Archive for the ‘Disease Prevention’ Category

Exercise Impact on Diabetes Not Getting Through

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Recent data on diabetes cases indicates diabetes is rising rapidly in the U.S. According to a new Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey, the disease is now affecting 11.3% of American adults, up from 10.4% in Q3, 2009. This equates to about 26 million Americans now, and if the trend continues, 37 million w by the end of 2015.

Interestingly, the survey also showed the U.S. obesity rate is up about 1 percent on Q:Q comparisons with 2008. Individuals who are obese are almost three times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. Currently, more than one-fifth of obese adults have diabetes [21.2%, compared to 7.4% of non-obese of similar age]

Further correlations indicated a higher incidence of diabetes among those who didn’t exercise at least a half hour on any given day in the previous week. Indications of exercise undertaken in the week prior to the survey:

  • Exercised at least 30 minutes a day, every day – 9.5%
  • Exercised at least 30 minutes a day, four to six times – 8%
  • Did not exercise at least 30 minutes any time -15%

Maybe the government does need to introduce a FAT TAX – not on the food, but on the people. It will solve the health budget and economy all in one hit.

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Posted in Aging Conditions, Disease Prevention, Fat Loss | 6 Comments »

A New Look at Breast Cancer

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

There is such a lot of confusion in the market as to what does and does not contribute to or cause breast cancer. No sooner does one theory emerge than it gets debunked two years later.

The common protection mechanism for women against breast cancer is frequent self examination and mammograms. Personally, I find mammograms a complete waste of time as I know at least 6 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer within 2 months of having mammograms. For that reason I insist on having an ultrasound to follow. This is particularly since I have already had two fibroadenomas removed from my breasts in my 20′s and 30′s, and the scar tissue alone can cause misdiagnosis on the mammograms.

Whilst I am a great supporter on embracing any modern medicine, my first line of defence is always my own health program – diet, fitness, emotional wellness.

In the following Video, Dr Mecola takes a new look at breast cancer and provides some valuable advice as to new tests for breast cancer, and simple everyday things women can do to help prevent breast cancer.

 

Takeaways

  • Include tests for Vitamin D and Fasting Insulin in your regular check ups
  • Optimize natural melatonin production by ensuring you sleep in a complete blackout environment – this is focused on the eyes. So use blackout drapes and an eye mask during the night. If you have to go to the bathroom during the night, use a red light penlight. Balance this night blackout with exposure to bright sunlight during the day. Both of these elements are required to maintain optimal levels of melatonin.

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Posted in Aging Conditions, Antiaging Treatments, Cancer, Disease Prevention, Medical Advances, Wellness | No Comments »

Great Videos Explaining Stem Cell Therapy To Stop Aging

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Following on from a recent post on new gene therapy to treat Parkinsons disease I caught up with the latest in stem cell therapy. There is a lot of controversy around stem cell replacement therapy – largely due to misinformation as to the source of embryonic stem cells.

Putting that aside, stem cell therapy not only is one of the greatest pathways to future treatment of age related conditions, but also poses a real pathway for the prevention of aging of all human tissue – including the skin.

Are we looking at the new fountain of youth. This short series of videos  put together a couple of years ago, provides a great introduction to how stem cells work in various parts of the body. Check them out in our new section on Stem Cell Treatment For Aging

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Posted in Aging Conditions, Antiaging Treatments, Disease Prevention, Medical Advances | 2 Comments »

New Gene Therapy Rewiring the Parkinsons Brain

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

The brain is an area isolated from many of the chemicals into the blood by the blood brain barrier, meaning that it is not accessible to many medications or therapies delivered orally or intravenously. In addition, around a third of Parkinson’s patients in the USA are in the later stages of the disease and resistant to medication.

More-precise methods to reach the brain have been developed, including improved brain imaging and the use of implanted stimulators. This is good news for Parkinson’s patients, and a number of new clinical trials for Parkinson’s in which a therapeutic gene or another treatment is delivered directly to a specific part of the brain are currently in progress.

As delivery technologies improve, so too are new therapeutics. Typical treatments include:

  • Drugs that replace the chemical messenger dopamine – however the benefits of these medications frequently decline over time.
  • Deep brain stimulation (DBS) – an electrode is implanted directly into the brain to send electrical pulses to the damaged part of the brain ,overriding the abnormal neural signaling that triggers tremors, rigidity, and other symptoms of Parkinson’s. While DBS is effective in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, it does not cure it.

