Month: August 2014

Health Benefits of Corn

Health benefits of corn include controlling diabetes, prevention of heart ailments, lowering hypertension and prevention of neural-tube defects at birth. Corn or maize is one of the most popular cereals in the world and forms the staple food in many countries, including the United States and many African countries.

Health Benefits of Corn

The kernels of corn are what hold the majority of corn’s nutrients, and are the most commonly consumed parts of the vegetable. The kernels can come in multiple colors, depending on where the corn is grown and what species or variety they happen to be. Another genetic variant, called sweetcorn, has more sugar and less starch in the nutritive material.

Nutritional Value of Corn

Corn not only provides the necessary calories for healthy, daily metabolism, but is also a rich source of vitamins A, B, E and many minerals. Its high fiber content ensures that it plays a significant role in the prevention of digestive ailments like constipation and hemorrhoids as well as colorectal cancer. The antioxidants present in corn also act as anti-carcinogenic agents and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Health Benefits of Corn

Corn provides many health benefits due to the presence of quality nutrients within. Besides being a delicious addition to any meal, it is also rich in phytochemicals, and it provides protection against a number of chronic diseases. Some of the well-researched and widespread health benefits of corn are listed below.Rich source of calories: Corn is a rich source of calories and is a staple among dietary habits in many populations. The calorific content of corn is 342 calories per 100 grams, which is among the highest for cereals. It is why corn is often turned to for quick weight gain, and combined with the ease and flexibility of growing conditions for corn, the high calorie content makes it vital for the survival of dozens of agricultural-based nations.

Reduces risk of hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer: The fiber content of one cup of corn amounts to 18.4% of the daily recommended amount. This aids in alleviating digestive problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids, as well as lowering the risk of colon cancer due to corn being a whole-grain. Fiber has long been promoted as a way to reduce colon risk, but insufficient and conflicting data exists for fiber’s relationship with preventing cancer, although whole-grain consumption, on the whole, has been proven to reduce that risk. Fiber helps to bulk up bowel movements, which stimulates peristaltic motion and even stimulates the production of gastric juice and bile. It can also add bulk to overly loose stools, which can slow reduce the chances of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and diarrhea.

Rich source of vitamins: Corn is rich in vitamin B constituents, especially Thiamin and Niacin. Thiamin is essential for maintaining nerve health and cognitive function. Niacin deficiency leads to Pellagra; a disease characterized by diarrhea, dementia and dermatitis that is commonly observed in malnourished individuals. Corn is also a good source of Pantothenic acid, which is an essential vitamin for carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism in the body. Deficiency of folic acid in pregnant women can lead to the birth of underweight infants and may also result in neural tube defects in newborns. Corn provides a large percentage of the daily folate requirement, while the kernels of corn are rich in vitamin E, a natural antioxidant that is essential for growth and protection of the body from illness and disease.

Provides necessary minerals: Corn contains abundant minerals which positively benefit the bodies in a number of ways. phosphorous, along with magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper are found in all varieties of corn. It also contains trace minerals like selenium, which are difficult to find in most normal diets. Phosphorous is essential for regulating normal growth, bone health and optimal kidney functioning. Magnesium is necessary for maintaining a normal heart rate and for increasing bone strength.

Antioxidant properties: According to studies carried out at Cornell University, corn is a rich source of antioxidants which fight cancer-causing free radicals. In fact, unlike many other foods, cooking actually increases the amount of usable antioxidants in sweet corn. Corn is a rich source of a phenolic compound called ferulic acid, an anti-carcinogenic agent that has been shown to be effective in fighting the tumors which lead to breast cancer as well as liver cancer. Anthocyanins, found in purple corn, also act as scavengers and eliminators of cancer-causing free radicals. Antioxidants have been shown to reduce many of the most dangerous forms of cancer because of their ability to induce apoptosis in cancerous cells, while leaving healthy cells unaffected. This is particularly relevant when phytochemicals are the source of the antioxidants, which is another type of chemical found in high volumes in corn.

