Strep Throat: It is here in DFW

The signs of strep throat are far from subtle. A very sore throat will be your first sign. If you have the infection, it's pretty easy for your doctor to diagnose. A simple strep throat test or throat culture will be able to determine if you're infected.
Strep throat occurs when the Group A Streptococcus bacteria infects the throat and tonsils. This type of infection can happen to anyone, though it is most common in children and teens.

Strep Throat Symptoms

A sore throat is the most obvious symptom of strep throat. You're throat will feel very dry and scratchy. The soreness may make it painful to swallow food or drink.

A fever that comes on suddenly can be a symptom of strep throat. The fever can be severe or mild, but it will come on quickly.

Nausea can be a symptom of strep throat. The nausea may be mild or severe. If severe, you may also experience a loss of appetite. The nausea may also induce vomiting and general stomach pains.

A red throat, often with little white or yellow patches on the tonsils can be a symptom of strep throat. There may also be tiny red spots at the back of your mouth.

Swollen lymph nodes can be a symptom of strep throat. These nodes are located of both sides of your neck, below the jaw line. If touching this area is painful, the nodes are likely swollen.

A rash can be a symptom of strep throat. The rash will begin at the neck and spread towards the chest. If left untreated, the rash can spread over the entire body.

Strep Throat Treatment

Most strep throat infections only last about a week, but treatment is available. If you're diagnosed with strep throat shortly after the symptoms began, your doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics to help fight the infection. However, if you wait too long to visit your doctor, the antibiotics will not help. You will have to just deal with the infection until it clears up on its own.

Cancer causing MYTHs

http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/tip-sheet-cancer-myths

Myth: Antiperspirants or deodorants can cause breast cancer.


Fact: There's no conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants or deodorants with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Some reports have suggested that these products contain harmful substances such as aluminum compounds and parabens that can be absorbed through the skin or enter the body through nicks caused by shaving. No clinical studies have yet given a definitive answer to the question of whether these products cause breast cancer. But the evidence to date suggests these products don't cause cancer.
If you're still concerned that your underarm antiperspirant or deodorant could increase your risk of cancer, choose products that don't contain chemicals that worry you.

Myth: Microwaving plastic containers and wraps releases harmful, cancer-causing substances into food.

Fact: Microwave-safe plastic containers and wraps don't leak chemicals into your food.
But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says plastic containers not intended for use in the microwave could melt and potentially leak chemicals into your food. So avoid microwaving containers that were never intended for the microwave, such as margarine tubs or whipped topping containers.
Check to see that any container you use in the microwave is labeled as microwave-safe.

Myth: People with cancer shouldn't eat sugar, since it can cause cancer to grow faster.


Fact: Sugar doesn't make cancer grow faster. All cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn't speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn't slow their growth.
This misconception may be based in part on a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose. All tissues in your body absorb some of this tracer, but tissues that are using more energy — including cancer cells — absorb greater amounts. For this reason, some people have concluded that cancer cells grow faster on sugar. But this isn't true.

Myth: Good people don't get cancer.

Fact: In ancient times illness was often viewed as punishment for bad actions or thoughts. In some cultures that view is still held. If this were true, though, how would you explain the 6-month-old or the newborn who gets cancer? These little ones haven't been bad. There's absolutely no evidence that you get cancer because you deserve it.

Myth: Cancer is contagious.

Fact: There's no need to avoid someone who has cancer. You can't catch it. It's OK to touch and spend time with someone who has cancer. In fact, your support may never be more valuable.
Though cancer itself isn't contagious, sometimes viruses, which are contagious, can lead to the development of cancer. Examples of viruses that can cause cancer include:

■Human papillomavirus (HPV) — a sexually transmitted disease — that can cause cervical cancer and other forms of cancer

■Hepatitis C — a virus transmitted through sexual intercourse or use of infected intravenous (IV) needles — that can cause liver cancer

Talk to your doctor about ways to protect yourself from these viruses.

Please visit this site for up to date information from the authorities: http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/tip-sheet-cancer-myths

Lose weight/ not breast size:

It is Difficult but Not Impossible to Lose Weight without Losing Boobs

You can lose weight without losing boobs if you are specifically planning your workouts to target building muscle in your chest. Some equipment that might be useful to do this is an exercise ball, weight bench or loose dumbbells. If you belong to a gym you can find this equipment plus a dip machine there to use for this purpose. You might also want to speak to a trainer there and let them know your goal; they can make sure you are doing the exercises correctly.

Strength Training to Lose Weight without Losing Boobs

•Lift weights – For weight lifting, keep in mind that the heavier the weight is the more muscle it will build in your chest to maintain your boobs. Pick a weight that you can do about 8 repetitions of. Only complete 2 to 3 sets of repetitions a day for about 3 to 4 days each week.

•Chest flies – For this exercise you lay on your back on an exercise bench, weight bench or an exercise ball. Holding weights in your hands you will lift your hands above your to meet above your chest. Hold your arms in line with your shoulders while doing this lift. Once the weights meet you will then lower them back down until your arms are even with your shoulders again.

•Chest Presses – Lay flat on your exercise ball or bench holding weights above your shoulders with your elbows bent. Press the weights up and out over your chest and then slowly lower them back to the starting position.

•Pushups are great for building muscle in the chest. If you are not able to do the standard version on your hands and toes, you can get the same result on your hands and knees.

•If you have access to a Dip Machine perform dips to help increase your pectoral muscles and lose weight without losing boobs.

