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Aging

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Many people live well into their 80s — and beyond. As the body ages, however, various systems slow down, and the risk of disease increases. Even though you can’t stop time, you can forestall some of the negative effects of aging with a healthy lifestyle and well-chosen supplements.

Symptoms:
Slowing of cognitive processes: difficulty accessing memory and learning and remembering new people and events.
Sensory decline: delay in refocusing eyes and impaired ability to hear high-pitched sounds.
Weakened immune system: increased susceptibility to colds, the flu, and other illnesses.
Decline in muscle and bone mass.
Increased risk of developing heart disease and cancer.

When You Call Your Doctor: :
You need a complete physical every year after age 50. See your doctor right away, however, if you are concerned about the risk of age-related diseases.
Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

What It Is:
Put simply, aging is the process of growing old. Every part of the body is affected: Among other changes, hair turns gray, skin wrinkles, joints and muscles lose flexibility, bones become weak, memory declines, eyesight diminishes, and immunity is impaired.

What Causes It:
Cells in the body divide a set number of times; then they die and are replaced by new cells. With age, this process slows, and a progressive deterioration of all body systems begins. Though some of this decline is normal and inevitable, many researchers believe that unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals accelerate the process, making us old before our time. Some damage is unavoidable because free radicals are produced during the normal course of cell activity. But you may be able to slow aging by avoiding outside factors that foster free-radical formation — cigarette smoke, pollution, excessive alcohol, and radiation from X rays or the sun — and by enhancing your body’s own antioxidant defenses. Manufactured by the cells and obtained through diet, antioxidants are powerful weapons that can disarm free radicals.

How Supplements Can Help:
Some supplements should be used daily by everyone concerned about the effects of aging. Vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidants that fight free radicals. Vitamin C and flavonoids work within the cell’s watery interior. Vitamin E protects the fatty membranes that surround cells; in addition, it improves immune function in older people and reduces the risk of some age-related conditions, including heart disease, some forms of cancer, and possibly Alzheimer’s. In a recent study from the National Institute on Aging, people who took vitamin E supplements were about half as likely to die of heart disease — the nation’s leading killer — as those not using vitamin E.
Green tea extract, long prized for its longevity-promoting properties, and grape seed extract (100 mg twice a day) are other antioxidants that may be more potent than vitamins C and E.

Folic acid, a B vitamin, maintains red blood cells and promotes the healthy functioning of nerves. Moreover, it protects the heart by helping the body process homocysteine, an amino acid-like compound that may raise the risk of heart disease. Folic acid is assisted by vitamin B12, which fosters healthy brain functioning. Taking this vitamin is important because many older people lose the ability to absorb it from food, and low B12 levels can cause nerve damage and dementia. The amino acid-like substance carnitine contributes to a healthy heart because it helps transport oxygen to the cells and produces energy. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is essential to a number of body processes. As it ages, the body loses its ability to convert the fats present in foods to GLA.

In addition, certain supplements are vital to specific concerns. Glucosamine helps maintain joint cartilage and eases the pain of arthritis. Because it enhances blood flow, the herb ginkgo biloba may improve such age-related conditions as dizziness, impotence, and memory loss.

What Else You Can Do:
Protect yourself from excessive sun. Ultraviolet rays make skin age faster.
If you smoke, quit. Smoking speeds bone and lung deterioration.
Build and maintain bone and muscle mass with weight-bearing exercise, such as walking and weight training.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables — they’re rich in antioxidants.
Although more research is needed, some experts recommend people over age 50 take a coenzyme Q10 supplement to minimize the effects of aging. This substance helps transport energy throughout the body and acts as an antioxidant, but the body’s own production declines with age. If you want to add coenzyme Q10 to your regimen, take 50 mg twice a day (food enhances its absorption).

Supplement Recommendations:

Vitamin C/Flavonoids:
Dosage: 1,000 mg vitamin C and 500 mg flavonoids twice a day.
Comments: Reduce vitamin C dose if diarrhea develops.