Protecting Your Heart: According to researchers, corn oil has been shown to have an anti-atherogenic effect on cholesterol levels, thus reducing the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. Corn oil, particularly, is the best way to increase heart health, and this is derived from the fact that corn is close to an optimal fatty acid combination. This allows omega-3 fatty acids to strip away the damaging “bad” cholesterol and replace them at the binding sites. This will reduce the chances of arteries becoming clogged, will reduce blood pressure, and decrease the change of heart attack and stroke.

Prevents Anemia: The vitamin B12 and folic acid present in corn prevent anemia caused by a deficiency of these vitamins. Corn also has a significant level of iron, which is one of the essential minerals needed to form new red blood cells; a deficiency in iron is one of the main cause of anemia as well.

Lowers LDL Cholesterol: According to the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, consumption of corn husk oil lowers plasma LDL cholesterol by reducing cholesterol absorption in the body. As mentioned earlier, this reduction of LDL cholesterol does not mean a reduction in HDL cholesterol, which is considered “good cholesterol” and can have a variety of beneficial effects on the body, including the reduction of heart disease, prevention of atherosclerosis, and a general scavenger of free radicals throughout the body.

Vitamin-A Content: Yellow corn is a rich source of beta-carotene, which forms vitamin A in the body and is essential for the maintenance of good vision and skin. Beta-carotene is a great source of vitamin-A because it is converted within the body, but only in the amounts that the body requires. Vitamin-A can be toxic if too much is consumed, so deriving vitamin-A through beta-carotene transformation is ideal. Vitamin-A will also benefit the health of skin and mucus membranes, as well as boosting the immune system.

The amount of beta-carotene in the body that is not converted into vitamin-A acts as a very strong antioxidant, like all carotenoids, and can combat terrible diseases like cancer and heart disease. That being said, smokers need to be careful about their beta-carotene content, because smokers with high beta-carotene levels are more likely to contract lung cancer, while non-smokers with high beta-carotene content are less likely to contract lung cancer.

Controls diabetes and hypertension: In recent decades, the world has seemed to suffer from an epidemic of diabetes. Although the exact mechanism for this cannot be pinpointed, it is generally assumed to relate to nutrition. Eating more organic fruits and vegetables, like corn, has been thought to be a return to an older style of diet, and it has been linked to reduced signs of diabetes. Studies have shown that the consumption of corn kernels assists in the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and is effective against hypertension due to the presence of phenolic phytochemicals in whole corn. Phytochemicals can regulate the absorption and release of insulin in the body, which can reduce the chance of spikes and drops for diabetic patients and help them maintain a more normal lifestyle.

Cosmetic benefits: Corn starch is used in the manufacturing of many cosmetic products and may also be applied topically to soothe skin rashes and irritation. Corn products can be used to replace carcinogenic petroleum products which are major components of many cosmetic preparations. Many of the traditional skin creams contain petroleum jelly as a base material, which can often block pores and make skin conditions even worse.

Source: organic facts

Ebola spreads to Nigeria oil hub Port Harcourt

Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola death outside Lagos – a doctor in the oil hub of Port Harcourt. A further 70 people are under surveillance in the city, while his wife has been put under quarantine.

Ebola spreads to Nigeria oil hub Port Harcourt

He died last Friday but the results of the tests have only just been announced by Nigeria’s health minister. The latest figures show that more than 1,550 people have died, with more than 3,000 confirmed cases – mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

West Africa’s health ministers are meeting in Ghana to discuss how to tackle the world’s most deadly Ebola outbreak.  Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

  • Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
  • Fatality rate can reach 90% – but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55%
  • Incubation period is two to 21 days
  • There is no vaccine or cure
  • Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery

Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus’s natural hostEbola was taken to Nigeria by Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American man who travelled to Lagos before dying. One of his contacts evaded Nigeria’s surveillance team and travelled to Port Harcourt, where he sought medical treatment, Health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said.