Low Repetitions to Lose Weight without Losing Boobs

When doing exercises that target your pectoral muscles you want to keep the repetitions low. Do a variety of exercises with minimal repetitions, unless you want to look like a body builder. Your goal is to build the muscle just under the breasts while you are losing weight so that the loss of fat is replaced with muscle and firmer tissue. This may be tedious, but all good things take work. Good Luck!

How to spot bad diet pills:

Weight Loss Products Warnings --
How to spot bad diet pills
There are numerous ways to make bad weight loss products look good. How to Spot Bad Diet Pills was written to help you evaluate dieting products. Our hope is to provide you with reliable, easy to understand, and useful tips for spotting bad weight loss products.
For the purpose of this article, the phrase, weight loss pill, refers to over-the-counter, non-prescription weight loss supplements. The following six tips will help you identify weight loss pills that don't back up claims with evidence, cite poorly designed research studies, don't work, and possibly cause serious harm.
The tips, arranged in no particular order, are effective in spotting glaring omissions of evidence, misrepresentations, and outright lies. However, many marketers have become quite skilled in the art of statistical illusion, fooling even those of us with extensive experience in statistical analysis.
What does this mean for you? Use the six tips from How to Spot Bad Diet Pills as part of your own overall assessment and not as a definitive evaluation. A "good" weight loss pill based upon these six tips, does not necessarily translate to a well studied, safe, and effective product. However, a bad pill here is a bad pill everywhere.

With that quick disclaimer, let's get started...
Bad Diet Pill Tip #1 -- References
Match each claim cited with a reference. The reference should be clear and include the author's name, the location of the study, primary sponsor, title of study, publication source, year, volume, and pages.
A solid claim made for a weight loss product should not be sales oriented. I fully understand that there is a time to sell. However, I am assuming you are beyond that, and need real information about this weight loss product in question. As you investigate the pill, and the sales copy never seems to go way, that's a red flag.
Lets look at two different claims. The first one is NOT a solid science claim..."Amazing New Weight Loss Pill Maximizes Weight Loss...". This belongs back in the sales copy.
Instead, here is a claim well grounded in science...
"The percentage of weight loss was significantly higher in the test group at the end of the 5 week study...(6)"
Notice the reference is clearly cited and displayed by the number 6. This is identifying the 6th listing on the reference page as the source. This brings up a related topic about the reference page. All ads and websites should have a reference page.
As a matter of fact, the reference page is more valuable than the testimonials. It is a list of the actual studies used to make a case in favor of a weight loss product.
Bad Diet Pills Tip #2 -- Mechanism of Action
Verify how the weight loss pill works, also called the mechanism of action. Every pill, prescription drugs included, should have the mechanism of action clearly stated with references. Do not label a weight loss pill as "good" without a description on how it works.
Bad Diet Pills Tip #3 -- Author
Verify the primary author referenced to make the best claim or the author referenced for making most of the claims. Verify, in this case, means to check the reference as "real" and also test the "marketer" for how accessible the information is to get and review.
Bad Diet Pills Tip #4 -- Subjects
Investigate the number of subjects that have been tested using the weight loss pill in question. This is difficult to judge, but understand that the smaller the study, the less reliable the results. One study with 10 subjects is not enough to make any significant claims.
When isolating one study, the number of subjects needed to produce reliable results depends on several factors. I suggest looking through the information provided to you for references to choosing the right number of subjects. If they take the time to write about it in their official study report, then, most likely, they had the best possible number of subjects.
In general, if you're reviewing one study measuring one variable, you would like to see at least 50 subjects (n=50). However, we often lower this standard given the difficulty in recruiting for studies.
Bad Pills Tip #5 -- Side Effects
A well designed, unbiased study does not hide reported side effects (also called adverse events). This should be as easy to find as the headline of the sale copy or the order form. If it's hidden, stay away from that weight loss pill.
Bad Diet Pills Tip #6 -- Help
If all else fails and you just can't call it a good or bad pill, call your health care provider. Let the person answering the phone know exactly what it is you need. Say something like, "I need feedback on a new weight loss pill, called Pill ABC. Is this a bad pill for me to take or is it a good one?"
Personalize the reason for needing the information and the response time will triple. Since you made it clear you're considering taking the pill, they will get back to you fast to avoid any adverse event. If they don't, consider finding a new health care provider.
Obviously, there are several other areas to critique weight loss products. But these are 6 excellent tips that will help you decide if the pill is good or bad. It simply comes down to checking for very basic information that any credible scientist or physician would display or provide immediately.
Not passing just one of the tips is enough to label it as a bad weight loss pill.

Dogs help with depression:

In a time when everyone resorts to capsules to relieve their pain, a new form of treatment is growing in popularity. Across the world, dogs are being used to help people cope with mental and physical hindrances. Therapy dogs are a subcategory of service dogs; they undergo extensive training and can help people cope with mild to major disabilities. In addition to the trained dog, everyday puppies and adult dogs are used to help treat depression. Caring for a dog promotes a sense of responsibility and provides companionship for those who need it most. So how exactly can a dog be used as a treatment for depression?




Dogs are utilized in two main ways to help with depression. The first way dogs can help are when they are trained for that purpose. Therapy service dogs are highly trained, but they do not always belong to the person suffering from a disability. Instead, a handler takes the dog to different facilities to spend time with many patients. Dogs that belong to the patients live and act as everyday household pets, except they are taught additional tasks such as retrieving medication. In the case of depression, the dog is trained to respond to the different moods of the patient. For instance, if the owner is sad or in tears, the dog knows to cuddle, lick away the tears, bring tissue, and initiate a game or other form of play. If the owner is stuck in a mood of apathy, the dog resorts to physical stimulation by trying to get the owner to pet or play. Depression is not the only psychiatric problem in which dogs can help people cope. Dogs are trained to help treat social phobia, post traumatic stress, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder among other things.