Vitamin E
Dosage: 400 IU a day.
Comments: Check with your doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs.

Green Tea Extract
Dosage: 250 mg twice a day.
Comments: Standardized to contain at least 50% polyphenols.

Folic Acid/Vitamin B12
Dosage: 400 mcg folic acid and 1,000 mcg vitamin B12 once a day.
Comments: Take sublingual form for best absorption.

Carnitine
Dosage: 500 mg L-carnitine twice a day.
Comments: If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.

Evening Primrose Oil
Dosage: 1,000 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Can substitute 1,000 mg borage oil once a day.

Glucosamine
Dosage: 500 mg glucosamine sulfate twice a day.
Comments: Increase to 3 times a day if you have osteoarthritis. Take with food to minimize digestive upset.

Ginkgo Biloba
Dosage: 40 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Standardized to have at least 24% flavone glycosides.

This site may give you  little more knowledge about defending yourself from Aging.

Source:    Reader’s Digest

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News on Health & Science

Could Stem Cells Make You More Beautiful?

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Stem Cells Could Have Cosmetic Applications, but They’re Likely Far Off.

The prospect is a tantalizing one. To erase wrinkles and fine lines, or to get bigger breasts, without cosmetic surgery. Forget silicone, forget collagen. All you would need is stem-cell therapy.

Realistically speaking, though, such applications remain a pipe dream.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time a medical therapy had been bent in the direction of aesthetics. Take a look at Botox   the deadly botulinum toxin initially used to treat spasms is now used to improve the appearance of frown lines.

And while stem-cell applications for the vanity market may have to wait, some researchers have begun to research the possibilities of stem cells in plastic and reconstructive medicine.

“Stem-cell research appears promising for medicine and particularly for plastic surgery,” said Dr. Ronald Friedman, director of the West Plano Plastic Surgery Center and a board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Plano, Tex.

“Hair follicular stem cells, tooth stem cells and skin stem cells all show therapeutic promise,” said Denis English, editor in chief of the journal Stem Cells and Development and director of cell biology at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla. “These can restore hair to a bald man, teeth to those in need and skin to scarred patients.”

The use of stem cells to regenerate tissue is believed to hold promise because stem cells can be nudged to develop into specialized cell types. And some researchers have turned an eye toward stem cells for this very purpose.

In October, a University of Pittsburgh team led by Dr. Peter Rubin received a three-year grant from the National Cancer Institute to explore the possibility of using stem cells derived from a patient’s own fat. Rubin, assistant professor of plastic surgery and co-director of the university’s Adipose Stem Cell Center, used those stem cells to create a durable, shaped piece of replacement tissue.

The research may one day allow breast cancer survivors to take advantage of a natural replacement after a mastectomy.

But with these possible applications in reconstruction, could cosmetic applications be far behind?

“Naturally, the public shows more interest in applications like breast augmentation,” said Dr. Peter Constantino, director of the Center for Facial Reconstruction and Restoration at Roosevelt Hospital in New York.

“In our society, there is such a huge demand for these rejuvenation surgeries, despite their significant risks, that the pragmatist in me cannot deny the likelihood that it will not be long before someone offers a two-stage procedure starting with liposuction followed by injection of these autologous stem cells for breast augmentation or into the face to rejuvenate,” said Dr. Daniel Salomon of the department of molecular and experimental medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Real-World Applications Still Far Off
Though initial research into the potential of stem cells in reconstructive surgery is promising, actual applications    particularly those of a purely cosmetic nature    are still distant.

“This is still very far in the future, except for tabloid speculation,” said Dr. Garry Brody, professor emeritus of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. “By the time it becomes practical    and affordable    I suspect it will be beyond our lifetimes.”

“Stem cells do have the potential to revolutionize things, but it is not “just around the corner,'” said Constantino. “You can’t just inject ‘fat’ stem cells into a breast and just assume that it’s going to make a nice-looking breast. You could just end up with something fairly lumpy and unappealing.”