Many companies are now searching for new alternatives which involve shorter surgical time and a better prognosis. One promising treatment is Gene therapy – currently being tested in clinical trials.

The therapeutic gene GAD, codes for an enzyme that catalyzes production of the chemical messenger GABA [cells that produce GABA are lost in Parkinsons] bypassing the area affected by cell death, and restoring balance to the circuit. Trials have shown a 29 percent improvement in motor function.

Find out more about this treatment for Parkinsons

Find out more about Parkinsons Disease

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Posted in Antiaging Treatments, Disease Prevention | No Comments »

Athritis Suffers Find Comfort in Weight Loss

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

Studies found that people with knee osteoarthritis experienced less pain and disability simply by losing weight:

  • A 5 per cent weight loss was enough to ease problems
  • A 10 percent weight loss resulted in ‘moderate to large’ improvements in physical ability

All good news for sufferers of this painful joint condition.  Researchers suggest suffers of arthritis lose 10 percent of their weight in a period of two months to gain the most benefit. Since mobility is often a problem for such patients, the emphasis must be on food intake. Once the pain starts to ease, and mobility improves, exercise will help with further weight loss

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Posted in Anti-Aging Program, Disease Prevention, Treatments, Weight Management | 2 Comments »

Milk Proteins Back On The Firing Line

Monday, September 24th, 2007

It seems milk is back in the firing line. It’s all about milk proteins.

There are six major protecins in milk – the prime ones of concern being beta casein  A1 and A1. Depending upon the type of cow, more cows product A1 proteins and other more A2 proteins.

The A1 gene is the damaging one – leading to health concerns, in particular, diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and autism. If you have any digestive problems, you can have greater reactions to A1.

Whilst many dairy companies dispute that there is any significant difference between the two – are we going to see labels on cows now, declaring their protein preferences.

As 80% of the population are sensitive to lactose [and most don't know it], I suggest you give cows milk a pass anyway. There are many other options available:

  • Soy Milk
  • Rice Milk
  • Goats Milk
  • Sheeps Milk

All readily available from your supermarket

Nicola

Posted in Diet, Disease Prevention | 3 Comments »

Is Death The Only Motivator?

Tuesday, June 5th, 2007

It staggers me that so many people are not taking responsibility for their own health, and the health of their children. It seems that it takes a brush with an early death to get people to realize their unhealthy lifestyles are killing them years before necessary. Is they are too lazy, or are they just too stupid? With all the media coverage on health today, I fail to accept that it is lack of knowledge. Maybe its just much easier leaving it to someone else to worry about. (more…)

Posted in Disease Prevention, Wellness | 1 Comment »

The Great Vitamin-D Debate

Sunday, March 18th, 2007

A new hot debate has surfaced over sun protection. For some, it seems we may have gone a little too far in our attempts to reduce photodamage.

Asian, Subcontinents, and Melanesian peoples generally don’t require sun protection – the color of their skin indicates that sufficient melanin is present to act as a natural sunblock. 

But what happens when they move to live in other regions of the world, where the strength of the sun is not so strong and they tend to spend more time indoors? (more…)

Posted in Antiaging, Disease Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

Gotta Love The Red Skins

Saturday, March 17th, 2007

It appears that genetic progress in our food manufacture may be damaging our health. In our bid to introduce new brands of apples that are more disease resistant, grow in more diverse climates and give a bigger better looking apple, we are genetically breeding OUT all their goodness.

The old varieties of apples like the Red Delicious have very high anti-cancer properties. Not so with the new varieties it seems.

Bio Tech Researcher, Dr Tony McGhie is attempting to locate older varietials and aggressively breed them in an attempt to restock the nation with the health giving benefits of the ‘apple a day’.

And just like the skin of red grapes, it seems that color is a dominant factor in how much protection is offered. Red skin varieties like Red Delicious “inhibit cancer forming cells by 40-50%”. That’s pretty significant!

And Dr McGhie believes that all the health giving properties we need are provided in abundance in older diverse varieties of food crops – yeah, well we know that, but getting them, and getting them unsprayed is pretty difficult – hence the need for powerful natural vitamin supplements and antioxidants.

But overall, good to see that our food chain is being preserved.

Nicola

Posted in Anti-Aging Program, Diet, Disease Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »