point to be cupped and then burning cotton wool is inserted into the cup, then swiftly and simultaneously the cup is turned onto the skin. When performed properly, no water spillage occurs.

Conditions Which Can Benefit From Cupping

Conditions which can benefit from cupping include headache, back pain, joint and muscular pain, infertility, sexual disorders, rheumatic diseases, hypertension, breast enhancement, bed wetting, common colds and flu, insomnia, stroke, fever, constipation and diarrhea, chest pain, asthma and blood disorders.

Precautions and Contra-Indications

Always take sensible precautions when using cupping or be sure that the therapist you seek cupping treatment from follows these precautions. These include:

* Sterilization: this is the main key to success.

* Use suitable cups for the area being treated.

* Take extra care with children and the elderly.

* Do not apply strong cupping to the face.

* Do not treat pregnant women.

* Do not use cupping on inflamed or cut skin.

* Take extra care when scraping the skin and do not cut a vein or artery.

* Do not treat people with a serious heart disease.

Applying Cupping on Acupuncture Points

In the Journal of Biomechanics (2005), researchers L. M. Thama, H. P. Leea, and C. Lua state that "Cupping is known to be an effective alternative to needles in stimulating acupoints in acupuncture treatment. One of the major advantages must be that transmission of blood-borne diseases can be avoided since the skin is not penetrated."

Therefore we can use cupping as an alternative to acupuncture, or in conjunction with it. Many researchers have investigated and demonstrated the benefits of cupping and I think that it will be the most used alternative medical practice very soon.

References:

1) Cupping: From a biomechanical perspective by L.M. Thama, H.P. Leea,b,_, C. Lua (Journal of Biomechanics) June 2005 (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbiomech)

2) Cupping by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon (http://www.itmonline.org/arts/cupping.htm)

3) Ancient Chinese Technique of Cupping Offers Pain Relief Without Drugs or Surgery
(http://www.NaturalNews.com/020253.html)

4) Massage Cupping Therapy for Health Care Professionals By Anita J. Shannon, LMBT
((http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/20...)

5) Cupping Therapy/ by Ilkay Zihni Chirali (http://www.cuppingtherapy.co.uk/19103.html)

6) What Caused Gwyneth's Spots (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3879447.stm)


About the author
M.B.B.C.H, Physician, D.H.P. , D.C.M.T, S.N.H.S Dip. (Nutrition),
S.N.H.S Dip. (Herbalism), I.R.F member, Reiki master,
Member of the Royle Institute of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy,
Member of the Complete Mind therapists Association,
Member of the International Reiki Federation

Kids and not only...habits and their health effect

Nose-picking and nail-biting contributes to evolution of intestinal worms

27.02.2008 Source: Pravda.Ru
http://english.pravda.ru/science/health/27...-nose_picking-0


It goes without saying that people should do their best to get rid of bad habits. But a finger in the nose or a pen in the mouth are not just disgusting – it is harmful for your health.

Experts believe that some habits, harmless as they might seem, may cause diseases. How can most common bad habits damage your health?

Nose-picking

Practically all people are in a habit of picking their noses. There was quite a number of research works conducted on the problem; scientists designed a special name for this “abnormality” - rhinotillexis.

If a person picks his or her nose all the time, they may damage the pituitary membrane, cause bleeding or bring an infection.

Teeth-picking with a fork

This habit horrifies all the dentists.

“Forks, matchsticks and toothpicks damage the tooth enamel and gums,” said Svetlana Mala-Muzh, a specialist of the dentistry department of the Moscow Medical Academy. “As a result, you may have serious problems with your teeth. If you need to get rid of food remnants, use dental floss. For the same reasons you should not crack nuts, bite thread or open bottles with your teeth,” she said.

Constant gum-chewing

Dentists recommend to chew gum after meals when one does not have a tooth brush at hand, but no longer than ten minutes. Chewing stimulates the secretion of gastric juices that make the empty stomach ‘digest’ itself. Besides, constant chewing may damage the joint connecting the upper and lower jaws, which may result in difficulties with opening or closing your mouth.

Ear-cleaning

“If you clean your ears with the help of matchsticks, hairpins or toothpicks, you may have severe problems,” doctor Elena Shumova said. “If you irritate the skin inside the ear too often, you stimulate the sulfuric gland and cause the formation of earwax. This will worsen hearing. If earwax already exists, you may push it inside. Moreover, you are likely to damage the eardrum,” she said.

Finger-crunching

This habit annoys every other individual. Finger-crunching damages finger joints and gradually deprives them of displaceability. If finger-crunching does not cause pain at first, with years it will bring unpleasant sensations. These are symptoms of arthrosis – the disease of joints.

Biting nails and hangnails

“The space under nails swarms with microbes. No one having this habit washes their hands and cleans the dirt under the nails every time they want to bite them,” therapist George Veselov said. “Thus, you can bring eggs of intestinal worms and infectious diseases into your organism.”

As often as not, micro-injuries bleed after nail-biting making the body susceptible to infections. Painful micro-inflammations occur. Think about your stomach – within half a year of constant nail-biting you eat the whole nail on average. It is just with one finger!

Biting a pen tip

You can damage the tooth enamel and gums, cause infection and stomatitis at least. This habit is especially harmful for children. The impact of pencils, pens, felt-tip pens and brushes may make their teeth uneven. As the result, they will get a wrong bite.

Think where you took from the pencil you are biting. What if you use a pen in the public place or borrowed it from your neighbour? Someone took it with dirty hands at best, or someone was biting it before at worst.

Arguments and Facts

Translated by Julia Bulygina
Pravda.ru

Diabetes treatment increases heart attack risks!

Intense diabetes treatment found to increase death risk

Rob Stein, Washington Post
Thursday, February 7, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...g&sn=003&sc=469


Aggressively driving blood sugar levels as low as possible in high-risk diabetes patients appears to increase the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke, according to a major government study that stunned and disappointed experts.

The discovery, announced Wednesday, prompted federal health officials to immediately halt one part of the trial so thousands of Type 2 diabetes patients in the study could be notified and switched to less intensive, less risky treatment.

"As always, our primary concern is to protect the safety of our study volunteers," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the study's sponsor. "We will continue to monitor the health of the study participants and will seek to determine the cause."

Although the reason for increased risk remains a mystery, Nabel and other experts stressed that the benefits of blood sugar control have been well-established for diabetics and that patients should not make any changes in their care without consulting their doctors.

But the findings cast doubt on a major assumption about diabetes treatment - that pushing levels as close to normal as possible would necessarily be better - and will force experts to reassess their thinking about how to treat one of the nation's leading health problems.

"It's profoundly disappointing," said Richard Kahn, chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association. "This presents a real dilemma to patients and their physicians. How intensive should treatment be? We just don't know."

The findings are the second major blow to fundamental assumptions about how to protect against heart disease - the nation's leading killer. Another recent major study found that driving blood cholesterol levels as low as possible did not necessarily slow the progression of heart disease.

"This suggests that there are things drugs do that we don't understand," said Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist. "We have to really ask the question: 'How low do you go?' "

An estimated 21 million Americans suffer from Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, and the number has been increasing because of the obesity epidemic. Diabetes patients' blood sugar levels rise abnormally high, causing a host of serious complications, including nerve damage, amputations, blindness and increased risk for heart attacks and strokes.

Many earlier studies had shown that tightly controlling blood sugar significantly reduced the risk for many complications. The new study, known as the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes, or ACCORD, trial was designed to convincingly test whether various aggressive treatment strategies reduce the risk for heart disease - the main cause of death among diabetics.

The study involves 10,251 Type 2 diabetes patients ages 40 to 82 at 77 sites in the United States and Canada at high risk for heart disease for any reason, such as having high blood pressure, high cholesterol or being obese.

About half the patients were placed on an regimen combining diet and exercise with drugs designed to lower their blood sugar levels to that of the average person with diabetes, while the other half was put on a more intensive regimen designed to drive it closer to that of someone without diabetes. The patients were also divided further into those who also received blood-pressure-lowering medication or drugs to improve their cholesterol levels.

After about four years, about half of the participants in the intensive treatment group achieved blood sugar levels close to normal and about half the patients in the standard treatment group achieved levels close to the average diabetic.

But a special 10-member panel that was monitoring the study alerted the organizers that 257 patients receiving the intensive treatment had died, compared to 203 receiving standard treatment, a difference of 54 deaths - or 3 per 1,000 participants, officials said. About half the excess deaths were from heart disease.



This article appeared on page A - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Yogurt-unpasteurized!

Report: yogurt may keep teeth from falling out

www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-28 15:19:23 Print
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/...ent_7686342.htm


BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Eating yogurt and other foods laden with lactic acid may keep your gums from receding and teeth from falling out, Japanese researchers report.

Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki and colleagues found that consuming yogurt and lactic acid drinks was significantly associated with better periodontal health.

"But, milk and cheese were not," Shimazaki said.

Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial condition associated with receding gums and tooth loss in adults. Outside of regular brushing and flossing, effective measures to allay this disease are limited, Shimazaki, of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, and colleagues note in the Journal of Periodontology.

Previous research identified a lower occurrence of periodontal disease among people who eat high amounts of dairy products, but did not identify which dairy products were most beneficial, the researchers report.

Shimazaki's team assessed the severity of periodontal disease in 942 men and women, aged 40 to 79 years, and their intake of milk, cheese, and lactic acid foods.

They found that people with generalized (more advanced) periodontal disease had a lower intake of lactic acid foods than people with localized (less advanced) periodontal disease.

Compared with individuals reporting no lactic acid food intake, those eating 55 grams or more of yogurt (half an 6-ounce carton) or lactic acid drinks a day had significantly fewer markers of severe periodontal disease. The investigators made allowances for factors such as age, gender, smoking, alcohol intake, frequency of tooth brushing, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

(Agencies)


Editor: Gareth Dodd

Futuristic predictions...

Futurist Predicts Solar Power To Rule In 20 Years

02-25-2008
http://www.livescience.com/environment/080...weil-solar.html


BOSTON — He predicted the fall of the Soviet Union. He predicted the explosive spread of the Internet and wireless access.

Now futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil is part of distinguished panel of engineers that says solar power will scale up to produce all the energy needs of Earth's people in 20 years.

There is 10,000 times more sunlight than we need to meet 100 percent of our energy needs, he says, and the technology needed for collecting and storing it is about to emerge as the field of solar energy is going to advance exponentially in accordance with Kurzweil's Law of Accelerating Returns. That law yields a doubling of price performance in information technologies every year.

Kurzweil, author of "The Singularity Is Near" and "The Age of Intelligent Machines," worked on the solar energy solution with Google Co-Founder Larry Page as part of a panel of experts convened by the National Association of Engineers to address the 14 "grand challenges of the 21st century," including making solar energy more economical. The panel's findings were announced here last week at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Solar to compete in five years

Solar and wind power currently supply about 1 percent of the world's energy needs, Kurzweil said, but advances in technology are about to expand with the introduction of nano-engineered materials for solar panels, making them far more efficient, lighter and easier to install. Google has invested substantially in companies pioneering these approaches.

Regardless of any one technology, members of the panel are "confident that we are not that far away from a tipping point where energy from solar will be [economically] competitive with fossil fuels," Kurzweil said, adding that it could happen within five years.

The reason why solar energy technologies will advance exponentially, Kurzweil said, is because it is an "information technology" (one for which we can measure the information content), and thereby subject to the Law of Accelerating Returns.

"We also see an exponential progression in the use of solar energy," he said. "It is doubling now every two years. Doubling every two years means multiplying by 1,000 in 20 years. At that rate we'll meet 100 percent of our energy needs in 20 years."

Other technologies that will help are solar concentrators made of parabolic mirrors that focus very large areas of sunlight onto a small collector or a small efficient steam turbine. The energy can be stored using nano-engineered fuel cells, Kurzweil said.

"You could, for example, create hydrogen or hydrogen-based fuels from the energy produced by solar panels and then use that to create fuel for fuel cells, he said. There are already nano-engineered fuel cells, microscopic in size, that can be scaled up to store huge quantities of energy, he said.

Other grand challenges

The NAE panel thinks that meeting the energy challenge and the other grand challenges of the 21st century is "simply imperative to our survival on the planet," said panel member Charles Vest, former president of MIT and current NAE president. Other challenges that the panel addressed include providing access to clean water , engineering better medicines, reverse engineering the brain, securing cyberspace and enhancing virtual reality.

The inspiration for the report was a previous NAE that reflected on the engineering achievements of the 20th century, such as the automobile, aircraft, jet aircraft, rockets, missiles, satellites, radio, radar, television, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, the computer, internet, genetic engineering and antibiotics.

These inventions gave us the green revolution that improved food production as global population grew, the distribution of safe water and electricity, improved health and generated an improved standard of living for many in the world.

However, now the world faces some dark consequences of these advances, said Stanford University's William Perry, a member of the Grand Challenges panel and a former Secretary of Defense in President Clinton's administration, including the depletion of prevailing energy resources, a looming global environmental disaster in global warming, the emergence of drug-resistant bugs and the threat of a security disaster if nuclear and biological weapons fall into the wrong hands.

With this in mind, the NAE brought together the panel (other members included Segway inventor Dean Kamen, biomedical engineer Robert Langer, former National Institutes of Health Director Bernadine Healy and genomics pioneer Craig Venter) to report on the needs of society and how technology can meet them.

More solutions to 21st century challenges

Other tech solutions suggested by the NAE panel to the new century's big challenges include:

Better detection and monitoring of nuclear weapons components to prevent them from getting in the hands of terrorists.
Improving rapid responses to possible bioweapons attacks.
Advances in genetic engineering to address the problem of drug-resistant viruses and bacteria, and to create personalized medicine.
Desalinization and water filtering to address the shortage of potable drinking water.
Tutoring computers to help meet education needs.
Artificial intelligence that better simulates the brain to help create faster computers and also to aid in the treatment of neurological disorders
Perry was optimistic about the ability of society to arrive at these solutions, saying the achievements of the 21st century "will I believe be just as spectacular as achievements of 20th century."

Panel member Calestous Juma of Harvard University, an authority on using science and technology to promote sustainable development, said the policy implications of the 21st century challenges plan reveal a "more enlightened understanding of role of science and technology in general."

"This idea [of solving large-scale problems using technological innovation] is being developed in the context of a globalized world," he said. "Even though the proposals have been developed in the United States, the challenges themselves that humanity faces are global in character."

Prevent prostate cancer !

Prevent Prostate Cancer by Eating More Vegetables, Less Meat

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 by: Teresa Manafaia
http://www.naturalnews.com/022719.html


Prostate cancer is a serious health problem affecting a high percentage of men in industrialized western societies. The risk factors for prostate cancer mortality have already been identified and published (Grant, 2002, in Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine).

According to this author, the consumption of vegetable protein was found to be an important risk-reduction factor. The high inverse relation between prostate cancer mortality and the consumption of vegetable protein is probably due to the high isoflavonoids and lignan content in foods such as pulses (beans) and whole grains. Where else can we find protein in vegetables? The highest protein content comes in legumes, but also in nuts and seeds! In fact, nuts and seeds are also rich in essential fatty acids, which can protect you against inflammation. It is also known that a high consumption of vegetable products in general, as a fraction of total energy (not only protein rich vegetables), is inversely related with prostate cancer mortality.

In contrast, a high consumption of animal products as a fraction of total energy, animal fat, the non-fat portion of milk, and added sugar, was found to be a risk factor for prostate cancer mortality (Grant 2002).

As a result of these findings, the recommendations are simple: to eat less fatty meat and avoid processed meat products (due to their high content of animal fat and preservatives). Cancer growing preservatives are present in foods such as sausages, salami, hamburgers, etc.

Milk and sugar (including refined cereals) increase your insulin response; avoid these kinds of food, so you can maintain a healthy metabolism. They may enhance prostate cancer development and subsequent mortality.

Vitamin D also protects against cancer. Healthy sun exposure, without sunscreen, can boost your vitamin D production. This can be done on the first and last hours of sunlight – this is not dangerous and helps in melatonin production regulation. Vitamin D supplementation is also an interesting strategy to consider.

Finally, exercise has already been identified as a cancer protector. Walking vigorously, at least 30 minutes everyday, and performing functional weight training every 2 days, may improve your cardiovascular resistance, enhance your insulin sensibility and boost your immune system!


About the author
Teresa Manafaia has a degree in Exercise and Rehabilitation from the Faculty of Human Kinetics (FMH) of The Technical University of Lisbon, she is a Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), a Certified Personal Trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and a Certified Exercise Leader from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). In 2005, she was a guest speaker at the FML (Lisbon's Faculty of Medicine) participating in a special session on "Nutrition and Exercise for Weight Control" for the Nutrition graduation class with Pedro Marques-Vidal, MD, PhD; in November of 2003 she was invited as an international speaker for the International Seminar of Physical Activity for the Elderly (8h event with discussion time), Belén de Pará, Brazil; in 2002 she was guest speaker in the subject of Nutrition for the ACSM Certificate in Portugal and, since 1997, she's been a regularly speaker at national fitness conventions, on topics related to Exercise and Health, such as "Exercise Prescription for the Elderly", "Implementing a Weight Loss Program", "Weight-training for beginners", "Weight-Training for Today's Women" and "Exercise and the Metabolic Syndrome".
Since 1999, her main professional activity is as Coordinator of the Technical Monitoring and Fitness Assessment Department, and the Exercise Room of GCP (Ginásio Clube Português), in Lisbon; She also coordinates the Cardiofitness and Weight-Training Instructors course at CEF – (Fitness Studies Center) – Lisbon, since 2000.