The second way a dog can be used to treat depression is very simple; depression can be treated starting with adopting a dog. Since dogs are lifelong companions and require a certain amount of responsibility, adopting a dog is sometimes recommended for people suffering from depression. Although these dogs will not be trained to respond to certain moods (though many claim that they naturally respond to the owner’s emotions), they do have a calming and spirit-lifting effect. The treatment process starts from the time you bring the dog home. Taking care of the dog gives a person suffering from depression something to do; the person finds responsibility in taking care of an animal rather than focusing on the gloomy things. The dog acts as a companion, since depression can be spurred by loneliness. The owner has someone to talk to, share feelings, and play with. Since the dog is a typical dog, it begs for attention and exercise. Exercise has also been found to help people cope with depression. In essence, taking care of a pooch provides the owner with something to fill the time and a friend with which to spend time. If you’ve ever watched a puppy in action, you also know how funny they can be. Laughing is almost necessary in lifting one’s spirits.



Dogs are not only used to treat serious problems; even someone looking for a little company can benefit from the companionship of a pet. If you feel that a dog can lift your spirits, visit your local animal shelter and consider rescuing a puppy. If you decide to adopt a pet, remember that you must take care of the pet and provide him with love and care. He needs a comfy place to sleep, food at every meal, and daily exercise. It’s not always easy to train and care for an animal, but it is completely worth it!



Although dogs have not been cited with curing depression, they have been praised for helping people cope with the disorder. They visit nursing homes and psychiatric wards and give the patients a chance to interact, cuddle, and play. They live in peoples’ homes and help keep the owners on track. Dogs are still a responsibility, so anyone who wishes to adopt one must be willing to provide the pooch with love, care, and a safe home. Just having a companion to laugh with can make a huge difference on your mood.

Chocolate and the truth:

This is a post from the site: http://cocoasymposium.com/is-chocolate-bad-for-your-health/

Is Chocolate Bad For Your Health?


The quick answer is “no.” But unfortunately for you chocoholics waiting in the wings, its just not as simple as that. Like any food, if enjoyed in moderation,chocolate has several notable health benefits. But there’s a dark side to chocolate that you ought to keep in mind as well.



Here are some benefits:



* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. However, chocolate with a high sugar content will negate this benefit. Dark chocolate contains significantly higher amounts of cacao and lower amounts of sugar than white chocolate, making it more healthful.



* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.



* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.



* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which can raise good cholesterol.



* Men who eat chocolate regularly live on average one year longer than those who don’t.



* The flavanoids in chocolate help keep blood vessels elastic.



* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.



* The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.



Now for the Risks:



Here are some health risks to chocolate:





* Chocolate may contribute to lower bone density.



* Chocolate can trigger headaches in migraine sufferers.



* Milk chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar.



* Chocolate is a danger to pets (chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine, which animals are unable to digest).



Additionally, there are dozens of rumors and myths regarding the benefits as well as the risks of chocolate. Here are a few things chocolate Will Not do:



Chocolate Won’t:



* Cause acne.



* Make you nervous or irritable: cacao contains the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but not in significant amounts in chocolate bars and nibs.



* Turn you into an addict: chocolate is not addictive.



* Raise your cholesterol: chocolate contains stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn’t raise bad cholesterol.

Chocolate is good!!

Chocolate will not damage your joints. Being overweight will hurt your joints. So, if a person is overweight and eats lots of chocolate, he may blame the chocolate. But it is really due to the fact that he consumes too many total calories each day. There is, however, the possibility that a person could be allergic to some ingredient in a chocolate candy bar which could cause some swelling.

Actually, a little bit of chocolate may be good for you. Dark chocolate has antioxidants that are good for your health. Unfortunately, chocolate treats and candy usually have lots of sugar and fat that may add extra calories you probably don't need. But you only need about 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate each day.



Chocolate lovers enjoy both the flavor and the feeling of chocolate melting in their mouth. This combination of taste and texture make chocolate a favorite form of "comfort food." Perhaps chocolate is not physically addicting, but it can be emotionally addicting when you enjoy this comfort food too often.



There are some interesting chemicals naturally found in chocolate. Xanthine, which is like caffeine, can make a person feel jittery. Theophylline will stimulate the central nervous system, relax the bronchi in the lungs and your blood vessels. Phenylethylamine (PEA) is similar to amphetamine. PEA reproduces the feeling someone has when he or she falls in love. So maybe chocolate may help soothe a broken heart.

Stem Cells: What is the deal?

Follow for the official government site: http://stemcells.nih.gov/

What are stem cells, and why are they important?


Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.



Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions.



Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. The functions and characteristics of these cells will be explained in this document. Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos nearly 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory. These cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures. When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research with the informed consent of the donor. In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by identifying conditions that would allow some specialized adult cells to be "reprogrammed" genetically to assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), will be discussed in a later section of this document.



Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-old embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the organism, including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the heart, lung, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.



Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. However, much work remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.



Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells’ essential properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types. Scientists are already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth defects.



Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, but, as with many expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells raises scientific questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

What are the unique properties of all stem cells?


Stem cells differ from other kinds of cells in the body. All stem cells—regardless of their source—have three general properties: they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and they can give rise to specialized cell types.



Stem cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods. Unlike muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells—which do not normally replicate themselves—stem cells may replicate many times, or proliferate. A starting population of stem cells that proliferates for many months in the laboratory can yield millions of cells. If the resulting cells continue to be unspecialized, like the parent stem cells, the cells are said to be capable of long-term self-renewal.