Although the man later recovered, the doctor who treated him died and tests showed he had Ebola, the minister said. The doctor who treated Mr Sawyer also died.

More than 240 health workers have been infected with Ebola – a rate which the World Health Organization (WHO) said was “unprecedented”. It noted that in many cases protective suits, even rubber gloves and face masks, were not available.

The doctor becomes the sixth fatality in Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country. On Wednesday, Nigeria announced that schools would not reopen until 13 October in order to try and contain the disease.

Source: bbc news

12 Unexpected Things that Mess With Your Memory

12 Unexpected Things that Mess With Your Memory

Surprising memory stealers

You regularly ransack the house to find your keys. You suddenly can’t recall the name of your kid’s teacher. You made your six-month dentist appointment three months late. Sound familiar? Fear not: most forgetfulness isn’t anything serious, says Majid Fotuhi, MD, PhD, founder and chief medical officer of NeurExpand Brain Center in Luterville, MD and co-author of The Memory Cure. Lack of sleep, certain medications, and even stress can impact your memory. “Fortunately, your brain is malleable, meaning it changes and improves,” says Dr. Fotuhi. “Memory can be boosted with simple powerful interventions.” Here are surprising things that impact your memory in both good and not-so-good ways.

A dysfunctional thyroid
When your thyroid’s out of whack, you may feel too hot, too cold, anxious, depressed—and your memory may also be lagging. “Although the thyroid doesn’t have a specific role in the brain, memory loss is the one thing a person notices when it stops functioning normally,” says Dr. Fotuhi. A butterfly-shaped gland that sits along the front of your windpipe, the thyroid reigns over almost all your body’s metabolic processes. “People with high or low thyroid levels—which are very common in women—may have difficulty with memory and concentration,” he says. Ask your doctor for a simple thyroid test to determine if it’s the culprit behind your memory problems.

Hot flashes
Every time hot flashes make you you feel like sticking your head in the freezer, you may also feel a fog rolling into your brain. “The more hot flashes a woman experiences during menopause, the worse her ability to remember names and stories,” says Dr. Fotuhi. “Fortunately, hot flashes don’t damage the brain in any way. Memory improves once the hot flashes subside.” Other menopause-related symptoms contribute to memory loss, including insomnia and sleep apnea, Dr. Fotuhi says.

Lack of sleep
Last night’s late party makes it less likely you’ll remember your new coworker’s name the next day. “While some part of the brain takes a siesta when we sleep, deeper areas involved with memory and emotional response become relatively more active,” says Allen Towfigh, MD, medical director of New York Neurology & Sleep Medicine. “Individuals with sleep deprivation and sleep disorders not only suffer from impaired memory but also daytime fatigue, impaired attention, and reduced reaction time.” The standard recommendation of eight hours of sleep a night doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. If you wake up fatigued and fall asleep unintentionally during the day, then you may need more sleep, says Dr. Towfigh.

Anxiety and depression
Worrying about an upcoming presentation in front of the CEO may also hinder your memory, several studies show. “We don’t understand the exact link, but strong evidence indicates depression, anxiety, and bipolar disease disrupts the neural circuitry involved in developing and retrieving memories,” says Dr. Towfigh. “The severity of the memory loss often mirrors the severity of the mood disorder—severe depression brings about equally severe memory loss.” Prolonged periods of everyday stress increase cortisol levels in the brain, which causes our brain cells to lose synapses (the bridges that connect our brain cells to one another), and make it more difficult to create and retrieve memories. The good news is when memory loss exists with a mood disorder (including anxiety and depression), the memory loss is usually at least partially reversible. “As the individual’s mood improves, often so does the memory loss,” says Dr. Towfigh

Prescription drugs
Check your medicine cabinet: many common prescription drugs can make you feel forgetful. Anxiety disorder meds like Xanax, Valium, and Ativan (which are benzodiazepines) put a damper on the part of the brain that moves events from the short-term to the long-term memory. Tricyclic antidepressants have a similar effect. Heart medicines including statins and beta blockers have also been linked to memory issues, as have narcotic painkillers, incontinence drugs, sleep aids, and even antihistamines like Benadryl. Bottom line: Don’t stop taking your (potentially life-saving) medications, but talk to your doc if you believe any drug you’re on may be messing with your memory.