The cosmetic applications of stem cells are “25 to 30 years away, at the earliest,” said Thoru Pederson of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass.

Yet some studies are already under way.
“We are starting to see clinical trials with stem cells for reconstructive surgery,” Rubin said. “A group from Japan reported on enriching liposuctioned fat with fat-derived stem cells and using the material successfully for breast enlargement.”

Cosmetic Uses of Stem Cells a Low Priority
Most experts agree, however, that many other potentially curative and life-saving applications of stem cells take precedence over cosmetic uses.

“Applications to rejuvenation or enhanced personal appearance are much harder to justify at this point and will be driven more by market forces in affluent countries   not just the U.S. certainly    rather than by science,” Salomon said.

“In my opinion, use of any cells for cosmetic surgery is still problematic,” said Dr. Darwin Prockop, director of the Center for Gene Therapy at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. “The trials that can be justified are in patients with terminal diseases in which the potential risks and benefits are carefully evaluated.”

“In all honesty, the more promising (and more quickly realized) aspects of stem cell use in plastic and reconstructive surgery will probably be in producing skin replacement grafts on a large scale,” Constantino said. “This could help many, many burn and chronic wound patients.”

But for now?
“Though there is an enormous amount of promise with stem cells in plastic and reconstructive surgery, the devil is in some pretty important details,” Constantino said.

Source:ABC News.

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Pediatric

Tips for Protecting Your Child from Dog Bites

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Nearly half of all U.S. Children have been bitten by a dog, and boys 5 to 9 years old appear to be at greatest risk. In addition, all children are more likely than adults to receive dangerous bites to the head, face, and neck.

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Still, many bites are preventable if families follow basic safety tips and demonstrate responsible dog ownership. Parents can reduce the risk of your child suffering a potentially dangerous dog bite by following these guidelines:

* Choose a good breed for children. Some dogs are naturally more aggressive than others. Consider a good natured breed like a golden retriever, collie, old English sheepdog, or basset hound.

*Socialize your pet. Expose a puppy to a variety of situations and people, and continue that exposure as it grows older. But do not leave it unsupervised with your children. Many bites occur during playful roughhousing when a child does not realize that the animal is overexcited.

   #Train your dog. It should be willing to respond to commands consistently.
#Teach children never to disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
#Warn children never to approach a strange dog. Teach them to ask permission from a dog’s owner before petting it.
#Tell children not to run past dogs. Canines naturally like to chase things, and this gives them a reason to become excited and aggressive.
# Tell children never to stare a dog in the eye. The animal interprets it as a challenge and a sign of aggression.
# If a dog threatens your child, tell him or her to remain calm. Children should not turn and run. Tell them to avoid eye contact and stay still until the dog leaves. If they fall or a re knocked to the ground, tell them to curl into a ball with their hands over their heads and necks.

 Education, supervision can prevent dog bites:-   According to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), an estimated 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States each year. Fortunately, only about 20% of these require medical attention. With more than 52 million dogs kept as pets in the United States, bites will continue to pose a serious health threat to children.

Most of the 52 million dogs in this country kept as pets will never bite or kill anyone. Yet parents should remember that domesticated dogs retain their wild instincts and pose a health threat to their children.

Canine injuries range from simple puncture wounds to severe lacerations. Children are most likely to be bit on the head, face, or neck, while adults generally suffer wounds to the hands and upper arms. Over half are permanently scarred. The highest incidents of dog bite wounds occur in children five to fourteen years of age. Boys suffer dog bites twice as frequently as girls. Many parents falsely assume that their youngsters will be bitten by a strange or wild animal. More than 80% of bites are inflicted by the family pet or an animal known to the child.

Contrary to myth, few dog attacks can be traced to teasing and tormenting. Other human behaviors and characteristics, however, do make dogs more likely to attack them. One is being very young. Infants make up most of the fatal attack victims. It is suspected that these attacks occur because dogs mistake tiny babies for prey, and any breed of dog can make this tragic mistake. Therefore, never, ever leave any dog alone with an infant.