Scientists are trying to understand two fundamental properties of stem cells that relate to their long-term self-renewal:



1.why can embryonic stem cells proliferate for a year or more in the laboratory without differentiating, but most non-embryonic stem cells cannot; and

2.what are the factors in living organisms that normally regulate stem cell proliferation and self-renewal?

Discovering the answers to these questions may make it possible to understand how cell proliferation is regulated during normal embryonic development or during the abnormal cell division that leads to cancer. Such information would also enable scientists to grow embryonic and non-embryonic stem cells more efficiently in the laboratory.



The specific factors and conditions that allow stem cells to remain unspecialized are of great interest to scientists. It has taken scientists many years of trial and error to learn to derive and maintain stem cells in the laboratory without them spontaneously differentiating into specific cell types. For example, it took two decades to learn how to grow human embryonic stem cells in the laboratory following the development of conditions for growing mouse stem cells. Therefore, understanding the signals in a mature organism that cause a stem cell population to proliferate and remain unspecialized until the cells are needed. Such information is critical for scientists to be able to grow large numbers of unspecialized stem cells in the laboratory for further experimentation.



Stem cells are unspecialized. One of the fundamental properties of a stem cell is that it does not have any tissue-specific structures that allow it to perform specialized functions. For example, a stem cell cannot work with its neighbors to pump blood through the body (like a heart muscle cell), and it cannot carry oxygen molecules through the bloodstream (like a red blood cell). However, unspecialized stem cells can give rise to specialized cells, including heart muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells.



Stem cells can give rise to specialized cells. When unspecialized stem cells give rise to specialized cells, the process is called differentiation. While differentiating, the cell usually goes through several stages, becoming more specialized at each step. Scientists are just beginning to understand the signals inside and outside cells that trigger each stem of the differentiation process. The internal signals are controlled by a cell's genes, which are interspersed across long strands of DNA, and carry coded instructions for all cellular structures and functions. The external signals for cell differentiation include chemicals secreted by other cells, physical contact with neighboring cells, and certain molecules in the microenvironment. The interaction of signals during differentiation causes the cell's DNA to acquire epigenetic marks that restrict DNA expression in the cell and can be passed on through cell division.



Many questions about stem cell differentiation remain. For example, are the internal and external signals for cell differentiation similar for all kinds of stem cells? Can specific sets of signals be identified that promote differentiation into specific cell types? Addressing these questions may lead scientists to find new ways to control stem cell differentiation in the laboratory, thereby growing cells or tissues that can be used for specific purposes such as cell-based therapies or drug screening.



Adult stem cells typically generate the cell types of the tissue in which they reside. For example, a blood-forming adult stem cell in the bone marrow normally gives rise to the many types of blood cells. It is generally accepted that a blood-forming cell in the bone marrow—which is called a hematopoietic stem cell—cannot give rise to the cells of a very different tissue, such as nerve cells in the brain. Experiments over the last several years have purported to show that stem cells from one tissue may give rise to cell types of a completely different tissue. This remains an area of great debate within the research community. This controversy demonstrates the challenges of studying adult stem cells and suggests that additional research using adult stem cells is necessary to understand their full potential as future therapies.

What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized?


There are many ways in which human stem cells can be used in research and the clinic. Studies of human embryonic stem cells will yield information about the complex events that occur during human development. A primary goal of this work is to identify how undifferentiated stem cells become the differentiated cells that form the tissues and organs. Scientists know that turning genes on and off is central to this process. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal cell division and differentiation. A more complete understanding of the genetic and molecular controls of these processes may yield information about how such diseases arise and suggest new strategies for therapy. Predictably controlling cell proliferation and differentiation requires additional basic research on the molecular and genetic signals that regulate cell division and specialization. While recent developments with iPS cells suggest some of the specific factors that may be involved, techniques must be devised to introduce these factors safely into the cells and control the processes that are induced by these factors.



Human stem cells could also be used to test new drugs. For example, new medications could be tested for safety on differentiated cells generated from human pluripotent cell lines. Other kinds of cell lines are already used in this way. Cancer cell lines, for example, are used to screen potential anti-tumor drugs. The availability of pluripotent stem cells would allow drug testing in a wider range of cell types. However, to screen drugs effectively, the conditions must be identical when comparing different drugs. Therefore, scientists will have to be able to precisely control the differentiation of stem cells into the specific cell type on which drugs will be tested. Current knowledge of the signals controlling differentiation falls short of being able to mimic these conditions precisely to generate pure populations of differentiated cells for each drug being tested.



Perhaps the most important potential application of human stem cells is the generation of cells and tissues that could be used for cell-based therapies. Today, donated organs and tissues are often used to replace ailing or destroyed tissue, but the need for transplantable tissues and organs far outweighs the available supply. Stem cells, directed to differentiate into specific cell types, offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases including Alzheimer's diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.







Figure 3. Strategies to repair heart muscle with adult stem cells. Click here for larger image.



© 2001 Terese Winslow



For example, it may become possible to generate healthy heart muscle cells in the laboratory and then transplant those cells into patients with chronic heart disease. Preliminary research in mice and other animals indicates that bone marrow stromal cells, transplanted into a damaged heart, can have beneficial effects. Whether these cells can generate heart muscle cells or stimulate the growth of new blood vessels that repopulate the heart tissue, or help via some other mechanism is actively under investigation. For example, injected cells may accomplish repair by secreting growth factors, rather than actually incorporating into the heart. Promising results from animal studies have served as the basis for a small number of exploratory studies in humans (for discussion, see call-out box, "Can Stem Cells Mend a Broken Heart?"). Other recent studies in cell culture systems indicate that it may be possible to direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells or adult bone marrow cells into heart muscle cells (Figure 3).