Smoking
If you’re still smoking, that may help explain memory lapses. “Smoking damages the brain by impairing its blood supply,” says Dr. Towfigh. Research published in the Archives of General Psychiatry gathered from data obtained from more than 7,000 men and women found a more rapid decline in brain function (which included memory along with vocabulary and other brain functions) with age than from those who never smoked. “Furthermore, cigarette smoking promotes the accumulation of abnormal proteins which impair the brain’s ability to process and relay information

A high-fat diet
Greasy burgers and French fries pack on pounds and are hard on your heart—and they may also cause memory issues. One study revealed that adolescent mice had poorer learning and memory skills after being fed a high-fat diet for eight weeks, while another study on middle-aged rats found that the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory) may be particularly vulnerable to the impact of high-fat diets.

More research is needed to determine for sure whether or not high-fat diets impact human memory, but here’s what we do know: Calorically dense diets promote type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, which can all do damage to our brains, says Dr. Towfigh. “This holds true earlier in life, too. Studies link childhood obesity with a reduced attention span and impaired concentration and focus.”

Stress
A sudden emergency can make it tough to recall something as simple as your home address. A rat study published in Neuron shows that stress hormones influence an area of the brain area that controls working memory. Researchers found that repeated stress reduced receptors in the part of the brain that’s connected to thought processes Although this study involved animals, the human brain works similarly, explains Dr. Towfigh. “Repeated or chronic stress can be harmful. Regular exposure to elevated glucocorticoids (a hormone released by the adrenal gland) also causes our brain cells to reduce receptors, making brain cells less capable of responding to neurochemical (brain chemicals) cues.” Finding ways to relieve stress may help: Practicing meditation does double duty by easing stress and helping improve memory, according to a study from the University of California, Santa Barbara. College students who completed eight 45-minute meditation sessions over two weeks increased their average GRE exam scores from 460 to 520 and showed improvement on tests of working memory.

Germs
A nasty cold sore does more than make you feel self-conscious—it may be messing with your memory, according to a 2013 study in Neurology. Researchers found that people who exposed to many germs, such as herpes simplex type 1 (the cold sore virus), over their lifetimes were more likely to have memory problems than those exposed to fewer germs. Among more than 1,600 study participants, those with a higher “infectious burden” had a 25% increase in the risk of a low score on a cognitive test. Although there is no vaccine for the cold sore virus, childhood vaccinations against other viruses could help prevent problems later in life, the researchers suggest. In addition, regular exercise may help too—doctors think repeated infections may damage blood vessels, since a high infectious burden is also linked to a greater risk of stroke and heart attack.

Green tea
Now for some good news: chemicals found in green tea may help improve your memory, according to a University of Basel study. “Several compounds, EGCG and L-theanine, in green tea increase neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells) in the hippocampus, the part of the brain used for short-term memory and learning new things,” says Dr. Fotuhi. How much green tea has not yet been determined, says Dr. Fotuhi, who recommends combining green tea with other healthy habits such as exercise for greatest memory improvement benefits.

Exercise
Regular sweat sessions also help keep memories sharp. “Physical exercise improves mood and sleep and by doing so, it invariably improves cognition and memory,” says Dr. Towfigh. An animal study published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity, for example, showed daily exercise increased brain cell growth after 12 weeks of conditioned running. Dr. Fotuhi recommends 45 minutes of aerobic exercise four days a week for the best memory boost.

Source: Health

Whole organ ‘grown’ in world first

A whole functional organ has been grown from scratch inside an animal for the first time, say researchers in Scotland. A group of cells developed into a thymus – a critical part of the immune system – when transplanted into mice.

Whole organ 'grown' in world first

The findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, could pave the way to alternatives to organ transplantation. Experts said the research was promising, but still years away from human therapies. The thymus is found near the heart and produces a component of the immune system, called T-cells, which fight infection.

