When we are sick we don't feel like running all around trying to pick up the things we need to help us feel better. It is so much easier if we keep these things on hand. Many of these foods we use on a regular basis, and it could help you from getting sick or if you do get sick you won't be sick for long. You can either refrigerate them or keep them in your kitchen cabinets.
1. Fresh Garlic - It's good for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar - Aids in digestion and helps acid reflux or heartburn.
3. Flax seeds or Flax oil - Helps with breast cancer, prostrate cancer, and is good for constipation due to it's high fiber content.
4. Lemons - Good for coughs and colds adds great flavor to tea's.
5. Honey - Also, good for coughs, colds, flu, diarrhea if mixed with hot water.
6. Ginger root - Is good for colds, coughs, flu, digestion, cholesterol and is also a natural blood thinner.
7. Black Seed - It is good for many health ailments as Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) says it is good for everything except death.
8. Turmeric - It's uses include coloring food. It is also good for cuts, burns and bruises.
9. Molasses - Is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
10. Oatmeal - Helps lower cholesterol.
11. Cranberry Concentrate - Helps with urinary tract infections.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
HEART SURGERY (for children) - FREE OF COST
HEART SURGERY (for children) - FREE OF COST - Pass it to all, it will help some one
This is done at Sri Sathya Sai Institute Of Higher Medical Sciences, E.P.I.P. Area, WhiteField, Bengalore, India
Children who are having heart problems, those parents who could't afford for their children's operation, please pass on this email it mightbe help somebody.
For any kind of heart surgery for children - free of cost ..
Write to us:
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences
EPIP Area, Whitefield,
Bangalore 560 066,
Karnataka , INDIA .
Call us :
Telephone: +91- 080- 28411500
Fax +91 - 080- 28411502
Employment related +91- 080- 28411500 Ext. 415
Email us: General Queries: adminblr@sssihms. Org.in
This is done at Sri Sathya Sai Institute Of Higher Medical Sciences, E.P.I.P. Area, WhiteField, Bengalore, India
Children who are having heart problems, those parents who could't afford for their children's operation, please pass on this email it mightbe help somebody.
For any kind of heart surgery for children - free of cost ..
Write to us:
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences
EPIP Area, Whitefield,
Bangalore 560 066,
Karnataka , INDIA .
Call us :
Telephone: +91- 080- 28411500
Fax +91 - 080- 28411502
Employment related +91- 080- 28411500 Ext. 415
Email us: General Queries: adminblr@sssihms. Org.in
For more details refer to
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Counseling May Improve Breast Cancer Survival
Research increasingly supports the notion that emotional, mental and physical health are very closely linked and that psychological therapy can improve a person’s overall health by effectively decreasing depression, anxiety and related symptoms, such as pain, fatigue and nausea. It can also have a positive effect on the body’s immune system. Nine out of 10 Americans surveyed by Consumer Reports said that psychological counseling helped them. Counseling is used in many situations including smoking cessation, weight management, pain management, and coping with a chronic illness. Counseling has been found to increase survival time for heart surgery patients, and a new study shows that may hold true for breast cancer patients as well.
Dr. Barbara L. Andersen and colleagues at the Ohio State University followed 227 breast cancer patients for an average of 11 years. At the start of the study, all had undergone breast surgery, but the cancer had not spread. All patients received their usual medical treatment, but half were also randomly assigned to psychological intervention groups. Led by a psychologist, the 26 sessions were held over the course of a year and included relaxation techniques, advice on how to avoid becoming too tired and how to approach family and friends for support. The sessions also included some diet and exercise advice and information on how to cope with the side effects of cancer treatment.
Overall, by the end of the follow-up period, cancer had recurred in 62 of the 212 women for whom data was available and 54 of the total group had died. Patients receiving counseling had about half, 55 percent, the risk of recurrence compared with the control group. Those who did suffer a recurrence had been cancer-free for an average of six months longer than the patients in the control group, a 45 percent risk reduction. And among the 54 women who died, those who took part in the counseling sessions lived longer than the others. The study also found patients receiving counseling had less than half the risk, 44 percent, of death from breast cancer compared to those who did not receive the intervention, as well as a reduced risk of death from all causes, not just cancer. “Many of the strategies patients learned in the intervention program, such as stress reduction, may have protected them from heart disease and other causes of death,” Dr. Andersen said.
In a follow-up analysis, the researchers excluded people who were put in the intervention group, but who attended fewer that 20 percent of the sessions (16 of 114 participants fit this requirement). When the infrequent attendees were excluded, the remainder had a 68 percent reduced risk of breast cancer death, compared to the 55 percent risk reduction for the whole participant group.
Cancer patients undergo a great deal of stress before, during and after treatment. The researchers theorize that psychological interventions may affect immune system changes that are secondary to stress hormones and that may promote cancer growth or metastasis. They recommend that, in addition to powerful antitumor medications, cancer patients should be treated for psychological distress as well. “If efficacious psychological interventions to reduce stress are delivered early, they will improve mental health, health and treatment-relevant behaviors, and potentially, biologic outcomes,” the authors wrote. “If so there is the possibility for improved survivorship and survival for cancer patients.”
However, other experts are wary. Dr. Michael Stefanek, of the American Cancer Society, said other studies had come to the opposite conclusion. “Psychological interventions have been found in the majority of well-controlled studies to enhance quality of life and reduce distress. It would not be reasonable for patients to participate in psychological interventions with the goal of extending survival,” he said in a statement. “We should not conclude that psychological interventions increase survival among women with early stage breast cancer,” he added.
There are many approaches to outpatient psychological counseling and various ways for it to take place, including individual, group or family sessions. But regardless of where it takes place, sessions that concentrate on mood improvement, effective coping and health behavioral changes appear to reduce stress and help breast cancer patients live longer. “The results suggest that we can help breast cancer patients make positive steps that may help them live longer and make recurrence less likely,” Dr. Andersen said in a prepared statement. “We already knew a psychological intervention program could help breast cancer patients to handle their stress, function more effectively, and improve their health. Now we know it does even more.”
The study will be published in the December 15 issue of the journal Cancer, and is currently available to subscribers online.
Dr. Barbara L. Andersen and colleagues at the Ohio State University followed 227 breast cancer patients for an average of 11 years. At the start of the study, all had undergone breast surgery, but the cancer had not spread. All patients received their usual medical treatment, but half were also randomly assigned to psychological intervention groups. Led by a psychologist, the 26 sessions were held over the course of a year and included relaxation techniques, advice on how to avoid becoming too tired and how to approach family and friends for support. The sessions also included some diet and exercise advice and information on how to cope with the side effects of cancer treatment.
Overall, by the end of the follow-up period, cancer had recurred in 62 of the 212 women for whom data was available and 54 of the total group had died. Patients receiving counseling had about half, 55 percent, the risk of recurrence compared with the control group. Those who did suffer a recurrence had been cancer-free for an average of six months longer than the patients in the control group, a 45 percent risk reduction. And among the 54 women who died, those who took part in the counseling sessions lived longer than the others. The study also found patients receiving counseling had less than half the risk, 44 percent, of death from breast cancer compared to those who did not receive the intervention, as well as a reduced risk of death from all causes, not just cancer. “Many of the strategies patients learned in the intervention program, such as stress reduction, may have protected them from heart disease and other causes of death,” Dr. Andersen said.
In a follow-up analysis, the researchers excluded people who were put in the intervention group, but who attended fewer that 20 percent of the sessions (16 of 114 participants fit this requirement). When the infrequent attendees were excluded, the remainder had a 68 percent reduced risk of breast cancer death, compared to the 55 percent risk reduction for the whole participant group.
Cancer patients undergo a great deal of stress before, during and after treatment. The researchers theorize that psychological interventions may affect immune system changes that are secondary to stress hormones and that may promote cancer growth or metastasis. They recommend that, in addition to powerful antitumor medications, cancer patients should be treated for psychological distress as well. “If efficacious psychological interventions to reduce stress are delivered early, they will improve mental health, health and treatment-relevant behaviors, and potentially, biologic outcomes,” the authors wrote. “If so there is the possibility for improved survivorship and survival for cancer patients.”
However, other experts are wary. Dr. Michael Stefanek, of the American Cancer Society, said other studies had come to the opposite conclusion. “Psychological interventions have been found in the majority of well-controlled studies to enhance quality of life and reduce distress. It would not be reasonable for patients to participate in psychological interventions with the goal of extending survival,” he said in a statement. “We should not conclude that psychological interventions increase survival among women with early stage breast cancer,” he added.
There are many approaches to outpatient psychological counseling and various ways for it to take place, including individual, group or family sessions. But regardless of where it takes place, sessions that concentrate on mood improvement, effective coping and health behavioral changes appear to reduce stress and help breast cancer patients live longer. “The results suggest that we can help breast cancer patients make positive steps that may help them live longer and make recurrence less likely,” Dr. Andersen said in a prepared statement. “We already knew a psychological intervention program could help breast cancer patients to handle their stress, function more effectively, and improve their health. Now we know it does even more.”
The study will be published in the December 15 issue of the journal Cancer, and is currently available to subscribers online.
Spinal Anesthesia Doesn’t Cause Restless Leg Syndrome
Spinal anesthesia won’t cause or worsen restless legs syndrome.
That’s the conclusion of a new study published as a letter to the editor in the Nov. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study compared people undergoing general anesthesia to those undergoing surgery with spinal anesthesia and found no difference in restless legs syndrome symptoms between the groups.
"Our study was designed to test the hypothesis that spinal anesthesia would worsen the symptoms of restless leg syndrome," said the study’s lead author, Dr. Thomas Crozier, an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Gottingen Medical School in Germany. "This is important, because restless legs syndrome is a very unpleasant condition that affects up to 10 percent of the population," he added.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder that causes people to feel a compelling need to move their legs, especially when they’re lying down. An observational study in 2002 had suggested that spinal anesthesia was responsible for transient restless legs syndrome after surgery, the researchers said.
"The study that prompted this one found new onset RLS that lasted six weeks and then abated," said Dr. Sam Awada, chief of family medicine at St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, Mich.
The current study included 359 people undergoing surgery. One hundred and forty-seven had spinal anesthesia, and the remaining 212 had general anesthesia. Thirty-two people said they had RLS symptoms before the study began.
The study volunteers filled out questionnaires before surgery, and then again at one and four weeks after surgery.
No one in either group reported new onset restless legs syndrome, and no one that had RLS at the start of the study reported a worsening of symptoms.
"Restless legs syndrome arising after surgery probably has more to do with the surgery itself or with the forced immobilization in the hospital," Crozier said. "We think that it is important for people suffering from restless legs syndrome to know that there is, at worst, only a very small likelihood that spinal anesthesia, which is the best choice for a number of surgical procedures, will worsen their condition," he added.
Awada called the new study’s findings "interesting," but said more research should be done to definitively rule out a relationship between spinal anesthesia and restless legs syndrome.
Another recent finding -- this one presented at the Neuroscience 2008 meeting in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 16 -- linked restless legs syndrome with the use of allergy medications.
That’s the conclusion of a new study published as a letter to the editor in the Nov. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study compared people undergoing general anesthesia to those undergoing surgery with spinal anesthesia and found no difference in restless legs syndrome symptoms between the groups.
"Our study was designed to test the hypothesis that spinal anesthesia would worsen the symptoms of restless leg syndrome," said the study’s lead author, Dr. Thomas Crozier, an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Gottingen Medical School in Germany. "This is important, because restless legs syndrome is a very unpleasant condition that affects up to 10 percent of the population," he added.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder that causes people to feel a compelling need to move their legs, especially when they’re lying down. An observational study in 2002 had suggested that spinal anesthesia was responsible for transient restless legs syndrome after surgery, the researchers said.
"The study that prompted this one found new onset RLS that lasted six weeks and then abated," said Dr. Sam Awada, chief of family medicine at St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, Mich.
The current study included 359 people undergoing surgery. One hundred and forty-seven had spinal anesthesia, and the remaining 212 had general anesthesia. Thirty-two people said they had RLS symptoms before the study began.
The study volunteers filled out questionnaires before surgery, and then again at one and four weeks after surgery.
No one in either group reported new onset restless legs syndrome, and no one that had RLS at the start of the study reported a worsening of symptoms.
"Restless legs syndrome arising after surgery probably has more to do with the surgery itself or with the forced immobilization in the hospital," Crozier said. "We think that it is important for people suffering from restless legs syndrome to know that there is, at worst, only a very small likelihood that spinal anesthesia, which is the best choice for a number of surgical procedures, will worsen their condition," he added.
Awada called the new study’s findings "interesting," but said more research should be done to definitively rule out a relationship between spinal anesthesia and restless legs syndrome.