Reasons to get sick

Brenda Cobb: 4 Reasons People Get Sick and Healing Through Thoughts

Monday, February 25, 2008 by: Kevin Gianni
http://www.naturalnews.com/022714.html


This is an excerpt from Brenda Cobb's interview for the Raw Summit, a complete interview encyclopedia of cutting edge living and raw food knowledge. You can find the complete transcripts and audios at (www.RawSummitArchives.com). In this interview, Brenda Cobb, author and founder of The Living Foods Institute in Atlanta, GA, gives the 4 reasons why she feels people get sick and the emotional component to healing.

Raw Food World Summit Interview Excerpt with Brenda Cobb

Kevin Gianni: When you talk about illness and you talk about people who have disease and who can heal themselves, it's more than just food, correct?

Brenda Cobb: It really is. I believe that it's much more than the food. I think that's one of the reasons that the program that I use now, developed over the nine years of having been doing this, is so effective to the health of people - because we look beyond the food. Now, we certainly do use a 100% organic, the raw food and the living food.

The way we describe raw food and living food is raw food, we believe, is fruits, vegetables and not seeds that have not been cooked. We believe a living food is a sprouted food, something that's growing when you eat it; among them bean and lentil sprout and sun flower, and buckwheat sprout. And so, that certainly is a part of the program. But we believe there are really four main reasons that people get sick. The number one reason we believe is because of how people think, we think it's more important than what we're eating; and part of that number one reason is emotional stuff because most everybody, and you can hardly avoid it if you go through the human experience on the planet earth, is going to have emotional stuff sometimes that has been buried so deep that they don't even really it's there.

And so it's good to work on the emotional stuff and clear that out, there is sometimes issues with forgiveness - forgiving yourself or things or somebody else who has maybe done you wrong and really letting go of those things. And then another part of that number one reason is stress because the world we are living in is stressful. It's never what happens to you, it's always you're reaction to what happens to you and you can stress yourself out or you can learn how to deal with stress so that it becomes constructive rather than destructive. So that's the first area we help people with.

The number two area we help people with is toxicity because there's toxins that have built up over years of breathing the air, drinking water that is not pure, of eating processed foods with additive colors, chemicals, dyes, maybe foods that have been genetically modified, hybridized, taking prescription and over-the-counter medications, drinking alcohols, smoking cigarettes, whatever it might be. Toxic relationship, toxic job contributes to toxicity in the body. So, we believe you have to get all the toxins that are already in there out so the body can do what it was created to do in that field itself.

The third reason we think people are getting sick is because of their decisions and we are believing that a lot are deficient in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Now, we are doing our best to get these through good nutrition, but also realize that the soil today is not what it was in great, great granddaddy's day and that there is not as much of the mineralization and so forth in the soil. So, there are some super foods and algae and some products that we used that helped to boost that along with the good nutrition. But we do believe that you cannot take a product in place of good nutrition. You've got to have good nutrition as your foundation and then if you want to do any supplementation, I like the supplement only with food sources, you know, a raw food powder or an algae and we also use herbs and essential oils to help the body to cleanse and detox and nourish. We found that to be very effective.

And then the fourth thing that we found make people sick is the dirty, toxic impacted colon. So our program also focuses on cleansing the colon, getting out the impacted waste, mucoid plaque, worm, parasites. You know, from years of eating maybe foods made with flour and water that makes a glue or a paste and people get that gunk and that sticky stuff inside of their colon and it sticks in there and sometimes it can become really hard and there's a barrier between the good nutrition, even if you're eating good food. You've changed your ways and now you're eating raw and living food. If you got a lot of plaque built up in the colon, you can't really assimilate the nutrients as well. So, we like to simultaneously be putting in the good food while we are also getting out the bad stuff and then when we do all of it together, we really feel that, that's supporting the body, the mind, the spirit, the mental, the emotional, the physical, the spiritual, and that the body can bounce back from most anything.

Kevin: Let's talk about number one. How are some of the ways that someone can deal with the way that they're thinking or not even deal but free themselves of some of the stress and some of the emotional issues that they have?

Brenda: Well, first thing is a lot of times we are thinking thoughts that we don't really even realize are negative. Many people, if you talk to them about negative thinking or negative speaking and you ask them, "Do you speak or think in a negative way?" Most people will say, "No, I don't." But then when you really kind of get down to how they are talking to themselves, you will see that the way that they're talking is not really positive, that they are meaning to say something positive but they're saying it in a negative way.

So that's the first thing, it's really just kind of teaching people to unprogram themselves; you know, it's kind of like when you were a child and you're sad, you're told, "Don't speak unless spoken to," you know or "Don't talk to strangers," and then you grow up and you're in a job, you're in a sales position, you've got to speak and you've got to talk to strangers. So, now what are you going to do? So, it comes just as a part of reprogramming some of those old tapes that we have heard and how to talk about ourselves positively. One way we do it is to teach people some very simple affirmations; even though they may sound very simple, almost too simple and people will say, "Gosh, it seems so easy, how can it work if it's so simple?"

Well you know, anytime you say the words, "I am" and then you feel that blanking with another word, you're saying the most possible, positive or powerful three words that you can say. So if you say, "I am healed" then you're going to create the energy of healing. But if you say "I am sick" you're going to continue to create the energy around sickness. So, that's one thing, really being careful when you say "I am". You know, let's say you work really hard all day and you're tired, so you're saying "I am so tired". Well, the more you say it, the more tired that you get. Instead, if you go out and take a little walk around the block and say, "I am energized, I am enthusiastic, I am excited to be alive," you begin talking to yourself in that way, breathing the fresh air, getting the body moving a little bit, you'll see that at the end of that 20 or 30 minutes, you are actually feeling better. So, that's one thing.

Now, as far as emotional stuff, really we like to help people to understand what are the emotional components that are related to the disease or symptom that they've manifested. I used a couple of books that I really like for that. I used a book called Feeling Buried Alive Never Die by Karol Truman and I used a book that a lot of people have heard of called You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay and then I used a book called Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping and we really study those levels of "okay, first let's get real about what is that emotional component and does it ring true for you and sometimes people will say, 'Wow, I cannot believe how much that is like me, what you're telling me, this emotional thing.'"

All the times people will even be in denial more and they'll say, "Well no, I don't think that's it, I don't see how that could be causing my problem." So we just gently and lovingly work with people to get them more aware. We have specific exercises that we do in our emotional healing classes to help people to be able to see within themselves and, you know we get them to face some of the things, you know, asking them questions like "what is it about yourself that you would like to see change" and "you know, how do you think that the way you've thought in the past has impacted you and do you think that you are fulfilling your mission in life" and just get people dialoguing and thinking, you know when you start talking among yourselves, you can even create a wonderful mastermind group and all of the sudden just from hearing what other people are saying, many times we get our own answers. We're not looking to somebody else to figure it out for us, you know we can figure it out our self but it helps to be able to discuss it with others.

And so that is also a part of the way that we help people through emotional healing. Now, with stress, we are doing breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, stretching, yoga, you know helping people to learn how to relieve stress that gets impacted in their self and in their organs, in their glands. Most people don't breathe to their full capacity, that shallow breathing, and they find that when they really use more of their lungs and breathe in deeply, that itself can relax.

We talk and teach about meditation and how just to be free of thought for a little bit, don't even think about anything and, you know something Kevin, that's more challenging than it sounds. So, just not focus on thinking about a particular thing and to rest the mind and I think all of those things put together can really impact the person in a positive way.

To read the rest of this interview please visit (http://www.RawSummitArchives.com) . This is just an excerpt of over 14 hours of cutting edge living food, raw food or health information revealed during the Raw Food World Summit.


About the author
Kevin Gianni is a health advocate, author and speaker. He has helped thousands of people in over 85 countries learn how to take control of their health--and keep it.
To view commentary on natural health issues, vegan and raw food diets, holistic nutrition and more click here.
His book, "The Busy Person's Fitness Solution," is a step-by-step guide to optimum health for the time and energy-strapped.
To find out more about abundance, optimum health and self motivation click here... or you're interested in the vegan and raw food diet and cutting edge holistic nutrition click here.
For access to free interviews, downloads and a complete bodyweight exercise archive visit www.LiveAwesome.com.