Can Stem Cells Mend a Broken Heart?: Stem Cells for the Future Treatment of Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure, has ranked as the number one cause of death in the United States every year since 1900 except 1918, when the nation struggled with an influenza epidemic. Nearly 2600 Americans die of CVD each day, roughly one person every 34 seconds. Given the aging of the population and the relatively dramatic recent increases in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, CVD will be a significant health concern well into the 21st century.



Cardiovascular disease can deprive heart tissue of oxygen, thereby killing cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). This loss triggers a cascade of detrimental events, including formation of scar tissue, an overload of blood flow and pressure capacity, the overstretching of viable cardiac cells attempting to sustain cardiac output, leading to heart failure, and eventual death. Restoring damaged heart muscle tissue, through repair or regeneration, is therefore a potentially new strategy to treat heart failure.



The use of embryonic and adult-derived stem cells for cardiac repair is an active area of research. A number of stem cell types, including embryonic stem (ES) cells, cardiac stem cells that naturally reside within the heart, myoblasts (muscle stem cells), adult bone marrow-derived cells including mesenchymal cells (bone marrow-derived cells that give rise to tissues such as muscle, bone, tendons, ligaments, and adipose tissue), endothelial progenitor cells (cells that give rise to the endothelium, the interior lining of blood vessels), and umbilical cord blood cells, have been investigated as possible sources for regenerating damaged heart tissue. All have been explored in mouse or rat models, and some have been tested in larger animal models, such as pigs.



A few small studies have also been carried out in humans, usually in patients who are undergoing open-heart surgery. Several of these have demonstrated that stem cells that are injected into the circulation or directly into the injured heart tissue appear to improve cardiac function and/or induce the formation of new capillaries. The mechanism for this repair remains controversial, and the stem cells likely regenerate heart tissue through several pathways. However, the stem cell populations that have been tested in these experiments vary widely, as do the conditions of their purification and application. Although much more research is needed to assess the safety and improve the efficacy of this approach, these preliminary clinical experiments show how stem cells may one day be used to repair damaged heart tissue, thereby reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease.



In people who suffer from type 1 diabetes, the cells of the pancreas that normally produce insulin are destroyed by the patient's own immune system. New studies indicate that it may be possible to direct the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells in cell culture to form insulin-producing cells that eventually could be used in transplantation therapy for persons with diabetes.



To realize the promise of novel cell-based therapies for such pervasive and debilitating diseases, scientists must be able to manipulate stem cells so that they possess the necessary characteristics for successful differentiation, transplantation, and engraftment. The following is a list of steps in successful cell-based treatments that scientists will have to learn to control to bring such treatments to the clinic. To be useful for transplant purposes, stem cells must be reproducibly made to:



Proliferate extensively and generate sufficient quantities of tissue.

Differentiate into the desired cell type(s).

Survive in the recipient after transplant.

Integrate into the surrounding tissue after transplant.

Function appropriately for the duration of the recipient's life.

Avoid harming the recipient in any way.

Also, to avoid the problem of immune rejection, scientists are experimenting with different research strategies to generate tissues that will not be rejected.



To summarize, stem cells offer exciting promise for future therapies, but significant technical hurdles remain that will only be overcome through years of intensive research.

Sprains and Strains:

Lifestyle and home remedies


By Mayo Clinic staff



For immediate self-care of a sprain or strain, try the P.R.I.C.E. approach — protection, rest, ice, compression, elevation. In most cases beyond a minor strain or sprain, you'll want your doctor and physical therapist to help you with this process:



■Protection. Immobilize the area to protect it from further injury. Use an elastic wrap, splint or sling to immobilize the area. If your injury is severe, your doctor or therapist may place a cast or brace around the affected area to protect it and instruct you on how to use a cane or crutches to help you get around, if necessary.

■Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. Even with some muscles out of commission, you can usually still exercise other muscles to prevent deconditioning. If you have a sprained ankle, for example, you may be able to work out on a stationary bicycle by resting your injured foot on a footrest peg, pedaling with your other leg, and working both arms. That way you still exercise three limbs and keep up your cardiovascular conditioning.

■Ice. Even if you're seeking medical help, ice the area immediately. Use an ice pack or slush bath of ice and water for 15 to 20 minutes each time and repeat every two to three hours while you're awake for the first few days following the injury. Cold reduces pain, swelling and inflammation in injured muscles, joints and connective tissues. It also may slow bleeding if a tear has occurred. If the area turns white, stop treatment immediately. This could indicate frostbite. If you have vascular disease, diabetes or decreased sensation, talk with your doctor before applying ice.

■Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. Don't wrap it too tightly or you may hinder circulation. Begin wrapping at the end farthest from your heart. Loosen the wrap if the pain increases, the area becomes numb or swelling is occurring below the wrapped area.

■Elevation. To reduce swelling, elevate the injured area above the level of your heart, especially at night. Gravity helps reduce swelling by draining excess fluid.

Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) also can be helpful.



After the first two days, gently begin to use the injured area. You should see a gradual, progressive improvement in the joint's ability to support your weight or your ability to move without pain. Mild and moderate sprains usually heal in three to six weeks. A physical therapist can help you to maximize stability and strength of the injured joint or limb.

Signs of unhealthy relationships:

http://www.kariscandleofhope.org/HealthyUnhealthyRelationships.htm

This site is dedicated to providing information on violent, abusive relationships. Please read and learn. Be observant and help those you love from further pain and suffering.