Another recent finding -- this one presented at the Neuroscience 2008 meeting in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 16 -- linked restless legs syndrome with the use of allergy medications.
Assisted Reproduction May Increase Risk of Birth Defects
Advances in medical science now allow limbs to be reattached, organs to be replaced, and babies to be born to women with fertility issues who had previously been unable to conceive. These advances prolong and provide life, but at times there is a cost to these medical miracles. One such cost is that infants conceived through the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) are at two to four times greater risk of being born with certain birth defects when compared to babies who are conceived naturally.
According to a report from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children conceived through ART have a greater likelihood of having heart wall defects, gastrointestinal defects and a condition known as cleft lip. ART refers to any procedure involving the surgical removal of eggs from a woman`s womb followed by combining the eggs with sperm in a lab, and then returning them to the woman`s body or donating them to another woman.
The study centered on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the effects were observed solely in single births. This could be due the fact that high risks for birth defects are already associated with multiple births, according to the researchers led by Jennita Reefhuis, Ph.D., of the CDC`s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. The findings of the CDC study were recently published in the advance online edition of Human Reproduction.
The use of ART is becoming more and more common. In a news release, Reefhuis stated, “Today, more than 1% of infants are conceived through ART and this number may continue to increase.” Reefhuis noted that the chances of birth defects for babies conceived through the use of ART are low yet “it is still important for parents who are considering using ART to think about all of the potential risks and benefits of this technology.” The CDC is not making any recommendations about the use of ART.
According to the CDC, the use of ART in the United States began in 1981 and the number of infants conceived through ART doubled from 1996 through 2004. About 12 percent of U.S. women between the ages of 15 and 44 reported using infertility services in 2002. In 2005, over 134,000 ART procedures were performed in the United States that resulted in about 52,000 births.
During the study, the researchers evaluated data from the mothers of babies born on or after Oct. 1, 1997, and on or before Dec. 31, 2003. About 13,500 of the babies were born with birth defects and just over 5,000 of the babies were born without birth defects. Mothers of the infants were interviewed by telephone between six months and two years after the date of delivery. The infants were born throughout 10 states including Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Utah, and Texas.
Of the babies who were conceived through ART, 2.4 percent had birth defects while only about 1percent had no birth defects, according to interviews with the mothers. Among the ART babies, Septal heart defects were found to be twice as common, Cleft lip and/or cleft palate was found to be 2.4 times as common, Esophageal atresia (birth defect of the esophagus) was found to be 4.5 times more common and Anorectal atresia (birth defect in the anal/rectal area) was 3.7 times more common than in normally conceived children.
It must be noted that the study does not prove that ART actually causes the birth defects. The authors of the study report acknowledged this by stating, “Sub-fertile women might have a higher risk of having a child with a birth defect regardless of whether infertility treatments are used.” Additional research will be necessary to determine whether or not ART has an impact on birth defect risk.
According to a report from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children conceived through ART have a greater likelihood of having heart wall defects, gastrointestinal defects and a condition known as cleft lip. ART refers to any procedure involving the surgical removal of eggs from a woman`s womb followed by combining the eggs with sperm in a lab, and then returning them to the woman`s body or donating them to another woman.
The study centered on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the effects were observed solely in single births. This could be due the fact that high risks for birth defects are already associated with multiple births, according to the researchers led by Jennita Reefhuis, Ph.D., of the CDC`s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. The findings of the CDC study were recently published in the advance online edition of Human Reproduction.
The use of ART is becoming more and more common. In a news release, Reefhuis stated, “Today, more than 1% of infants are conceived through ART and this number may continue to increase.” Reefhuis noted that the chances of birth defects for babies conceived through the use of ART are low yet “it is still important for parents who are considering using ART to think about all of the potential risks and benefits of this technology.” The CDC is not making any recommendations about the use of ART.
According to the CDC, the use of ART in the United States began in 1981 and the number of infants conceived through ART doubled from 1996 through 2004. About 12 percent of U.S. women between the ages of 15 and 44 reported using infertility services in 2002. In 2005, over 134,000 ART procedures were performed in the United States that resulted in about 52,000 births.
During the study, the researchers evaluated data from the mothers of babies born on or after Oct. 1, 1997, and on or before Dec. 31, 2003. About 13,500 of the babies were born with birth defects and just over 5,000 of the babies were born without birth defects. Mothers of the infants were interviewed by telephone between six months and two years after the date of delivery. The infants were born throughout 10 states including Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Utah, and Texas.
Of the babies who were conceived through ART, 2.4 percent had birth defects while only about 1percent had no birth defects, according to interviews with the mothers. Among the ART babies, Septal heart defects were found to be twice as common, Cleft lip and/or cleft palate was found to be 2.4 times as common, Esophageal atresia (birth defect of the esophagus) was found to be 4.5 times more common and Anorectal atresia (birth defect in the anal/rectal area) was 3.7 times more common than in normally conceived children.
It must be noted that the study does not prove that ART actually causes the birth defects. The authors of the study report acknowledged this by stating, “Sub-fertile women might have a higher risk of having a child with a birth defect regardless of whether infertility treatments are used.” Additional research will be necessary to determine whether or not ART has an impact on birth defect risk.
FDA Approves Drug for Severe Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain disorder caused by abnormal brain signals which manifests itself in physical symptoms. During the episodes, or seizures, the neuronal signals may occur as many as 500 times a second compared to the normal rate of about 80 times per second. The symptom that most people recognize during the seizures is the muscle spasms that cause the patient to shake or twitch, sometimes including convulsions and unconsciousness.
There are more than 2 million people in the United States who have had seizures or have been diagnosed with epilepsy. The exact cause of epilepsy has not been discovered but it is somehow related to the electrical impulses of the brain. The cause could be related to genetics, caused by injury, illness, or some aspect of brain development.
Some types of epilepsy respond to treatment better than others. Lennox-Gastaut is severe epilepsy which usually manifests itself before the age of 4, and includes several different types of seizures including atonic. Atonic seizures include sudden falls sometimes called drop attacks. Some types of childhood epilepsies become benign or stop entirely during adolescence, but Lennox-Gastaut is usually present for a lifetime. More than 30 percent of this type of epilepsy does not have a recognized cause.
Hope has come in the form of the drug Banzel (rufinamide), which has just been approved for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome by the FDA. A four-month clinical trial included patients aged 4 to 30. The patients on the drug, as compared to a placebo group, had 41 percent fewer atonic seizures and 20 percent less seizures of any type, the agency said in a news release.
The warning label on the drug will include the increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. Other side effects include headache, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, double vision, nausea, vomiting and problems walking. As with all antiepileptic drugs, the patients who are taking Banzel will receive a patient medication guide that describes the risks.
The drug is manufactured by Eisai Medical Research, Inc. and was approved under the "orphan drug status." The designation is given to a drug intended to treat a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
There are more than 2 million people in the United States who have had seizures or have been diagnosed with epilepsy. The exact cause of epilepsy has not been discovered but it is somehow related to the electrical impulses of the brain. The cause could be related to genetics, caused by injury, illness, or some aspect of brain development.
Some types of epilepsy respond to treatment better than others. Lennox-Gastaut is severe epilepsy which usually manifests itself before the age of 4, and includes several different types of seizures including atonic. Atonic seizures include sudden falls sometimes called drop attacks. Some types of childhood epilepsies become benign or stop entirely during adolescence, but Lennox-Gastaut is usually present for a lifetime. More than 30 percent of this type of epilepsy does not have a recognized cause.
Hope has come in the form of the drug Banzel (rufinamide), which has just been approved for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome by the FDA. A four-month clinical trial included patients aged 4 to 30. The patients on the drug, as compared to a placebo group, had 41 percent fewer atonic seizures and 20 percent less seizures of any type, the agency said in a news release.
The warning label on the drug will include the increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. Other side effects include headache, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, double vision, nausea, vomiting and problems walking. As with all antiepileptic drugs, the patients who are taking Banzel will receive a patient medication guide that describes the risks.
The drug is manufactured by Eisai Medical Research, Inc. and was approved under the "orphan drug status." The designation is given to a drug intended to treat a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
Lung Cancer Pill an Effective Alternative to Chemotherapy
Breathing in the cool, crisp fall air serves as a reminder of how important lung health is; a perfect time to bring attention to a disease that each year kills more Americans than breast, prostate, colon and pancreas cancers combined. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, there will be approximately 215,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed in 2008, and close to 162,000 people will die from the disease. There is currently no screening tool that effectively detects lung cancer early, so the disease is rarely found in its early stages, greatly limiting the treatment options available. For advanced-stage lung cancer, chemotherapy offers modest improvements in median survival, though side-effects usually have a negative impact on the quality of life. However, there may be another option as a second-line treatment for lung cancer—a pill that works as well as chemotherapy with far fewer side effects.
In an international Phase III clinical trial involving 1,466 lung cancer patients from 24 countries who had undergone previous chemotherapy, researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center compared daily doses of the cancer-fighting pill Iressa to docetaxel, a chemotherapy drug that’s administered by IV every three weeks. While the survival for both groups was about the same, 7.6 months for those taking Iressa compared with eight months for patients receiving docetaxel, there were significant differences in the side effects. Among patients taking Iressa, the most common side effects were rash or acne, compared with fatigue, personality disorders, hair loss, severe diarrhea and a blood disorder called neutropenia for patients receiving docetaxel. “This is the largest study in lung cancer comparing an oral biologic therapy to chemotherapy, and shows, for the first time, that an oral biologic therapy is just as effective as chemotherapy,” said lead researcher Dr. Edward Kim, an assistant professor in M. D. Anderson`s Department of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology. These findings should offer physicians reassurance that they are not compromising effective therapy by using a pill, Kim said.
“There are now two options that one can select from for patients in order to offer treatment that helps a bit following failure of first-line chemotherapy,” said Dr. Michael Cullen, from the University Hospital Birmingham in the United Kingdom, author of a journal comment accompanying the study results. “Survival overall is very poor, and, in fact, it’s almost certainly the case that only a small minority of patients respond to either of the two treatments.” Cullen noted that Iressa is far less toxic than chemotherapy and believes that, because survival time is short, doctors might want to decide which treatment to use based on how well the patient tolerated chemotherapy. “If they didn’t tolerate chemotherapy very well, maybe the oncologist would opt for the oral therapy, whereas if they responded well to chemotherapy, the best choice might be to go with the chemotherapy.”
Iressa is not available in the United States, but a similar drug, Genentech’s Tarceva, is. First developed by AstraZeneca, Iressa was the first in a new class of cancer-fighting drugs known as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) to become commercially available. After two Phase II trials found the drug to be efficacious, Iressa was fast-tracked to the FDA and received approval May 5, 2003 as a treatment for patients whose advanced lung cancer had continued to progress despite treatment with platinum-based and docetaxel chemotherapy. However, after Iressa failed a large randomized trial in 2005, the drug’s labeling was altered by the FDA and since then only patients who were already taking the medicine or those enrolled in clinical trials that were under way at the time were allowed to continue taking the drug. “Based on our findings, I’m hopeful that Iressa can return as a treatment for lung cancer in the United States, offering some patients a therapy with far fewer side effects,” said Dr. Kim, adding that “Chemotherapy will never be eliminated, but we are getting more options for targeted therapy; and people can live as normal a life as they can bearing the weight of lung cancer.”
In an international Phase III clinical trial involving 1,466 lung cancer patients from 24 countries who had undergone previous chemotherapy, researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center compared daily doses of the cancer-fighting pill Iressa to docetaxel, a chemotherapy drug that’s administered by IV every three weeks. While the survival for both groups was about the same, 7.6 months for those taking Iressa compared with eight months for patients receiving docetaxel, there were significant differences in the side effects. Among patients taking Iressa, the most common side effects were rash or acne, compared with fatigue, personality disorders, hair loss, severe diarrhea and a blood disorder called neutropenia for patients receiving docetaxel. “This is the largest study in lung cancer comparing an oral biologic therapy to chemotherapy, and shows, for the first time, that an oral biologic therapy is just as effective as chemotherapy,” said lead researcher Dr. Edward Kim, an assistant professor in M. D. Anderson`s Department of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology. These findings should offer physicians reassurance that they are not compromising effective therapy by using a pill, Kim said.
“There are now two options that one can select from for patients in order to offer treatment that helps a bit following failure of first-line chemotherapy,” said Dr. Michael Cullen, from the University Hospital Birmingham in the United Kingdom, author of a journal comment accompanying the study results. “Survival overall is very poor, and, in fact, it’s almost certainly the case that only a small minority of patients respond to either of the two treatments.” Cullen noted that Iressa is far less toxic than chemotherapy and believes that, because survival time is short, doctors might want to decide which treatment to use based on how well the patient tolerated chemotherapy. “If they didn’t tolerate chemotherapy very well, maybe the oncologist would opt for the oral therapy, whereas if they responded well to chemotherapy, the best choice might be to go with the chemotherapy.”