Lymphatic cleansing

I Personally recommend the WHOLE BODY VIBRATION units

Whole Body Detox (Part 1): Lymphatic Cleansing With Rebound Exercise

Monday, February 25, 2008 by: Mary Laredo
http://www.naturalnews.com/022716.html


With each passing decade since the end of World War II our planet has become silently, yet increasingly, toxic as pollutants from pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, industrial chemicals and other residual offenders choke the land, water and air that sustain us. As our planet becomes dangerously congested with debris so do our bodies, as evidenced by the alarming rate of deaths due to preventable illness and disease. We are neither helpless nor hopeless in this dire state, and just as we can strive to minimize our imprint on the planet, we can also take measures to reduce, eliminate and cleanse toxins from the blood, tissues and organs of our bodies. One of several effective methods of detoxification is through lymphatic cleansing.

Among the various functions of the lymphatic system is its ability to carry waste away from the cells and bloodstream to the body's organs of elimination. The system is comprised of veins and capillaries, with one-way valves, that contain a clear fluid called lymph. This fluid also surrounds cells throughout the body and collects cellular debris before draining it into the lymphatic system. Lymph carries the waste on a one-way path toward the heart and passes through many filters (lymph nodes) where special white blood cells attack and eliminate foreign molecules.

Once the lymph fluid approaches the heart it is returned to circulation and makes its way for further cleansing of toxins by the liver and kidneys. The lymphatic vessels are not connected to the blood circulatory system, and unlike blood which is pumped by the heart, lymph fluid relies on bodily movement and exercise to drive it through the lymphatic system. Forceful flushing of the system cleanses lymph nodes, contributes to healthy, clear lymph fluid, and boosts the immune system. Stagnant, slow-moving and thick lymph fluid is due to a lethargic, toxic body and weakened immune system.

When the lymph fluid remains sluggish the lymph nodes become clogged and lose their filtering ability. Without routine flushing of the lymph, debris becomes trapped in the body, creating a toxic overload and contributing to the onset of disease.

Exacerbating the problem caused by lack of exercise is the constant onslaught of toxins from processed, denatured food and exposure to environmental pollutants. Regular exercise will help to offset these offenders.

Rebounding on a mini trampoline is perhaps the most efficient and forceful means of flushing the lymph while stimulating the immune system and defending against cancer and other ailments. During rebound exercise the forces of the upward and downward bounces – acceleration and deceleration – are vertically aligned on the same plane with gravity. It was proven by Albert Einstein in 1911 that the aligned forces of acceleration, deceleration and gravity result in an increased gravitational load (1). What this means for the body is that during rebound exercise cells adjust to the increased load by becoming stronger. Rebounding strengthens virtually every cell of the body at the same time and is equivalent to resistance training for the cells.

It takes only two minutes of rebounding to flush the entire lymphatic system, while cleansing and strengthening cells and lymph nodes. A further benefit to the body is that during this brief time span the white blood cells of the immune system triple in number and remain elevated for an hour. These specialized cells play a major role in the body's defense against illness and disease. For one full hour their activity is increased as they perform their tasks of destroying and eliminating cancer cells and other toxins, expending themselves in the process. An hour after rebounding for two minutes the white blood cell count returns to normal (1, 2, 3).

At this point another two-minute rebound session would increase the demand for white blood cells as the process of cleansing, strengthening, and the flushing away of spent cells and other cancerous debris is repeated. A therapeutic strategy to rebuild health would be to rebound for two minutes every waking hour, or as many times a day as possible. Two minutes of gentle bouncing throughout the day is more effective for healing than one long session. Repeated short sessions sustain an active immune system, oxygenate and strengthen cells, and continuously cleanse the lymph. Therapeutic rebounding has been shown to reduce cancerous tumors and improve or heal a host of other ailments (3).

Those who are too weak to exercise or have difficulty standing can use a stabilizer bar which is available with most quality rebounders, such as the Needak model. This enables the weak individual to feel secure while bouncing gently. It's important to begin slowly, and gradually increase to two minutes.

Rebounding can be performed by healthy individuals for health maintenance and disease prevention. One or more long sessions of aerobic rebounding will help stimulate the immune system, improve digestion, control weight, tone and strengthen the body, and build endurance – especially when done with hand-held weights.

When beginning a program of regular rebounding it's best to gradually increase time and intensity as the body – including bones and internal organs – adjusts to the increased gravitational load and becomes stronger.

A healthy existence can only be sustained when we recognize the correlation between our toxic planet and our polluted bodies and become conscious stewards of both. One means toward this end is through daily rebounding combined with an alkaline diet to detoxify the body and profoundly contribute to optimum healing.

Future reports will cover the effectiveness and physiology of fasting, enemas and infrared sauna use for therapeutic detoxification.

References:

1. Brooks, Linda: Rebounding and Your Immune System. Urbana, OH: Vitally Yours Press, 29; 33-46, 2003

2. Brooks, Linda: Cancer – A Simple Approach. Urbana, OH: Vitally Yours Press,
33-6, 2002

3. Brooks, Linda: Rebounding to Better Health. Sixth Printing, KE Publishing, 51-2; 39-56; 71-6, 2006


About the author
Mary Laredo is an artist, educator and gallery curator who lives and works in Detroit, MI. As a breast cancer survivor who shunned conventional treatment, she is writing a book about her experience with natural therapies and nutritional healing. Visit http://marylaredo.blogspot.com

Qigong reduces stress

Qigong Reduces Stress in Computer Workers

Monday, February 25, 2008 by: John Seim
http://www.naturalnews.com/022718.html


Qigong may reduce stress in computer operators, according to a study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. According to the study, Qigong exercises reduce symptoms of stress by positively affecting the sympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system, and becomes more active during times of stress. Its actions during the stress response, such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure, are often referred to as the fight-or-flight response.

In the study, ten women were included in the Qigong group. The control group also consisted of ten women. Both objective and subjective data were gathered. Objective measurements included heart rate, blood pressure, and finger temperature, as well as noradrenaline (norepinephrine) excretion in urine. Subjective information included daily records of psychological measures of strain and weekly measures of stress levels.

Noradrenaline is a stress hormone which, along with adrenaline (epinephrine), helps activate the fight-or-flight response. These two chemicals are commonly measured in stress experiments, and are both indicators of stress.

As the results of the study show, Qigong exercise reduced noradrenaline excretion in urine, and influenced the heart rate and temperature. This data indicates a reduction in activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Additionally, Qigong exercise reduced low-back symptoms.

According to the authors of the study, "Qigong exercise over even a short period may be able to significantly reduce symptoms of stress. Physiological levels of stress such as increased heart rate, noradrenaline urine excretion, and finger temperature were reduced when compared to the control group. In addition, a noticeable reduction in reporting stress-related physical symptoms and perceived levels of stress were noted in the experimental group."

Per the National Qigong Association's website, "Qigong is a traditional Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention. The word Qigong (Chi Kung) is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced "chee" and is usually translated to mean the life force or vital-energy. The second word, Gong, pronounced "gung", means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qigong (Chi Kung) means cultivating energy, it is a system practiced for health maintenance, healing, and increasing vitality. Practices vary from the soft internal styles such as Tai Chi; to the external, vigorous styles such as Kung Fu."


About the author
John holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree in Education. He believes the road to happiness lies in spriritual meditation practice and healthy lifestyle, including exercise and natural health. He wishes to spread research based information on the health benefits of various foods, exercise systems, and natural healing modalities.

A new anti-ageing substance

Published: Tuesday February 26, 2008
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Anti_ageing_s...l_02262008.html


While it only turns into a handsome prince in fairy tales, the homely bullfrog may harbour a valuable anti-ageing substance for humans, South Korean researchers say.

A team led by Professor Kim Se-kwon of Pukyong University in Busan says it isolated a peptide with antioxidant properties from bullfrog skin.

Because of the properties, the material is useful in removing free radicals -- molecules that hasten the ageing process of human cells.

Alpha-tocopherol, also known as Vitamin E, is traditionally considered as the most active antioxidant in humans and widely used in medicines and health supplements.

But its price keeps rising because of surging world demand.

"The new sustance can provide an economic alternative to tocopherol," Kim told AFP Tuesday, referring to another antioxidant. The team's discovery was published by Bioresource Technology, an international journal, last year.

"Because it is water-soluble, the substance may be consumed in much more diverse ways than the oil-soluble tocopherol. You may put it in soft drinks, for example," he said.

The newly found material is also 10 percent more efficient than tocopherol in curbing oxidisation, he added.

Welcome to the new ice age

Welcome To The New Ice Age

02-25-2008
National Post
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/column....html?id=332289


Snow cover over North America and much of Siberia, Mongolia and China is greater than at any time since 1966.