Grow your own
Scientists at the Medical Research Council centre for regenerative medicine at the University of Edinburgh started with cells from a mouse embryo. These cells were genetically “reprogrammed” and started to transform into a type of cell found in the thymus. These were mixed with other support-role cells and placed inside mice.

Once inside, the bunch of cells developed into a functional thymus. It is similar to a feat last year, when lab-grown human brains reached the same level of development as a nine-week-old foetus.

The thymus is a much simpler organ and in these experiments became fully functional. Structurally it contained the two main regions – the cortex and medulla – and it also produced T-cells. Prof Clare Blackburn, part of the research team, said it was “tremendously exciting” when the team realised what they had achieved.

She told : “This was a complete surprise to us, that we were really being able to generate a fully functional and fully organised organ starting with reprogrammed cells in really a very straightforward way. “This is a very exciting advance and it’s also very tantalising in terms of the wider field of regenerative medicine.”

Patients who need a bone marrow transplant and children who are born without a functioning thymus could all benefit.  Ways of boosting the thymus could also help elderly people. The organ shrinks with age and leads to a weaker immune system. However, there are a number of obstacles to overcome before this research moves from animal studies to hospital therapies.

The current technique uses embryos. This means the developing thymus would not be a tissue match for the patient. Researchers also need to be sure that the transplant cells do not pose a cancer risk by growing uncontrollably.

 Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, from the National Institute for Medical Research, said: “This appears to be an excellent study. “This is an important achievement both for demonstrating how to make an organ, albeit a relatively simple one, and because of the critical role of the thymus in developing a proper functioning immune system.

“However… the methods are unlikely to be easy to translate to human patients.”  The field of regenerative medicine has developed rapidly. There are already patients with lab-grown blood vessels, windpipes and bladders. These have been made by “seeding” a patient’s cells into a scaffold which is then implanted.

The thymus just required an injection of cells. Dr Paolo de Coppi, who pioneers regenerative therapies at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: “Research such as this demonstrates that organ engineering could, in the future, be a substitute for transplantation.

“Engineering of relatively simple organs has already been adopted for a small number of patients and it is possible that within the next five years more complex organs will be engineered for patients using specialised cells derived from stem cells in a similar way as outlined in this paper.

“It remains to be seen whether, in the long term, cells generated using direct reprogramming will be able to maintain their specialised form and avoid problems such as tumour formation.”

Source; bbc

The Toothpaste Ingredient That Has Experts Worried

How safe is your toothpaste? A flurry of recent news stories about Colgate Total Toothpaste and triclosan, a chemical with a somewhat checkered past, may have you wondering.

The Toothpaste Ingredient That Has Experts Worried

Triclosan is best known as an ingredient in antibacterial soaps that doesn’t seem to offer any extra germ-killing benefits, while possibly promoting drug-resistant bacteria in the environment. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration said in December that there was no evidence that triclosan-containing products are more effective than plain soap and water.

Colgate-Palmolive removed triclosan from Palmolive dish detergent and Softsoap hand soap back in 2011, according to Bloomberg News, but not their Total Toothpaste. They say it prevents gingivitis or early gum disease better than other brands, precisely because it contains triclosan. The FDA reviewed the data in 1997 and says “…the evidence showed that triclosan in this product was effective in preventing gingivitis.”

So what’s the big deal? The issue is that there are lingering concerns about triclosan’s safety in general, not just as a problem in the environment. And those concerns are based on studies in the animals, which don’t always translate easily to human risk

“A concern specific to triclosan is its potential to act as an ‘endocrine disruptor,’ which means that it can bind to hormone receptors and interfere with normal hormonal function, including thyroid and reproductive hormones,” says Joshua U. Klein, MD assistant clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

However, the concentrations of triclosan researchers are feeding lab animals are “several levels higher than what humans would be exposed to,” says Jessica Savage, MD, a physician with Brigham & Women’s Hospital and a researcher with the Harvard School of Public Health’s NIEHS Center for Environmental Health, where she is conducting research on possible connections between triclosan and allergies.