Road Rules for Runners: Knee Pain?

If you're a runner, chances are you've been told that years of hitting the pavement are tough on the knees. And for fitness fanatics with sore knees, rest - not more exercise - is usually recommended for a speedy recovery.
Turns out both suggestions are outdated. More and more research points to exercise being good for your knees. And in some cases, exercise is just what the doctor ordered to get rid of persistent knee pain.
Stanford University researchers tracked the knee health of 98 runners and non-runners between 1984 and 2002. Imaging scans comparing the joint at the start and end of the study revealed that runners' knees were no worse for wear than those of non- runners.
Also good to know is that the amount of mileage runners accumulate isn't a factor in knee pain. A long-term study (subjects were followed for 40 years) noted no difference in the knee health of runners who logged 40 miles a week vs. those who ran 20 miles a week.
Another study compared the knees of runners to those of swimmers. No difference was reported in the level of knee pain between the two groups of athletes, despite the difference in weight bearing and impact stress of the two sports.
Even in the short term, running seems to have little negative effect on the knee. MRIs taken before and after a marathon revealed no severe damage in the cartilage, ligaments or bone marrow of knees following the 42-kilometre run.
What's even more exciting than finding out that running doesn't injure or prematurely age the knees is that pounding the pavement may actually improve knee health.
Science Daily reported on a Dutch study that looked at two groups of knee pain sufferers. One took part in a supervised exercise program as part of rehabilitation, while the other received a sheet of standard exercises to be done alone at home.
In examinations three months and 12 months into the study, the supervised group of exercisers reported a greater reduction in joint pain and a greater degree of improved function when compared to subjects in the control group.
If that's not enough good news, there's even a school of thought that suggests running actually conditions the cartilage, making it more resilient and less prone to the stress of everyday activity.
Before you go around bragging that athletes' knees are stronger than knees of the average couch potato, you may want to note that not all exercise is knee-friendly. Soccer players, alpine skiers and football players all have a higher-than-normal incidence of osteoarthritis, a thinning of the joint cartilage that causes the bone surfaces to rub against each other.
The high incidence of knee injury in contact sports is the reason why some athletes are more prone to osteoarthritis later in life. Sports that expose the knee to impact and those that demand quick cuts (changes in direction) are hard on the knees. Cartilage and ligament tears are common in these types of sports. It's also common for elite athletes to experience more than one knee injury during their competitive careers.
That kind of trauma is proving to be more invasive than initially thought. Cell damage to the tissue around the knee extends far beyond the torn ligament or cartilage and may take longer to heal than current conservative estimates suggest. Injuries also affect the movement pattern of the knee, which can place undue stress on the cartilage and speed its degeneration.
By all counts, exercise is important in rehabilitating injured knees, but also in reducing the risk of injury. Strong leg muscles, including the small stabilizing muscles of the knee and hip, can withstand more physical stress than weaker legs. This in turn protects the vulnerable knee. Time in the weight room and sport-specific exercises geared to protecting the knee are investments in long-term health.
So is running, which is great news for runners who have been subjected to years of suggestion that their habit is going to ruin their knees one day. It's also good news for those who want to take up running later in life. Healthy older adults who follow a supervised training program that progresses gradually in intensity and distance are at no risk of long- or short-term knee injury.
In fact, the argument could be made that taking up running or fitness walking later in life is protective of the knees. Joints, like muscles, are built to move. And movement brings with it strength, not weakness. For runners who are ignoring knee pain, don't consider these studies as an excuse not to have your knee checked by a sports medicine professional. Most knee pain is short term and conducive to treatment. And in case you're worried, not all treatment plans call for you to give up your running habit, even temporarily. Knees are precious, so exercise them wisely.

Fat Burning Foods:

Fat burning foods are foods that burn more calories than the calorie content of the food itself, thereby fighting stored fat. The secret to losing weight is to eat and drink the right kinds of foods until you are full and satisfied. If you skip meals and food, it will slow your metabolism and your health will deteriorate. There are certain foods which actually burn more fat than the calorie content of the food itself. These fat burning foods are natural plant foods. If you eat these fat burning foods and do some exercise, it will boost your metabolism and burn more calories (fat) at a faster rate for several hours even after exercise. Full list of the fat burning foods is available.




List of Foods that burn fat: Fat Fighers

Fruits rich in vitamin C - Citrus Fruits: like limes, lemons, oranges, guava, grapefruit, papaya, sweet lime, tangerines and tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and fibre and have fat burning properties so they may be called as FAT BURNING FOODS or FAT BURNERS or FIGHTERS.

Vitamin C helps the body process fat faster and also stimulates the carnitine amino acid which speeds up the body’s fat-burning capacity.

Vitamin C dilutes the fat and makes it less effective and helps in releasing the fat from the body.

Apples: Pectin in apple restricts the cells to absorb the fat; and also encourages water absorption from the food which helps in releasing the fat deposits from the body. The antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an apple body shape.

Calcium Rich Dairy Products

Calcium in dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt act as fat burner that can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. According to Professor Michael Zemel at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, (Obesity Research, April 2004; vol 12; pp 582-590.) a dairy-rich diet with same calorie restriction can nearly double the rate of weight and fat loss. His research has shown that eating 3-4 servings of dairy products a day is more effective at enhancing weight loss efforts than calcium supplementation alone. Dairy products may therefore be termed as fat burning foods or fat burners.

The researchers found:

Overweight people who consumed 3 servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. The calcium supplements didn't work as well as milk.



Nuts help feel full while also increasing the body's ability to burn fat, says author Jordi Salas-Salvado of the University of Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain.

Chilies: Foods containing chillies or cayanne pepper are considered to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chilies.

Proteins: Protein rich foods and high fiber foods are the best as foods burning belly fat. Protein needs more energy to digest than fat as so eat low calorie dairy products, beans, whole grains, oatmeal, eggs, etc. as much as possible.

Lentils are high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels, therefore lentils are a great tummy flattener," according to Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet.

Some of the other foods that may be included in the list of fat burning foods are asparagus, beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, chillies, beans, soybeans, sweet potatoes, blueberries and watermelon.

Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating fat fighting foods and doing some physical activity. This will help your body burning up the excessive stored fat.

Breakfast: to eat or not to eat...

Let’s face it: We’re rushed. Especially in the morning. Often we're running out the door a few minutes behind schedule as we stuff our bags and pray that we haven’t left anything behind. (Did I pack my lunch? My gym clothes? Do I have that file I’m supposed to give to Roger? Wait! My pants!) Yeah, mornings are messy, which is why breakfast is so often placed on the back burner. The problem is we sometimes forget to ever turn that burner on.




We’ve all heard the studies that show breakfast consumption is related to weight loss. For those who haven’t, the results are pretty clear: Breakfast eaters carry less body fat than non-eaters. Yet surprisingly, nearly 40 percent of us still skip breakfast, according to a poll conducted by ABC News. For those who do eat breakfast, about a third choose cereal. That makes it America’s favorite breakfast food. But whether that’s a good thing or not pivots on the choices we make in the supermarket.



Every box of cereal lives in one of two worlds: the world of fiber or the world of sugar. The first world pairs perfectly with freshly sliced fruit, while the second is already pushing the sugar threshold through a combination of marshmallows, sticky oat clusters, and frosting. Obviously you want to choose a cereal from world No. 1, but with all the marketing hype on cereal boxes, that’s not always easy to do. Especially when you’re speed-walking through the grocery store in the usual hurry to get home. (Why is everything so rushed these days?)



But fear not; we’ve got you covered. Here are the grocery store’s worst cereals and their more nutritious counterparts. Get your bowls and spoons ready.



Bonus Tip: Learn to improve lunch, too, by avoiding these 30 Worst Chicken Dishes in America.



WORST ICONIC CEREAL

Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (1 cup)

190 calories

1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

7 g fiber

19 g sugars



It'll be hard to find a more sugar-loaded cereal than Raisin Bran. It’s sweeter than even Lucky Charms, Reese’s Puffs, or Cocoa Krispies. Some of that sugar can be attributed to the raisins’ natural blend of fructose and glucose, but the real culprit is the sticky white armor of sucrose that enrobes each piece of fruit. Both Kellogg’s and Post are guilty of this raisin mistreatment, so what should be a legitimately healthy bowl of fruit and grains pours out closer to a candy-coated dessert.



Eat This Instead!

Kellogg’s All-Bran (1 cup) with a tablespoon of raisins

150 calories

0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

7 g fiber

13 g sugars



Bonus Tip: Dive deeper into the world of nutritional blunders with the 30 Worst Sandwiches in America.







WORST CHOCOLATE CEREAL

General Mills Chocolate Chex (1 cup)

174 calories

3.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

1 g fiber

11 g sugars



First, let’s get this out of the way: Chocolate-flavored cereals should rarely be part of your morning routine. That said, they can make decent desserts. One study published by the American College of Nutrition found that among late-night snackers, those who chose cereal took in fewer calories than those who made other choices, and ultimately they wound up losing nearly half a pound of body fat per week. That doesn’t mean you should switch to an all-cereal diet, just that cereal is a better evening snack than you might think. Of course, not all are created equal, and surprisingly, the worst of them is the one that seems geared toward mature eaters. So the rule is, if you’re going with chocolate cereal, let your inner kid free. Per bowl, Chocolate Chex packs in more calories than Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Krispies, or Cookie Crisp.



Eat This Instead!

Cookie Crisp (1 cup)

133 calories

1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

1.5 g fiber

15 g sugars







WORST HIGH-FIBER CEREAL

General Mills Chex Multi-Bran (1 cup)

210 calories

2 g fat (0 g saturated)

8 g fiber

13 g sugars



Chex might seem harmless, but it’s the only brand that holds down two spots on this list. The slip-up with this box is the heavy load of sugar. (Notice that it’s even sweeter than the chocolate-flavored Chex.) General Mills calls it a “hint of sweetness,” but really it’s on par with some of the most indulgent boxes on the shelf. In fact, one bowl of this cereal has more sugar than a scoop of Edy’s Slow Churned Fudge Tracks Ice Cream. We applaud the fiber, but the sugar won’t cut it.



Eat This Instead!

Post Shredded Wheat Original Spoon Size (1 cup)

170 calories

1 g fat (0 g saturated)

6 g fiber

0 g sugars







WORST VITAMIN-ENHANCED CEREAL

Kellogg’s Smart Start Original Antioxidants (1 cup)

190 calories

0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

3 g fiber

14 g sugars



Of all the cereals on this list, this is the best example of inflated marketing. This box is littered with words that attempt to make you think you’re getting a wholesome breakfast, but in reality you’re getting a run-of-the-mill bowl of highly sweetened cereal with a multivitamin tossed in on top. Don’t let the added vitamins persuade you into thinking that the sugar isn’t a problem. It most certainly is.



Eat This Instead!

Kashi Vive (1 cup)

135 calories

2 g fat (1 g saturated)

10 g fiber

8 g sugars



Bonus Tip: Save calories, time, and money by signing up for our FREE Eat This, Not That! newsletter. You'll get nutrition and weight-loss secrets delivered daily to your inbox!