When the circumstances surrounding a bite are known, most dog attacks are provoked. Therefore, children should be educated on behaviors that will lessen their risk for an injury. Here are some guidelines:

· Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior.

· Teach children not to approach an unfamiliar dog or run away from a dog that is chasing them. A dog’s natural instinct is to chase and catch someone who is running. Instruct the child to stand still with their hands at their sides. The dog will most likely stop, sniff the youngster, and leave them alone when they realize that the child is not a threat.

· Instruct children not to approach an injured dog (or any other animal). Instead, tell an adult about the animal.

· Do not pet or approach a dog while he or she is eating, sleeping, or guarding something. Pets naturally guard their food, their new puppies, and their toys. Dogs also protect their owners, and the property that belongs to their owners–such as an owner’s home, yard, or car. Toddlers frequently are bitten because they get right in the dog’s face, moving quickly and making high-pitched, unpredictable noises.

· Do not pet a dog without letting it see and sniff you first. Before petting someone elses dog, ask the owner for permission.

·Keep fingers away from a dog’s mouth. ·

·Teach children when it is okay to play with a dog and when to leave the dog alone.

·Most important, parents need to realize that young children need constant supervision when they’re with dogs.

· St. Petersburg veterinarian Dr. Steve Bryan believes early intervention is the best way to avoid bites from the family dog. “All puppies should receive obedience training with the family, “stated Dr. Bryan. “At the first sign of aggressive behavior the owners must act and seek help from the veterinarian, since the first bite is often devastating and leaves no recourse for the pet.”

· Dr. Bryan also commented that the likelihood of a bite inflicted by the family pet can be reduced by choosing more docile breeds. Which bites most? Research usually points to German shepherds, pit bulls, chows, Dobermans, rottweilers, Siberian huskies, malamutes, wolf-hybrids, Akitas, Labradors, cocker spaniels and golden retrievers. Remember, there is a danger in believing that the family is safe because parents have not picked a breed from the “dangerous” list. Remember, any dog can bite.

· If a dog bites once, it is apt to bite again. If parents get a warning, they better act on it. Time for that dog to stay with an uncle on the farm.

The intent of this article is not to scare parents into not owning a dog. Remember, the vast majority of dog – child interactions are wonderful. When parents choose their dog wisely, show them lots of love and take proper precautions, the family pooch will be a welcome addition to the household.

 These dog bite prevention tips are provided courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Therapetic treatment

Magnetic Therapy

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Magnetic therapy is a safe, non-invasive method of applying magnetic fields to the body for therapeutic purposes. It helps to speed the healing process and improve quality of sleep without any adverse side effects. Whether used independently or as an adjunct to your current treatment, magnetic therapy is very effective for the relief of discomfort due to joint and muscle pain, inflammation, and stiffness, making it an excellent choice for everyone……..CLICK & SEE

Over the centuries, it has been well documented that many cultures, including the ancient Chinese, Greeks and Egyptians, have applied magnets to relieve pain and other symptoms. However, the size and weight of the magnets existing during that time, made them difficult to use. Today, smaller and stronger magnetic materials have led to the application of modern day magnetic therapy products used by over 120 million people worldwide.

Clinical studies in the United States have shown magnetic therapy to be an effective method for relieving pain and discomfort. Japan and many eastern European countries have conducted studies for over 30 years, and researchers continue to find that it provides tremendous benefits for a wide range of conditions. Physicians in the United States using magnetic therapy in their practices have reported many case histories showing positive benefits for their patients as well.

All physical and mental functions are controlled by electromagnetic fields produced by the movement of electro-chemicals (ions) within the body. When an injury occurs and tissue is damaged, positively charged ions move to the affected area, causing pain and swelling. In order for healing to take place, the injured site must be restored to its natural negative electromagnetic charge. Pain and inflammatory-related electro-chemicals must be removed and oxygen and nutrients transferred to the area.