And these animals are actually injected with or fed the triclosan, while humans absorb small amounts through their skin or from brushing their teeth.

“We’re exposed to very little of this product,” Dr. Savage notes. “Especially when you’re brushing your teeth, you’re spitting [the toothpaste] out.”

The FDA says triclosan is not known to be hazardous to humans, and considers it safe in products—just not effective at killing germs any better than soap. “There’s some animal data but I don’t think there’s human data that suggests a causal relationship between triclosan and adverse health outcomes,” says Dr. Savage. Even though she studies triclosan and allergies, she hasn’t yet found a link. “I’m not near saying triclosan causes allergies,” she adds. “I think we need more good data.”

Dr. Klein doesn’t recommend avoiding triclosan in toothpaste. However couples “focused on fertility and trying to eliminate any possible negative exposure might consider choosing alternative products that do not contain triclosan until further convincing studies are completed in humans,” he says. People concerned about fertility should bear in mind that good oral hygiene may actually increase (or at least preserve) the odds of starting a family. “There are several studies linking reduced inflammation and good oral health to reproductive health so this is significant to fertility in particular,” says Dr. Klein.

For now, the evidence suggests that triclosan may be a bigger threat to the environment than to individuals.

“The issue with triclosan and triclocarban [a related chemical] is not so much that they present a direct threat to human health in concentrations that are found in toothpaste [and other consumer products],” says Robert Lawrence, MD, director of the Center for a Livable Future at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It’s their long-term accumulation in the environment and their impact on the ecosystem that is most alarming.”

Source: TIME

Scientists get closer to create painkillers from yeast instead of poppies

Scientists have come closer in creating palliative medicines using yeast cells instead of poppy plants.

For centuries, poppy plants had been grown to provide opium, the compound from which morphine and other important medicines such as oxycodone are derived, but now bioengineers at Stanford have hacked the DNA of yeast, reprograming these simple cells to make opioid-based medicines via a sophisticated extension of the basic brewing process that makes beer.

Scientists get closer to create painkillers from yeast instead of poppies

The Stanford team had spent a decade genetically engineering yeast cells to reproduce the biochemistry of poppies, and in the new report, they detail how added five genes from two different organisms to yeast cells. Three of these genes came from the poppy itself, and the others from a bacterium that lives on poppy plant stalks.

Morphine is one of three principal pain killers derived from opium. As a class they are called opiates. The other two important opiates are codeine, which has been used as a cough remedy, and thebaine, which is further refined by chemical processes to create higher-value therapeutics such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, better known by brand names such as OxyContin and Vicodin, respectively.

Led by Christina Smolke, the team carefully reprogrammed the yeast genome; the master instruction set that tells every organism how to live, to behave like a poppy when it comes to making opiates.

The process involved more than simply adding new genes into yeast. Opioid molecules are complex three-dimensional objects. In nature they are made in specific regions inside the poppy.

Since yeast cells do not have these complex structures and tissues, the Stanford team had to recreate the equivalent of poppy-like ‘chemical neighborhoods’ inside their bioengineered yeast cells.It took about 17 separate chemical steps to make the opioid compounds used in pills. Some of these steps occurred naturally in poppies and the remaining via synthetic chemical processes in factories.

The study is published in Nature Chemical Biology

Source: ANI

Playing Video Game May Boost MS Patients’ Balance

An exercise component of the popular Nintendo Wii video game may help multiple sclerosis patients improve their balance by rewiring their brains, a new study suggests.

Playing Video Game May Boost MS Patients' Balance

No medications exist to preserve balance in MS patients, and some drugs make balance worse, said study lead author Dr. Luca Prosperini, a neurologist at Sapienza University in Rome, Italy.

It appears that patients who use the Wii Balance Board five days a week — moving to snowboarding or dance games, for example — may help reduce their risk of falls and boost certain brain connections, possibly because they’re coordinating their movements with a figure on a screen, Prosperini said.