WORST HOT CEREAL

Quaker Oatmeal Express Golden Brown Sugar (1 cup)

200 calories

2.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)

3 g fiber

18 g sugars



Sure it’s convenient to have your oatmeal pre-packaged with a serving bowl, but is it really worth the love handles? Because that’s the likely result of eating this much sugar every morning. Sure, there’s a small shot of fiber, but in terms of the sweet stuff, this bowl is worse than eating a Little Debbie Marshmallow Pie for breakfast. Instead, leave an old coffee cup at work, and every morning load it with a packet of Quaker’s High Fiber Cinnamon Swirl. With that swap you’ll earn more belly-filling fiber and eliminate the blood-sugar surge. You’ll never even miss the plastic serving bowl.



Eat This Instead!

Quaker High Fiber Cinnamon Swirl (1 packet)

160 calories

2 g fat (0.5 g saturated)

10 g fiber

7 g sugars



Bonus Tip: Eliminate even more superfluous calories by avoiding this crazy list of The Worst Drinks in America. Your waistline will thank you.







WORST GRANOLA

Quaker Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisin (1 cup)

420 calories

12 g fat (7 g saturated)

6 g fiber

30 g sugars



You’re in big trouble if your mornings include a bowl of this stuff. One cup eats up 20 percent of your day’s energy needs and saddles you with as much sugar as a Snicker’s bar. That’s indulgent even by dessert standards. The culprit in this box is the combined impact of brown sugar and coconut oil, which together add loads of calories with scarcely any nutrients. What you want to do is switch to a lighter granola like Kashi’s GoLean Crunch!, and then instead of eating it by the bowl, use just a handful as a topping for unsweetened whole grain cereal or oatmeal. Now that’s a recipe for a good breakfast.



Eat This Instead!

Kashi GoLean Crunch! (1 cup)

200 calories

4.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

8 g fiber

12 g sugars



Bonus Tip: Follow me on Twitter. I'll let you know when I come across new gut-busting dishes, so you can run the other way, while giving you the very latest health, fitness, nutrition and weight-loss secrets that you can apply to your life instantly!



Have other best and worst cereal choices or nutrition tips? Please share them with the rest of us here.

Looking for health and fitness information:

Follow this link for one of America's most prominant certifying organizations in the field of fitness. The information on this site is very valuable for all.
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How Many Calories = 1 Pound of Fat

A pound of body fat equates to approximately 3500 calories. So if you have a calorie deficit of 500 calories (meaning that you burn 500 calories more than you eat each day) you would lose approximately one pound per week:

500 x 7 = 3,500

It's easy to see that a calorie deficit of 1000 calories would mean that you'd lose approximately two pounds per week. And that's a good number to remember, because two pounds a week is commonly accepted as the maximum rate of weight loss that is healthy. Losing weight too quickly has other disadvantages, too, and we'll be discussing this in the next topic.

Technical Notes

Body Fat vs. Nutritional Fat

As you will learn in the topic Calories in Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates, it is commonly said that a gram of fat contains 9 calories. But there are 454 grams in a pound, and 9 x 454 = 4086 calories, not 3500.

The reason for the discrepancy is that body fat, or adipose tissue, contains not only fat, but also other substances including protein, connective tissue, and water. The dietary fat referred to in the nutritional analysis of food is pure.


Looking at it another way, 3,500 / 454 = 7.7 calories. Thus a gram of body fat contains only 7.7 calories versus the 9 calories found in pure fat. It's easy to see that there should be a difference when you consider that body fat contains water, which has no calories.


Because of the differences in the two types of fat, it is appropriate to use the 3500 calories per pound figure when discussing fat "burned" by activity, and the 9 calories per gram figure when discussing the nutritional content of food.

A wealth of knowledge:

Follow this link to a great site loaded with calorie counter, food exchange calculator et.

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Healthy Eating: Braggs Liquid Amino's

In today's healthy eating tip I will indulge you in our secret sauce.
BRAGG's LIQUID AMINO's
This is an interesting liquid. See below for the labeling. The follow on...

With less sodium than soy sauce, and more amino acids, this is a healthy alternative to using those products. There have been some sources stating MSG related issues. So if you have a sensitivity to MSG this may not be for you. There are no additives, preservatives, chemicals, coloring agents, or added sodium. Braggs is not fermented or heated and is easily digestible. In this secret process soybeans are converted into a liquid vegetable protein. Amino acids, our body builders, are the foundation of this protein. Dr. Bragg firmly believed that it is necessary to replenish our bodies with protein rich amino acids in order to keep feeding the process and production of new cells. He introduced this formula to aid formation and interaction of all body functions necessary to sustain and rejuvenate every tissue, organ and muscle. Braggs amino contains all eight essential amino acids and is free of cholesterol and uric acid ... By adding Braggs to your daily diet, you are receiving not only a dose of nourishing liquid protein but also a natural source of sodium with quality flavor.

Now what to do with this?

Use as a salad dressing (recipe below), a meat marinade, or with stirfry. This is a healthy alternative to other traditional sauces.

Salad Dressing:

Mustard-Tahini Dressing

yield 1-1/2 to 2 cups

1/2-2/3 cup water (enough to provide desired consistency)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup tahini

1/3 cup brown rice syrup

3 T stone-ground mustard

1 T bragg liquid aminos

2 tsp minced garlic

1 T chopped parsley

dash cayenne

blend until smooth. add more water slowly if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Back Pain

Back pain afflicts milliions of americans everyday. Sometimes the pain is so debilitating that the sufferer can not function in daily living. This site has some very useful information. http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/default.htm