Bhard

Archive for October, 2010

One of the biggest health concerns most people have today is preventing cancer. Incidences of cancer and in the cancer mortality rate in the United States have risen each year for the last fifty. The age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in 1930 was 143 per 100,000 members of the population, but by 1990, it had risen to 174 per 100,000 in 1990.

Medical technology has come along way in treating this insidious disease, but we still don’t appear to know a great deal about preventing many types of cancer. And, even with the treatments that we do have, 300 people in the United States die from cancer every single day.

Many of our country’s deaths from cancer are completely preventable. For example, about 90 percent of the one million skin cancers in the United States that were diagnosed in 2005 could have been prevented by protection from sun. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006 about 170,000 lives will be lost to cancer because of tobacco use, so these too are completely preventable.

However, there are many other cancers that we cannot prevent, in part because we don’t know what causes them. But, there may be a product already in your cupboard that can help prevent, or even treat, cancer. Over the past several years, medical science has begun to scientifically prove out what Asian culture seems to have known for years; tea, particularly green tea is effective in preserving health.

The Chinese have used green tea for centuries to treat everything from headaches to depression. One of the most significant health benefits that green tea appears to provide is prevention against certain types of cancer. But, the studies are getting even more promising. It looks as though green tea can be an effective treatment for certain types of cancer, too.

Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Therefore, what we refer to as “herb tea” is not really tea at all, but rather an herbal infusion. There are many different types of tea; most of the differences come from the way the tea is processed.

Tea leaves naturally contain catechins. Catechins belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids. EGCG is one of the many catechins contained in tea, and is considered to be the most powerful anti-oxidant in tea leaves.

Fermenting the tea leaves, which is part of processing tea leaves for black tea, converts these catechins to other compounds and reduces their health benefits. Therefore, green tea, because it is not fermented, retains more of its original anti-oxidants than black tea. Scientists have discovered that tea is healthy primarily because of these anti-oxidants.

Each day, as we convert the foods we eat into energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that can damage our cells and our DNA if we don’t combat them. It is believed that unchecked free radicals contribute to the development of cancer.

Anti-oxidants are powerful free radical combatants. Fruits and vegetables are also high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are linked with preventing cancer, and a decreased risk of stroke, heart disease and lower blood cholesterol.

In addition to these anti-oxidants, all teas, whether black, white or green contain calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamins C and K. Green tea is also appears to be very good for your teeth.

As exciting as it is to think that green tea may be helpful in preventing cancer; what’s even more exciting is that it may also be a powerful treatment for cancer. In one recent study by the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan*, research showed that green tea, when combined with the drug Adriamycin, was more effective in treating a certain kind of ovarian sarcoma (cancer of the ovaries) than using the adriamycin alone.

In fact, the cancer cells in the rats in the study were not very responsive at all to the drug when it was administered alone; but when administered along with the substance in tea called theanine, the rats became extremely responsive to the treatment. The rats showed a much higher concentration of the drug in their cancer cells when the drug was administered along with the theanine.

This combination of andriamycin and theanine appears to inhibit the growth of tumors; suggesting that cancer patients might be able to avoid progression of their tumors and might be less susceptible to developing new tumors, when green tea substances are used in conjunction with cancer drugs.

This is, of course, very exciting news. Cancer treatment typically has two facets. The first is killing the cancerous cells that already exist in the body. The second is preventing new cancer cells from growing, both in the organ where the cancer originated, and in other organs (metastasis).

If green tea can help with both aspects of cancer treatment, as well as preventing cancer in the first place, we may be closer than ever to dramatically reducing the incidence of or even eradicating this disease. Of course, far more research is needed, but these results are promising, indeed.

Warts have always been embarrassing and the genital warts lead to an even greater discomfort. Out of the tens of types of human papilloma virus that cause warts, six of them are sexually transmitted and lead to the apparition of genital warts. This particular type of lesions are dangerous since they affect the pregnant women in a certain way and because they may precede penis, cervical and vulvae cancer. People that have this skin condition must find out which genital wart removal treatments are available at the moment.

The most popular treatments that are used for genital wart removal include cryotherapy, electrocautery, laser removal and surgical excision. The first method is more frequently used for getting rid of the cervical warts. Liquid nitrogen is applied on the affected areas until the warts disappear. The lesions that have a greater size are best treated through surgical intervention. These treatments also have side effects that range from inflammation to scarring. Another good solution for large warts is represented by CO2 laser surgery.

Genital wart removal treatments may also imply the usage of certain chemical substances. The most effective substances used for this type of therapy are podophylin and trichloracetic acid. These two are prescribed by the doctor. Imiquimod cream, fluorouracil creams, and podofilox solution, on the other hand, are free for home use. Though, the instructions of the health care provider must be respected in this case, too. The treatment, in this situation, lasts for a few weeks, but must not exceed 3 or 4 months. Application of the creams and chemical gels is necessary twice or three times a week.

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure is another genital wart removal technique. The health care provider cuts the wart off the skin by using a sharp tool that has a loop design. Interferon injection may be preferred by some persons, as these have proved to be effective too, in the treatment of genital warts.

This method implies shots with chemical substances that boost the immune system. Interferon shots are chosen by the health care provider when all the other treatment methods fail to bring any satisfactory results. By injecting interferons into the warts, the immune system gets improved and is finally able to fight the virus that provokes these small lesions. This type of treatment is usually performed after electro cauterization. The duration of the treatment is of several weeks if the shots are done 3 times weekly.

.There’s a most curious phenomenon coming to the fore right now. Wherever you look, there’s a smiling face wearing something or driving something or generally being seen in the same shot as a product. It seems the marketers have made a leap of faith. If they pay an A- or B-lister to walk round the streets so the paparazzi can take pictures, we will suddenly all be inspired to look and act the same (without the intrusive photographer, of course). This blends seamlessly into conventional ads, product placement and the so-called brand ambassadors or spokespersons who suddenly pop up on talk shows and infomercials to give a personal testimonial on how wonderful it feels to wear the watch or eat the junk food. Think Michael Jordan and you should think the shoes, drinks and burgers. Think Bob Uecker and his favorite beer. It’s supposed that the star-power of the endorser will somehow rub off on the product or service. Do we all want to drive that make of car because we see Michael Schumacher drive it? Thinking about cars, do we remember OJ Simpson endorsed Hertz? One of the more interesting people recruited into this “business” is Justin Bieber. He’s the wunderkind sensation whose teen voice soars effortlessly as the baby, whose kiss and tell stories bring him down to Earth for the first dance. “Ah,” you smile, “that should me me.” Well, the common denominator in this business is good looks. He has been blessed with skin that looks like it’s just been grown in the vats and stuck on with glue. It’s as if time stopped before any of those hormones could even hint at a blemish. So, of course, he’s out there fronting the leading benzoyl peroxide product. Have skin like mine when you use this product. So with half the teenage girls going gaga for him, you can expect them to prefer this antibacterial product. They all want their skin to look like his. So here’s the real test. How long will it take Bieber to “become” the product so that, everytime you see a picture of him, you think of the product? In less pressured times, it took Michael Jordan several years to establish himself. Will Bieber be yesterday’s teen sensation tomorrow with all the female fans forgetting him (and the product) in favor of the new kid on the block? Celebrity in the world of pop is not as long-lasting as for sports stars. As you may have noticed, there are no celebrities recruited to sell Accutane. It manages to be the best known of the acne treatments on merit. When you are so obviously the best, you don’t need a here-today-gone-tomorrow star hyping your product. When your product guarantees to clear up acne, if not during the first session, then definitely during the second, you don’t need a talking head (or in Bieber’s case, a singing head) to praise it. In this, don’t forget Accutane has side effects so use it with care. That said, to remember the brand, just remember it works.

For a while back there, people would hang out and chill to cool music. No matter what was going on around them, they made a little space for themselves where they could be calm. At least, that’s what the marketers would have us believe. In the real world, everything was jumping and you had to jump to keep up. Stress has been a feature of modern life ever since the women challenged men to find somewhere better to live than caves. Anyway what’s wrong with a cave? Plenty of fresh air and running water. Just make sure you have cable and all is right with the world. Ah well. Arguments like this are enough to make you tear your hair out. Which, of course, some people do. It’s a symptom of really serious stress. Not that everyone needs to literally pull their hair out. With enough stress in your life, your hair will fall out without any help from your hands.

What “stress” has this effect? Well, it can be severe physical stress produced if you fall seriously ill, run a high fever and generally make as if you are going to die. Or it can be the emotional kind of stress. The medical term for this unfortunate effect is telogen effluvium, so named because the effect of the stress is to force the scalp into its telogen or resting phase. So, when hair falls out (which it does every day), it’s not replaced and you can go bald quite rapidly. Obviously, if the physical illness is bad enough to have this effect, there’s not much you can do except wait for the doctors to produce the cure. Then a little patience will see your hair grow back again. Yes, you are seeing words of reassurance. Your hair will grow back naturally without you having to do except wait. Emotional stress is slightly more under your control. Although it’s always tempting to take one of the anti-anxiety drugs, it’s far better if you can sort out your life’s problems without having to pop pills out of their blisters. Saves you money as well. The answer, as the title to this article suggests, is to chill out, talk through your problems with a partner, relative or friend, and get your head into a better place. If your head is better inside, hair will start growing again on the outside.

So here’s the challenge for you. If your hair loss is genetic and not aggravated by stress, the answer is Propecia. As a long-term treatment, it slowly reduces the amount of dihydrotestosterone in your bloodstream. This encourages your hair to stay attached to your head and, in most cases, to regrow. But if the cause of your hair loss is emotional stress, taking Propecia will not help. You should be able to tell the difference because male pattern baldness produces the characteristic M shape whereas stress-related hair loss produces a faster and more patchy loss all over the scalp. If you are not sure, you could wait. Except clinical trials show you get the best regrowth if you start taking Propecia early in the cycle of loss. Rather than gamble, you should take Propecia once it’s clear the hair is receding from your temples, and start studying relaxation and meditation techniques. If you chill out while taking Propecia, you are covered whichever way the diagnosis turns out.

The majority of men base their concept of masculinity on how good they are in bed and how large is their penis. With such a simple image, it’s not a big surprise that when sexual problems like erectile dysfunction develop, there are dramatic effects on a man’s self-esteem and image, which no longer corresponds to what he has in mind.

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by various factors that affect the process of erection. And seeing how complex the process is, you will understand how much of a risk there is for a man’s sexual life. The process of erection involves three main stages, each of them being very important for the final result:

• First Stage: Sexual arousal that arises from direct or mental sexual stimulation.
• Second Stage: Nerve signals are transmitted from the brain to the penis, stimulating blood flow into the penile shaft.
• Third Stage: Blood flows into the penis through blood vessels, filling the cavernous bodies and forming an erection.

In case there’s something wrong at any of these stages then erectile dysfunction will definitely occur. In general, the second and third stages of erectile process are more vulnerable to being affected than the first one. However, between 10 and 20 percent of ED patients have problems at the first stage, which leads to psychologically induced erectile dysfunction.

There are many psychological aspects that can lead to erectile problems. Some of the most common psychological issues that are known to cause the problem include stress, depression, anxiety, mental illnesses, problems within the relationship, inhibited sexual desire and fatigue among others.

Quite often, even when there’s a precise physical cause for erectile problems, psychological issues also develop and make the problem even worse. Dealing with such a situation is quite hard, because not only you should overcome the physical problem, but you also have to deal with the psychological aspect of the condition in order to improve it.

Such problems often lead to the so-called performance anxiety, which can impede normal sexual functions due to the fear of being unable to perform up to the expectations of the partner. This alone can be a serious cause for ED, and can also trigger more serious conditions like depression or anxiety disorders.

When dealing with psychogenic impotence, it is very important to understand that even such effective drugs like Cialis won’t be much of a help. There’s no point in trying to overcome the condition by physical treatments. Cialis or Viagra will certainly help increase the blood flow to the penis. But when you have problems with sexual arousal it’s quite hard getting to the latter stages of the process.

The good news is that psychogenic erectile dysfunction is treated relatively easy. Sometimes a single visit to a psychotherapist can be enough to get rid of the problem. It all depends on the actual cause behind your case of ED. If you are stressed out, then you should learn how to overcome stress effectively. If you suffer from depression, anxiety disorders or mental illness, then you should get adequate treatment for these conditions and your sexual abilities will improve. If there’s a problem with your partner, try relationship counseling. A simple talk can be enough to get you back on track without Cialis.

One of the longer running political hot potatoes has been tort reform. Talk to anyone in the GOP and they will tell you we are going to Hell in a basket because every time anything goes wrong, a gang of attorneys jumps out of the undergrowth and starts suing the pants off you. Needless to say, the liberals think the willingness of attorneys to sue protects consumers. Where would we be without someone to claim if we fall ill after eating food in a restaurant, or we think we are braking only to find our vehicle speeding on out of control? This makes for a wonderful battleground, particularly in the area of healthcare where doctors are only too keen to protect their reputations and prevent anyone from realizing how many mistakes they make. So, the GOP promises it will ringfence attorneys and either limit the scope of the law, or cap the amount of damages the courts can award. The Democrats promise more consumer protection laws. Against this background, it’s interesting to compare what happens elsewhere. And you can’t get anymore elsewhere than New Zealand. In fact, apart from knowing it’s an island country, most people have no idea where it is. Anyway, these primitives have two major differences to note. It starts with a no-fault approach to insurance. There’s no fighting over the question of liability. The only issue that comes before the courts is to fix the amount of compensation payable to the victims of loss. Can’t see this being adopted in the home of litigation. Second, they actually research how well drugs work after they are licensed and release for sale. What a shocker! Most recently, they have been looking at people taking the major acne drug, following their health for six years. As is required, all the participants had severe acne that had refused to yield to any other treatment. They all took the drug at a significantly lower dosage than usually prescribed, i.e. it was about 0.25mg for each kg of their weight. Only 3.5% were affected by side effects and a mere thirteen people stopped taking the drug. In the US, Accutane is considered the biggest mixed blessing in town with an unbeatable reputation for effectiveness and major problems with side effects. In fact, there are multiple class actions working their way through the courts claiming massive amounts of money from the manufacturer. Perhaps this should not be surprising because the drug started off its active life as chemotherapy for various cancers. That it also clears up acne was a very unexpected side effect. No matter how the litigation is resolved, the findings of the New Zealand research should trigger a new look by the FDA. If these primitives are correct and this drug is effective at very low dosage without side effects, this is something we should act on. Just one point of clarification, the New Zealand research does not dispute the probability of birth defects if a woman uses the drug while pregnant. Even at low dosage, the risk is unacceptable.