Iressa is not available in the United States, but a similar drug, Genentech’s Tarceva, is. First developed by AstraZeneca, Iressa was the first in a new class of cancer-fighting drugs known as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) to become commercially available. After two Phase II trials found the drug to be efficacious, Iressa was fast-tracked to the FDA and received approval May 5, 2003 as a treatment for patients whose advanced lung cancer had continued to progress despite treatment with platinum-based and docetaxel chemotherapy. However, after Iressa failed a large randomized trial in 2005, the drug’s labeling was altered by the FDA and since then only patients who were already taking the medicine or those enrolled in clinical trials that were under way at the time were allowed to continue taking the drug. “Based on our findings, I’m hopeful that Iressa can return as a treatment for lung cancer in the United States, offering some patients a therapy with far fewer side effects,” said Dr. Kim, adding that “Chemotherapy will never be eliminated, but we are getting more options for targeted therapy; and people can live as normal a life as they can bearing the weight of lung cancer.”
Physical inactivity raises cancer risk, says study
Regular exercise or physical activity reduces risk of cancer, according to a new study led by James McClain of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues and reported at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
The study of 5,968 women in Maryland confirmed previous studies that have shown people who did physical exercise regularly were at lower risk of developing cancer.
The study also found among women who were in the upper half with regard to the amount of physical activity each week, those who slept less than seven hours per night were 47 percent more likely to develop cancer than those who slept longer.
Physical activity has also been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer risk in many previous studies.
One study led by Michael F Leitzmann and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute and published in the Oct. 2008 issue of Breast Cancer Research found that postmenopausal women with body mass index lower than 25 kg/m2 who engaged in vigorous physical activity were 23 percent less likely to develop breast cancer.
But no such association was found in overweight and obese women.
The researchers followed up 32,000 women who enrolled in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project Follow-up Study to examine if there was an association between risk of breast cancer and physical exercise.
Another study led by Freedman DM and colleagues from National Cancer Institute and published in Oct 21, 2008 issue of Cancer Causes and Control found physical activity like walking and hiking for 10 or more hours per week rendered the greatest protection against breast cancer in women, a 43 percent reduction in the risk.
Coyle YM from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says in a report published in the Dec 2008 issue of Cancer Causes and Control that physical activity is a protective factor for breast cancer.
The author says "Animal studies suggest that physical activity decreases breast tumor growth by promoting changes in cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Human studies provide some support for exercise producing favorable changes in estrogen metabolism that may lead to reduced breast epithelial cell proliferation."
The study of 5,968 women in Maryland confirmed previous studies that have shown people who did physical exercise regularly were at lower risk of developing cancer.
The study also found among women who were in the upper half with regard to the amount of physical activity each week, those who slept less than seven hours per night were 47 percent more likely to develop cancer than those who slept longer.
Physical activity has also been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer risk in many previous studies.
One study led by Michael F Leitzmann and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute and published in the Oct. 2008 issue of Breast Cancer Research found that postmenopausal women with body mass index lower than 25 kg/m2 who engaged in vigorous physical activity were 23 percent less likely to develop breast cancer.
But no such association was found in overweight and obese women.
The researchers followed up 32,000 women who enrolled in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project Follow-up Study to examine if there was an association between risk of breast cancer and physical exercise.
Another study led by Freedman DM and colleagues from National Cancer Institute and published in Oct 21, 2008 issue of Cancer Causes and Control found physical activity like walking and hiking for 10 or more hours per week rendered the greatest protection against breast cancer in women, a 43 percent reduction in the risk.
Coyle YM from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says in a report published in the Dec 2008 issue of Cancer Causes and Control that physical activity is a protective factor for breast cancer.
The author says "Animal studies suggest that physical activity decreases breast tumor growth by promoting changes in cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Human studies provide some support for exercise producing favorable changes in estrogen metabolism that may lead to reduced breast epithelial cell proliferation."
An Apple a Day for Asthma
Growing up, asthma affected my life in the form of the family pet. Instead of getting an adorable kitten or lovable puppy, my parents and my brother were all asthmatics and unable to have a house full of fur. The good news is we got a bird instead and he is still entertaining us eighteen years later and we have never looked back with regrets. However, living with asthma isn’t just about a debate over puppies and kittens, but how to adapt to an affliction which restricts a person’s breathing and their quality of life. Budding research along with previously published studies are trying to show that consumption of apples may help lower the risk of asthma symptoms in both adults and children.
The London National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College investigated 2,640 children ages 5 to 10 monitoring their fruit intake and recording the data. Of the children who drank apple juice from concentrate at least one time per day, they lowered their risk of wheezing due to asthma by 47 percent over those children who only drank apple juice once a month or less.
Based on previous studies which showed that lung function was improved by higher fruit intake, apple juice and apples were studied on children following the results made by Imperial College with adults. In the prior study using adults, Dr. Seif O. Shaheen found that eating more apples had a direct correlation to the lowered risk of reactionary asthmatic symptoms, "It would be wrong to say that our data suggest that drinking apple juice reduces the risk of asthma," Dr. Shaheen continues in an interview, "We`ve only shown an association, and we`ve yet to provide definitive evidence that the link is causal."
While eating apples versus apple juice drinking had no immediate effect on children’s lung functions, researchers say that there is a possibility of juice having a higher concentration of antioxidants than the whole fruit. The London study also found that children who ate bananas daily were also at a lower risk for asthma symptoms over those who ate bananas monthly. Although a bunch of studies have proven positive results of using the antioxidants in fruit, mainly apples, to curb the aftereffects of an asthma attack, the researchers say there are still more studies to be conducted for further proof.
Published in the European Respiratory Journal, this study was partially conducted by the parents by having them keep a record of their child’s fruit intake alongside their symptom kind and frequency. Wheezing, characterized by a continuous whistling from the lungs alerting the body that the airflow of the respiratory tract is obstructed—is the most common indicator of asthma that can, but not always, lead to the condition.
Lead researcher of the children’s study, Dr. Peter Burney thinks apples may be helpful in keeping airways clear because of the chemicals and acids inside the fruit that prevent problem inflammation which leads to wheezing as well as asthma. Dr. Burney wasn’t sure of the exact connection between apples and the lowered rate of asthma symptoms but claims that more specific research needs to be done with fruit intake in the future, “Further studies are needed to confirm the protective effects of apple juice from concentrate and bananas.”
Past research from London has also suggested that pregnant women were trying to protect their children while still inside the womb from asthma later in life by eating a lot of apples. Dr. Shaheen explained that the antioxidants in fruit counteract the damaging oxidative stress from air pollution and researchers and doctors alike think it’s a good idea to prescribe a diet rich in antioxidants, such as fruits like bananas and apples, on a regular basis to enjoy general health. Even though as an adult, I still don’t have a puppy or a kitten, at least the rest of my asthmatic family didn’t have to suffer but if we had known about this new research maybe we could have had our own fur ball to love, if only our backyard had room for an apple tree.
The London National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College investigated 2,640 children ages 5 to 10 monitoring their fruit intake and recording the data. Of the children who drank apple juice from concentrate at least one time per day, they lowered their risk of wheezing due to asthma by 47 percent over those children who only drank apple juice once a month or less.
Based on previous studies which showed that lung function was improved by higher fruit intake, apple juice and apples were studied on children following the results made by Imperial College with adults. In the prior study using adults, Dr. Seif O. Shaheen found that eating more apples had a direct correlation to the lowered risk of reactionary asthmatic symptoms, "It would be wrong to say that our data suggest that drinking apple juice reduces the risk of asthma," Dr. Shaheen continues in an interview, "We`ve only shown an association, and we`ve yet to provide definitive evidence that the link is causal."
While eating apples versus apple juice drinking had no immediate effect on children’s lung functions, researchers say that there is a possibility of juice having a higher concentration of antioxidants than the whole fruit. The London study also found that children who ate bananas daily were also at a lower risk for asthma symptoms over those who ate bananas monthly. Although a bunch of studies have proven positive results of using the antioxidants in fruit, mainly apples, to curb the aftereffects of an asthma attack, the researchers say there are still more studies to be conducted for further proof.
Published in the European Respiratory Journal, this study was partially conducted by the parents by having them keep a record of their child’s fruit intake alongside their symptom kind and frequency. Wheezing, characterized by a continuous whistling from the lungs alerting the body that the airflow of the respiratory tract is obstructed—is the most common indicator of asthma that can, but not always, lead to the condition.
Lead researcher of the children’s study, Dr. Peter Burney thinks apples may be helpful in keeping airways clear because of the chemicals and acids inside the fruit that prevent problem inflammation which leads to wheezing as well as asthma. Dr. Burney wasn’t sure of the exact connection between apples and the lowered rate of asthma symptoms but claims that more specific research needs to be done with fruit intake in the future, “Further studies are needed to confirm the protective effects of apple juice from concentrate and bananas.”
Past research from London has also suggested that pregnant women were trying to protect their children while still inside the womb from asthma later in life by eating a lot of apples. Dr. Shaheen explained that the antioxidants in fruit counteract the damaging oxidative stress from air pollution and researchers and doctors alike think it’s a good idea to prescribe a diet rich in antioxidants, such as fruits like bananas and apples, on a regular basis to enjoy general health. Even though as an adult, I still don’t have a puppy or a kitten, at least the rest of my asthmatic family didn’t have to suffer but if we had known about this new research maybe we could have had our own fur ball to love, if only our backyard had room for an apple tree.
Short sleep raises breast cancer risk
A new study published in a British journal of cancer suggests that sleeping for less than six hours per night may increase risk of breast cancer in women.
Early studies show that night shift female workers are more likely than those who work daytime to acquire breast cancer due probably to the poor sleep quality.
The study led by Kakizaki M and colleagues from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Senkai Japan found women who slept 6 or fewer hours per day were 62 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.
The researchers did not explain why because their study was not meant to explore the reason why there is an association between shorter sleep duration and higher breast cancer risk.
Kakizaki`s study involved 23,995 Japanese women and was intended to examine the correlation between sleep duration and risk of breast cancer. During the follow-up, 143 women were diagnosed with the disease.
In the United States, breast cancer is diagnosed in 185,000 women and kills 45,000 each year. The disease is largely preventable and sufficient sleep is known to boost immunity against cancer. Physical activity or exercise is also known to reduce the risk.
Early studies show that night shift female workers are more likely than those who work daytime to acquire breast cancer due probably to the poor sleep quality.
The study led by Kakizaki M and colleagues from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Senkai Japan found women who slept 6 or fewer hours per day were 62 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.
The researchers did not explain why because their study was not meant to explore the reason why there is an association between shorter sleep duration and higher breast cancer risk.
Kakizaki`s study involved 23,995 Japanese women and was intended to examine the correlation between sleep duration and risk of breast cancer. During the follow-up, 143 women were diagnosed with the disease.
In the United States, breast cancer is diagnosed in 185,000 women and kills 45,000 each year. The disease is largely preventable and sufficient sleep is known to boost immunity against cancer. Physical activity or exercise is also known to reduce the risk.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Symptoms—Does Light Therapy Help?
onditions in America is the development of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, also called dementia, or senile dementia. Most common symptoms of elderly people with dementia are a decrease in mental function (cognitive decline or persistent confusion), change in mood (usually depression), altered behaviors (which are frequently aggressive), reduced memory (usually for recent events or people) and/or sleep disturbances. Importantly, several FDA-approved medications are recommended and prescribed for this condition, and they have a small but definite effect on reducing the progression of Alzheimer-type symptoms. These medications include Aricept (denepezil) and Namenda (memantine).
However, many physicians believe that some of these symptoms may be related to changes in the natural time clock of the brain that changes mood, behavior, and sleeping patterns, a clock called the “circadian pacemaker.” This time-keeping system is sensitive to outside light. For this reason, many people from Northern latitudes (for example Alaska, Canada, and Northern states) have a condition called light deprivation, often with severe depression, and these individuals improve after undergoing light therapy.
An important study was recently published by Dr. Rixt Riemersma-Van Der Lek and co-workers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (JAMA, Volume 299, page 2642, 2008). These authors treated 189 elderly patients in group care facilities between 1999 and 2004 with either whole day bright light exposure, evening melatonin, the combination, or just inactive placebos. They treated patients for an average of 15 months (some patients for up to 3.5 years).