The application of a magnetic field to an injured area helps restore the normal electromagnetic balance. The magnetic field relaxes capillary walls, as well as surrounding muscle and connective tissues, allowing for increased blood flow. More oxygen and nutrients are transferred to the injury site, while pain and inflammatory-related electro-chemicals are more efficiently removed. The overall process restores the normal electromagnetic balance of the area, relieving pain and inflammation, and promoting accelerated healing.

Individual response time will vary, and can range from a few minutes, to a few weeks. The effectiveness of magnetic therapy is dependent upon using the correct magnetic products, the length of time they are applied, and the type and severity of the problem.

Yes, magnetic therapy is safe. No complications have ever been reported with its proper use. Magnetic therapy products use magnets that when applied to the body, have positive therapeutic benefits.

There are certain conditions where magnet therapy should not be used. Magnetic therapy should not be used if you are wearing a pacemaker, defibrillator, insulin pump or any other implanted electro-medical device, and should not be used if you are pregnant.

The electromagnetic fields surrounding power lines and electrical appliances are a very different type of magnetic field, and have no relation to the natural, healing fields produced by Healing Magnetic Products.

According to most experts in the field, if magnetic therapy products are designed and used properly they can be 80%-90% effective. The problem is that Biomagnetics is a far more complex science than most people realize, so knowing how to accomplish this is no easy task and requires highly specialized engineering and manufacturing capabilities.

To be effective, a magnetic therapy product must produce a magnetic field of sufficient strength and size at the site of the injury or affected area. The problem is that the strength of a magnetic field drops off rapidly as the distance from the magnet increases, and an injured area can be several inches below the surface of the skin. If the product is not properly designed, the field could easily drop below therapeutic levels before it even reaches the injury site, and the product would then be ineffective.

Companies that provide insufficient product information, and incorrectly use the gauss rating of magnets to indicate the strength of their products compound the problem. The manufacturer’s gauss rating of a magnet indicates the amount of magnetic energy (residual induction) that the magnetic material can hold, but alone is not an indication of the strength of the magnet.

Since the gauss rating is identical for all magnets made of the same material, regardless of the size or number of magnets, products using smaller and fewer numbers of magnets are made to appear more effective than they really are.

To be therapeutically effective, a magnetic field must penetrate the injured area at a high enough gauss strength. There is no way to tell if the magnetic field is strong enough just by knowing the gauss rating of the magnets.

The mass (surface area and thickness) of the magnets, the number of magnets, the polarity facing the body and the gauss rating of the magnets used, all determine the strength and penetration depth of the magnetic field produced by a magnetic therapy product.

No they are not. Most products on the market use magnets that are either too small, or insufficient in number and strength to provide any real benefit. The polarity of the magnets is also a very important issue. Many products contain magnets that are facing the wrong way (the south or positive polarity is facing the body), which can increase, rather than ease discomfort. There are also products that are improperly using bipolar (both poles on the same surface) magnets in products such as mattress pads, which is completely against recommended protocols and can cause increased discomfort.

So,It is always wise to buy the products from a renowned manufacturers who maintains highest quality standards. Designed by experts in the field of biomagnetics and complementary medicine.The products should have new engineering methods developed by the company to provide maximum effectiveness and eliminate the problems existing with other magnetic therapy products.

Help taken from:HEALIOHEALTH.COM

We can learn little more about this subject from this site.

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Therapetic treatment

Aromatherapy

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Aromatherapy is the ancient science of healing, relaxing and energizing by the use of plants and their parts. The roots, barks, flowers, fruits, seeds and nuts play a crucial part in this science. It is one of the more popular branches of alternative medicines. The word aromatherapy is derived from two words aroma which means smell and therapy which stands for healing.