There are caveats to the research, however. The study was small, and there’s a risk that patients could hurt themselves by falling, although they can play seated rather than stand on the balance board.

“Patients with MS should be encouraged to start using this system only under supervision,” Prosperini said. “Once well-trained, they may use it at home.”

Multiple sclerosis is a nerve disorder that affects how the brain communicates with the body. “Balance problems are quite common and arise due to the effects of MS on a number of functions that are important for balance,” said Nicholas LaRocca, vice president for health care delivery and policy research with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Among other things, MS can disrupt vision, coordination and the body’s balancing mechanism, he said.

Patients turn to a variety of strategies to support balance, he said. Canes and orthotic devices (shoe inserts) help some people, and rehabilitation can build strength and coordination. Some patients try electrical muscle stimulation to maintain or regain control of their muscles, he said.

Prosperini was inspired to study a video game treatment for MS when he saw patients in rehabilitation using a balance-boosting system that reminded him of an old Atari video game. Then a commercial about the Wii Balance Board caught his attention. The balance board, shaped a bit like a weight scale, detects a person’s movements and allows them to be translated into action on a TV screen.

Prosperini tried to get a grant from Nintendo to support research. The company wasn’t interested, he said, but he obtained funding from the Italian MS Society.

His previous research has supported the idea that patients regain balance when they use the Wii Balance Board. The new study aimed to understand what’s happening in their brains.

In the new study, published online Aug. 26 in Radiology, 27 MS patients were split into two groups. One group spent three months doing nothing special while the other group played with the Wii Balance Board for 30 to 40 minutes daily, five days a week. Then the groups reversed roles: Those who had done nothing special used the balance board for three months, while the others stopped using it.

Another 15 healthy people tried the system, too.

All participants had specialized MRI scans to detect any physiological changes in the brain.

The researchers found that patients regained some balance, presumably by using the board, and their brains actually changed. Using the video game was tied to improvements in the protective sheath around nerves, leading to better conduction of impulses between the body and brain, Prosperini said.

It’s not clear if other kinds of training might also help MS patients regain balance, he said. But video games like those that use the balance board might have similar benefits because they require patients to mimic movements that they see on screen, potentially providing an extra brain boost.

LaRocca, of the MS Society, said the study is valid but has limitations. For one, it’s difficult to interpret what the brain changes mean, he said. Also, he added, the research suggests that the improvements in balance aren’t permanent, requiring patients to keep at it to make the benefits last.

“Training needs to be ongoing, just like any other form of exercise,” LaRocca said.

While the study found an association between the video-game balance board and balance-enhancing brain changes, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Prosperini said more research is needed, especially since the study was so small.

“There is increasing evidence of the clinical benefit of playing with the balance board, and more in general with highly interactive video games,” he said. But researchers don’t know enough about why the patients are getting better, he added.

Source: webmd

‘Dead’ man rescued 2 hours later when family notices body bag moving

A 54-year-old Brazilian man may be suffering from terminal cancer, but the docs got it wrong when they told his family he’d died of respiratory failure and multiple organ failure Saturday night.

'Dead' man rescued 2 hours later when family notices body bag moving

Two hours later, when family members went to the morgue to dress Valdelucio de Oliveira Goncalves’ body, they noticed the closed body bag moving up and down as if he were still breathing

They implored staff to free him, given he was tied up and his ears and nose were stuffed with cotton wool. The family, who was told three months ago that the man is dying of terminal cancer, has already opened an inquiry into the matter,

“Hospital directors will meet the team who saw the patient to clarify the course of action taken,” the local health department said in a statement. Bizarre as it is, this type of incident is far from unheard of; earlier this year, one man who tried to commit suicide and was pronounced dead at the hospital woke up just before being embalmed, and a man in Mississippi also woke up in a body bag.

Source: fox news

Best Herbs for Women

Best Herbs for Women

Have you heard of Shatavari?