The results were very impressive! The natural history of dementia with progressive reduction in mental functioning was improved with daylight exposure by 5%. Mental deterioration was reduced by 5% on exposure to whole day bright light. Also, light reduced depression by 19%. The patients had a 53% improvement in functional activity according to nurses if they were exposed to light. Melatonin increased sleep duration by 6%, but also increased depression, but not if patients also were exposed to light in addition to the melatonin. The combined treatment of light and melatonin reduced aggressive behaviors by 9% and increased sleep efficiency by 3.5%.
These studies have very important conclusions for all of us. We will either suffer ourselves from dementia as we grow older, or we may currently be caring for family and/or friends who are suffering from early or advanced dementia. At one time or another, it affects all families and people!
The more we know about the symptoms of dementia, the standard treatments of this problem, and the supportive measures that can benefit such individuals, the more that each of us can recognize people who should be tested, and the better we are able to help them get the best care from their doctors.
Therefore, we should learn from this important article that exposure to light and use of mild treatment with melatonin can be highly beneficial. We should suggest that caregivers discuss these findings with physicians who are caring for those individuals. Also, when choosing a chronic care facility for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, reviewing daylight exposure activities with the staff is important to make certain that these patients are afforded the benefits of daylight exposure. Continuing care of these individuals can result in improved relationships with family and friends, if the severity of symptoms and progression of symptoms are minimized.
However, many physicians believe that some of these symptoms may be related to changes in the natural time clock of the brain that changes mood, behavior, and sleeping patterns, a clock called the “circadian pacemaker.” This time-keeping system is sensitive to outside light. For this reason, many people from Northern latitudes (for example Alaska, Canada, and Northern states) have a condition called light deprivation, often with severe depression, and these individuals improve after undergoing light therapy.
An important study was recently published by Dr. Rixt Riemersma-Van Der Lek and co-workers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (JAMA, Volume 299, page 2642, 2008). These authors treated 189 elderly patients in group care facilities between 1999 and 2004 with either whole day bright light exposure, evening melatonin, the combination, or just inactive placebos. They treated patients for an average of 15 months (some patients for up to 3.5 years).
The results were very impressive! The natural history of dementia with progressive reduction in mental functioning was improved with daylight exposure by 5%. Mental deterioration was reduced by 5% on exposure to whole day bright light. Also, light reduced depression by 19%. The patients had a 53% improvement in functional activity according to nurses if they were exposed to light. Melatonin increased sleep duration by 6%, but also increased depression, but not if patients also were exposed to light in addition to the melatonin. The combined treatment of light and melatonin reduced aggressive behaviors by 9% and increased sleep efficiency by 3.5%.
These studies have very important conclusions for all of us. We will either suffer ourselves from dementia as we grow older, or we may currently be caring for family and/or friends who are suffering from early or advanced dementia. At one time or another, it affects all families and people!
The more we know about the symptoms of dementia, the standard treatments of this problem, and the supportive measures that can benefit such individuals, the more that each of us can recognize people who should be tested, and the better we are able to help them get the best care from their doctors.
Therefore, we should learn from this important article that exposure to light and use of mild treatment with melatonin can be highly beneficial. We should suggest that caregivers discuss these findings with physicians who are caring for those individuals. Also, when choosing a chronic care facility for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, reviewing daylight exposure activities with the staff is important to make certain that these patients are afforded the benefits of daylight exposure. Continuing care of these individuals can result in improved relationships with family and friends, if the severity of symptoms and progression of symptoms are minimized.
Eating Eggs Daily May Not Be Risky for Heart
Adding an egg here or there to your diet may not raise your risk of heart disease even though it may raise your "bad" LDL cholesterol levels, according to a new study.
LDL cholesterol is divided into several types. Researchers found adding up to three eggs per day does raise some types of LDL cholesterol, but it didn't significantly raise levels of the types of LDL known to clog arteries.
"We found that the dietary cholesterol in eggs does raise the LDL-1 and LDL-2 [types] but it does not impact the small, dense LDL-3 through LDL-7 particles that are the greatest threat for cardiovascular disease risk," says researcher Maria Luz Fernandez, PhD, of the University of Connecticut, in a news release.
Fernandez says the findings may help explain why previous studies haven't shown a consistent relationship between increases in LDL cholesterol levels, such as those associated with eating eggs, and an increasing risk of heart disease.
In the past decade, research has shown that LDL cholesterol particles vary with respect to their potential to clog arteries and cause heart disease. The particles have been classified according to their size and density, from LDL-1 to LDL-7, with LDL-1 being the largest and LDL-7 being the smallest in diameter.
Researchers say that having predominantly smaller, dense LDL particles (greater than LDL-3) is considered to be more dangerous to heart disease-related health than having mostly larger, more buoyant particles.
In this study, researchers examined the effects of adding the liquid equivalent of three whole eggs per day or a cholesterol-free, fat-free substitute to the diets of about 50 men and premenopausal women for 30 days. A large egg contains about 213 mg of cholesterol.
The study showed that eating the additional cholesterol contained in the eggs increased the proportion of large, LDL particles but did not significantly increase the proportion of the more dangerous, smaller particles.
"We also found that egg cholesterol did not impact the small, dense LDL particles among a sub-set of participants who were generally predisposed to being most sensitive to dietary cholesterol," says Fernandez.
But the study also showed that men had a higher concentration of the more harmful, small LDL particles than women regardless of the diet they followed.
The study appears in the June issue of the journal Metabolism and was supported by the American Egg Board and the University of Connecticut Research Foundation.
LDL cholesterol is divided into several types. Researchers found adding up to three eggs per day does raise some types of LDL cholesterol, but it didn't significantly raise levels of the types of LDL known to clog arteries.
"We found that the dietary cholesterol in eggs does raise the LDL-1 and LDL-2 [types] but it does not impact the small, dense LDL-3 through LDL-7 particles that are the greatest threat for cardiovascular disease risk," says researcher Maria Luz Fernandez, PhD, of the University of Connecticut, in a news release.
Fernandez says the findings may help explain why previous studies haven't shown a consistent relationship between increases in LDL cholesterol levels, such as those associated with eating eggs, and an increasing risk of heart disease.
In the past decade, research has shown that LDL cholesterol particles vary with respect to their potential to clog arteries and cause heart disease. The particles have been classified according to their size and density, from LDL-1 to LDL-7, with LDL-1 being the largest and LDL-7 being the smallest in diameter.
Researchers say that having predominantly smaller, dense LDL particles (greater than LDL-3) is considered to be more dangerous to heart disease-related health than having mostly larger, more buoyant particles.
In this study, researchers examined the effects of adding the liquid equivalent of three whole eggs per day or a cholesterol-free, fat-free substitute to the diets of about 50 men and premenopausal women for 30 days. A large egg contains about 213 mg of cholesterol.
The study showed that eating the additional cholesterol contained in the eggs increased the proportion of large, LDL particles but did not significantly increase the proportion of the more dangerous, smaller particles.
"We also found that egg cholesterol did not impact the small, dense LDL particles among a sub-set of participants who were generally predisposed to being most sensitive to dietary cholesterol," says Fernandez.
But the study also showed that men had a higher concentration of the more harmful, small LDL particles than women regardless of the diet they followed.
The study appears in the June issue of the journal Metabolism and was supported by the American Egg Board and the University of Connecticut Research Foundation.
Vitamin D Deficiency Could Put Your Heart at Risk
A new risk factor for heart disease has been discovered, although this time it is something that can easily be corrected. Scientists say that a growing body of evidence has suggested that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of heart disease and is also linked to other well-known risk factors for heart disease such as diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
Several large studies have shown that people that had low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to have a stroke, heart attack, or other heart-related event during follow-up, compared to the people that had higher levels of vitamin D. Researcher James H. O’Keefe, M.D. and director of preventative cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, MO., stated, “Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized, emerging cardiovascular risk factor, which should be screened for and treated. Vitamin D is easy to assess, and supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive.”
The skin, in response to exposure to the sun, meets most of the body’s requirements for vitamin D. Other less potent sources of vitamin D include foods such as cod liver oil, sardines, and salmon. Also, vitamin D can also be found in D-fortified foods milk and some cereals. If you do not get enough vitamin D you can also take vitamin D supplements on a daily basis.
A deficiency of vitamin D is traditionally associated with muscle and bone weakness, but in recent years a number of studies have shown that the low levels of vitamin D may predispose the body to congestive heart failure, blood pressure, and chronic blood vessel inflammation (which is associated with the hardening of the arteries). It can also alter hormone levels, which will increase insulin resistance, which can raise the risk of diabetes.
In an article that was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers surveyed recent studies on the link between heart disease and vitamin D deficiency to come up with some practical advice on screening and treatment. They also concluded that the vitamin D deficiency is much more common that they previously thought, and could be affecting up to half of adults and children in the United States.
The researchers say that higher rates of vitamin D deficiency could be due in part to people spending more time indoors and in the effort to reduce sun exposure through the use of sunscreens. If you use a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15, you should know that it blocks nearly 99% of vitamin D synthesis by our skin.
Americans are spending less time outside now than previous generations, and older adults and people that are obese or overweight are less efficient at making vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. A little bit of sunshine each day is good, but the use of sunscreen to protect against skin cancer is important if you plan out staying outside for more than 15 to 30 minutes of intense sunlight exposure.
You can find out what your vitamin D levels are via a blood test that looks at a specific form of vitamin D called 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D). A deficiency of vitamin d can be defined as a blood 25(OH)D level of below 20 ng/dL. A normal level is considered to be above 30 ng/dL.
The researchers recommend a 25(OH)D screening for that that have known risk factors for a deficiency of vitamin D including:
• Reduced exposure to the sun due to variation or by living far away from the equator
• Old age
• Liver or kidney disease
• Obesity
• Skin that is darkly pigmented
• Smoking
The government’s current recommendation daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) daily for individuals that are under the age of 50. For those that are between 50 and 70, it is recommended to take 400 IU daily, and for those that are over the age of 70, the RDA is 600 IU. Most experts believe that these recommended does are still too low, and that somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily is necessary to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D. The upper limit of vitamin D that is safe to take on a daily basis is 10,000 IU.
Vitamin D supplements are available now in two different forms: Vitamin D3 and Vitamin D2. Although both types appear to be effective in raising the levels of vitamin D, Vitamin D3 supplements appear to result in a boost in the levels of vitamin D that is longer-lasting. However, there are no current guidelines for restoring and maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D in people that are at risk for heart disease, for those that are vitamin D deficient, the researchers recommend an initial treatment with 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or D3 once weekly for eight to 12 weeks, that is followed by maintenance with one of the following strategies:
• 50,000 IU vitamin D2 or D3 bi-weekly
• 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 every day
• Sunlight exposure for at least 10 minutes for white patients (longer for people that have increase skin pigmentation) between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Once the maintenance therapy has been initiated, rechecking 25(OH)D blood levels is highly recommended after three to six months of ongoing supplementation.
O’Keefe stated, “Restoring vitamin D levels to normal is important in maintaining good musculoskeletal health, and it may also improve heart health and prognosis. We need large, randomized, controlled trials to determine whether or not vitamin D supplementation can actually reduce future heart disease and deaths.”
Several large studies have shown that people that had low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to have a stroke, heart attack, or other heart-related event during follow-up, compared to the people that had higher levels of vitamin D. Researcher James H. O’Keefe, M.D. and director of preventative cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, MO., stated, “Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized, emerging cardiovascular risk factor, which should be screened for and treated. Vitamin D is easy to assess, and supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive.”
The skin, in response to exposure to the sun, meets most of the body’s requirements for vitamin D. Other less potent sources of vitamin D include foods such as cod liver oil, sardines, and salmon. Also, vitamin D can also be found in D-fortified foods milk and some cereals. If you do not get enough vitamin D you can also take vitamin D supplements on a daily basis.
A deficiency of vitamin D is traditionally associated with muscle and bone weakness, but in recent years a number of studies have shown that the low levels of vitamin D may predispose the body to congestive heart failure, blood pressure, and chronic blood vessel inflammation (which is associated with the hardening of the arteries). It can also alter hormone levels, which will increase insulin resistance, which can raise the risk of diabetes.
In an article that was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers surveyed recent studies on the link between heart disease and vitamin D deficiency to come up with some practical advice on screening and treatment. They also concluded that the vitamin D deficiency is much more common that they previously thought, and could be affecting up to half of adults and children in the United States.
The researchers say that higher rates of vitamin D deficiency could be due in part to people spending more time indoors and in the effort to reduce sun exposure through the use of sunscreens. If you use a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15, you should know that it blocks nearly 99% of vitamin D synthesis by our skin.
Americans are spending less time outside now than previous generations, and older adults and people that are obese or overweight are less efficient at making vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. A little bit of sunshine each day is good, but the use of sunscreen to protect against skin cancer is important if you plan out staying outside for more than 15 to 30 minutes of intense sunlight exposure.