The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January "was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average."

China is surviving its most brutal winter in a century. Temperatures in the normally balmy south were so low for so long that some middle-sized cities went days and even weeks without electricity because once power lines had toppled it was too cold or too icy to repair them.

There have been so many snow and ice storms in Ontario and Quebec in the past two months that the real estate market has felt the pinch as home buyers have stayed home rather than venturing out looking for new houses.

In just the first two weeks of February, Toronto received 70 cm of snow, smashing the record of 66.6 cm for the entire month set back in the pre-SUV, pre-Kyoto, pre-carbon footprint days of 1950.

And remember the Arctic Sea ice? The ice we were told so hysterically last fall had melted to its "lowest levels on record? Never mind that those records only date back as far as 1972 and that there is anthropological and geological evidence of much greater melts in the past.

The ice is back.

Gilles Langis, a senior forecaster with the Canadian Ice Service in Ottawa, says the Arctic winter has been so severe the ice has not only recovered, it is actually 10 to 20 cm thicker in many places than at this time last year.

OK, so one winter does not a climate make. It would be premature to claim an Ice Age is looming just because we have had one of our most brutal winters in decades.

But if environmentalists and environment reporters can run around shrieking about the manmade destruction of the natural order every time a robin shows up on Georgian Bay two weeks early, then it is at least fair game to use this winter's weather stories to wonder whether the alarmist are being a tad premature.

And it's not just anecdotal evidence that is piling up against the climate-change dogma.

According to Robert Toggweiler of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University and Joellen Russell, assistant professor of biogeochemical dynamics at the University of Arizona -- two prominent climate modellers -- the computer models that show polar ice-melt cooling the oceans, stopping the circulation of warm equatorial water to northern latitudes and triggering another Ice Age (a la the movie The Day After Tomorrow) are all wrong.

"We missed what was right in front of our eyes," says Prof. Russell. It's not ice melt but rather wind circulation that drives ocean currents northward from the tropics. Climate models until now have not properly accounted for the wind's effects on ocean circulation, so researchers have compensated by over-emphasizing the role of manmade warming on polar ice melt.

But when Profs. Toggweiler and Russell rejigged their model to include the 40-year cycle of winds away from the equator (then back towards it again), the role of ocean currents bringing warm southern waters to the north was obvious in the current Arctic warming.

Last month, Oleg Sorokhtin, a fellow of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, shrugged off manmade climate change as "a drop in the bucket." Showing that solar activity has entered an inactive phase, Prof. Sorokhtin advised people to "stock up on fur coats."

He is not alone. Kenneth Tapping of our own National Research Council, who oversees a giant radio telescope focused on the sun, is convinced we are in for a long period of severely cold weather if sunspot activity does not pick up soon.

The last time the sun was this inactive, Earth suffered the Little Ice Age that lasted about five centuries and ended in 1850. Crops failed through killer frosts and drought. Famine, plague and war were widespread. Harbours froze, so did rivers, and trade ceased.

It's way too early to claim the same is about to happen again, but then it's way too early for the hysteria of the global warmers, too.

Weather-the English talking subject will become ours as well!

Watch out for July explosion of Saturn !

Global Cooling: Amazing pictures of countries joining Britain in the big freeze

By CHRISTOPHER BOOKER - More by this author »
Last updated at 08:30am on 21st February 2008
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1811


Yesterday's picture in the Mail of a cascade of icicles in the Yorkshire Dales was a reminder of how cold Britain can be - something many of us have forgotten in this unusually mild winter.

But it really is remarkable how little attention has been paid to the extraordinary weather events which in recent weeks have been affecting other parts of the world.

Across much of the northern hemisphere, from Greece and Iran to China and Japan, they have been suffering their worst snowfalls for decades.

Similarly freakish amounts of snow have been falling over much of the northern United States, from Ohio to the Pacific coast, where in parts of the state of Washington up to 200in of snow have fallen in the past fortnight.

In country after country, these abnormal snowfalls have provoked a crisis.

In China - the only example to have attracted major coverage in Britain - the worst snow for 50years triggered an unprecedented state of emergency.

Large parts of the country have been paralysed, as rail and road transport ground to a standstill.

Winter at last as arctic cold brings freezing fog and deep frost

More than 25,000 miles of power lines collapsed under a weight of snow and ice they were never designed to cope with.

Snow has devastated thousands of square miles of farmland, threatening severe food shortages.

The total cost of the disaster to the Chinese economy may be more than £10billion.

In Afghanistan, freezing weather and the worst snow for 30 years have killed more than 900 people.

In neighbouring Tajikistan, according to aid agencies, the coldest winter for 50 years, along with soaring food prices and a massive energy crisis, threatens a "humanitarian catastrophe".

In Greece and Turkey, where temperatures dropped as low as minus 31 degrees Celsius, hundreds of villages have been cut off by blizzards and drifting snow.

In Iran, following heavy snowfalls last month, its eastern desert regions - normally still hot at this time of year - have seen their first snow in living memory.

In Saudi Arabia last month, people were amazed by the first snow most had ever seen.

On the Pacific coast of Japan last week, heavy falls of snow injured more than 50.

Meanwhile in the U.S., similarly abnormal snowfalls have hit more than a dozen states. One Massachusetts town reported 12ft drifts after its heaviest snows in 30 years.

In Wisconsin, the state governor declared a state of emergency as schools and airports were forced to close by up to 20in of snow - and even this was dwarfed by the blizzards which dropped as much as 16ft of the white stuff on parts of Washington state.

In light of such similar news from so many places round the world, it may not seem surprising that U.S. satellite data for January shows the extent of snow cover in the northern hemisphere as reaching its highest level since 1966, 42 years ago - and that temperatures were lower than their average for the whole of the 20th century.

Furthermore, it is not only in the northern hemisphere that records are being broken.

Following last year's freak snowfalls in such southern cities as Buenos Aires and Sydney, satellite observations from the other end of the world have this winter shown ice cover round the Antarctic at easily its greatest extent for this time of year since data began in 1979, 30per cent above average.

Yet so far in our corner of the world, we have been remarkably slow to notice what was going on elsewhere, and to put the different elements of the story together.

Doubtless much of the reason for this has been that, in Western Europe, we have (until the recent cold spell) enjoyed yet another comparatively warm winter - probably thanks to changes in warming sea currents which scientists find hard to explain. (Although Alpine ski resorts have seen their best snow conditions for many years.)

This is why we saw reports of balmy, prematurely spring-like weather, with primroses and blossom coming out earlier than usual and the curator of Kew Gardens suggesting "there is no winter any more" - just when much of the rest of the world was shivering through the coldest January and February since The Beatles were still together.

But one of the oddest features of this great freeze is how little it was predicted.

We are so used to hearing that the world is inexorably warming up thanks to rising CO2 emissions, and that recent years have been the hottest since records were kept, that no one prepared us for the possibility that there might suddenly be such a dramatic exception to the accepted trend.

So far, the leading advocates of the global warming thesis have remained fairly quiet about the 2008 freeze, although some may explain that "freak weather events" such as we are now witnessing are just what we should expect to see as Planet Earth hots up - even if this produces the paradox that warming may sometimes lead to cooling.

Global warming "sceptics", on the other hand, are inevitably pointing to these record snowfalls as evidence that global temperatures are no longer rising as the CO2 theory predicts.

We may, they suggest, be seeing the start of a period when temperatures reverse their generally upward trend over the past 30 years, as we did in those decades before 1978 known to climate scientists as "the Little Cooling".

The truth is that it is still much too early to draw any long-term conclusions from 2008's great freeze. But it is one of the most startling developments to have emerged in the world's weather patterns for a long time - not least in that it was so unexpected.

At least it raises important questions over how our global climate is evolving which the scientists will have to try to explain.

To the millions of people whose lives have been seriously disrupted by this year's freeze, the concept of global warming must seem awfully remote.

Saline nasal wash- a natural remedy against cold

Saline nasal wash helps kids battle cold

www.chinaview.cn 2008-01-22 10:30:43 Print
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/...ent_7470238.htm


BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet)-- A saline nasal wash solution made from processed seawater may help children with a common cold, according to a new report in Monday's Archives of Otolaryngology.

The solution can help by reducing symptoms associated with the common cold, as well as reducing the risk of recurrent respiratory infections, the study said.

It may be that the salt water has a simple mechanical effect of clearing mucus, or it could be that trace elements in the water play some more significant role, though the exact reason why such a solution works is not known, said Dr. Ivo Slapak and colleagues at the Teaching Hospital of Brno in the Czech Republic.

The researchers studied 390 children between 6 and 10 who had uncomplicated cold or flu symptoms for 12 weeks in the winter of 2006.