One of the Best Herbs for Women!!!

Shatavari ( Asparagus racemosus ) is a climbing plant, grows up to a height of two meters. This plant is popular across Sri Lanka, India and the Himalayas.

Best Herbs for Women2

It is best known for the beneficial actions for female organs.

It is used for treatment of loss of libido and infertility – stimulates the production of healthy ova.
It is very good in pregnancy – relieves morning sickness and during the period of breastfeeding stimulates normal lactation.

Maintains balance hormones and regulate ovulation and menstruation. It relieves premenstrual symptoms – pain, bloating, irritability.

Also is used for the treatment of vaginal infections.

Best Herbs for Women3

Apart from this, helps at:

  • – rejuvenation and detoxification of cells and organs,
  • – respiratory diseases,
  • – stress reduction,
  • – problems with digestion and stomach,
  • – helps at pain from sciatica or arthritis.

Source: secretly healthy

‘Ban E-cigarette use indoors,’ says WHO

The World Health Organization says there should be a ban on the use of e-cigarettes indoors and that sales to children should stop. In a report the health body says there must be no more claims that the devices can help smokers quit – until there is firm evidence to support this.

WHO experts warn the products might pose a threat to adolescents and the foetuses of pregnant women. But campaigners say regulations must be proportionate.

'Ban E-cigarette use indoors,' says WHO

Tempting flavours
According to the WHO legal steps need to be taken to end the use of e-cigarettes indoors – both in public spaces and in work places. And the report focuses on the potential for products to spark wider cigarette use in children. The health experts call for a ban on advertisements that could encourage children and non-smokers to use the devices.

And they say fruit, candy or alcoholic-drink style flavours should be prohibited too, while the sales of electronic cigarettes from vending machines should be heavily restricted.

1. On some e-cigarettes, inhalation activates the battery-powered atomiser. Other types are manually switched on

2. A heating coil inside the atomiser heats liquid nicotine contained in a cartridge

3. Liquid nicotine becomes vapour and is inhaled. The ‘smoke’ produced is largely water vapour. Many e-cigarettes have an LED light as a cosmetic feature to simulate traditional cigarette glow.

‘Health threats’
The WHO warns exhaled e-cigarette vapour could increase the background air levels of some toxicants and nicotine. According to the team while e-cigarettes are likely to be less harmful than traditional cigarettes, they may pose threats to adolescents and the foetuses of pregnant women who use these devices.

But some researchers suggest tough regulations may prevent smokers having access to products that are potentially less harmful than conventional cigarettes. A spokesman for the British American Tobacco company said: “We have always said that given nicotine is addictive, minimum age laws of 18 for the sale of e-cigarettes should be introduced.

“However, if overly restrictive regulations are introduced hampering innovation or adult usage, then this could simply stifle the growth of new products and prevent smokers from being aware of and having access to them – this can only be bad thing for public health.”

‘Proportionate regulation’
Hazel Cheeseman, at the charity Action on Smoking and Health, said there was no evidence of any harm to bystanders and warned regulation needed to be proportionate.

She added: “Smoking kills 100,000 people in the UK alone. “Smokers who switch to using electronic cigarettes in whole or in part are likely to substantially reduce their health risks.

“Although we cannot be sure that electronic cigarettes are completely safe, as the WHO acknowledges, they are considerably less harmful than smoking tobacco and research suggests that they are already helping smokers to quit.”

Global guidelines
A UK Department of Health spokeswoman said: “More and more people are using e-cigarettes and we want to make sure they are properly regulated so we can be sure of their safety.

“We have already set out our intention to change the law to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to children under 18. “The UK has an existing licensing system for higher strength products and those that claim to help people quit.

“We are also bringing in new European rules to cover lower strength products which will ban most advertising, limit nicotine levels and set standards for ingredients, labelling and packaging.” The WHO’s recommendations were published ahead of a meeting involving all countries that have signed up to an international convention on tobacco control.

New global guidelines could be agreed during the October meeting.

Source: bbc news