You can find out what your vitamin D levels are via a blood test that looks at a specific form of vitamin D called 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D). A deficiency of vitamin d can be defined as a blood 25(OH)D level of below 20 ng/dL. A normal level is considered to be above 30 ng/dL.
The researchers recommend a 25(OH)D screening for that that have known risk factors for a deficiency of vitamin D including:
• Reduced exposure to the sun due to variation or by living far away from the equator
• Old age
• Liver or kidney disease
• Obesity
• Skin that is darkly pigmented
• Smoking
The government’s current recommendation daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) daily for individuals that are under the age of 50. For those that are between 50 and 70, it is recommended to take 400 IU daily, and for those that are over the age of 70, the RDA is 600 IU. Most experts believe that these recommended does are still too low, and that somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily is necessary to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D. The upper limit of vitamin D that is safe to take on a daily basis is 10,000 IU.
Vitamin D supplements are available now in two different forms: Vitamin D3 and Vitamin D2. Although both types appear to be effective in raising the levels of vitamin D, Vitamin D3 supplements appear to result in a boost in the levels of vitamin D that is longer-lasting. However, there are no current guidelines for restoring and maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D in people that are at risk for heart disease, for those that are vitamin D deficient, the researchers recommend an initial treatment with 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or D3 once weekly for eight to 12 weeks, that is followed by maintenance with one of the following strategies:
• 50,000 IU vitamin D2 or D3 bi-weekly
• 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 every day
• Sunlight exposure for at least 10 minutes for white patients (longer for people that have increase skin pigmentation) between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Once the maintenance therapy has been initiated, rechecking 25(OH)D blood levels is highly recommended after three to six months of ongoing supplementation.
O’Keefe stated, “Restoring vitamin D levels to normal is important in maintaining good musculoskeletal health, and it may also improve heart health and prognosis. We need large, randomized, controlled trials to determine whether or not vitamin D supplementation can actually reduce future heart disease and deaths.”
Monday, December 8, 2008
Mobiles can damage memory
Swedish researchers have found memory impairment in rats exposed to cellphone radiation for two hours every week for more than a year.
The rats subjected to a memory test were released into a box with four objects. These objects were changed on two occasions and their position was also altered both the times. The actual test trial was the third occasion. This time the rats encountered two of the objects from the first occasion and two of the objects from the second.
The rats, used as control, spent more time exploring the objects from the first occasion, which they considered more interesting since they had not seen them for some time. The experiment rats, on the other hand, evinced a lesser pronounced difference in interest.
Henrietta Nittby and her supervisor Leif Salford, of the neurosurgery division of Lund University, Sweden, believe that the findings may be related to the team's earlier findings, that microwave radiation from cellphones can affect the so-called blood-brain barrier. This is a barrier that protects the brain by preventing substances circulating in the blood from penetrating into the brain tissue and damaging nerve cells.
The rats subjected to a memory test were released into a box with four objects. These objects were changed on two occasions and their position was also altered both the times. The actual test trial was the third occasion. This time the rats encountered two of the objects from the first occasion and two of the objects from the second.
The rats, used as control, spent more time exploring the objects from the first occasion, which they considered more interesting since they had not seen them for some time. The experiment rats, on the other hand, evinced a lesser pronounced difference in interest.
Henrietta Nittby and her supervisor Leif Salford, of the neurosurgery division of Lund University, Sweden, believe that the findings may be related to the team's earlier findings, that microwave radiation from cellphones can affect the so-called blood-brain barrier. This is a barrier that protects the brain by preventing substances circulating in the blood from penetrating into the brain tissue and damaging nerve cells.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Day-dreaming is good for health
Ever got engaged in a fanciful musing of a castle in the air, or a date with Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt?
Daydreaming has long been derided as a lazy and non-productive pastime. But it has also been able to breed many popular artistic careers, like being a composer, novelist or a film-maker, who develop new ideas.
"When a person is thinking or fantasizing about his unfulfilled wishes, desires, all that for which he is passionate about, he gets carried away by them and starts day-dreaming," says a well known psychologist Dr Aruna Broota.
But, in this fast-pace world, do people have time for day-dreaming?
"Yes, they have enough time to day-dream. The fast-pace moving world has not deterred people from day-dreaming," says Dr Roma Kumar, the clinical psychologist at Ganga Ram Hospital.
Day-dreaming is a visionary fantasy or a reverie indulged in while awake. A daydreamer gets engaged in a fancy speculation, generally of happy and pleasant moments, hopes or ambitions. While for an observer, the day-dreamer has an expression-less stare to a distance, day-dreaming is very normal, feel experts.
"Day-dreaming is completely normal, in fact it is more than normal. It is like trying to think of the happy moments. The person goes back to that time to get more happiness," says Kumar.
Kumar however, adds that day-dreaming can be abnormal if it is beyond a limit.
"Generally day-dreaming is normal but if it is beyond certain limit and when it makes the person non-functional, it can be an obstacle on the path of progress," she says.
Daydreaming has long been derided as a lazy and non-productive pastime. But it has also been able to breed many popular artistic careers, like being a composer, novelist or a film-maker, who develop new ideas.
"When a person is thinking or fantasizing about his unfulfilled wishes, desires, all that for which he is passionate about, he gets carried away by them and starts day-dreaming," says a well known psychologist Dr Aruna Broota.
But, in this fast-pace world, do people have time for day-dreaming?
"Yes, they have enough time to day-dream. The fast-pace moving world has not deterred people from day-dreaming," says Dr Roma Kumar, the clinical psychologist at Ganga Ram Hospital.
Day-dreaming is a visionary fantasy or a reverie indulged in while awake. A daydreamer gets engaged in a fancy speculation, generally of happy and pleasant moments, hopes or ambitions. While for an observer, the day-dreamer has an expression-less stare to a distance, day-dreaming is very normal, feel experts.
"Day-dreaming is completely normal, in fact it is more than normal. It is like trying to think of the happy moments. The person goes back to that time to get more happiness," says Kumar.
Kumar however, adds that day-dreaming can be abnormal if it is beyond a limit.
"Generally day-dreaming is normal but if it is beyond certain limit and when it makes the person non-functional, it can be an obstacle on the path of progress," she says.
Tea and coffee are key to long life
A classic experiment exploring the origin of life has more than a half-century later yielded new results. New results fom the experiment show that
life may have been born violently, in erupting volcanoes in the midst of a thunderstorm.
In 1953, Stanley Miller, then a graduate student of Harold Urey at the University of Chicago, put ammonia, methane and hydrogen — the gases believed to be in early earth’s atmosphere, — along with water in a sealed flask and applied electrical sparks to simulate the effects of lightning. A week later, amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, were generated out of the simple molecules.
Enshrined in high school textbooks, the Miller-Urey experiment raised expectations that scientists could unravel life’s origins with simple chemistry experiments. The excitement has long since subsided. The amino acids never grew into the more complex proteins. Scientists now think the composition of air on early earth was different from what Miller used.
Consulting Miller’s notebooks, his student Jeffrey Bada found that Miller had constructed two variations of the original apparatus. One simply used a different spark generator. The second injected steam onto the sparks.
Miller had reported that he had detected five amino acids produced by the original apparatus. Johnson’s work revealed small amounts of nine additional amino acids in those samples. In the residues from the apparatus with the steam injector, the scientists detected 22 amino acids, including 10 that had never before been identified from the Miller-Urey experiment.
Bada says the results show that the tidal pools near volcanoes, where similar conditions exist, would have been the places where the amino acids could have accumulated in concentrations, enabling more complex reactions to occur.
life may have been born violently, in erupting volcanoes in the midst of a thunderstorm.
In 1953, Stanley Miller, then a graduate student of Harold Urey at the University of Chicago, put ammonia, methane and hydrogen — the gases believed to be in early earth’s atmosphere, — along with water in a sealed flask and applied electrical sparks to simulate the effects of lightning. A week later, amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, were generated out of the simple molecules.
Enshrined in high school textbooks, the Miller-Urey experiment raised expectations that scientists could unravel life’s origins with simple chemistry experiments. The excitement has long since subsided. The amino acids never grew into the more complex proteins. Scientists now think the composition of air on early earth was different from what Miller used.
Consulting Miller’s notebooks, his student Jeffrey Bada found that Miller had constructed two variations of the original apparatus. One simply used a different spark generator. The second injected steam onto the sparks.
Miller had reported that he had detected five amino acids produced by the original apparatus. Johnson’s work revealed small amounts of nine additional amino acids in those samples. In the residues from the apparatus with the steam injector, the scientists detected 22 amino acids, including 10 that had never before been identified from the Miller-Urey experiment.
Bada says the results show that the tidal pools near volcanoes, where similar conditions exist, would have been the places where the amino acids could have accumulated in concentrations, enabling more complex reactions to occur.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Coffee 'can shrink women's breasts'
Ladies, please note – drinking coffee in moderation may be okay, but downing more than three cups daily can shrink the size of your breasts, a new study has revealed.
Researchers in Sweden have carried out the study and claimed that women who take more than three cups of the caffeine-fuelled drink a day could see their bra size drop, theDaily Star reported.
Tests by cancer researchers found half of all women have a gene linking breast size to coffee intake.
Nearly 300 women were quizzed but Helena Jernstroem, of Lund University, said women should not worry too much.
She explained: "Coffee-drinking women do not have to worry their breasts will shrink to nothing overnight. They will get smaller, but the breasts aren't just going to disappear.”
"Anyone who thinks they can tell which women are coffee drinkers just from their bra measurements will be disappointed. There are two measurements for a bra -- the cup size and the girth, so you wouldn't be able to tell."
While caffeine may shrink women's breasts, the reaction is the reverse for coffee-slurping blokes -- it can make their ‘moobs’ swell, according to the researchers.
On the plus side, the study showed regular hits of caffeine reduce the risk of women developing breast cancer.
Researchers in Sweden have carried out the study and claimed that women who take more than three cups of the caffeine-fuelled drink a day could see their bra size drop, theDaily Star reported.
Tests by cancer researchers found half of all women have a gene linking breast size to coffee intake.
Nearly 300 women were quizzed but Helena Jernstroem, of Lund University, said women should not worry too much.
She explained: "Coffee-drinking women do not have to worry their breasts will shrink to nothing overnight. They will get smaller, but the breasts aren't just going to disappear.”
"Anyone who thinks they can tell which women are coffee drinkers just from their bra measurements will be disappointed. There are two measurements for a bra -- the cup size and the girth, so you wouldn't be able to tell."
While caffeine may shrink women's breasts, the reaction is the reverse for coffee-slurping blokes -- it can make their ‘moobs’ swell, according to the researchers.
On the plus side, the study showed regular hits of caffeine reduce the risk of women developing breast cancer.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
9 bedroom boo-boos
When you're in bed with your lover, the last thing you want to do is turn them off. That said, here are a few common blunders that you should not commit...
1. Not kissing
Believe it or not, many people (and this includes women) don't kiss their partner when they're having sex. Why? Perhaps because the positioning doesn't allow for it or they are too eager to climax and feel that it might break the rhythm.
Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that you make an effort to kiss your partner during the act - it will only add to the experience.
2. Biting before your partner's ready
While many people enjoy an aggressive partner, biting any part of their body before they are aroused may lead to pain and discomfort (and might even lessen the chances of any further action ) or simply scare them off.
So make sure your partner is fully excited before you bite their ear, shoulders, neck or any other part of their body.
3. Ignoring everything but sexualised parts
Genitals are great, no doubt, but you should definitely pay attention to other parts of your lover's body and focus for some time on their entire body - knees, wrists, back and stomach are highly erogenous zones for men as well as women.
Gently caressing these areas will help excite your partner further; in turn, increasing the chances of them pleasuring you back.
4. Putting your weight on your partner
Even if you're a girl! It's okay to lose yourself in the moment every once in a while and go crazy on your lover. But when you're lying on top of them, you have to be careful not to drop your weight on them.
Chocking them or hindering their ability to breathe will anyway kill the moment and any chances of some good action.
1. Not kissing
Believe it or not, many people (and this includes women) don't kiss their partner when they're having sex. Why? Perhaps because the positioning doesn't allow for it or they are too eager to climax and feel that it might break the rhythm.
Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that you make an effort to kiss your partner during the act - it will only add to the experience.
2. Biting before your partner's ready
While many people enjoy an aggressive partner, biting any part of their body before they are aroused may lead to pain and discomfort (and might even lessen the chances of any further action ) or simply scare them off.
So make sure your partner is fully excited before you bite their ear, shoulders, neck or any other part of their body.
3. Ignoring everything but sexualised parts
Genitals are great, no doubt, but you should definitely pay attention to other parts of your lover's body and focus for some time on their entire body - knees, wrists, back and stomach are highly erogenous zones for men as well as women.
Gently caressing these areas will help excite your partner further; in turn, increasing the chances of them pleasuring you back.
4. Putting your weight on your partner
Even if you're a girl! It's okay to lose yourself in the moment every once in a while and go crazy on your lover. But when you're lying on top of them, you have to be careful not to drop your weight on them.
Chocking them or hindering their ability to breathe will anyway kill the moment and any chances of some good action.
Tips to arouse your senses
Here are some tips, suggested by the expert, to arouse your senses...
SIGHT
1. Move in front of the mirror, so the two of you get front-row seats for the evening show.
2. Make eye contact with each other and let each other know that you have a deep connection. Don’t close your eyes during lovemaking; it makes your partner feel that you’re bringing someone else into the imagination.
3. Porn is great, if your partner is game but do not overdo this and neither expect partner to perform like a porn star forcibly. Let it happen naturally.
4. Keep the lights soft and filtered, as too bright lighting can detract from the ambience.
5. For special evenings, nothing adds romance like the warm glow of candles.
6. You can even try doing a strip tease for each other on some romantic number.
SMELL
1. Pheromones, the perfume of sexual attraction (produced by your body naturally) can be a great turn-on but make sure your partner is comfortable with it.
2. Rose petals can either be stewed on the bed or you can take a sensual bath with rose petals in the tub. Other herbal aphrodisiacs like jasmine, rose and ylang ylang can also be tried.
3. Gently wipe your light bulbs with a thin coat of perfumed oil and it’ll send calming or sensual scents throughout the bedroom.
4. Sprinkle dusting powder on your sheets to make them fragrant and silky. Scented sachets of lavender and rosemary also add to the air of romance.
5. Slightly menthol scented hygiene washes can be used to wash your body for that fresh tingly smell.
6. Use a mint or a mouth freshener before you kiss your partner.
TASTE
1. Get some sensual food items to bed like chocolate sauce, strawberries, grapes or whipped cream to explore the world of sexy tastes.
2. Bring a few flavored warming massage oils that come in multiple flavors like strawberry, cherry and banana. These sexy oils not only create heat and lubrication, they taste good, too!
3. Hand-feed each other fruits with curious textures, like pomegranates or lychees. The sugar and unique feel of the fruit on her lips and tongue can serve up an arousing double shot of pleasure.
4. Drink champagne from sexy champagne glasses, caress the long stem and lick each other’s lips - this is mind blowing too.
5. Edible underwear in different flavors can also be experimented with.
SIGHT
1. Move in front of the mirror, so the two of you get front-row seats for the evening show.
2. Make eye contact with each other and let each other know that you have a deep connection. Don’t close your eyes during lovemaking; it makes your partner feel that you’re bringing someone else into the imagination.
3. Porn is great, if your partner is game but do not overdo this and neither expect partner to perform like a porn star forcibly. Let it happen naturally.
4. Keep the lights soft and filtered, as too bright lighting can detract from the ambience.
5. For special evenings, nothing adds romance like the warm glow of candles.
6. You can even try doing a strip tease for each other on some romantic number.
SMELL
1. Pheromones, the perfume of sexual attraction (produced by your body naturally) can be a great turn-on but make sure your partner is comfortable with it.
2. Rose petals can either be stewed on the bed or you can take a sensual bath with rose petals in the tub. Other herbal aphrodisiacs like jasmine, rose and ylang ylang can also be tried.
3. Gently wipe your light bulbs with a thin coat of perfumed oil and it’ll send calming or sensual scents throughout the bedroom.
4. Sprinkle dusting powder on your sheets to make them fragrant and silky. Scented sachets of lavender and rosemary also add to the air of romance.
5. Slightly menthol scented hygiene washes can be used to wash your body for that fresh tingly smell.
6. Use a mint or a mouth freshener before you kiss your partner.
TASTE
1. Get some sensual food items to bed like chocolate sauce, strawberries, grapes or whipped cream to explore the world of sexy tastes.
2. Bring a few flavored warming massage oils that come in multiple flavors like strawberry, cherry and banana. These sexy oils not only create heat and lubrication, they taste good, too!
3. Hand-feed each other fruits with curious textures, like pomegranates or lychees. The sugar and unique feel of the fruit on her lips and tongue can serve up an arousing double shot of pleasure.
4. Drink champagne from sexy champagne glasses, caress the long stem and lick each other’s lips - this is mind blowing too.
5. Edible underwear in different flavors can also be experimented with.
Boost your sex drive with aroma therapy
Ever wondered why Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Sensuality, used rose petals in her love den? Why Kamasutra heralds the use of itars and scents? Or for that matter, why our ancient Vedas dedicate the entire Vajrakaran Tantra to the use of aromatic oils?
Well, the reason is a little complicated and lies in one of our six senses!
“Our sense of smell stimulates the nerve endings of the olfactory bulb, which lies at the back of the nose, which in turn stimulates a part of the brain called the limbic system that triggers our libido,” explains Blossom Kochhar, renowned aroma therapist. “The essential oils do magic and stimulate the pituitary gland, the master of endocrine gland, which controls hormone production. Inactiveness of pituitary gland can lead to low sex drive. So, the oils help keep it in an active state,” tells Aromatherapist, Dr. Naresh Arora, Chase Aroma Therapy.
Well, it seems Aphrodite and Vatsyayan had cracked the secret way back. Now you know why she’s the Goddess of love and he India’s eternal sex guru!
So, if your libido is letting you down, it’s time to treat yourself to some sweet smells to get back in action.
Aromatherapy oils are a sensual way to fire up the libido. The molecules of oils are so small that they can mingle in the bloodstream rapidly and are carried to all parts of the body. Natural scents present in aroma oils bear a key importance when it comes to sexual attraction. Some scents are overpoweringly arousing aphrodisiacs for women while other are good enough to bewitch even the most sober of men. You just need to try to believe in the power of the “secret” bedroom helpers that these oils are.
Among the many aromatic oils that have been reputed to have aphrodisiac qualities are the sweet flavors of cinnamon, bergamot, cedarwood, chocolate, vanilla, lavender, roses and patchouli.
Ylang Ylang
Sexual prowess : Considered as one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs, ylang ylang increases libido and attraction between lovers. It energises you, intensifies eroticism and is good for sexual experimentation.
Wanna try? Just place a cotton bud dipped in ylang ylang near your bed and witness its magic! (Yes, just one drop of ylan ylang is enough!)
Caution: Do not use too much of it, for it takes you into a state of euphoria and can cause headache and nausea.
Rose otto
Sexual prowess : The oil works best for females, especially when it comes to balancing the hormones. It has a tonic effect on the reproductive organs, and can work best to boost sexuality.
Wanna try? Go ahead, pamper her. Give her a soothing love massage...
Jasmine
Sexual prowess: Jasmine lifts the mood and adds into the energy levels. Traditionally, it is used to combat frigidity, impotence and premature ejaculation, thanks to its powerful erogenous effect.
Wanna try? Blend it with sandalwood, citrus oils and rose and go for an odorous bath. Caution: Women are advised not to use jasmine oil during pregnancy.
Aroma massage
Boost your sex drive with aroma therapy. (Getty Images)
Neroli
Sexual prowess: It’s a powerful aphrodisiac that works best to make up for a sensuous seduction act and some naughty flirting. It is used to combat frigidity and increase libido particularly in women.
Wanna try? Just a drop or two in a diffuser is enough to set the mood for a perfect night.
Lavender
Sexual prowess : Lavender increases blood flow to genitals and enhances female sensitivity.
Wanna try? How about arranging a sensuous bath tonight? A hot bath, a few candles, some flowers, a drop or two of lavender oil is enough to get you going...
Sandalwood
Sexual prowess : It works wonders for men. The sweet, woody exotic scent enhances physical sensuality and makes lovers more sexually-liberated. Considered a sexual restorative, it induces a state of calmness and serenity and relieves nervous tension.
Wanna try? How about giving him a real close massage? You can mix sandalwood with 3 tablespoons of almond oil. Also, when combined with black pepper oil it can give a boost to a man’s vigour.
Orange blossom
Sexual prowess: It helps the timid and shy first timers to open up and explore the unexplored. Awakens the senses!
Wanna try? Put a few drops of the oil near the candle wick and let the flame ignite the spark of passion in you too!
Precautions:
“Smell has the power to bring back memories, so never use oil which brings back bad memories associated with it to you or your partner,” suggests Dr. Blossom.
Aroma therapist Dr. Naresh Arora advises that “essential oils are very powerful, so don’t go overboard while using them. Excess usage can have sedative and anesthetic effects too. While using them in massage, first dilute them in carrier oils like sweet almond, jojoba, sunflower or olive, as they are too powerful in their full strength. In particular, if you don’t like a smell, simply avoid it. There’s a whole world of aroma’s waiting to be experienced...pick one that turns you on and have fun.”
Well, the reason is a little complicated and lies in one of our six senses!
“Our sense of smell stimulates the nerve endings of the olfactory bulb, which lies at the back of the nose, which in turn stimulates a part of the brain called the limbic system that triggers our libido,” explains Blossom Kochhar, renowned aroma therapist. “The essential oils do magic and stimulate the pituitary gland, the master of endocrine gland, which controls hormone production. Inactiveness of pituitary gland can lead to low sex drive. So, the oils help keep it in an active state,” tells Aromatherapist, Dr. Naresh Arora, Chase Aroma Therapy.
Well, it seems Aphrodite and Vatsyayan had cracked the secret way back. Now you know why she’s the Goddess of love and he India’s eternal sex guru!
So, if your libido is letting you down, it’s time to treat yourself to some sweet smells to get back in action.
Aromatherapy oils are a sensual way to fire up the libido. The molecules of oils are so small that they can mingle in the bloodstream rapidly and are carried to all parts of the body. Natural scents present in aroma oils bear a key importance when it comes to sexual attraction. Some scents are overpoweringly arousing aphrodisiacs for women while other are good enough to bewitch even the most sober of men. You just need to try to believe in the power of the “secret” bedroom helpers that these oils are.
Among the many aromatic oils that have been reputed to have aphrodisiac qualities are the sweet flavors of cinnamon, bergamot, cedarwood, chocolate, vanilla, lavender, roses and patchouli.
Ylang Ylang
Sexual prowess : Considered as one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs, ylang ylang increases libido and attraction between lovers. It energises you, intensifies eroticism and is good for sexual experimentation.
Wanna try? Just place a cotton bud dipped in ylang ylang near your bed and witness its magic! (Yes, just one drop of ylan ylang is enough!)
Caution: Do not use too much of it, for it takes you into a state of euphoria and can cause headache and nausea.
Rose otto
Sexual prowess : The oil works best for females, especially when it comes to balancing the hormones. It has a tonic effect on the reproductive organs, and can work best to boost sexuality.
Wanna try? Go ahead, pamper her. Give her a soothing love massage...
Jasmine
Sexual prowess: Jasmine lifts the mood and adds into the energy levels. Traditionally, it is used to combat frigidity, impotence and premature ejaculation, thanks to its powerful erogenous effect.
Wanna try? Blend it with sandalwood, citrus oils and rose and go for an odorous bath. Caution: Women are advised not to use jasmine oil during pregnancy.
Aroma massage
Boost your sex drive with aroma therapy. (Getty Images)
Neroli
Sexual prowess: It’s a powerful aphrodisiac that works best to make up for a sensuous seduction act and some naughty flirting. It is used to combat frigidity and increase libido particularly in women.
Wanna try? Just a drop or two in a diffuser is enough to set the mood for a perfect night.
Lavender
Sexual prowess : Lavender increases blood flow to genitals and enhances female sensitivity.
Wanna try? How about arranging a sensuous bath tonight? A hot bath, a few candles, some flowers, a drop or two of lavender oil is enough to get you going...
Sandalwood
Sexual prowess : It works wonders for men. The sweet, woody exotic scent enhances physical sensuality and makes lovers more sexually-liberated. Considered a sexual restorative, it induces a state of calmness and serenity and relieves nervous tension.
Wanna try? How about giving him a real close massage? You can mix sandalwood with 3 tablespoons of almond oil. Also, when combined with black pepper oil it can give a boost to a man’s vigour.
Orange blossom
Sexual prowess: It helps the timid and shy first timers to open up and explore the unexplored. Awakens the senses!
Wanna try? Put a few drops of the oil near the candle wick and let the flame ignite the spark of passion in you too!
Precautions:
“Smell has the power to bring back memories, so never use oil which brings back bad memories associated with it to you or your partner,” suggests Dr. Blossom.