Children were divided into two groups. One group received standard treatments such as nasal decongestants, and the other received same medications plus the saline nasal wash.

The nasal wash formula was given six times a day for eight weeks, then three times a day for the next four weeks.

The European researchers found eight weeks after the study began that the children given saline wash had significantly fewer severe sore throats, coughs, nasal obstructions and secretions than those only given standard treatments.

Moreover, fewer children in the saline group had to use fever-reducing drugs, nasal decongestants and mucus-dissolving medications or antibiotics, the researchers said.

In addition, children who used the salt spray were sick less often and missed fewer school days.

Another benefit from the saline nasal wash is that it was well tolerated with no side effects.

(Agencies)

The harmful effects of sugar

The Harmful Effects of Sugar and Choosing Healthy Alternatives

Thursday, February 21, 2008 by: Teya Skae
http://www.naturalnews.com/022692.html


(NaturalNews) Most of us have heard the good advice that we need to eat less sugar - and rightly so. However, despite the numerous warnings by health authorities of the ill effects of sugar, the majority of the population is still consuming sugar on a daily basis in some form or other. "Sugar" is both a broad category and a misleading one. Let's examine it for our health's sake.

We do not have to consume white, refined sugar to be consuming sugar. Sugar includes glucose, fructose (as in fruit sugar), lactose (as in milk), sucrose (as in table sugar), maltose or malts (as in rice malt and honey), jam (contains concentrated juice, which is high in fruit sugar), maple syrup, corn syrup, palm sugar (traditionally used in macrobiotic cooking), and the very deceiving organic brown sugar, which is not all that different from white sugar. Even alcohol is a sugar. All of these sugars are problematic in many different ways.

The sugar industry is not in decline and obesity is on the increase. Sugar is a major culprit in the case against obesity. For obese individuals, consuming even a teaspoon of sugar a day would cause metabolic imbalances that contribute to obesity. Sugar is to be avoided, not only by the obese but by healthy individuals.

Is there rationale behind the statement, 'Sugar is to be avoided'? Definitely!

Nancy Appleton, PhD, clinical nutritionist, has compiled a list of 146 reasons on 'how sugar is ruining your health' in her book Lick the Sugar Habit. Here are some of them:

* Sugar can decrease growth hormone (the key to staying youthful and lean)

* Sugar feeds cancer

* Sugar increases cholesterol

* Sugar can weaken eyesight

* Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children

* Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein

* Sugar causes food allergies

* Sugar contributes to diabetes

* Sugar can contribute to eczema in children

* Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease

* Sugar can impair the structure of DNA

* Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children

* Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases)

* Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)

* Sugar contributes to osteoporosis

The body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch. With 146 proven reasons why sugar is bad for us, is there perhaps one single reason as to why we might need it? The only interesting thing about sugar is that it tastes good and makes us temporarily feel good. This is an area worth exploring.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a 5000 year-old wisdom of self-contained knowledge of healing, we all need sweetness in our life. We need six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, astringent, bitter and pungent to stimulate the taste buds on our tongue at main meals, in order to experience satiety.

Satiety and cravings are the result of imbalances in brain chemistry and have nothing to do with fullness of the stomach. When foods hit our tongue, our taste buds relay the bio-chemical information to the brain, stimulating various parts of the hypothalamus – the 'satiety centre'. The tongue is also a mini representation of the body, just like in reflexology, and contains points that stimulate all the organs in the body. Avoiding sweetness would be unnatural and unnecessary, as this will inevitably lead to imbalances and sweet cravings. This is why people have such a hard time giving up sugar; it is almost impossible to get children to stay away from it.

Many people really try hard to avoid sugar, and do not sweeten their tea or coffee, yet they crave sugar in some other form, such as chocolates, cakes, ice cream or even fruit - dates and figs. Dates are 99% sugar, in the form of fructose. When a person is in metabolic balance they do not crave sugar. If they do, it is a sign of a metabolic imbalance and it can be corrected without having to consume sugar.

The wonderful thing is that we do not have to give up the sweetness of sugar in order to be healthy; we just need to replace it with better alternatives. While giving up sugar is very difficult, replacing it is now very easy. There are two natural, organic sugar alternatives that are sweet, easy to use and cook with – stevia and xylitol. They may sound like chemicals but they are completely natural and have been proven not only safe but beneficial for our well-being.

The best one to use is Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) from the Asteraceae family, which was rediscovered by Dr. M. S. Bertoni in 1888. Stevia is a herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years. It is calorie-free, which means it has no effect on our bodies' production of insulin. Stevia, in its powdered concentrate, is 300 times sweeter than sugar, so only tiny amounts are needed for sweetening. Stevia is widely used all over the world. In Japan, for example, it claims 41% of the sweetener market, including sugar, and was used in Japanese Diet Coke until the company replaced it with aspartame (to "standardize" worldwide).

There have not been any reports of toxicity with stevia, which is consumed by millions of people daily. However, in the US, the FDA, and in Australia, the FSANZ, do not allow stevia to be used as a food additive. But in China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea, stevia is fully approved and has proven to be safe, with no toxicity reported from its use to date. In Australia stevia is sold as a supplement and it is readily available from various distributors. A wonderful article that puts the whole sugar industry in perspective is published by the Herb Research Foundation: Stevia Leaf - Too Good To Be Legal? by Rob McCaleb (http://www.dorway.com/stevia2.html) .

The only thing that deters people using stevia is that it can taste a little bitter in drinks and in some recipes, but this can be overcome by using another wonderful sweetener, called xylitol, in combination with stevia for ideal sugar replacement.

Xylitol is a natural substance found in fibrous vegetables and fruit, as well as in corn cobs and various hardwood trees, like birch. It is a natural, intermediate product that regularly occurs in the glucose metabolism of humans and animals, as well as in the metabolism of several plants.

Xylitol is so natural that our bodies produce up to 15 grams of it daily during normal metabolism. Xylitol has been known to organic chemistry since the 1890's. Studies on both humans and rodents have shown that xylitol, when administered orally, is well tolerated and safe to levels of at least 40g per day (which equates to some 10-12 teaspoons of sugar) with no subjective or objective adverse findings. Importantly, much less insulin is released into the blood during xylitol administration than during glucose administration. This is obviously a very good thing for insulin-sensitive individuals or for anyone concerned with weight loss, as insulin (apart from driving the glucose into the cells) also tells the body to store even slight excess carbohydrates as fat, rather than to use them as energy.

Relatively high quantities of xylitol are found in plums, raspberries and cauliflower (0.3 to 0.9 g per 100 g dry matter; the quantities vary depending on plant varieties). Even though xylitol is derived from fruits and vegetables, it is not the same as fructose. Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar, which means that it is anti-microbial (prevents the growth of bacteria), whereas all other forms of sugar are six-carbon sugars, which cause bacterial and fungi overgrowth.

Xylitol looks, feels and tastes exactly like sugar - though that is where the similarity ends! While sugar wreaks havoc on the body, xylitol heals and repairs. It also builds immunity.

There are many benefits of using xylitol as a sugar substitute:

* Glycemic index of 7 (sucrose is 60)

* Minimal effect on blood sugar and insulin levels

* Inhibits yeast, including Candida Albicans (It actually helps fight candida)

* Inhibits plaque and dental cavities by 80% (Dentists use it and recommend xylitol toothpaste)

* Retards demineralization, and promotes re-mineralization, of tooth enamel

Based on scientific and public health evaluations, xylitol has been approved in virtually all industrialized countries to be used in oral hygiene products and in other products to promote oral health.

In its crystalline form, it can replace sugar in cooking, baking, and as a sweetener for beverages. Xylitol is used in chewing gum, mints and hygiene products, such as nasal and mouth washes, because it inhibits bacteria. Unlike many artificial sweeteners, it leaves no unpleasant aftertaste.
Xylitol is formally approved in over 50 countries worldwide. Xylitol has no known toxic levels (Except that quantities over 90 gm/day may have a laxative effect).

The amount tolerated varies with individual susceptibility and body weight. Most adults can tolerate at least 40 gm/day. The only problem with xylitol is that it costs more than sugar, however, if we combine it with stevia in the ratio of 12:1 (12 parts of xylitol to 1 part of stevia), it becomes more cost effective and is a healthy way to sweeten our taste buds and satisfy our brain! Imagine eating cakes and chocolates that not only taste good but are also good for our teeth? You can literally have your cake and enjoy it without the guilt or empty detrimental sugar calories!

References:

Nancy Appleton Ph.D (http://www.nancyappleton.com/)

((http://www.ghchealth.com/refined-sugar-...)

Hallfrisch, Judith, Metabolic Effects of Dietary Fructose, FASEB Journal 4 (June 1990): 2652-2660.