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Little to no significant scientific research has proven any combination of cause/effect solutions from aromatherapy aside from relaxation and clarity of mind, all considered similar to that of a nap or pause in conscious thought. Aromatherapy is also associated with astrological pseudoscience, and bases its medicinal beliefs on the alignment of stars, among many other aspects, to prescribe certain olfactory therapies. In truth, any odour can be considered a therapy by aroma, or aromatherapy.So in my openion, this type of Therapy should always be applied alongwith the modern scientific medication for curing a desies. This might speed up healing effect.
Some of the materials employed include:

Essential oils: Fragrant oils extracted from plants chiefly through distillation (e.g. eucalyptus oil) or expression (grapefruit oil). However, the term is also occasionally used to describe fragrant oils extracted from plant material by any solvent extraction.
Absolutes: Fragrant oils extracted primarily from flowers or delicate plant tissues through solvent or supercritical fluid extraction (e.g. rose absolute). The term is also used to describe oils extracted from fragrant butters, concretes, and enfleurage pommades using ethanol.
Phytoncides: Various volatile organic compounds from plants that kill microbes. Many terpene-based fragrant oils and sulfuric compounds from plants in the genus “Allium” are Phytoncides, though the latter are likely less commonly used in aromatherapy due to their disagreeable smells.
Hydrosols: The aqueous by-products of the distillation process (e.g. rosewater). Hydrosol used are limited to plants such as rose and chamomile since most hydrosols have unpleasant smells.
Infusions: Aqueous extracts of various plant material (e.g. infusion of chamomile)
Carrier oils: Typically oily plant base triacylglycerides that are used to dilute essential oils for use on the skin (e.g. sweet almond oil)

The basis of aromatherapy is the Essential oil Oils extracted from different plants and their barks and flowers.. These oils are the extracts of plants and their parts and form their life force. These oils are extracted by the means of steam distillation, cold expression, or fixed oil or alcohol extraction. They are highly concentrated and should not be used directly. These oils can be blended together and this blend is called synergy. The synergy is more potent than the individual oils combined. To reduce the potency of these oils, you can dilute them by mixing them with carrier oils.

These oils affect your mood. They enter through our olfactory system and affect the nervous system, thus improving mood and relaxing or energizing us. This helps is alleviating stress and speeding up healing. Most of these oils also have cosmetic properties and can be used in skincare and hair care products. Many of these oils have known anti-viral, antifungal and antiseptic properties. They are also used in household products for cleaning and antiseptic uses. These oils can be inhaled, massaged onto your body, added to the bath or shower or sprayed in the room.

When aromatherapy is used for the treatment or prevention of disease, a precise knowledge of the bioactivity and synergy of the essential oils used, knowledge of the dosage and duration of application, as well as, naturally, a medical diagnosis, are required.

In the Anglo-Saxon world, among alternative practitioners such as herbalists or naturopaths, aromatherapy is regarded as a complementary modality by some and a pseudoscientific belief by most others.

On the continent, especially in France, where it originated, aromatherapy is incorporated into mainstream medicine. There, the use of the anti-septic properties of oils in the control of infections is emphasized over the more “touchy feely” approaches familiar to English speakers. In France some essential oils are regulated as prescription drugs, and thus administered by a physician. In many countries they are included in the national pharmacopeia, but up to the present moment aromatherapy as science has never been recognized as a valid branch of medicine in the United States, Russia, Germany, or Japan.

Essential oils, phytoncides and other natural VOCs work in different ways. At the scent level they activate the limbic system and emotional centers of the brain. When applied to the skin (commonly in form of “massage oils” i.e. 1-10% solutions of EO in carrier oil) they activate thermal receptors, and kill microbes and fungi. Internal application of essential oil preparations (mainly in pharmacological drugs; generally not recommended for home use apart from dilution – 1-5% in fats or mineral oils, or hydrosoles) may stimulate the immune system.

CLICK TO READ MORE ABOUT  AROMATHERAPY
(Help taken from:……http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy and http://www.aromatherapies.net/)

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