Aroma therapist Dr. Naresh Arora advises that “essential oils are very powerful, so don’t go overboard while using them. Excess usage can have sedative and anesthetic effects too. While using them in massage, first dilute them in carrier oils like sweet almond, jojoba, sunflower or olive, as they are too powerful in their full strength. In particular, if you don’t like a smell, simply avoid it. There’s a whole world of aroma’s waiting to be experienced...pick one that turns you on and have fun.”
Seducing the senses
You can touch my hair and kiss me everywhere... Does it sound too clichéd or rather boring way to seduce your partner? Are you tired of reading the same old techniques of seduction?
Well, what about going back to the basics? And nothing can be more basic than the five senses - sense of sight, sense of smell, sense of taste, sense of hearing, sense of touch. These can really keep things sizzling hot during sex. Vatsayan would have definitely vouched for that! We get modern day experts to share more on it...
To keep the flames burning in your sex-life, you must fine-tune your seduction skills. With fingers busy, mouths, lips, tongues, noses, and eyes enticed, sensuousness will linger in every move to make you the most desirable man or woman of seduction.
Rita Gangwani, an etiquette expert, shares, “Sometimes we take the senses so much for granted that we don't really pay attention to them. Working to develop the five senses and focusing on them while making love, drawing attention to his/her sensuousness will not only enhance your own pleasure, but will give pleasure to your lover as well.”
Dr. Sanjay Chugh, expert on sexual issues, says, “The seduction tips that one can employ also depends on ‘overall’ quality of the couple's relationship. If there is a healthy emotional and psychological bond between the two, the chances of a good sex life is high. And in case, if one incorporates a few out-of-the-box techniques, then it’s definitely some icing on the cake!”
Psychiatrist Dr. Samir Parikh supports, “Couples need to keep trying to make things work for them but the key is not just trying new things, its more to be attuned to each others likes, fantasies and pleasures so that a mutually satisfying relationship could result. They can try various permutations and combinations of these seduction ways on their personalities.”
On how these five senses work towards stimulating the libido of male/female partner, Dr. Parikh explains, “Most of these factors (senses) have an association in our mind, so they act as a conditioned stimulus, and can help creating the atmosphere. But the key would be the mutuality and the quality of the non-sexual life would have its direct impact on the sexual life.”
Rita adds, “One must be aware to the fact that human body is bristling with sensory receptors - God’s gift to humankind - it’s up to us to responsibly enjoy it. One must give body the permission to celebrate what’s inside; celebrate it with oneself, and with the partner. We must take time to really learn the subtle but very powerful art of seducing the opposite sex using all five senses.”
These are simple yet extremely seductive ways.
Well, what about going back to the basics? And nothing can be more basic than the five senses - sense of sight, sense of smell, sense of taste, sense of hearing, sense of touch. These can really keep things sizzling hot during sex. Vatsayan would have definitely vouched for that! We get modern day experts to share more on it...
To keep the flames burning in your sex-life, you must fine-tune your seduction skills. With fingers busy, mouths, lips, tongues, noses, and eyes enticed, sensuousness will linger in every move to make you the most desirable man or woman of seduction.
Rita Gangwani, an etiquette expert, shares, “Sometimes we take the senses so much for granted that we don't really pay attention to them. Working to develop the five senses and focusing on them while making love, drawing attention to his/her sensuousness will not only enhance your own pleasure, but will give pleasure to your lover as well.”
Dr. Sanjay Chugh, expert on sexual issues, says, “The seduction tips that one can employ also depends on ‘overall’ quality of the couple's relationship. If there is a healthy emotional and psychological bond between the two, the chances of a good sex life is high. And in case, if one incorporates a few out-of-the-box techniques, then it’s definitely some icing on the cake!”
Psychiatrist Dr. Samir Parikh supports, “Couples need to keep trying to make things work for them but the key is not just trying new things, its more to be attuned to each others likes, fantasies and pleasures so that a mutually satisfying relationship could result. They can try various permutations and combinations of these seduction ways on their personalities.”
On how these five senses work towards stimulating the libido of male/female partner, Dr. Parikh explains, “Most of these factors (senses) have an association in our mind, so they act as a conditioned stimulus, and can help creating the atmosphere. But the key would be the mutuality and the quality of the non-sexual life would have its direct impact on the sexual life.”
Rita adds, “One must be aware to the fact that human body is bristling with sensory receptors - God’s gift to humankind - it’s up to us to responsibly enjoy it. One must give body the permission to celebrate what’s inside; celebrate it with oneself, and with the partner. We must take time to really learn the subtle but very powerful art of seducing the opposite sex using all five senses.”
These are simple yet extremely seductive ways.
Now, an orgasm gel to boost sex life!
An average woman's orgasm lasts for 28 seconds, but now it may go up to a massive 107 seconds, thanks to a new gel.
The soon-to-be launched Play O gel promises to increase desire and give longer and more intense orgasms, reports Metro.co.uk
The new gel contains a magic formula of L'Arginine, an amino acid that increases blood flow, plus two cooling agents that feel tingly when applied.
During the trials, nearly 91 per cent of women experienced a new sensation when using Play O.
The new orgasm gel made by Durex would be launched in September.
The soon-to-be launched Play O gel promises to increase desire and give longer and more intense orgasms, reports Metro.co.uk
The new gel contains a magic formula of L'Arginine, an amino acid that increases blood flow, plus two cooling agents that feel tingly when applied.
During the trials, nearly 91 per cent of women experienced a new sensation when using Play O.
The new orgasm gel made by Durex would be launched in September.
What is an Aphrodisiac?
As per the dictionary, an aphrodisiac is "an agent (as a food or drug) that arouses or is held to arouse sexual desire; something that excites." Researchers say the smell, taste, and even appearance of certain foods can act as potent aphrodisiacs that not only get you in the mood for love, but also may even make you a better flirt and lover. And knowing what foods are appropriate can maximize these effects.
Aphrodisiacs can be grouped into three groups based on the physiological effects they have on the body and how those effects can enhance sexual performance at each stage of a person's sex life.
FOODS FOR FLIRTING
When looking for a partner for sex, it's important to choose foods that secrete chemicals and hormones that make you happy in order to increase self-confidence, lower inhibitions, and make you a better flirt.
Examples:
Chilli peppers : Spicy foods get the heart pumping and induce sweating.
Bananas : They contain chemicals that reportedly have a mood-lifting effect on the brain.
Carrots : Their phallic appearance and high-fiber content may induce sexual desire.
FOODS FOR SEDUCTION
Seductive aphrodisiacs can help trigger the release of sex hormones, such as testosterone, provide a quick energy boost, and increase blood flow to the genitals to get the body "in the mood" for love. It’s important to create visual stimulation with foods that look like the genitalia, such as oysters, fresh figs, or carrots.
Anything that is visually erotic is automatically going to set your brain in motion. Certain foods release hormones, like testosterone in women that makes them more sexually aggressive and adventurous."
Examples:
Chocolate : Not only does chocolate provide a jolt of caffeine, the plant has a flower that looks like sex organs.
Ginger : This root reportedly increases blood flow to the genitals in both men and women.
Olives : Green ones
Tomatoes : They have a reputation as a sexual stimulant.
Apples : Since Adam and Eve, this fruit has been synonymous with temptation.
Asparagus: A sexy, long, phallic-looking food
FOODS FOR SEXUAL PERFORMANCE
During exploration and orgasm, even the scent alone of some aphrodisiacs may be enough to increase sexual arousal and enhance performance.
Natural Human aphrodisiac: Pheromones
Pheromones are the truest form of natural aphrodisiacs. The human pheromones -- Androstenone, Androstenol, Androsterone - found in minute amounts in the perspiration of men and women, are natural aphrodisiacs that attract men to women and visa-versa.
There is scientific evidence that human pheromones can elicit strong sexual responses in both sexes. Unfortunately, antiperspirants and deodorants often destroy the pheromones in human perspiration.
Research conducted by the University of Chicago shows concrete proof that human pheromones do exist. And pheromones produced by one individual have a definite influence on the biological behavior of another.
Aphrodisiacs can be grouped into three groups based on the physiological effects they have on the body and how those effects can enhance sexual performance at each stage of a person's sex life.
FOODS FOR FLIRTING
When looking for a partner for sex, it's important to choose foods that secrete chemicals and hormones that make you happy in order to increase self-confidence, lower inhibitions, and make you a better flirt.
Examples:
Chilli peppers : Spicy foods get the heart pumping and induce sweating.
Bananas : They contain chemicals that reportedly have a mood-lifting effect on the brain.
Carrots : Their phallic appearance and high-fiber content may induce sexual desire.
FOODS FOR SEDUCTION
Seductive aphrodisiacs can help trigger the release of sex hormones, such as testosterone, provide a quick energy boost, and increase blood flow to the genitals to get the body "in the mood" for love. It’s important to create visual stimulation with foods that look like the genitalia, such as oysters, fresh figs, or carrots.
Anything that is visually erotic is automatically going to set your brain in motion. Certain foods release hormones, like testosterone in women that makes them more sexually aggressive and adventurous."
Examples:
Chocolate : Not only does chocolate provide a jolt of caffeine, the plant has a flower that looks like sex organs.
Ginger : This root reportedly increases blood flow to the genitals in both men and women.
Olives : Green ones
Tomatoes : They have a reputation as a sexual stimulant.
Apples : Since Adam and Eve, this fruit has been synonymous with temptation.
Asparagus: A sexy, long, phallic-looking food
FOODS FOR SEXUAL PERFORMANCE
During exploration and orgasm, even the scent alone of some aphrodisiacs may be enough to increase sexual arousal and enhance performance.
Natural Human aphrodisiac: Pheromones
Pheromones are the truest form of natural aphrodisiacs. The human pheromones -- Androstenone, Androstenol, Androsterone - found in minute amounts in the perspiration of men and women, are natural aphrodisiacs that attract men to women and visa-versa.
There is scientific evidence that human pheromones can elicit strong sexual responses in both sexes. Unfortunately, antiperspirants and deodorants often destroy the pheromones in human perspiration.
Research conducted by the University of Chicago shows concrete proof that human pheromones do exist. And pheromones produced by one individual have a definite influence on the biological behavior of another.
Sexual temptation
It's widely believed that eating chocolates produce certain hormones that are exactly the same as those generated while having sex! Then why eat chocolates? Sex is a better option!
While you'd do anything to savour the ultimate joy before, during and after sex, you might not know that there are several food items that can build up the mood, ignite the passion and get you going for a gratifying act in bed.
Aphrodisiacs, as they are commonly referred to, may have some scientific study backing them up, but couples usually select them based on certain preset notions and beliefs.
While some feel that they're tempting enough to evoke their erotic senses, for others, aphrodisiacs are an integral part of the foreplay process. Surprisingly, some men have even resorted to referring to Kareena Kapoor's poster where dark chocolate ran all over her assets. "When I see melted chocolate, it tempts me a lot and I get a feeling of my partner trying to seduce me in bed. It's not that I spread chocolate all over her body, but having a bite of chocolate and then kissing her with it in my mouth sets the mood right," shares 29-year old Vineet Khanna.
Other than chocolate, fruits like strawberries and bananas are also considered to be effective aphrodisiacs. "Of course, you can't think of teasing your partner with a fruit like mango. Strawberries are small and the heart-shape helps in building the sexual mood, as you can just take half of it in your mouth and let your partner try and bite the remaining half. Also, the soft thorns on the outer layer work well to make my hubby horny," feels Jigyasa Thakore.
There's a belief that the more a couple sweat it out in bed, the wilder the sex escapade gets. Couples also therefore tend to consume more of chilli peppers to induce sweating. "Eating chicken makes my man sweat a lot and I don't need to add that extra, spicy chilli. In a way, mere chicken acts as an aphrodisiac for me to get him going," shares 32-year old housewife Meenal Duggal.
While aphrodisiacs have been doing their rounds since time immemorial, nobody really knows what good they actually do. Click here to know more about how they work...
While you'd do anything to savour the ultimate joy before, during and after sex, you might not know that there are several food items that can build up the mood, ignite the passion and get you going for a gratifying act in bed.
Aphrodisiacs, as they are commonly referred to, may have some scientific study backing them up, but couples usually select them based on certain preset notions and beliefs.
While some feel that they're tempting enough to evoke their erotic senses, for others, aphrodisiacs are an integral part of the foreplay process. Surprisingly, some men have even resorted to referring to Kareena Kapoor's poster where dark chocolate ran all over her assets. "When I see melted chocolate, it tempts me a lot and I get a feeling of my partner trying to seduce me in bed. It's not that I spread chocolate all over her body, but having a bite of chocolate and then kissing her with it in my mouth sets the mood right," shares 29-year old Vineet Khanna.