J. J. Rumessen and E. Gudmand-Hoyer, Functional Bowel Disease: Malabsorption and Abdominal Distress After Ingestion of Fructose, Sorbitol, and Fructose-Sorbitol Mixtures, Gastroenterology 95, no. 3 (September 1988): 694-700.

((http://www.riverhouse.com.au/factsheets...)

((http://www.riverhouse.com.au/factsheets...)

(http://www.xylitol.org/)


About the author
Teya Skae M.A., B.A.,Dip Health Sciences, Dip Clinical Nutrition
Kinesiologist/Nutritionist/Writer
Health/Life Coach and Educator
Teya is the founder of Empowered Living
www.empowered-living.com.au
specialising in Metabolic Typing Nutrition and Results Fat Loss. Teya writes article for various publications and runs courses in health and human potential.

Oral contraceptives and bad health

Oral Contraceptives Blamed for Stroke and Heart Attack Risk

Friday, February 22, 2008 by: Dr Emily A Kane
http://www.naturalnews.com/022694.html


(NaturalNews) A recent study of nearly 1500 Belgian women aged 35 to 55 found that those women taking oral
contraceptives (birth control pills) had a nearly 30 percent increased chance of forming dangerous
plaque in their arteries. Synthetic forms of estrogen are used in oral contraceptives and hormone
replacement can form plaque: a thick, hard deposit that can clog arteries.

Atherosclerotic plaque is comprised of cholesterol, bacteria and calcium which adheres to the
inner lining of damaged arteries. Lack of sufficient plant pigments (such as carotenoids,
chlorophyll, resveratrol) is generally thought to be a major cause of damage to the arterial walls.

Women are much less likely, in general, than men to have strokes or heart attacks due to
cholesterol build-up in their arteries. Women's cardiovascular disease is more likely to be in the
peripheral (small) vessels, or be caused by low mineral (especially magnesium) status, causing
spasms of the heart muscle and vessels, as opposed to reduced oxygen flow to the heart and
brain due to plaque. However, women on the pill approach the risk of men for plaque formation,
according to this new study, reported at the October meeting of the American Heart Association
in Orlando, Florida.

Birth control pills are taken by about 100 million women worldwide. While liberation from fear of
pregnancy is a crucial part of women's march towards emancipation, "the pill" poses risks. If
taken for more than 10 years, this new study says, women run the risk of clogged arteries, which
can lead to heart disease and stroke.

Previous studies had shown that synthetic hormones used for birth control greatly increased the
risk of blood clotting. Older forms of birth control pills combine estradiol and progestin, two
laboratory-made mimics of the female sex hormones. Two years ago, a big pharmaceutical
company, Johnson and Johnson, finally recalled the Ortho Evra patch after definitive proof that
women on the patch were dying of strokes and blot clots three times more frequently than the
general population. FDA records show that seventeen patch users between the ages of 17 and
30 suffered fatal heart attacks, blood clots and possible strokes between August 2002 and November 2005.

The pills in the study were not the newer, very low dose hormones, which may confer less risk.
However, what's new with the Belgian study is the addition of atherosclerotic plaque formation, in
relatively young women, to the risk of clot formation. Clots typically form in the legs and can
cause serious injury and death if they travel to the heart, lungs or brain.

Other problems with synthetic estrogen, in any dose, shown through published scientific studies
include depletion of folic acid, magnesium, tyrosine (an amino acid important in thyroid function,
among other actions), zinc, and vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12 and C.


About the author
Dr Emily Kane is a practising naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist. For more info see www.DrEmilyKane.com

How to reduce inflammation through diet?

Inflammation: What to Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Many Diseases

Friday, February 22, 2008 by: Cathy Sherman
http://www.naturalnews.com/022701.html


(NaturalNews) Inflammation is a double-edged sword. While it is very critical for the healing of wounds, it is also a bodily response that can become too much of a good thing. Any infection, injury or toxicity problem inflicted on our bodies is handled by the inflammatory response that occurs automatically. Unfortunately, if certain substances in our bodies become unbalanced, the inflammation switch can come "on" at the wrong time or forget to go "off" when no longer needed.

When inflammation occurs, it can be seen externally as a rash or swelling. A more dangerous kind is that which occurs internally. If it goes on too long it can cause damage to any organ or organ system. People with auto-immune and chronic inflammatory diseases are very familiar with the problems inflammation can cause.

Diseases in which inflammation plays a role are heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, cancers, arthritis, gingivitis and other "itis" disorders.

On the positive side, since the growth in such diseases can be correlated with and related to our increased diets of fast, convenient foods, it is possible to end the inflammation process with a change in diet.

Not only do we need to eliminate saturated and trans-fats, refined sugars, starches, commercial meats and artificial sweeteners, but we can reverse problems of chronic inflammatory diseases by choosing certain foods and herbs available at the grocery store.

It is being shown time and again that the common therapy for inflammation – pharmaceuticals - has been a miserable and costly failure. Rather than submit your body to the side effects of such drugs, please consider the much healthier alternatives discussed below.

Dietary polyphenols, found in many edible plants, are being found to have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies on animals in the lab have demonstrated such properties, and studies done on different human populations have shown that those who consume polyphenol-rich foods have lower incidences of inflammatory disease.

Fruits rich in this phytochemical include blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sour
cherries, pomegranates and cranberries. If you drink these in juices, make sure to read the label and avoid any with sugar added.

Another group of dietary nutrients receiving much publicity today are the omega fatty acids. Don't be
confused by the wording here. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 acids can actually help cause inflammation. That is why we need to balance the use of omega-6's with omega-3's. If your diet has been predominantly rich in the omega-6 oils, you will have to do more than achieve a balance by increasing omega-3's and drastically reducing the omega-6's.

Other foods rich in omega-3's include oily fish such as herring, sardines, tuna, mackerel and salmon
(preferably wild); oils made from these fish; hemp, flax, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and their oils; high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables such as dark leafy salad greens, spinach, kale, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and onions.

We often overlook the turnip, but from a Chinese medicinal view, it and the radish both aid digestion by cooling and soothing inflammation and phlegm.

Quercetin is a flavonoid, and a very powerful one. It is found in red grapes, red and yellow onions, garlic, broccoli and apples.

Anti-oxidant properties in some foods also help fight inflammation by protecting the body from free radicals. Vitamin C-rich foods fall into this category, including carrots, orange winter squash, bell peppers and tomatoes.

To reduce swelling and inflammation quickly, eat half of a fresh pineapple or papaya daily. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain and papaya contains papain. Pain and swelling should go down in two to six days.

Eating at least five servings of such fresh fruits and vegetables daily is a minimum. If inflammation is a problem, it is recommended to increase the intake of this food group. In fact, some natural health experts advise a diet that is 75% raw foods.

The flavorings and herbs used in cooking your lean meats and fish are very important as well in fighting inflammation. Turmeric, and its yellowing substance curcumin, are most commonly found in Indian foods like curry and in mustards. The author makes capsules of grocery store-bought turmeric, which has helped with arthritis symptoms. At least one naturopath has stated it works much like anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, without the side effects.

Ginger is another flavoring that has many healthful properties, one of which is an anti-inflammatory.

Garlic has been the object of much research and has been shown to inhibit the growth of 23 organisms,
including bacteria, mold and yeast. It is also very helpful as an anti-inflammatory.

Remember, while adding spices like turmeric, it is just as important to decrease, if not eliminate,
flavorings such as salt, sugar and artificial sweeteners. Also avoid colas, white flour products and junk foods.

Just one precaution: Herbs and spices should be used with medical supervision if one is also taking
medications because their medicinal properties can interfere with the drugs.

When it comes to soy and soy products, the advice and research findings are contradictory. More research is needed on these foods.

In conclusion, if you want to reduce inflammation, eat healthier. Replace your processed foods with meals like cold water fish, chicken, salads, and steamed vegetables. Avoid deep-fried foods and hydrogenated oils. Bake or stir-fry instead of frying. Use olive oil, an omega-9 fatty acid, instead of corn and related oils.


About the author
Cathy Sherman is a freelance writer with a major interest in natural health and in encouraging others to take responsibility for their health. She can be reached through www.devardoc.com.

Lights at night linked to breast cancer

Lights at Night Are Linked to Breast Cancer

Study Bolsters Theory About Interference With Production of Key Hormone

By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 20, 2008; Page A04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8021902398.html


Women who live in neighborhoods with large amounts of nighttime illumination are more likely to get breast cancer than those who live in areas where nocturnal darkness prevails, according to an unusual study that overlaid satellite images of Earth onto cancer registries.

The finding adds credence to the hypothesis that exposure to too much light at night can raise the risk of breast cancer by interfering with the brain's production of a tumor-suppressing hormone.

"By no means are we saying that light at night is the only or the major risk factor for breast cancer," said Itai Kloog, of the University of Haifa in Israel, who led the new work. "But we found a clear and strong correlation that should be taken into consideration."

Scientists have known for years that rats raised in cages where lights are left on for much of the night have higher cancer rates than those allowed to sleep in darkness. And epidemiological studies of nurses, flight attendants and others who work at night have found breast cancer rates 60 percent above normal, even when other factors such as differences in diet are accounted for.

On the basis of such studies, an arm of the World Health Organization announced in December its decision to classify shift work as a "probable carcinogen." That put the night shift in the same health-risk category as exposure to such toxic chemicals as trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The mechanism of such a link, if real, remains mysterious, but many scientists suspect that melatonin is key. Secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, the hormone helps prevent tumor formation. The body produces melatonin primarily at night, and levels drop precipitously in the presence of light, especially light in the blue part of the spectrum produced in quantity by computer screens and fluorescent bulbs.

In keeping with the melatonin hypothesis, mice in cages with night lighting have normal cancer rates if they get shots of the hormone. And blind women, whose eyes cannot detect light and so have robust production of melatonin, have lower-than-average breast cancer rates.

Kloog and his colleagues took a previously untried approach to testing the link. They obtained satellite data from NASA that showed in great detail how much light was emitted spaceward from neighborhoods throughout Israel.

Although the light levels that reached the satellite were about one-tenth their intensity on Earth, the approach provides an accurate measure of which areas are brighter or darker than others and by how much.

The team then overlaid that map with local statistics on cases of breast cancer and, for comparison, lung cancer, which is caused mostly by smoking and so would not be expected to be linked to light.

After using neighborhood data to correct for other factors that can affect cancer rates, including wealth, ethnicity and the average number of children in families living in those localities, the researchers found no link between night lighting and lung cancer, they report in this week's online issue of the journal Chronobiology International.

But the researchers found the breast cancer rate in localities with average night lighting to be 37 percent higher than in communities with the lowest amount of light; and they noted that the rate was higher by an additional 27 percent in areas with the highest amount of light.

Abraham Haim, a University of Haifa chronobiologist involved in the study, said the findings raise questions about the recent push to switch to energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs, which suppress melatonin production more than conventional incandescent bulbs. "This may be a disaster in another 20 years," Haim said, "and you won't be able to reverse what we did by mistake." He called for more research before policies favoring fluorescent lights are implemented, and for more emphasis on using less light at night.

Jim Burch, a University of South Carolina epidemiologist and biostatistician familiar with the study, called the approach and findings "fascinating."

"The study has limitations," including not measuring levels of indoor lighting, "but it supports the overall idea," Burch said. "I think there is enough evidence to suggest we ought to be thinking about this more carefully."

Curing cataract

'Fullstop-size cure' for cataract

Two tiny incisions are made on each side of the eye

Wednesday, 20 February 2008, 13:04 GMT
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7251345.stm


New technology has significantly reduced the length of the incision needed to remove eye cataracts.

Using the Stellaris machine surgeons need only to make two 1.8mm cuts on either side of the eye. Usually a cut of up to 2.7mm is needed.

Experts say a smaller cut means patients have fewer problems focusing afterwards and need less after-care.

The device has been trialled in a number of hospitals and is now being sold to NHS trusts for £70,000.

Stellaris guides the surgeon as they make required incisions.

The clouded lens inside is then broken up using ultrasound and sucked out, and a new folded lens is injected into the space, where it is unfurled.

One in three people over the age of 65 has a cataract, cloudy or opaque areas that develop in the normally transparent lens of the eye.

Surgery to remove them is the most common operation in the NHS, with 300,000 carried out each year.

Back to normal

Current techniques already mean that a patient can be up and returning to normal activities almost immediately after the operation. Stitches are now rarely required.

But proponents say what is new about the technology is the size of the incision - about the size of a fullstop on a page.

This, according to Sheraz Daya, a consultant ophthalmologist at Queen Victoria Hospital, "makes it safer because the eye contents remain steady, under very precise control by the surgeon.

"It's a very quick and efficient procedure, it's painless, no stitches and they can get up and walk out straight afterwards without the need for a patch and little danger of infection."

Other consultants agreed with Mr Daya's assessment, although they stressed that Stellaris was not the only device capable of reducing the incision to 1.8mm.

At least two others, known as Sovereign and Infinity, are also available.

"All these technologies are a move in the right direction", said Larry Benjamin, an eye surgeon at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. "Smaller cuts are better, while the mechanism keeps the eye steady."

"The only problem is many of the lenses on the market aren't yet small enough to fit through this kind of incision, so one side of the technology has yet to catch up with the other."

Warning about osteoporosis treatments

FDA Posts MedWatch Side Effect Alert for Osteoporosis Drugs

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 by: Teri Lee Gruss
http://www.naturalnews.com/022678.html


(NaturalNews) The FDA recently issued a statement that bisphosphonate drugs used to treat osteoporosis may cause "severe and sometimes incapacitating bone, joint, and/or muscle pain". The information was posted on the FDA MedWatch website, the agency's online adverse event reporting site, on January 7, 2008.

According to the FDA, symptoms of these adverse side effects can occur within days of taking the drug or arise years after taking bisphosphonates.

The bisphosphonates cited in Medwatch alert include Actonel, Actonel+Ca, Aredia, Boniva, Didronel, Fosamax, Fosamax+D, Reclast, Skelid and Zometa.

The FDA alert emphasizes that doctors and patients may not associate severe musculoskeletal pain with bisphosphonates even though this possible adverse side effect is available in prescribing literature.

In 2004 the FDA, aware of the risk for severe musculoskeletal pain in people taking bisphosphonates required manufacturers to update their product labeling and information to include this known serious adverse side effect. It looks like physicians and patients are not connecting the dots in the known association of bisphosphonates to severe musculoskeletal pain.

Unfortunately, a person experiencing bisphosphonate induced severe musculoskeletal pain will likely have to take other medications to alleviate their pain, an increasingly common occurrence: treating adverse side effects with other medications.

Bisphosphonates are also linked to osteonecrosis (destruction of jawbone tissue) and are currently being assessed by the FDA for the potential to cause severe atrial defibrillation. Abdominal pain and esophageal ulcers are other known adverse side effect risks. See NaturalNews article Fosamax and Reclast Linked To Risk For Serious Atrial Fibrillation (http://www.NaturalNews.com/022420.html) .

According to worstpills.org, the Health Research Group of Public Citizen, published clinical studies have found that while bisphosphonates increase bone density they may not be as effective at reducing incidence of fractures as we have been led to believe.

As we recently learned, Merck and Schering-Plough neglected to submit all of their clinical trial research data for their heavily advertised and prescribed drugs Zetia and Vytorin, specifically data related to adverse side effects and effectiveness of the drug in preventing heart attacks and stroke. See NaturalNews's Mike Adam's article posted January 11, 2008 (http://www.NaturalNews.com/022485.html) .

According to worstpills.org, Proctor and Gamble, the maker of the bisphosphonate Actonel, engaged in a similar omission of data in a large clinical trial that they sponsored.

The trial included 9,331 elderly women with low bone density. While P&G announced that their bisphosphonate risedronate (Actonel) increased bone mineral density 1% , when they conducted their follow-up phase of the trial, information regarding the outcomes of 3,324 women in the trial (that's slightly over a third of the trial subjects), was not made available. It was omitted from publication and peer review.

As the public learns more about the pharmaceutical industry practice of omitting clinical study data pertaining to serious adverse side effects and lack of effectiveness, both in the FDA approval phase and post market phases of clinical trials, it is obvious that we deserve a better understanding of the adverse effects of bisphosphonates and a much better understanding of their alleged benefits, which of course should be protection from bone fractures.

The FDA MedWatch notice concludes by advising: "Healthcare professionals should consider whether bisphosphonate use might be responsible for severe musculoskeletal pain in patients who are present with these symptoms and consider temporary or permanent discontinuation of the drug".

Sources:

FDA MedWatch ((http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008...)

Worstpills.org (https://www.worstpills.org/)

Proctor and Gamble sponsored study:
Goodman RL. The effect of risedronate on the risk of hip fracture in elderly women. New Engl J Med May 31, 2001; 344: 1720 – 1721

Bone HG, Hosking D, Devogelaer JP, Tucci JR, Emkey RD, Tonino RP, Rodriguez-Portales JA, Downs RW, Gupta J, Santora AC, Liberman UA. Ten years' experience with alendronate for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. New England Journal of Medicine Mar 18, 2004; 350: 1189 - 1199.


About the author
Teri Lee Gruss, MS Human Nutrition