Other than chocolate, fruits like strawberries and bananas are also considered to be effective aphrodisiacs. "Of course, you can't think of teasing your partner with a fruit like mango. Strawberries are small and the heart-shape helps in building the sexual mood, as you can just take half of it in your mouth and let your partner try and bite the remaining half. Also, the soft thorns on the outer layer work well to make my hubby horny," feels Jigyasa Thakore.
There's a belief that the more a couple sweat it out in bed, the wilder the sex escapade gets. Couples also therefore tend to consume more of chilli peppers to induce sweating. "Eating chicken makes my man sweat a lot and I don't need to add that extra, spicy chilli. In a way, mere chicken acts as an aphrodisiac for me to get him going," shares 32-year old housewife Meenal Duggal.
While aphrodisiacs have been doing their rounds since time immemorial, nobody really knows what good they actually do. Click here to know more about how they work...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Meditation slows AIDS progression
Meditation may slow the worsening of AIDS in just a few weeks, perhaps by affecting the immune system, US researchers reported.
If the findings are borne out in larger studies, it could offer a cheap and pleasant way to help people battle the incurable and often fatal condition, the team at the University of California Los Angeles said on Thursday.
They tested a stress-lowering program called mindfulness meditation, defined as practicing an open and receptive awareness of the present moment, avoiding thinking of the past or worrying about the future. The more often the volunteers meditated, the higher their CD4 T-cell counts - a standard measure of how well the immune system is fighting the AIDS virus. The CD4 counts were measured before and after the two-month programme.
"This study provides the first indication that mindfulness meditation stress-management training can have a direct impact on slowing HIV disease progression," said David Creswell, who led the study.
His team tested 67 HIV-positive adults from the Los Angeles area, 48 of whom did some or all of the meditation. Most were likely to have highly stressful lives, Creswell said.
"The average participant in the study was male, African American, homosexual, unemployed and not on ARV (antiretroviral) medication," they wrote in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
The meditation classes included eight weekly two-hour sessions, a day-long retreat and daily home practice. "The people that were in this class really responded and just really enjoyed the program," Creswell said.
"The mindfulness program is a group-based and low-cost treatment, and if this initial finding is replicated in larger samples, it’s possible that such training can be used as a powerful complementary treatment for HIV disease, alongside medications," he added.
He said it was unclear how the stress-reducing effects of meditation work. It may directly boost CD4 T-cell levels, or suppress the virus, he said.
If the findings are borne out in larger studies, it could offer a cheap and pleasant way to help people battle the incurable and often fatal condition, the team at the University of California Los Angeles said on Thursday.
They tested a stress-lowering program called mindfulness meditation, defined as practicing an open and receptive awareness of the present moment, avoiding thinking of the past or worrying about the future. The more often the volunteers meditated, the higher their CD4 T-cell counts - a standard measure of how well the immune system is fighting the AIDS virus. The CD4 counts were measured before and after the two-month programme.
"This study provides the first indication that mindfulness meditation stress-management training can have a direct impact on slowing HIV disease progression," said David Creswell, who led the study.
His team tested 67 HIV-positive adults from the Los Angeles area, 48 of whom did some or all of the meditation. Most were likely to have highly stressful lives, Creswell said.
"The average participant in the study was male, African American, homosexual, unemployed and not on ARV (antiretroviral) medication," they wrote in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
The meditation classes included eight weekly two-hour sessions, a day-long retreat and daily home practice. "The people that were in this class really responded and just really enjoyed the program," Creswell said.
"The mindfulness program is a group-based and low-cost treatment, and if this initial finding is replicated in larger samples, it’s possible that such training can be used as a powerful complementary treatment for HIV disease, alongside medications," he added.
He said it was unclear how the stress-reducing effects of meditation work. It may directly boost CD4 T-cell levels, or suppress the virus, he said.
Why it helps to have a baby
Ruby Sinha, 39, had all she had wanted - a well-paying job, caring husband and an independent lifestyle. And yet, all was not well. She was getting bouts of depression and gaining weight despite exercise and diet control, and would feel weak, irritable and cry at the slightest provocation.
The couple consulted a physician, a gynaecologist and even a psychiatrist. Nothing came of it till the gynaecologist and the psychiatrist exchanged notes. Ruby's problem was then diagnosed to be a disorder close to depression, which can lead to obesity and other related illnesses like hypertension and diabetes. Most importantly, the root cause of her depression was the feeling of emptiness she had, of having nothing to look forward to ... because she did not have any children.
Dr Asha Sharma, senior gynaecologist at Rockland hospital in Delhi, calls it a typical case of "nulliparity syndrome" which manifests itself only after 35 or 40 years of age in women who don't conceive due to lifestyle choices. "Pregnancy regulates the hormonal flow in a woman's body. If a woman doesn't conceive, the hormonal balance may get disrupted and manifests in the form of weight gain and menstrual problems later, especially after 45-50 years of age," she explains.
Take Gayatri Desai, a 42-year-old twice-married advertising professional. She put off having children in her first marriage (at the age of 29) till she was sure of the guy. The marriage didn't work out eventually. At 35, she married a widower with two kids. He didn't want more children and Gayatri drowned herself in work. All was well until she discovered, to her horror, that she had developed ovarian cancer.
Dr Anuradha Kapoor, senior gynaecologist at Max Healthcare, who is treating Gayatri, says, "Ovarian cancer is a silent killer - there are no symptoms, no conditions. In those women with normal menstrual cycles, who choose not to have a baby, ovulation keeps happening all the time. So hyper-ovulation, in some cases, leads to ovarian cancer.
"Although it's not very common and happens in say, around 1 in 500 women who don't conceive by choice, there's greater risk. And the worst part is, it's very hard to detect and there are no early symptoms. Moreover, since they don't breastfeed, there is a greater risk of breast cancer also."
The American Cancer Society, in its recent report, says: "A woman who has had children has a lower risk of ovarian cancer than women who have no children. The risk gets even lower with each pregnancy. Breastfeeding may lower the risk even further. Using birth control pills also lowers the risk of ovarian cancer."
According to Breast Cancer Risks and Prevention, a booklet published by New York-based Breast Cancer Prevention Institute: "If a woman does not have a full-term pregnancy, she has increased risk of breast cancer since she never develops cancer-resistant type 3 and 4 lobules. If she has children later in life (after 30) she has increased risk because, for most of her menstrual life, her estrogen has been stimulating immature cancer-vulnerable type 1 and 2 breast lobules. If she has children in her twenties, she has decreased risk of breast cancer since her breast tissue matures very early in her menstrual life to type 3 and 4 lobules."
To put it simply, an early pregnancy matures the breast tissue as it prepares to produce milk for the baby. Mature cells are much less likely to become cancerous than immature cells. The booklet says that though there is no direct cause and effect, abortions do cause changes in breast tissues, producing many more places where breast cancer is likely to develop.
As early as 1986, US scientists Bruce Stadel and Phyllis Wingo, convinced of an abortion-cancer link, wrote a letter to the British journal, Lancet, saying that "induced abortion before first-term pregnancy increases the risk of breast cancer". Likewise, in a study of 1,531 patients with endometrial cancer treated at the University of Texas between 1989 and 2003, doctors found that 55% of patients were nulliparous. Researchers said the majority of the patients were obese and nulliparous.
Experts say nulliparity is one of the causes of such reproductive organ-related cancers. But it has to be added that women with kids may also develop cancer along with those exposed to radiation, those with a family history or those on the pill for more than five years.
Non-conception has adverse effects on psychological health too. Chandigarh-based psychologist Nirmal Sharma says: "As long a woman is busy and enjoying her work, all's fine but once she crosses a certain age, she does need kids. It does satisfy her maternal instincts, failing which she can develop mental disorders."
Dr Mala Srivastava, senior gynaecologist at Gangaram hospital, Delhi, says nulliparity is becoming rampant among the urban privileged class. "Many double-income couples these days choose to dump their family plans, either because they are 'too busy' or 'not prepared' for it. We even get cases where women who have accidentally conceived would come for MTPs. And it's amazing how they have no regrets.
"But this attitude can be dangerous. Apart from cancer, nulliparity can also cause endometriosis. Even if you conceive at that stage, you can't ward off such complications," says Srivastava.
Dr Sharma adds: "Many of these women realize in their forties that they need a baby. But, by then, either their ability to conceive has reduced or eggs have become unhealthy. However, conception is possible with the help of assisted reproductive techniques."
(Names of patients have been changed to protect identity)
The couple consulted a physician, a gynaecologist and even a psychiatrist. Nothing came of it till the gynaecologist and the psychiatrist exchanged notes. Ruby's problem was then diagnosed to be a disorder close to depression, which can lead to obesity and other related illnesses like hypertension and diabetes. Most importantly, the root cause of her depression was the feeling of emptiness she had, of having nothing to look forward to ... because she did not have any children.
Dr Asha Sharma, senior gynaecologist at Rockland hospital in Delhi, calls it a typical case of "nulliparity syndrome" which manifests itself only after 35 or 40 years of age in women who don't conceive due to lifestyle choices. "Pregnancy regulates the hormonal flow in a woman's body. If a woman doesn't conceive, the hormonal balance may get disrupted and manifests in the form of weight gain and menstrual problems later, especially after 45-50 years of age," she explains.
Take Gayatri Desai, a 42-year-old twice-married advertising professional. She put off having children in her first marriage (at the age of 29) till she was sure of the guy. The marriage didn't work out eventually. At 35, she married a widower with two kids. He didn't want more children and Gayatri drowned herself in work. All was well until she discovered, to her horror, that she had developed ovarian cancer.
Dr Anuradha Kapoor, senior gynaecologist at Max Healthcare, who is treating Gayatri, says, "Ovarian cancer is a silent killer - there are no symptoms, no conditions. In those women with normal menstrual cycles, who choose not to have a baby, ovulation keeps happening all the time. So hyper-ovulation, in some cases, leads to ovarian cancer.
"Although it's not very common and happens in say, around 1 in 500 women who don't conceive by choice, there's greater risk. And the worst part is, it's very hard to detect and there are no early symptoms. Moreover, since they don't breastfeed, there is a greater risk of breast cancer also."
The American Cancer Society, in its recent report, says: "A woman who has had children has a lower risk of ovarian cancer than women who have no children. The risk gets even lower with each pregnancy. Breastfeeding may lower the risk even further. Using birth control pills also lowers the risk of ovarian cancer."
According to Breast Cancer Risks and Prevention, a booklet published by New York-based Breast Cancer Prevention Institute: "If a woman does not have a full-term pregnancy, she has increased risk of breast cancer since she never develops cancer-resistant type 3 and 4 lobules. If she has children later in life (after 30) she has increased risk because, for most of her menstrual life, her estrogen has been stimulating immature cancer-vulnerable type 1 and 2 breast lobules. If she has children in her twenties, she has decreased risk of breast cancer since her breast tissue matures very early in her menstrual life to type 3 and 4 lobules."
To put it simply, an early pregnancy matures the breast tissue as it prepares to produce milk for the baby. Mature cells are much less likely to become cancerous than immature cells. The booklet says that though there is no direct cause and effect, abortions do cause changes in breast tissues, producing many more places where breast cancer is likely to develop.
As early as 1986, US scientists Bruce Stadel and Phyllis Wingo, convinced of an abortion-cancer link, wrote a letter to the British journal, Lancet, saying that "induced abortion before first-term pregnancy increases the risk of breast cancer". Likewise, in a study of 1,531 patients with endometrial cancer treated at the University of Texas between 1989 and 2003, doctors found that 55% of patients were nulliparous. Researchers said the majority of the patients were obese and nulliparous.
Experts say nulliparity is one of the causes of such reproductive organ-related cancers. But it has to be added that women with kids may also develop cancer along with those exposed to radiation, those with a family history or those on the pill for more than five years.
Non-conception has adverse effects on psychological health too. Chandigarh-based psychologist Nirmal Sharma says: "As long a woman is busy and enjoying her work, all's fine but once she crosses a certain age, she does need kids. It does satisfy her maternal instincts, failing which she can develop mental disorders."
Dr Mala Srivastava, senior gynaecologist at Gangaram hospital, Delhi, says nulliparity is becoming rampant among the urban privileged class. "Many double-income couples these days choose to dump their family plans, either because they are 'too busy' or 'not prepared' for it. We even get cases where women who have accidentally conceived would come for MTPs. And it's amazing how they have no regrets.
"But this attitude can be dangerous. Apart from cancer, nulliparity can also cause endometriosis. Even if you conceive at that stage, you can't ward off such complications," says Srivastava.
Dr Sharma adds: "Many of these women realize in their forties that they need a baby. But, by then, either their ability to conceive has reduced or eggs have become unhealthy. However, conception is possible with the help of assisted reproductive techniques."
(Names of patients have been changed to protect identity)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
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